Keith O'Connor (2010)

1994 Soccer Keith O'Connor, a 1994 graduate, is one of the most prolific and clutch scorers in the history of boys soccer at Ridgewood High School. He started varsity four years and scored 133 points on 46 goals and 41 assists. He is first on the school's all-time list for most varsity wins as a player (55) and most career assists (41) in boys soccer. O'Connor's distinguished soccer career was recognized by The Record, when the newspaper named him to its All-Decade Boys Soccer Team in 2000. O'Connor played for Ridgewood's winningest boys soccer coach, Dick Bennett. He kicked off his freshman year in 1990 in grand style, emerging as the team's leading scorer, racking up 14 goals and eight assists, to help lead the Maroons to a trio of titles — including the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League (NNJIL), Bergen Countyand Group 4, Section 1 championships. As a result, O'Connor was named first team All-NNJIL, third team All-County and Honorable Mention All-State Group 4. In 1991, he set the program record for most assists by a sophomore with 11 and was named first team All-NNJIL, second team All-County and Honorable Mention All-State Group 4. In addition, he was named the All-Suburban Boys Soccer Sophomore of the Year by The Ridgewood News. In 1992, O'Connor became the first RHS boys soccer player to be appointed a captain in his junior year. Again, he led the Maroons in scoring with 17 goals and 13 assists, the latter number a program record for a junior, and he also established the school record for career assists (32) in boys soccer. Recognition of O'Connor subsequently escalated with him being named first team All-NNJIL, first team All-County, first team All-Suburban, first team All-State Group 4 and second team All-State All-Groups. In his senior season of 1993, O'Connor earned the ranking of team captain. Unfortunately, he was injured in his first game versusPassaic and missed the next nine contests. Still, he scored 12 goals and had nine assists and was a driving force behind the Maroons again striking gold by winning the Bergen County championship and the Group 4, Section 1 state title. O'Connor's postseason honors would reach the summit, as he was named first team All-NNJIL, first team All-County, first team All-Suburban, first team All-State, the All-State Top 22 and the Associated Press' second team All-State. O'Connor was also captain of the Wyckoff Torpedoes U19 team that won the New Jersey State Cup in 1994. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. O'Connor also played baseball and was a three-year varsity letter winner for head coach Jack Van Yperen and assistant coach Jeff Yearing. He played the outfield, shortstop (despite being left-handed) and on occasion pitched. He was a career .280/.300 hitter. In college, O'Connor was a four-year varsity award winner in soccer at Loyola University Maryland. After college, he was the JV boys soccer coach at Ridgewood for two seasons, compiling a 23-9-5 record, and also coached JV boys lacrosse at RHS for two years. In addition, for two summers, he was an assistant coach for Yearing's Jersey United girls soccer team that traveled annually to Europe to play in several countries. O'Connor then moved on to coaching men's soccer in college, serving as an assistant coach at the University of Delaware for three years. While there, he served as a player assessor for the Delaware Olympic Development Program (ODP). In 2002, he was the head coach of the AC Milan U16 team that advanced to the semifinals of the Delaware State Cup. In 2003, he was the head coach of the AC Milan U17 team that advanced to the Delaware State Cup Finals. Presently, O'Connor is the men's soccer head coach at Centenary College in Hackettstown. In 2006, he was the Skyline Conference Men's Soccer Coach of the Year and the Centenary College Coach of the Year. O'Connor and his wife, Ellen, and daughter, Cadey, reside in Easton, Pa.

CLASS YEAR

1994

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Julia Rappa (2022)

February 28, 2025
Julia Rappa was introduced to golf through her Dad. As a young child, Julia was introduced to many sports, but golf was the one that Julia says “she picked up on quickly.” As Julia got older she began taking lessons and competing in the Pioneer Junior Golf Tour which was a Bergen County based program for young people getting into golf. According to Julia it was a great place to meet other kids that played golf and a good place to sharpen her skills. Julia also competed in many junior tours such as the NJSGA, IJGT and AJGA tournaments that gave her a great deal of exposure to competitive golf. Having played golf since she was about ten years of age, Julia was very excited about the opportunity to join the Ridgewood High School golf team as a freshman. Initially joining the boys’ team, Julia said playing competitive golf against the boys was a great experience that sharpened her competitive drive and proved to her how strong her game had become and how strong it could be. The NJSIAA recognized girls’ golf as an individual sport from boys’ golf in 2004. In 2005 Dave Vanderbush organized the first girls’ golf team at Ridgewood. There was no league and the girls played an independent schedule. There was a state tournament that year for girls’ golf sponsored by the NJSIAA. Golfers had to shoot forty five or better over nine holes during the state qualifier to qualify to play in the state tournament.While Dave Vanderbush built the RHS girls golf program, Julia and her teammate Eunae Jo were excited to support the new girls joining the team. From that point on Julia would be an integral part of putting Ridgewood girls’ golf on to the top of the list for all of the girls’ golf programs in New Jersey. Julia and her teammate Eunae Jo both qualified. Not only did they qualify, but they won the tournament with freshman Julia Rappa shooting a 90 and freshman Eunae Jo shooting an 89 for a 15 stroke victory over JP Stevens. The pair of Rappa and Jo would qualify for the tournament again for the next three years 2006, 2007 and 2008.Ridgewood would win the state championship in 2006 by one stroke in a one hole playoff with Red Bank Catholic with Rappa making a par 4 on the playoff hole. The pair would win again in 2008 with a two stroke victory over Haddonfield. It was sweet revenge as Haddonfield had defeated Ridgewood by 3 strokes for the championship in 2007. Winning many individual honors through her interscholastic days, Julia went on to play golf for four years at Long Island University Brooklyn. Julia states that golf was a big part of her decision to go to LIU. She wanted an education in New York City and her ability in golf afforded her the opportunity to do so. Julia recounts the incredible teammates she had from different parts of the world. She was the only American on the team. Julia states “when you are competing and traveling for tournaments each weekend, your teammates become family. It was an incredible experience to study in NYC during the week and play on beautiful golf courses all along the East coast during the weekends.” Julia placed in many tournaments during her collegiate career at LIU, but her high school coach Dave Vanderbush summed it up by saying, “Julia was an excellent, steady golfer who always played team golf.” Julia Rappa , welcome to the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall Of Fame.

Joe Pedone (2022)

February 27, 2025
When Joe Pedone finished his high school basketball career in 1992 his coach, Jim Stoker, was quoted at the year end team banquet as saying, “if there is ever a Ridgewood High School Hall of Fame, Joe Pedone will be in it.” It has taken some time for that statement to come true but with his inclusion in the Class of 2022, Joe Pedone is now a member for the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Joe Pedone joins other Ridgewood High School Basketball greats: Pete Campbell, Doug Cook, Tom Hopper, Tim Mullen, and Jim Dee. Joe was a two year varsity starter and a four year player for the Maroons. A slick, ball handing guard, he could get to the rim and score, but he was most feared as a deadly accurate outside shooter. In 1990-91, his junior year, Pedone averaged 15.1 points per game while shooting 54% from the field, 35% from the 3-point arch, and 84% from the foul line. As a result of those marks Joe was awarded 1st Team All-NNJIL, 1st Team All-Suburban, and 3rd Team All-Bergen County. As noteworthy as that season was it only set the stage for his senior year where he really put himself on the North Jersey Basketball map. The 1991-92 basketball season saw Pedone put himself not just among the elite of All-Time Ridgewood High School basketball players but on the list of outstanding players in Bergen County and North Jersey history. He averaged 24.5 points a game, second in the county by .4 points a game. He shot 39% from three point range, 78% from the foul stripe, and 49% from the field against defenses designed and focused on stopping him. Joe finished his career with 973 points a number that would have exceeded 1,000 if not for three games lost late in the season to an ankle injury. Career highlights included nine 30+ point games, 17 games of 20 points or more, 78 total points (38 & 40 respectively) against New Jersey state power Eastside High School, and an 18 win season for the 91-92 Maroons in the always tough NNJIL where every game was a challenge. As much as the focus on Pedone was his offensive skills and scoring prowess, Coach Stroker lauded him for his hard work in becoming an outstanding defensive player. Everyone who knows Coach Stroker, understands he is a “team first” guy and he speaks very highly of Joe’s work ethic, his quiet leadership, and steady team play. There were many coaches who felt Joe was the best player in Bergen County his senior year. As a result of his great play his senior year Pedone was voted 1st Team All-NNJIL, 1st Team All-Suburban, 1st Team-All Bergen County, chosen for the Bergen/Passaic All Star Game, and recognized nationally when nominated for the 1992 McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Team. He accepted a full four year basketball scholarship to Stonehill College in Massachusetts where he had an outstanding career leading the Chieftains to the Northeast 10 Conference semi-finals his sophomore year. He earned numerous Northeast 10 weekly honor roll acknowledgments before missing his senior season due to a fractured femur. Ridgewood High School is steeped in tradition of outstanding athletic teams, coaches, and athletes. With records of accomplishments in a wide variety of sports going back decades. There are thousands of athletes who have worn the Maroon and White and excelled during their high school and some later in their collegiate careers. Only the best are recognized with induction in the Athletic Hall of Fame. Joe Pedone is truly one of the best and now joins the Ridgewood High School Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments in the sport of basketball.

Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM - '90

February 27, 2025
Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM, is Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital/CUMC. Dr. Kirtane is an internationally renowned leader in Interventional Cardiology, specializing in the care of patients with complex coronary and peripheral vascular disease. In addition to his clinical commitments, Dr. Kirtane has a strong interest in clinical education and research, serving as Chief Academic Officer of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care, and as director of several international, national, and regional educational conferences in Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Kirtane's research interests are in clinical trials and outcomes of device-based and pharmacologic interventions in Interventional Cardiology. He is/has been Principal Investigator and serves on the steering committees of numerous clinical trials in interventional cardiovascular medicine. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, Dr. Kirtane is a graduate of Ridgewood High School, Princeton University, and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and completed his residency/chief residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California — San Francisco. He then completed fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease and Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Intervention at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School and additionally obtained a Masters of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health prior to moving back to Columbia. In his free time, Dr. Kirtane has avid interests in sports and music, and lives in New Jersey with his family. Inducted 2022
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