2004
Indians Claim First Post-Season Victory Since 2001
February 12, 2004, By Skiffo Drake
A year ago at this time, the Wayne Valley boys' basketball team found itself in an unusual spot. For the first time in school history, the team was not included in the Passaic County basketball tournament.
The team, had watched in frustration as cross-town DePaul surged through the tournament and won the championship in, of all places, Valley's gym. Wayne Hills, meanwhile, also succeeded in the tournament reaching the quarterfinals with a resounding victory over longtime stalwart, Paterson-Kennedy.
Those developments left the Valley-faithful wondering how things could have gone so wrong, so fast for the once-proud Indians. Throughout most of is history, Valley could be counted on to reach at least the quarterfinal. In recent years, however, Wayne Valley had taken a step back.
In 2002, it won just seven games and lost to DePaul in a first found of the County Tournament. In 2003, they won just five games.
Entering the 2004 season, simply qualifying for the Passaic County Tournament would be considered an improvement. After that two-year rut, Wayne Valley (10-6) has bounced back with a vengeance and earned a County berth. In the squad's first round game with 10th-sseed Eastern Christian, the 7th-seeded Indians served notice that they would not be happy with merely returning to the postseason. They dispelled that notion by cruising to a 48-37 triumph.
It was Wayne's first postseason win since 2001, when the team reached the County semifinals and the State Sectional quarterfinals.
"They struggled a little bit over the last couple of years," Wayne Valley's first year head coach Joe Leicht said. "They've had a lot of success here over the years. We're trying to get back to that 2001 level." They're almost to that point. They also earned an invitation to the State Sectional tournament. The seeds will be announced this afternoon.
A major reason for Valley's resurgence is Brad Dragone, whose older brother was a member of the 2001 team. Against Eastern Christian, the senior chipped in 16 point. He helped Wayne over-come a two-point halftime deficit by netting 11 third quarter points.
The team's 6-foot-7 center, Bill Moakley added 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. Six of those points also came in the third quarter. Isias Tactuk added nine points. Paul Scarpa and Chris Gesualdi had six and five points respectively.
Wayne Valley's Leicht Takes Over A Familiar Team
12/18/03, By Skiffo Drake
Joe Leicht has spent virtually his entire storied coaching career at Indian Hills High School (1981-to-2002). Despite the fact that Indian Hills plays in a different county (Bergen) and conference (NBIL) than Valley (Northern Hills Skyline), Leicht had always been well aware of Wayne's winning past.
In fact, some of that knowledge came first hand. Leicht was indeed on the court the last time Wayne Valley won the Section I, Group III championship in 1997. Leicht's Indian Hills' team lost to Wayne Valley that day in a trilling 57-56 game. Valley, which trailed practically the entire game, prevailed when Brian Lewer canned a three point shot a time expired.
"I remember it well," Leicht said. "We had a very good that year. We were 19-5. He (Lewer) was the sixth man, I believe. He came in to the game because Wayne Valley's leading scored (Todd Decker) fouled out. The kid came of the bench and hit a big shot. I had to give him a lot of credit."
That was actually the second time Leicht's Braves lost to the Indians in the State playoffs. The first game took place in the 1993 postseason.
"That was a good game too," he said. "But it didn't come down to the last shot like the 1997 game."
At the time, there was no way Leicht could ever imagine that brining Wayne Valley back to prominence would become his responsibility. In 2002, after 287 career victories, Leicht stepped down from coaching. But like many former coaches, Leicht missed the action. When the Wayne Valley job was offered to him last spring, he jumped at it.
Alan Geissel, Leicht's predecessor on Valley road, succeeded Mike Kelly after that 1997 championship. Geissel's Indians sustained Wayne's winning ways for several seasons. In 2001, his Indian team reached the Section I, Group IV quarterfinal and the Passaic County semi-finals. Since then, though, Valley has slipped. They finished 5-14 in 2002 and 6-16 in 2003.
"They have had a great deal of success here," Leicht said. "They struggled a little bit over the last couple years, but that's going to happen. That 2001 was one of the best teams around. We're hoping to get back to that level."
With 2003's leading scorers returning for their senior season, that could be in the cards. Brad Dragone averaged 16 points per game last year from the small forward slot.
Isias Tacktuk, who missed several games last season with a sprained wrist, averaged 12 points per game as a team's shooting guard. If that pair stays healthy, they will present the competition with a formidable one-two punch. The two seniors will start on opposite wing and will prompt defenders to spread out in order to concentrate on both.
"That's a pretty good start," Leicht said. "Statistically, they're our two leaders. They're bringing back a lot of experience and a lot of talent. But we also have some guys coming back that have done a lot of things that do not normally show up on the stat sheet."
Sure enough, the Indians have eight seniors and three juniors suiting up this year. All are expected to push for playing time. Jon Reiher, another senior, is back to start at point guard. He will team with Dragone and Tacktuk to form a veteran backcourt.
Two more seniors, John Cronin and Paul Scarpa, will also contribute on the perimeter. Underneath the basket, Leicht will be able to utilize two towering big men. Steve Maciag, a 6-foot-6 senior, and Bill Moakley, a 6-foot-7 junior should give the Indians a strong presence inside. Sean VanSchaften, Andy Bielsten and Chris Gesualdi can play neither insider outside.
"It's a good mix," Leicht said. "They're very enthusiastic and very dedicated. We're got jags returning from the varsity and some that are moving up from junior varsity."
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