Announcement
Gibbs coached three undefeated teams in seven years. A brief story of each team and how it contributed to Montclair becoming the first nationally recognized public high school lacrosse powerhouse, located outside of Maryland or Long Island, follows:
1971
Undefeated Mounties win State Title
By Rod Grodt
Montclair High lacrosse fans could have left last Saturday's state championship game against Lawrenceville Prep after the first 30 seconds assured of victory.
It took the mounties just that long to flex their muscles and victory was a foregone conclusion. It was just a matter of how many goals they were going to score.
As things turned out, the Mounties cruised to a 12-4 triumph and the state crown. The victory was the fifteenth for Coach Gil Gibbs' squad which Saturday defeated Pingry, 11-1 to become the first scholastic lacrosse team in state history to finish regular-season play undefeated.
The team, probably the finest in the history of scholastic lacrosse in New Jersey, will be honored by the MHS Lacrosse Booster Club at an awards dinner Tuesday night at 7PM.
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The 1971 Team began the dominance of New Jersey which continued until Mr. Gibbs' passing following the 1978 season. For the season, Montclair out-scored it's opponents, 164-32.
From this team, Bill McCutcheon and Brooks Sleeper became the first players from the state of New Jersey
to gain playing time for major college teams, Johns Hopkins and Maryland, respectively.
1972
Following his first unbeaten season in 1971, Gibbs realized that in order to gain national respect and assist his players in getting into college, they must compete against the best in the country. As a result, a scrimage was scheduled with the 1971 Long Island Champs, East Meadow.
March 27th 1972
Montclair 5 - East Meadow 3
(Scrimmage)
On a dreary day on Long Island, the defending New Jersey state championship team proved that it belonged on the same field with the defending Long Island Champs.
East Meadow went on to defend its championship and finished 18-1. They defeated Brentwood in overtime in the Long Island final, in what was called the greatest game in Long Island history.
East Meadow’s leading scorer was John Danowski, who earned All American honors at Rutgers University and is better known as the current Head Lacrosse Coach at Duke University.
Brentwood’s leading scorer was Frank Urso who went on to become arguably the greatest player to ever play the game, earning 1st team All American four times at Maryland.
Montclair successfully defended the New Jersey State Championship and extended its two year unbeaten streak to 30 games.
This team featured seven player's who played Division 1 lacrosse and 4 college All Americans.
Last but not least was Gary Mercadante, who Gibbs' said, "was the best player he ever coached."
1977
Mountie Lacrosse "Apple Basket" Filled to Brim
By Rod Grodt
For each game, Montclair Lacrosse Coach Gil Gibbs inspires his Mounties...not only with strategy but with original verse.
The title of this Saturdays poem was, "The Apple Tree," and the special lacrosse apple tree contained six apples -- Gilman, the Fitch League Championship, an unbeaten regular season, beating New York's best (Suffern and Nyack) and two state championships.
After the Mounties fought off a strong Columbia rally for a 9-7 victory for the NJSIAA Championship and a perfect 20-0 season, Gibbs stated, "Montclair goes home with a basket containing every apple scholastic lacrosse can give. "This has to go down as one of the great experiences, accomplishments and achievements. The kids have to feel good and proud and the town which backs us immensely year after year must also feel proud.
Gilman
Finally, a real game--not a scrimmage against a nationally recognized program.
Gibbs' quotes after Montclair's landmark 8-4 win over Gilman
"The game meant a great deal to me. I've been waiting for twelve years. The game meant a good deal to all New Jersey graduates playing college lacrosse and closed the door on the non-sense that Baltimore is the only area for good high school lacrosse."
"Playing in Palmer Stadium was a marvelous experience and for that I would like to thank Princeton Athletic Director Royce Flippin and lacrosse Coach Mike Hanna."
*For more information on the Gilman game go to the story of Gil Gibbs
