Schools

Timing Is Everything For Cranford's New Athletic Director

The township's former varsity wrestling coach will take the reigns as head of the sports department.

The time was right for Darren Torsone, so he gave it a shot.

After serving a successful seven-year stint as the varsity wrestling
coach at Cranford High School, Torsone will now lead the Cranford sports department as its new athletic director. Torsone was officially named two weeks ago as Marc Taglieri's successor. He will begin his new venture on Monday.

"I always had a dream of becoming an athletic director," Torsone said.

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Torsone was the head coach of the wrestling team at Cranford the past seven seasons - beginning in 2004-05 - and an assistant track coach the past six. He taught health and physical education at the high school the last seven years.

"I knew I would have to spend time and gain experience as a teacher
and a head coach before taking on a position like this," Torsone said. "It came as a surprise. As soon as the opportunity came up I thought it was a great way to stay in Cranford. "I've loved working in the town the last seven years and never saw myself going anywhere else."

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Torsone came to Cranford at about the same time that Taglieri did.
Taglieri moved on to an athletic position at a high school in Florida.

"Marc did a wonderful job the last seven years and I learned a lot
from him," Torsone, 36, said. "He did a lot of good things. In my first year I want to build on the foundation that he put down here. Cranford is a unique town, with a nice balance of academics and athletics. Every year we strive to graduate quality, well-rounded students, academics and athletics included."

Two student-athletes from the class of 2006 - wrestler Pat Hogan and
baseball player Rob Chamra - fit the mold Torsone explains. Hogan was an undefeated state champion wrestler at 171 pounds (32-0) his senior year who went on to wrestle at three colleges, the last one Messiah College in Grantham, Pa. Chamra was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of North Carolina State this June.

"They were great in their sports and great students as well," Torsone
said.

One of Torsone's first duties in his new position will be advertising
for the next wrestling coach. Torsone, who graduated from West Essex in 1993 and Ursinus College in 1997, wrestled for four years at both schools. At West Essex he wrestled for Dave Drozjock, who just stepped down as the North Caldwell school's head football coach. At 119 pounds, Torsone qualified for the state tournament his senior season in 1993 after finishing second in Region 2.

Torsone was an All-America wrestler at Ursinus his senior season of
1997, competing at 118. This past season Torsone guided Cranford to a share of the District 11 championship at Westfield with defending champion Brearley. The Cougars were sparked by four-time champions Joe Giaccio and Kyle Markovitch and captured their first district championship in 10 years.

Torsone was named coach of the year for District 11 and Union
County.

"Wrestling has been a part of my life for 27 years, I started very
early," Torsone said. "I was ready to move on. I will never be totally away from the sport. I will still have an opportunity to be around the program."

Torsone was also a three-year varsity baseball player at West Essex,
helping lead the 1992 Knights to a sectional championship. Out of college, Torsone taught physical education at North Plainfield Middle School for three years in addition to serving as North Plainfield High School's head cross country coach and assistant wrestling coach. He is excited about continuing the success of the Cranford sports program.

"The main reason we're so successful is our student body," Torsone
said. "All of our coaches and teachers encourage our athletes to be part of something and to be involved. We have a lot to offer at Cranford and for our students to be something special."

NOTES: Torsone said that Taglieri's final hiring was Jacqueline
LeBlanc as the new girls' volleyball coach to succeed Lucy Diaz. The
Cougars had a lot of success under Diaz, including the Group 2 state
championship in 2008. Cranford moved back to North 2, Group 3 for football this season, with Cranford's other sports teams remaining in North 2, Group 3 for the 2011-2012 academic year.


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