Tony Meola's legendary 1984 Kearny High School soccer team was honored at the 16th annual Kearny High School Hall of Fame Ceremony on Wednesday at the Fiesta Ballroom in Wood Ridge, N.J.
The team, which also included National Soccer Hall of Famer John Harkes, capped off its perfect 24-0 season with a state championship.
Kearny's diverse population helped make it one of the best breeding grounds for soccer in America, also producing former MetroStars and U.S. national team midfielder Tab Ramos.
"Kearny has a rich soccer tradition that goes back early 1920's to 1930's," said John Miller, who was the coach of Meola's '84 team. "There were a lot of great players and a lot of great history with the program."
Meola and his high school teammates reminisced about the glory days of Kearny soccer as they watched tapes of game footage and looked at press clippings and pictures of the 1984 soccer team.
"My favorite memory for sure was the final" Meola said as he looked back on that amazing season. "We were 23-0 when we went into the final, and we played a New Brunswick team that everyone thought was going to beat us, and ultimately we came out on top and that's something I'll never forget."
All of Meola's former coaches and teammates spoke about him in glowing terms. His best friend and fellow Kearny High School goalkeeper Sal Rosamilia remembered what it was like playing alongside him.
"I got to train with the best," he said. "He's had a great influence on my life and he's the best this country has produced."
Mike Rusek, who was an assistant to Miller in '84, was struck by Meola's gifted athleticism.
"Coaching Tony was great" he said. "We always won because there was no one who could score on Tony. He was probably the greatest athlete that I've ever been acquainted with."
Meola's leadership ability was what stood out most to defender Robert Arena.
"Tony was a great leader. He was a leader on and off the field. You just felt safe with him back there. He always said the right thing to you, no matter what."
Although Meola may be best known for making game-changing saves, it may surprise some to know that he was also known for scoring highlight-reel goals in his high school days.
"I remember one day he hit a ball from almost half field and put it in the upper ninety," said Rusek. "Then I said 'Tony you can play forward.' His senior year he ended up being the leading scorer ever for Kearny High School (with 33 goals)."
Of course it wasn't just the on-the-field accomplishments that made Meola special.
"Of all the great players we coached, he never forgot where he came from," said Miller.
Even 21 years later, Meola still maintains a tight bond with his high school teammates.
"I've played with a lot of guys, but my closest friends are still from my high school soccer team," he said. "It's just a big thrill to get to see them."
