Male Athlete of the Week – Joey Ragno, River Dell/Westwood by Chuck O’Donnell of The Record
Joey Ragno and the rest of the players on the River Dell/Westwood hockey team piled off the bus and shuffled into Howell Ice World only to find a bigger team waiting for them.
Ragno said he didn’t want his teammates to be intimidated, so he addressed them before the game.
“I basically said, ‘We’ve come down here an hour and a half and we’re not going to look at this team, look at their size and just roll over and give up. Let’s get out here and give it our all and see if we can take it to them,’ ” Ragno said.
The Record Male Athlete of the Week may have stirred the team with his words, but he also backed them up on the ice. His hat trick led the team to a 4-1 win Dec. 12.
It was a gutsy win. Ragno recalled how Cameron Brignola took a hit several times to clear the puck or make a pass. And Christian Proot ended up with a cut on his wrist after blocking a shot.
Ragno is adjusting well to a new position. He played center last year, but early in the season he was moved to left wing, with Proot on right wing and Vinny Ruff at center. Through the season’s first six games, Ragno had racked up 10 goals, six assists and a plus-19 rating.
Away from the ice, Ragno, who attends Westwood, trades blocked shots for engine blocks. He and his dad, Joe, overhauled his Subaru WRX.
“My first car was a piece of junk, and my dad and I fixed it up,” he said. “We did tons of stuff, like taking the entire motor out and putting a new one in.”
Also nominated: Andrew Marino of Wood-Ridge for basketball, Jared Duncan of Indian Hills and David Grant of Fort Lee for bowling and Kyle Balasny of River Dell for swimming
Joey Ragno, River Dell/Westwood
Sport: Hockey. Class: Senior. Age: 18
Accomplishment: Joey Ragno scored three goals to lead the River Dell/Westwood hockey team to a 4-1 win over Howell on Dec. 12.