HV Hockey honors veterans in 8th annual Salute to Service

By Tracy Vogler

The Hopewell Valley/Montgomery High School Varsity Ice Hockey Team played its 8th Annual Salute To Service Hockey Game on Jan. 21 to honor local service members. The team has a tradition of service projects, including this game as well as an annual Toy Drive to benefit HomeFront. Each year, the captains present a donation to local veterans group.

After last year’s game, the Hopewell Valley Montgomery 2022 captains Michael Boyer, Joseph Greenspoon and Lucas Gaissert and coach Jeff Radice were in attendance to present $1,000 each to Mark Marotta of the Hopewell Valley Veterans Association and Dmitra Bairaktaris of the Montgomery Veterans Memorial Committee. The money was in turn was donated to the Menlo Park Veterans Home, where a number of formerly Hopewell Valley veterans currently reside. A portion of the proceeds from this years’ game will similarly benefit local veteran’s organizations.

This year, the Bulldogs played the Roxbury Gaels before a full house at the Tsai Field House at the Lawrenceville School.

Prior to the game, on behalf of the team, Hopewell Township Mayor Michael Ruger welcomed local service members as the team’s guests at the game. Salvatore Torre, US Army, Specialist 4th Class, was spotlighted as the Honored Veteran. His active duty career began in 1963, when he was drafted in the US Army during the Vietnam era.

In October 1963, Torre was one of 45,000 troops who took part in Operation Big Lift, a training exercise that was the biggest airlift operation ever done on a possible central European battlefield. Torre has been a member of the Hopewell Valley American Legion Post 339 since 1965, and was first elected post commander in 1972. He has remained part of the Post’s leadership, and is currently the post-adjutant. In addition, he serves as the Mercer County commander finance officer for the American Legion.

In addition to Torre, the team was joined by Dmitra Bairaktaris, U.S. Army, representing the Montgomery Veterans Memorial Committee; Kenneth J. Baker, U.S. Army, representing the Hopewell Valley Veterans Association; and Peter Rayner, U.S. Navy, representing Hopewell Valley American Legion Post 339.

The team also welcomed the following veterans with personal connections to the team in person: Christopher Beyer, Thomas V. Morici, Marcos Elizondo, Gregory Camilleri, Robert Parr, Luke Benjamin Margraff, Bud Hubert, Daniela

Ciminella-Spera and Gene Porcelli.

In addition to those in attendance, the team honored veterans with connections to the team, as well as the memory of several team members grandfathers who served our country.

The festivities began with a ceremonial puck drop by Torre for HVM captain Bobby Ruger and the Roxbury captain, Jake Calanni. Hopewell Valley Regional

School District superintendent Rosetta Treece and principal Trish Riley from Hopewell Valley Central High School were on hand to witness.

The colors were presented by members of Pennington Scout Troop 44 and Pack 44. Randy White directed singers from the Hopewell Valley Central High School’s Choral Program in performing the National Anthem.

Once the ceremonies ended, it was time for hockey. The teams battled to a 1-1 tie after one period. Brendan Riewe scored for the Bulldogs, assisted by Ethan Nau and Bobby Ruger. At the end of the period, it was time for Mites on Ice with players from Princeton Youth Hockey.

The Bulldogs led 3-2 after the second period, with goals by Evan Jacob, assisted by Liam Yeoman, and Matthew Greenspoon, assisted by Connor Batcha. It was all Roxbury in the third period. The Gaels scored four unanswered goals, in the third period, leaving the Bulldogs on the short end of the final score of 6-3.

“Hopewell Valley Montgomery Ice Hockey is proud to be able to honor our local heroes through this annual tradition. Win or lose, it’s one small way we can serve our community,” Radice said.