Angebranndt, Carmignani and Hankins.
A player-turned-official, one of the finest keepers in county history and a guy who has contributed to soccer in all kinds of ways will be Hamilton Township’s contributions to this year’s Mercer County Soccer Hall of Fame induction class.
When the 22nd MCSHOF Dinner is held at the Hibernian Club on Apr. 27, Hamilton West graduates John Carmignani and Joe Hankins will be feted, along with township product and Notre Dame graduate Bruce Angebranndt.
Hankins joins a small list of goalkeepers to gain Hall of Fame induction, but his resume certainly warrants it as both a player and coach.
Hankins was a product of the township recreation leagues, playing under such renowned coaches as Andy Doyle, Tom Moffitt and Frank Kane. He moved on to Grice Junior High – during a time in the early 1970s when junior high athletics were popular and well attended – and in a battle of future Hall of Famers, he stopped Reynolds’ Art Napolitano on a penalty kick to preserve a 1-0 victory.
Looking back on those pre-high school times, Hankins points to several people who made a huge impact.
“When I learned I was getting inducted, I have been thinking of the people who guided me to this point in my life,” he said. “My mother, Lorraine F. May, and her best friend and my (step) father Bill May. If not for their support in my formative years I would not be anything.”
It didn’t stop there, however. It turns out one of Hankins’ teachers taught him a lot more than reading, writing and arithmetic.
“The one person that I have to truly thank is Ted Reed,” Hankins said. “He was my fifth grade teacher who said ‘You have good hands, did you ever think about playing soccer?’ I said ‘Excuse me Mr. Reed isn’t soccer played with your feet?’ He said ‘Yes but being a goalie is in your future.”
Score one for Mr. Reed. While playing for powerhouse Hamilton teams in the mid-1970s, Hankins’ golden hands earned him All-County, All-Area and All-State honors. But he would never take the credit, instead citing the guys in front of him such as best friend Johnny Rollins along with Mike Clendinning and Chris Barlow.
Hankins moved on to Mercer County Community College and, as a sophomore captain with fellow-Hall of Famer Dennis Kinnevy and the late Tom Dolan, helped the Vikings to a No. 5 national ranking while earning first-team All-State honors.
In the summer of 1976, Hankins joined a Who’s-Who of Mercer County legends on the Trenton Extension side that finished second nationally in the U.S. Amateur Cup in Milwaukee. Being on that team cemented Hankins status, for if you were not great, you were not on that team. It was a Hall of Fame All-Star team in itself, with such names as Glenn “Mooch” Myernick, Billy Gazonas, Charlie “Ping Pong” Farrutto, Mike Angelotti and Bob Rostron.
Hankins moved from Mercer to Trenton State (now The College of New Jersey), where he joined his brother Toby and earned Division III All-State and All-American honors. He continued to play with standout local amateur teams such as the Trenton Italians, NJ Americans, Smitty’s Kicks, Cranbury Kickers and the Trenton White Boys.
Through all that, he sucked in soccer knowledge like a sponge.
“All my coaches growing up going through ranks have giving me something to live by,” Hankins said. “But in college my greatest influence as far as goaltending was (TSC head coach) Gary Hindley. If not for coach Hindley and (Lions teammate) Charlie Inverso, I don’t think I would be here talking about myself.”
Hankins, who also helped start the Mercer County Unlimited Frisbee League, went on to become a coach at TSC, MCCC and the Rutgers women’s program. He also coached youth soccer and, despite all his success, is humbled by this latest recognition.
“Are you kidding me! What an honor,” he said. “I am truly blessed and thankful to the committee and specifically Charlie Inverso for nominating me.”
While Hankins went into coaching after playing, Carmignani went the opposite direction into officiating, which he has done at the local high school level the past 13 years.
Another product of the Hamilton Recreation and Little Bigger leagues, Carmignani got his start under Hall of Fame coach John Wagner at age 8 (Wagner went on to success at Notre Dame and Hightstown high schools). Carmignani was outstanding on the junior level with Post 313, GAK and Peter Green. He helped his club teams to three state championships, and then blossomed at Hamilton West under Hall of Fame coach Jack Bell.
“When it came to coaches I was very lucky,” Carmignani said. “When I started playing I was lucky enough to play for John Wagner. I went on to play in the
Little Bigger league for Ernie and Paul Tessein, and Junior Cup soccer for Joe Scheon and Nick Wiener senior.”
During his senior year at West, Carmignani and fellow Hall of Famer Rich Alito captained the Hornets to the NJSIAA Group IV championship. Carmignani said Alito had as much of an impact on his career as anyone.
“If I had to pick one person, it would be Rich Alito,” Carmignani said. “We grew up together in the same neighborhood and were always together knocking the ball around. I learned so much from him and feel honored to have played on so many teams with him.”
After high school, Carmignani played four years at Rider and kept winning state championships with the GAK and Trenton Azzuri. He recently played for the Trenton Power Over-50 squad that has won several National Hall of Fame titles.
Now that he is an official, Carmignani regrets of a few of the things he once said as a player.
“I am not proud to say that I was probably one of the biggest complainers on the field when I played,” he said. “Now I realize that it’s not as easy as it looks.”
After playing with so many Hall of Famers, Carmignani is thrilled to be part of their club.
“Being inducted means so much to me,” he said. “Being put in this group is unbelievable and I sometimes wonder if I am worthy of the honor. Especially since the Mercer County/Trenton area produced so much great talent not just locally, but nationally.” If anyone knows who is worthy of Hall of Fame status, it is Angebranndt, yet another Hamilton Rec/Little Bigger League product who played with numerous players that would be part of Steinert’s 1970s dynasty.
In addition to his playing achievements, which included All-County and All-State honors at Notre Dame and a club soccer career at Penn State, Angebranndt has long been one of the driving forces in the MCSHOF since it began in 1986. He is being cited as much for his countless contributions to the game as for what he did in the field.
In his work with the Hall of Fame alone, Bruce is the keeper of records, advocate, historian, and booster of the history of Mercer County soccer. He is referred to in his HOF biography as “Truly the glue that keeps the organization together.”
And now, Angebranndt is part of the group he has worked so hard to keep thriving.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized for your contributions,” he said. “I have always felt a kinship to those who have been honored previously. To be thought of the same way as so many special people who have made an impact on soccer in Mercer County is extremely satisfying. It is doubly special to share this honor with my father.”
Lou Angebranndt, the legendary Lawrence High coach, was inducted in 1991 and is one of several high-profile Mercer County coaches that were positive influences on Bruce growing up.
He played rec ball under the highly respected Charlie Lee and Dick Graja. At Notre Dame Angebranndt played for Wagner – who is a member of five different halls of fame, including Mercer Soccer – and while serving as a counselor at Rider’s Bronco Soccer Camp, Bruce worked for Bob Pivovarnick, another MCSHOF member.
“I have been very lucky to have had such great coaches,” Angebranndt said. “But even more than coaches, they were students of the game and they taught all of us to respect the game and its history. That was no more important than right here in Mercer County. The legacy of soccer in Mercer County was left for us to continue and build upon.”
Aside from his great coaches, the number one influence on Angebranndt was his father, who is considered one of the greatest coaches in Mercer history after overseeing a powerhouse Cardinal program from the 1960s to the 1980s.
“My dad, was and will always be my mentor,” Angebranndt said. “Yes the play of the game was important, but the relationships of teammates were as important. I had the pleasure of watching first-hand how to become a successful coach.
“And for him it wasn’t always about the wins and losses but the lessons learned. Life lessons that would last forever. Dad truly was my hero.”
In addition to his Hall of Fame duties, Angebranndt coached at Notre Dame, then moved to the vaunted West End program where he served in positions from coach up to president. He was a member of the National Junior College Soccer Tournament Organizing committee for 15 years when it was held at Mercer County Community College.
Through all he has done, Angebranndt considers the friendships made his most rewarding accomplishments in soccer.
“My playing career certainly could not be compared to the greats that came out of this area,” he said. “I had some success on the playing field, but what I am most proud of are the long-lasting relationships that I have maintained, and through what I have been able to accomplish in the game as both a coach and administrator, by my relationships.
“I hope that I have enhanced the love for the game of soccer in the lives of everyone I have had the pleasure of coming in contact with. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to give back to the game that has given me so much satisfaction my whole life.”
And this year’s Hall of Fame class certainly provided their own form of satisfaction for folks over the years, be it fans, teammates, or coaches.
The Hall of Fame dinner begins with a 5 p.m. cocktail hour. Tickets are $50 and can be obtained by calling 609-731-5906 or by emailing bruce@mercercountysoccerhof.com.
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