By BRIAN CUNNIFF
The most successful high school basketball coaches in Cape May County history in terms of career victories are set to be honored next month.
Former Middle Township boys coach Tom Feraco and former Wildwood girls coach Dave Troiano – both the all-time wins leaders Cape May County in their respective sports – are set to be among the honorees as another class is inducted into the South Jersey Coaches Association Hall of Fame next month.
The event will be held Wednesday, March 6, at 6 p.m. at Auletto’s Caterers in Almonesson.
Feraco coached the Middle Township boys team for 35 seasons, stepping down after the 2015-16 campaign. He finished with a remarkable 719-251 record. The win total is second only to St. Augustine Prep’s Paul Rodio, who is still active and has more than 900 career wins.
Middle won nine South Jersey titles and three state championships (1993, 1994, 2002) under Feraco.
But perhaps one of his team’s most remarkable accomplishments was its consistency. Middle won at least 20 games in a season 21 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1987 through 2002.
Troiano coached the Wildwood girls basketball program for 39 seasons, retiring after the 2017 team won the ninth South Jersey title under his watch. He posted a career record of 682-326. His wins total is the highest in South Jersey history for a girls basketball coach. He’s one of four girls basketball coaches in state history to coach in at least 1,000 games.
In addition to the nine sectional championships, Wildwood also won four state titles (1991, 2000-2002) and appeared in two other state title games (2003, 2008) under Troiano. His teams won 14 division or conference titles in either the Cape-Atlantic League or the Tri-County Conference.
Both Feraco and Troiano are already members of the Al Carino Basketball Club of South Jersey Hall of Fame.
Other South Jersey coaches scheduled for induction include Jean Bower of Glassboro, Dennis Smith of Delran, Buddy Armstrong of Florence, Michele Farrell of Atlantic City, Ron Wister of Haddon Township, Clyde Folsom of West Deptford, Mark Lilley of both Pennsauken and Lenape and Tony Barchuk of Kingsway.