Pete was a champion on and off the ice, a proud leader and advocate of education, and a dedicated athlete whose love for hockey shaped his life. Hockey was his greatest passion, but he excelled in multiple arenas, standing out as a three-sport athlete in high school. To Pete, hockey was more than a sport—it was an escape where he could express his passion and connect with others.

Pete played forward for four years on the Brick High School varsity hockey team, where his commitment to hard work and team unity defined his style. He thrived as part of the Brick hockey community, treasuring the camaraderie and spirit of the “local hockey team.” Pete was a teammate in every sense of the word and a natural leader, inspiring others with his work ethic and infectious humor.

After high school, Pete continued his hockey journey at the collegiate level, playing NCAA Division I under Coach Gary Wright at American International College. He was an instrumental part of AIC’s national championship-winning team, proudly wearing No. 8, and was later inducted into the AIC Hockey Hall of Fame. He later played professionally in the ECHL with the Johnstown Chiefs.

Following his playing career, Pete shared his passion through coaching, founding the Simple Hockey program and guiding young athletes at Ocean Ice Palace and the Brick Hockey Club. In recent years, hockey became a cherished part of his family life, as he shared the sport closely with his children—never missing a game, selflessly traveling wherever hockey took them, and creating lasting bonds while instilling in them the same love of the game that had defined his own life.

Pete’s influence extended far beyond the rink. A devoted father, he led with love, inspired those around him, and embraced life with contagious enthusiasm and curiosity. Whether on the ice, in the classroom, or with his family, Pete was a difference-maker whose legacy of passion, selflessness, joy, and strength in struggle will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Records, Titles, Achievements, Awards, Honors
- Captain of the 1990 AIC National Championship winning team.
- Led Brick Ice Hokey to the finals of the State Championship in 1985 alongside lifelong
friend and teammate Jim Dowd for legendary Coach Auriemma
- At American International College, Recorded 53 (24G, 29A) points in 30 games played
his senior season.
- Elected to the AIC Hockey Hall of Fame
- He was named to the New Jersey First-Team All State accolades for ice hockey in 1985 at
a member of the Brick High School program

The 1973-74 Brick team was the first team not located in Northern NJ  to win the Gordon Cup. At this time, the Gordon Cup signified the Ice Hockey State Championship. Brick had been to the final previously, they had failed to capture the cup until this team, anchored by senior forward Mark Garber and junior defenseman Frank McKevitt, led Brick to victory over a strong Montclair team that had talent like goalie Bob Ott and Dale Berra (son of Yogi Berra).

Brick beat Montclair (2-1) in the final game at a packed South Mountain Arena on a winning goal that was scored by defenseman Don Davis with about 30 seconds left in the game.

Players
Steve Acropolis
Mitch Barnfield
Willie Blackburn
Ken Carlson
Don Davis
Joe DeRosa
Paul Eldridge
Mark Garber
Bob Lutz
Don McCabe
Frank McKevitt
Russ Pinzino
Kevin Reilly
Larry Rocha

Coach
Bob Auriemma

Mark’s ice hockey career began at age 5 in 1961 at the Asbury Park Casino Arena. He continued playing youth hockey at Navesink and Brick Hockey Club until 1971. His hockey crazed parents, particularly his Montreal native mother packed the belongings from their Interlaken, NJ home and relocated to Brick, NJ where Mark continued his hockey career at Brick Township High School for three seasons until 1974. Mark was voted all state honorable mention in his first two seasons. In the 1973-74 season which was Mark’s final year of high school his game had vastly improved. At seasons end the New Jersey Interscholastic Hockey League coaches would vote Mark the winner of the William Halverson Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player. He was also the league’s leading scorer and was a first team all star. His Brick team won its first ever A Division regular season title and first ever Gordon Cup Championship.

In 1974 Mark was named Asbury Park Press Athlete of the week and in 2000 Mark was named to the Newark Ledger All Century 1970’s All Decade Team. Mark then played at ECAC Division II St. Anselms College, Manchester, N.H. during the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons. He then transferred closer to home to Fairleigh Dickinson University. From 1976-77 through 1978-79 he led the Metropolitan Collegiate Hockey Conference in scoring and was a first team all-star. In 1976-77 his FDU team won its first ever MCHC regular season and playoff championship.

After college graduation Mark went to law school in San Diego, Ca. where he connected with the president of the newly formed San Diego Adult Hockey league. Due to the immediate need for league referees his focus changed as he became a self taught referee for the league. This provided some needed regular income to a broke law school student. Upon returning to New Jersey in 1982 he became a USA Hockey and National Ice Hockey Officials registered certified referee. From 1984 to 2000 Mark was the president of the Jersey Shore Ice Hockey Officials Association and a referee assignor for both USA Hockey and NIHOA.

In 1996 Mark was voted by his peers as the National Federation of High Schools Ice Hockey Referee of the Year. In 1997 Mark attended a USA Hockey referee instructor and power skating program in Lake Placid, N.Y. on the invite of Tony Mariconda, the program supervisor. While there Mark presented a lecture to the attendees on the subjects of referee risk management and liability. Mark also regularly instructed at USA hockey seminars. He and his good friend Fred “Butch” Porrino, partnered for five years organizing and operating USA Hockey seminars in Atlantic City, N.J. Mark’s referee career endured for 38 years from 1979 to 2017 when he stepped away for medical reasons.

Cindy Acropolis (Toye) played for the Brick Township High School Varsity team from 1992 to 1996 for her grandfather and NJ High School Ice Hockey Hall of Fame coach, Bob Auriemma. The Dragons competed in the Gordon Conference, and in 1996, the Brick Dragons won the New Jersey Public School State Championship for the first time since 1990.

Acropolis’s personal high school accolades include being the first female to play for BTHS and to compete and score a goal in the Gordon Conference, the first female to score a goal in a NJ State playoff game and the first female to win a Public School State Championship. In 86 games, Cindy tallied 15 goals and had 33 assists. Her sophomore year, Cindy qualified for the USA Olympic Training Camp in Lake Placid for the first ever USA women’s ice hockey Olympic team. Cindy was inducted into the Brick Township High School Wall of Fame in 2017.

Cindy went on to play women’s college hockey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY from 1996-2000. She still holds nearly every single season and career offensive record, scoring 128 goals and 84 assists in 128 games. Cindy was named ECAC Rookie of the Year and to the All-ECAC First Team. She was also a three-time National All-America Second Team selection and four-time Most Valuable Player. Cindy was inducted into the RPI Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. Cindy has been coaching youth hockey from Mite to Midgets for 13 years. Two teams Cindy coached qualified for USA Hockey Nationals. She currently coaches the NJ Titans 19UAAA girls team.

Cindy resides in Brick with her husband, Kevin, and three kids, Kyley (19), Kevin (17) and Jacob (16). Cindy’s daughter, Kyley, will be following in her mom’s footsteps playing hockey for RPI next season.

Jim Carlucci began his youth hockey career with the Brick Hockey Club before attending Brick High School where he was a part of the 1977 State Championship team which defeated Livingston. Following high school, Jim went on to Upsala College while playing for Dave Sloan where he starred and captained the team and became the school’s all time leading scorer culminating in capturing the first Hobey Baker Award as Division 3 player of year scoring 104 goals during his junior season.

Following college, Jim participated in the NJ Devils inaugural training camp in 1982. After playing with the Virginia Raiders of the ECHL, Jim returned home to Brick and began coaching and officiating youth, high school and college hockey. In 1996, Jim was inducted into the Jersey Shore Sports Hall of Fame. Jim continues to officiate youth and NJ High School hockey. He currently lives in Brick with his lovely wife Nancy and wonderful son Chris.

Joe started playing hockey at 8 years of age at the Ocean Ice Palace. He played varsity hockey for Brick for four years and made the NJSHL All-Star team his junior and senior years and was Brick’s MVP his senior year. After high school he played for the Newark Brewers and Newark Sabres and was a founding member of the Brick PAL hockey program. He coached in both the Ice Palace and the Brick Forum. He attended tryouts for the New York Raiders and the 1976 US Olympic team and was named one of the top 10 High School Hockey players of the decade for the 1960’s. He has played senior hockey in New Jersey, Florida, New Mexico and Maine where he currently resides.

Bobby Acropolis played for the Brick High School Dragons from ‘97-‘00 under his grandfather, NJ HS HOF Coach Bob Auriemma. The Dragons won the Public School State Championship in ‘97, ‘98 and ‘99; the Overall State Championship in ‘97 (beating Seton Hall 4-0 as the last public school ever to win an Overall State Championship in NJ); and the Gordon Cup in ‘99.

Acropolis’ accolades include: three-time 1st Team All-State; 265 career points (11th leading scorer in NJ); ’00 Jim Sullivan Award recipient (Shore Conference top male  athlete for football, hockey and baseball). He played for both The Hotchkiss School and Quinnipiac University. QU won the MAAC league n ’01, and the team was later inducted into the QU Athletic HOF. Bobby has been coaching since ‘05 from Mites up through HS Varsity  hockey. He now lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Tiffany, and children, Brayden (10), Jack (7) and Casey (5).

Warren was fortunate to play in both inaugural NJ state championships in football 1974, and ice hockey 1976. After graduating Upsala College, he taught fourth and fifth grade in Brick for 30 years. During that time he coached football, ice hockey and golf at his alma mater.