Phil Tortoreti (’66)
Phil Tortoreti was an outstanding three sport athlete at Glen Rock High School,
being a First Team, Group 3, All-State quarterback and also being a leading player
on the school’s basketball and baseball teams.
On the gridiron, Phil starred as both the team’s quarterback and its leading defensive back. In addition to being a superb passer, he was an excellent runner. He also was the team’s punter and ran back kick-offs and punts Phil served as Co-Captain in his senior year and, with end Pete Goj, led the team to a 7-2 record and a second place finish in the final NJSIAA Group 3, Sectional ranking. Phil was named to the Second Team, All-County (by The Bergen Record), to the First Team, All-NBIL and to the First Team, All-Suburban (by The Ridgewood News). He also received First Team, Group 3, All State and Honorable Mention, All Groups, All-State recognition from the Associated Press.
As a junior, Phil played guard on the 1964-65 Basketball Team that won an NBIL Co-Championship and then had a memorable run in the Group 3, State Championship playoffs. In the Sectional semifinal, it defeated NNJIL Co-Champion Dwight Morrow (Englewood) High School in what was billed by The Bergen Record as the battle for the mythical Bergen County championship. Phil scored the game clinching final basket of the game after forcing an Englewood turnover. Unfortunately, the team was then defeated by Lincoln High School of Jersey City in the Group 3, Sectional Championship final.
In Phil’s senior year, he was Co-Captain of the 1965-66 Basketball Team. As the team’s point guard, he directed the offense and was responsible for feeding fellow seniors Third Team, All-County (by The Bergen Record) and First Team, All-NBIL Phil Goj and Honorable Mention, All-County and Second Team, All-NBIL Pete Vanderzee. Phil was the team’s third leading scorer.
On the baseball diamond, Phil wonthree varsity letters playing multiple positions over those years. In his senior year, he played second base and was the team’s most honored player, being named to the First Team, All-NBIL and First Team, All-Suburban, and receiving Honorable Mention, All-County.
After graduating from Glen Rock High School, Phil played football at Albright College where he was a defensive back and returned punts and then at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he starred at quarterback.