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At a recent ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Varsity Football game, a special dedication was held to honor a longtime ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø coach. The press box at Clifton LaPlatney Field was named in honor of legendary football coach "Poppa" Joe Erickson. Coach Erickson, a ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø graduate, served in World War Two, during which he received a Purple Heart. From 1958 to 1987, he taught physical education in ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and from 1958-1977 he served as the Varsity Football coach for the Marauders. His final record was 98 wins, 50 losses and 16 ties, including four League Championships, two undefeated seasons and the 1060 Rutgers Trophy. Coach Erickson was inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. His legacy lives on through his family, some of whom are teachers in the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø School District, and the athletes whose lives he impacted.

Thank you to Andy Slawson ('81) for the historical information contained in this story.