Samantha Cermack (2020)

RHS 2010 graduate Samantha Cermack is being inducted into the Ridgewood High School Hall of Fame, Class of 2020, for her accomplishments in both soccer and lacrosse. Girls soccer coach Jeff Yearing cites Sammy’s “excellent technical ability, quickness, tenacity, and field vision” as her strengths on the pitch and key factors in her high school career achievement of 67 goals and 40 assists –6th and 7th respectively all time. A four-year starter from 2006 to 2009, she was named First team All-League all four years, and First Team All-Bergen County her junior and senior seasons. Her last three seasons she was named to the NJ Girls Soccer Coaches Association First Team All-State Team, and in her senior season, named to that organization’s All East Team. Coach Yearing comments further on the senior year Co-Captain– “a great person, a great athlete, and the definition of a team leader, combined with a tireless work ethic, Sammy was one of our all-time best players.” A 4 year starter for the Girls Lacrosse team from 2007 to 2010, during which the team went 78-11, culminating in her senior year as captain the first Tournament of Champions State title for the Maroons Girls Lacrosse program with the game winning goal for a 7-6 victory over Mendham, Sammy was named by the Newark Star Ledger Girls Lacrosse State Player of the Year. This recognition was complemented by being named North Jersey Player Of The Year (POY) and Bergen County POY. Her career statistics are amongst the leaders in all categories: Career points = 347 (2nd); Career goals = 174 (6th); Career assists= 173 (1st); Career ground balls = 150 (3rd); Career draw controls = 176 (4th); Career interceptions = 25 (4th). Consistent and stellar all four of her high school seasons, she was named First Team All Suburban all 4 years, First Team All League and All County her final 3 seasons, First Team All State her final 2 seasons, and a US Lacrosse All American her junior and senior years. Sammy continues her lacrosse career today, as the Associate Head Coach for the Lehigh University Women’s LAX program, just completing her 7th season, having joined the staff upon her graduation from Johns Hopkins University. The Lehigh Mountain Hawks have gone 70-40 and have qualified for the Patriot League tournament every year while a member of the coaching staff. While competing for the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays women’s lacrosse team, she achieved continued success, captaining the squad her junior and senior years, and generating 149 career points, 13th highest in team history. She can be found in the Blue Jays record book for career assists = 51 (9th); career ground balls = 101 (17th); career draw controls = 102 (10th) while helping the team to a 43-29 win loss record. In her senior year, she was named First Team All Region and Third Team All American. Most significantly, upon the completion of her senior year, Sammy was the recipient of the Blue Jays Unlimited Award, given annually to the Johns Hopkins Varsity Athlete who most exemplifies spirit and leadership, promoting team unity and morale, and enhancing the athletic experience of her teammates. After college, and while coaching at Lehigh, Sammy’s lacrosse career continued professionally, being drafted 39th by the Philadelphia Force of the United Women’s Lacrosse League in the 2016 inaugural season and playing through 2019. RHS 2010 graduate Samantha Cermack is being inducted into the Ridgewood High School Hall of Fame, Class of 2020, for her accomplishments in both soccer and lacrosse. Girls soccer coach Jeff Yearing cites Sammy’s “excellent technical ability, quickness, tenacity, and field vision” as her strengths on the pitch and key factors in her high school career achievement of 67 goals and 40 assists –6th and 7th respectively all time. A four-year starter from 2006 to 2009, she was named First team All-League all four years, and First Team All-Bergen County her junior and senior seasons. Her last three seasons she was named to the NJ Girls Soccer Coaches Association First Team All-State Team, and in her senior season, named to that organization’s All East Team. Coach Yearing comments further on the senior year Co-Captain– “a great person, a great athlete, and the definition of a team leader, combined with a tireless work ethic, Sammy was one of our all-time best players.” A 4 year starter for the Girls Lacrosse team from 2007 to 2010, during which the team went 78-11, culminating in her senior year as captain the first Tournament of Champions State title for the Maroons Girls Lacrosse program with the game winning goal for a 7-6 victory over Mendham, Sammy was named by the Newark Star Ledger Girls Lacrosse State Player of the Year. This recognition was complemented by being named North Jersey Player Of The Year (POY) and Bergen County POY. Her career statistics are amongst the leaders in all categories: Career points = 347 (2nd); Career goals = 174 (6th); Career assists= 173 (1st); Career ground balls = 150 (3rd); Career draw controls = 176 (4th); Career interceptions = 25 (4th). Consistent and stellar all four of her high school seasons, she was named First Team All Suburban all 4 years, First Team All League and All County her final 3 seasons, First Team All State her final 2 seasons, and a US Lacrosse All American her junior and senior years. Sammy continues her lacrosse career today, as the Associate Head Coach for the Lehigh University Women’s LAX program, just completing her 7th season, having joined the staff upon her graduation from Johns Hopkins University. The Lehigh Mountain Hawks have gone 70-40 and have qualified for the Patriot League tournament every year while a member of the coaching staff. While competing for the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays women’s lacrosse team, she achieved continued success, captaining the squad her junior and senior years, and generating 149 career points, 13th highest in team history. She can be found in the Blue Jays record book for career assists = 51 (9th); career ground balls = 101 (17th); career draw controls = 102 (10th) while helping the team to a 43-29 win loss record. In her senior year, she was named First Team All Region and Third Team All American. Most significantly, upon the completion of her senior year, Sammy was the recipient of the Blue Jays Unlimited Award, given annually to the Johns Hopkins Varsity Athlete who most exemplifies spirit and leadership, promoting team unity and morale, and enhancing the athletic experience of her teammates. After college, and while coaching at Lehigh, Sammy’s lacrosse career continued professionally, being drafted 39th by the Philadelphia Force of the United Women’s Lacrosse League in the 2016 inaugural season and playing through 2019.