The Verona-Glen Ridge Hockey team has come out roaring this season, and much of the credit must be given to the play of one senior forward, Dylan DeCandia.
DeCandia leads the team in scoring, with eight goals to his credit already. When VGR took on Millburn on December 4, DeCandia scored three of the game’s six points. When the team squared off against West Orange last night, his take was equally impressive: five of the 11 points scored, two of which were on power plays. For his efforts, Dylan DeCandia is the Verona Sports Boosters Senior Athlete of the Week.
DeCandia seems to have spent almost his whole life on ice. A former member of the Montclair Hockey Club team, DeCandia now plays for the North Jersey Avalanche. He is a four-year varsity starter for the two-town VGR team (he was its fifth-highest scoring player as a freshman), and the squad has repeatedly recognized him for his achievements: He was the winner of VGR’s 2010-11 Calder Award as most outstanding freshmen and its 2011-12 Selke Award as best defensive forward. He was also selected to 2nd Team NJIHL All Stars – Essex County as a sophomore and 3rd Team All-Essex County by the Star-Ledger. He plans on playing another year of junior hockey, and to continue playing in college after that.
Off the ice, DeCandia has played on both the JV and varsity lacrosse teams for Verona High School. A member of the Our Lady of the Lake Youth Group, he has been a volunteer at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, and at skating and hockey teaching programs at both the Codey and Floyd Hall arenas.
During the 2013-2014 school year, the Verona Sports Boosters recognizes a different senior athlete at Verona High School every week. The Boosters support male and female athletes in all VHS sports through a variety of fundraisers and recognition events.
