As the Don Bosco players jumped up and down in the locker room and in the hallways of the Prudential Center, Don Bosco coach Greg Toskos gathered his team and spoke of the past.

The long, tenured history of Don Bosco, a total of 54 years, and the players and coaches had finally gotten over the hump that over a half-century with of Ironmen could not overcome.

2019 is the year of the Ironmen as top-seeded Don Bosco, No. 1 in the NJ.com Top 20, won its first ever state title by besting second-seeded and No. 2 Delbarton, 3-1, in the NJSIAA/Non-Public Championship final at the Prudential Center Monday night.

"This is for the (Campomenosi's) who played in the '70's and the Fortescue's who played in the '80's, my group that played in the '90's and the Contes that played in the 2000's," Toskos said. "It's the Garlascos...They're all here and this is for these guys that did it and wanted to win. It feels truly awesome."

Liam McLinskey, who scored two goals to lead Don Bosco offensively, echoed that same sentiment.

The senior captain thought of his brother, Ryan, who had been a part of the Don Bosco team that had reached the Non-Public final two years prior but couldn't best Delbarton.

He thought of last year's seniors, who had helped navigate the Ironmen to a perfect regular season only to be bested by the Green Wave twice, in the Gordon Cup and Non-Public finals.

The players and coaches that helped clinch the first ever state title etched themselves into Don Bosco history. But the victory was more about those that were celebrating in that locker room. It was for every player, coach and fan that has repped the Maroon and White in the 50-plus years of the program's existence.

"It feels great, doing it for everyone that came before us. My brother two years ago (Ryan), we couldn't get it done. Last year we had guys like Mickey (Burns) and Johnny (Campomenosi) and Georgey (Weiner) and Graham (Garlasco) and all those seniors, all great kids. We did it for those guys and we finally got it done."

Before letting the celebrations continue, Toskos finished with one final statement.

"20 years from now when we win three, four, five of these," Tosko said, "you guys will always be the first."

The 2018-19 edition of the Ironmen will forever be etched in the history books as one of the all-time great teams with the state title putting a cap on that exclamation. But it was the 53 teams prior to this one, the team's that came up short of the ultimate goal, that will never be forgotten either.

This Ironmen squad made sure of that Monday night.