Sunday, May 9, 2010

Baseball: Somers tops Fox Lane Saturday, more

Somers 5, Fox Lane 3: At Fox Lane Saturday, Rob Tomasulo had three hits and two RBI. Chase Levi pitched a complete game and had six strikeouts. Brandon Serio had 13 strikeouts for the Foxes.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Softball: Somers takes North Salem title; more games ...

Somers 9, North Salem 8, 9: In the championship game of the North Salem tournament, Tammy Wray doubled and came around to score the winning run on an error in the ninth inning as Somers defeated the host Tigers 9-8 Saturday in the championship game of the North Salem tournament. Wray also hit a two-run single in the seventh inning to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Alexia Shea and Valerie Kay each went 3 for 5 for the Tigers. Kelli Licursi was named tournament MVP. After pitching a four-hitter against Fox Lane in the first round, she pitched six innings in the championship game, giving up five hits and and one run.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Baseball Wins Close Contest Against Hackensack

Don Bosco, ranked No. 2 in the North Jersey Top 25, put itself in good position to earn the top seed in the Bergen County tournament by holding off No. 8 Hackensack, 2-1, in NJTCC action.

Joseph McNamara (4-1) threw a complete game, scattering three hits and striking out seven. He outpitched Hackensack ace Tim Swatek (4-1).

The Ironmen (16-3) scored two runs off Swatek in the bottom of the first. Nick Bruno drove in the first run with an infield out, and Matt Dacey doubled home another.

Dacey, an impressive sophomore, had two of Bosco's seven hits. Pat Joel added a double and a triple.

The Record

Football Alum, Corey Wootton, drafted by Bears in fourth round

When the call came through, Corey Wootton knew right away who it was from. The Don Bosco Prep grad had spent five years at Northwestern, so he recognized the 847 area code -- and he also knew the Bears were next on the clock.

He was right. Head coach Lovie Smith was calling to tell Wootton the Bears were taking him with the 11th pick of the fourth round (109th overall).

"I've been waiting for that call the past couple days and finally got it," Wootton said from his family's home in Rutherford, as cell phones beeped and rang in the background. "It's a relief to know where I’m going, know where I’ll be for the next four years."

The wait was longer than expected for the defensive end, a projected second or third-rounder. But Wootton's phone was silent through Thursday's first round and Friday's second and third rounds. He finally heard from the Bears before lunchtime Saturday.

Wootton had a breakout junior season for the Wildcats, recording 10 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss, during which leaving early for the NFL seemed like a viable possibility. But once he tore his ACL in the 2008 Alamo Bowl, he had to put that dream on hold. He returned for his senior season, working his way back from the injury as the fall progressed.

"It's a blessing to be able to come back from this injury and to be drafted in the NFL," Wootton said. "Many people didn’t think I'd be able to come back from this. I'm just excited for this opportunity."

Wootton is a good fit for Chicago in a lot of ways. He was happy to land in a 4-3 scheme, which he played in college. The Bears' defensive line coach, Eric Washington, was Wootton's defensive line coach through his sophomore season at Northwestern. And his fiancee, Felicia Chester, will be a senior forward for the DePaul women's basketball team.

"Chicago is a great city," Wootton said. "Everyone was so excited. It was great to be able to share this moment with my family and friends."

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

Boys Lax Impressive In Victory Over St Joes

Frank Gaul, Matt King and Andrew Parrilla all sank two goals to lead Don Bosco Prep (9-5) to its third straight victory in Ramsey. Mike Wolff chipped in with one goal and two assists and Max Everett made three saves. Pat Harrington scored both goals for St. Joseph (3-11) of Montvale.

It is a position they have not been in for many a year, if ever. As inconceivable as it may seem, the Maroons of Ridgewood High School entered the first week of May with a losing record in boys lacrosse and were in jeopardy of missing out on the state tournament.

Those words were thought to be impossible for the Ridgewood, a perennial contender for a state championship and the premier program in Bergen County. The team has long been the measuring stick for every other Bergen squad, but that aura of invincibility has taken a hit recently, culminating last Sunday at Ramapo High School.

Facing unbeaten No. 1 seed Mahwah in the semifinals of the county tournament, the No. 4 Maroons twice came back from three-goal deficits, including once in the fourth quarter, only to see an uncharacteristic mistake lead to an 11-10 overtime loss and an abrupt end to their tourney life.

A Luke Cichocki goal with 1:41 left in regulation tied the game at 10, but as time expired, a Ridgewood player was called for a taunting penalty, which meant that Mahwah would gain possession on a free release to begin the extra session.

It took all of 33 seconds for the Thunderbirds (12-0), a second-year varsity program, to score the game-winner and set off a wild celebration. At the other end of the field, the Maroons (5-7) were left in a combination of stunned disbelief and anger.

The game itself was a microcosm of Ridgewood's season. There were moments where it looked every bit the team that county foes fear. Just as quickly, the fortunes would turn, and it appeared ordinary.

"We just didn't sustain the good things long enough," RHS head coach Mike Pounds said. "You let a kid get a strong-hand shot in the middle of the field, or we press and take a bad shot; just not executing consistently for 48 minutes."

"Overall, if you evaluate it, it was a good effort," he added. "There's got to be consistency. We still had moments where we were all not on the same page."

The Maroons suffered their lapses at the key moments. They fell behind 4-1 in the first period, allowing an end-to-end run and score by Mahwah's Tim Culloty. They came back to tie it, 4-4 before the end of the quarter.

After the two teams each had single goals in the second and third periods, Mahwah scored three straight goals to open the fourth quarter, with Culloty again making a rush out of the defensive end off a turnover and setting up a goal.

"Athletically, we don't match up as well against the good teams," Pounds admitted. "That's been our biggest problem."

Still, Ridgewood came back again with three consecutive tallies from seniors Ryan Mansbach and Brian Cubellis and sophomore Max Luing. A Maroon penalty allowed Mahwah to notch a man-up goal to go ahead, 10-9, before Cichocki tied it and set up the overtime.

"It's absolutely disappointing," Pounds said of the loss. "Any time you lose to a team in your county, where you've been supreme for a long time, it never tastes good."

There is no time to wallow in despair for Ridgewood, which visited the state's No. 1 team, Summit, on Wednesday and will host Northern Highlands today at 4 p.m.

Unless the Maroons win both games, it will be up to the state-tournament selection committee to include them in the Group 3 playoffs as an at-large team. Otherwise, they will suffer the ignominy of being on the outside looking in for the first time in over two decades.

"At this point, all we can do is focus on ourselves and what we can do ourselves to correct it," said Pounds. "You can focus on the game — you can't focus on the calls, and you can't focus on the other team. All of our players still have areas to improve upon, and that's all we can look at right now."

By: Jim McConville can be reached at farrellb@northjersey.com

Photo Credit: KELLY BIRDSEYE

The Record

Baseball Playing Well

Hackensack 12, St. Mary 8 (at St. Mary): Frank Pinto picked up the win, improving to 4-0 on the season, while Tim Swatek homered at drove in two runs. Teammate Matt Carroll had a triple and three RBI, and R.J. Pita also drove in three.

Hackensack 8, Teaneck 4 (at Hackensack): Jonathan Saverese was credited with the win over archrival Teaneck. Leading the offense was Frank Pinto, who had a double and three RBI, and Tim Swatek, who drove in two runs.

Ridgewood 5, Hackensack 4 (at Hackensack): Chris Lisi had three RBI in the Comets’ eight-inning loss to the Maroons.

Hackensack 7, Wayne Hills 5 (at Wayne Hills): Tim Swatek picked up the win and drove in a run in the victory. Matt Carroll, Jack Morgan, Raul Reyes and Frank Pinto also had RBI.

Hackensack 12, St. Mary 8 (at St. Mary): Frank Pinto picked up the win, improving to 4-0 on the season, while Tim Swatek homered at drove in two runs. Teammate Matt Carroll had a triple and three RBI, and R.J. Pita also drove in three.

Softball Team Loving the Game

The chants from the Hackensack bench were deafening, and one in particular had the Pascack Valley players a bit baffled. The Lady Comets were cheering for their clean-up batter, Nicole Schider, who was up at the plate during last Saturday’s Bergen County Tournament game.

It was a simple but drawn-out, two-syllable call of the Comet catcher’s last name, the typical rally cry when Schider bats, that resembled Red Sox fans’ taunts of Darryl Strawberry in the ’86 World Series. But to the Pascack Valley Indians, who at that juncture of the game held a commanding six-run advantage, they thought Hackensack was egging on their star pitcher Nicole Schneider.

After a moment of confusion, an Indians’ coach clarified the chant to his players. The Pascack Valley girls nodded and smiled with approval, some single-clapping at the irony of the similar names while all tipped their caps at the Comets’ spirit.

We’ve spotlighted the Comets’ fight in the past, but it all took center stage in the opening round of the county’s biggest softball tournament last weekend in Hillsdale. Though we can’t escape the fact that Hackensack, ranked No. 31 in the tournament, lost to second-seeded Pascack Valley 7-1, the Comets showed and proved that despite owning a sub-.500 record, they indeed belonged in the tourney.

Based on their won-loss record, Hackensack had failed to earn an automatic berth into the 2010 Counties. But head coach Joelle Della Volpe filed the team’s application anyway. Della Volpe asked the committee to consider Hackensack’s schedule as well as several close games that turned against the Comets as a result of questionable officiating.

Early last week, Hackensack learned that it snuck into the tournament as the last team in. The Comets, as well as four other teams to earn selection despite losing records, answered criticism that their entry watered down the brackets by beating the defending Passaic County Tournament champion, Wayne Hills, and dueling a tough Ridgewood team in a narrow 1-0 loss. They even exacted revenge on Teaneck, Hackensack’s bitter rival who beat the Comets and ensured that they would have a sub-.500 record before the County Tournament deadline.

So Hackensack had nothing more to prove when it squared off against powerhouse Pascack Valley. But, if skeptics weren’t convinced that Hackensack was a legitimate tourney team before the Counties started, they were believers at the end.

The Indians, behind top-flight pitcher Schneider, controlled the game but never dominated in a way a No. 2 team would normally handle a 31st-ranked squad. Run-scoring hits by Dana Amato and Schneider off of Hackensack ace Korey Kozaryn gave the Indians a 3-0 lead after the first inning, and they upped the advantage to 6-0 following a three-run third inning.

MC_lone_0507_hk_tif_

Still, Hackensack was never out of the game. The Comets took good cuts against the usually overpowering Indians’ lefty, making Schneider work extra hard under the first 80-degree day of the season. And they finally broke through in the fourth inning.

After Schider’s loud fly-out to centerfield to lead off the inning, Megan Gowe slugged a Schneider offering to the base of the leftfield fence for a double. Gowe later scored on a Krystina Gronka RBI single.

The run was Hackensack’s lone score of the game, but the noise level from the visitor’s side of the field made many think the Comets were in the lead. As each Hackensack batter dug in against Schneider, there were cheers. With each pitch thrown by Kozaryn or Sam Curran, there was excitement and encouragement.

Warned in the past about their handshake routine between innings, Hackensack’s infielders still did it, acting in team unity and not defiance. "Huddles are for football," the home plate umpire yelled to the Comets as the meeting on the mound dispersed. Curran smiled.

Imagine the tournament, the game, without the spirit of Hackensack’s youthful energy. This takes nothing away from the other teams still playing, but we’re especially thankful and overjoyed that the Comets earned a spot in the Counties.

They showed that they belong and can compete with the elite.

And they made a little noise doing so.

BY DARIUS AMOS

Photo Credit: DARIUS AMOS

The Record

Girls Lax Loses Tough Battle With Suffern

Suffern 10, North Rockland 9: At North Rockland, Kelsey Rehain scored five goals and Maggie Sharp had one goal and three assists for Suffern. North Rockland's Taylor Moore scored four goals.

Baseball Falls To White Plains

White Plains 6, North Rockland 5: At North Rockland, Nick Cutsumpas had a home run and two RBI. Mike Quirindongo had two hits and two RBI for the Tigers.

Britney Bennett Signs with UNC - Pembroke

Britney Bennett will be signing a soccer scholarship to the University of North Carolina Pembroke. The signing will take place on Tuesday, May 11^th at 2:00 pm in the Media Center Training room. Britney’s family and friends are invited and refreshments will be served.

Another day, another offer (or two) for Dixon

Posted on Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 11:30 p.m.

If Countryside's Alex Dixon can pick off passes like he's picking up college scholarship offers, the Cougars defense should be pretty airtight in the fall.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Dixon said Thursday two more schools have made him offers -- Iowa State and Florida International.

Iowa State has been active in Pinellas County the past few years. Last year, the Cyclones managed to add county Defensive Player of the Year Jeremiah George of Clearwater and electrifying Gibbs kick returner Jarvis West to their recruiting haul.

Mitchell MF Max Rockwell wins Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year

Mitchell midfielder Max Rockwell has been named the Florida Boys Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year.

The award is given to a player based on soccer skills, character and academic achievement. It also puts Rockwell in the running for the Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be announced later this month.

Rockwell was just about to go to sleep Wednesday night when Mitchell coach Oscar Ubillus called with the news.

"I know one other player who had gotten it before," Rockwell said. "He played for my club, and he was incredible. To be recognized with about the same skill level is a really great honor. In all honesty, I was just happy to be nominated and to be in the running for it. Oscar told me some of the other guys up for the award. I thought their soccer resumes might have been better than mine. But I'm pretty happy to have won it though."

Rockwell, the Times' all-North Suncoast Player of the Year and Class 4A all-state first-team selection, led the Mustangs to the Class 4A state title. They were the first Pasco County boys team to win the championship. Rockwell had four goals and 21 assists, helping Mitchell to a 26-2-3 record.

Rockwell, who has a 3.28 GPA and has signed with Southern Methodist, battled back from a pair of anterior cruciate ligament surgeries his sophomore and junior years. Rockwell is a member of the student council and has volunteered at youth soccer camps as a counselor.

In terms of possibly getting the National Player of the Year award?

"I know there's a lot of good players in the nation," Rockwell said. "I looked last night before I went to bed and recognized a few names from other teams. One of the kids that won it for one of the other states is going to the same college I am. I don't know If I'll win or not because I've been out for the past couple of seasons. But who knows, maybe."

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Girls lacrosse: Suffern beats North Rockland 10-9; more games

Rye 19, Horace Greeley 10: At Rye on Wednesday, Molly O'Brien scored seven goals and Emma Tucci added five goals for the Garnets.

Scarsdale snaps Mamaroneck's streak

David Wheeler and Ethan Shenberg each hit three-run home runs as visiting Scarsdale beat two-time defending Class AA state champion Mamaroneck 7-5 today.
The defeat snapped the Tigers' 12-game winning streak and was just the fourth loss to a New York team since 2006.
It was also Mamaroneck's first league loss since 2006, a streak of 45 games.
Henry Hirsch added a solo home run for the Raiders. Colin Markel was credited with the victory.

Spring Sports Awards Banquet

The Spring Athletic ceremony & Reception will be on On May 28^th. It will begin at 6:30pm. All spring athletes will be honored for their efforts on and off the field.

Former NFL Player Speaking At Dwight Morrow

Dwight Morrow will be having guest speaker Cecil Martin in the Dizzy Gillespie Auditorium on May 27^th @ 7:00pm. Cecil is a former NFL player. He will share pertinent information that every coach, student athlete, guidance counselor & parent should be aware of.

In high school Cecel played 3 sports all four years, helped start a community service club, and earned a high school national community service award. He earned a full scholarship to play football at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also competed in track and field. Cecil was a starter for 4 years in football, earned 2 national community service awards in college, was a captain during his senior year as they won the Big Ten and Rose Bowl Championship, and he graduated! He was drafted into the NFL and was the starting fullback for the Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years, and ended his career playing for the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cecil earned both the NFL Unsung Hero twice and NFL Ed Block Courage Awards for community service while in the NFL.

Here are some of his featured topics:

The benefits of playing collegiate sports

Understanding whether your student athlete is really being recruited

Strategies on how to maximize an athlete’s recruiting potential

Is Division 1 the only option?

Timelines for college recruiting

The importance of character and maintain good grades

The 5 things every student athlete must do in order to be recruited

Varsity Boys Lacrosse defeats Seaford 12-4 to improve to (13-0) now ranked # 12 nationally by Inside Lacrosse/Under Armour

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 12, Seaford 4: Brendan Bouchard had three goals and two assists to lead Cold Spring Harbor (7-0) in Conference C. Cam Lee added two goals and Alex Hildebrandt had three assists.

Scoring:
Cold Spring Harbor -- Brendan Bouchard, 3 goals/2 assists; Cam Lee, 2 goals; Jack Wallice, 1 goals/2 assists; Giovanni Girardi, 1 goals; Sean Doyle, 1 goals; Chris Moriarty, 1 goals; Patrick Hackeling, 1 goals; Christian Kennedy, 1 goals; Alex Hildebrandt, 3 assists; Scott Winkosf, 1 assists.
Seaford -- Anthony Marino, 2 goals/1 assists; Billy Kempner, 1 goals/2 assists; Tommy Curren, 1 goals; Joe Richards, 1 assists.

Goalies:
Cold Spring Harbor -- Tom Cox, 8 saves; Will Beuerlein, 1 saves.
Seaford -- Jimmy Fischetto, 11 saves.

May 3, 2010	1	2	3	4	F
at Cold Spring Harbor	3	4	3	2	12
Seaford	2	2	0	0	4

Varsity Girls Golf defeats Locust Valley as Jordan Fontini improves her record to 8-0

May 5, 2010	F
at Cold Spring Harbor	8
Locust Valley	1

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 8, Locust Valley 1: Jordan Fontini shot a 44 on the front nine at Piping Rock Country Club to lead Cold Spring Harbor (2-5) in a Conference North match. Fontini is 8-0 on the season.

May 5, 2010	F
Great Neck South	5 1/12
at Cold Spring Harbor	3 1/2

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 5 1/2, Great Neck South 3 1/2: Jordan Fontini shot a 44 on the front nine at Piping Rock Country Club to lead Cold Spring Harbor (3-5) in Conference North.

May 3, 2010	F
Cold Spring Harbor	8.5
at Locust Valley	0.5

Highlights: Jordan Fontini shot a 4-over 39 on the front nine The Creek Club to lead Cold Spring Harbor (1-5).

April 28, 2010	F
at Roslyn	6
Cold Spring Harbor	3

Scoring: TXT

Highlights: Roslyn 6, Cold Spring Harbor 3: Nicole Ruben shot a 46 (10-over) at the front nine at Glen Head Country Club for Roslyn (5-3) in the north division. Jordan Fontini shot a 45 for CSH.

April 27, 2010	F
Jericho	8
at Cold Spring Harbor	1

Highlights: Jericho 8, Cold Spring Harbor 1: Shannon Chada shot a 8-over 44 at Muttontown Country Club to lead Jericho (5-0) in North Conference. Cold Spring Harbor's Jordan Fontini shot a 4-over 40.

April 21, 2010	F
at Friends Academy	7
Cold Spring Harbor	2

Highlights: Friends Academy 7, Cold Spring Harbor 2:

April 15, 2010	F
at Jericho	5.5
Cold Spring Harbor	3.5

Highlights: Jericho 5.5, Cold Spring Harbor 3.5: Jordan Fontieri shot a 7-over par 43 for Cold Spring Harbor and Jamie Genatt shot a 9-over par 45 for Jericho (4-0) on the red course at Glen Oaks Country Club.

Standings

Conference North
	Conf		Overall
Team	W	L	T	W	L	T
Jericho	6	0	0	6	0	0
Friends Academy	5	0	0	5	0	0
Roslyn	4	4	0	4	4	0
Cold Spring Harbor	2	5	0	2	5	0
Great Neck South	1	4	0	1	4	0
Locust Valley	0	5	0	0	5	0

Varsity Boys Track And Field results at the Seahawk Invitational

Last weekend's Seahawk Invitational Boys Track and Field Meet:

Junior Nick Mosquin broke the school record in the 400m by running 53.5. (He then lowered his time at Monday's home meet (53.4) vs. Floral Park, Oyster Bay, and Mineola.)

At the Seahawk - The 4 x 100m team (Nick Mosquin, Senior Nick Chmelev, Senior Ryan Costello, and Junior Cameron Becker) broke the school record by running 46.4.

Sophomore Dylan Cole medaled in both the sophomore discus and shot put competitions.

Sophomore Jonathan LaGuardia won the sophomore long jump and took 3rd in the sophomore pole vault.

Senior Michael D'Agostino ran a season's best 62.4 in the 400 intermediate hurdles and took 5th place overall.

Eagles Shut Down Bogie Softball by Garrett Mixon

The Eagles softball team shut down Boca Ciega, last Tuesday April 27^th, in their first regional semi-final game. Strong pitching from Kirsten Berlo, who was perfect through three straight innings, combined with solid defensive play, lifted the Eagles to victory.

With one out in the third inning, Alyssa Weaver singled and stole second base to pl ace herself in scoring position. The one out later sophomore, Sarah Schutz delivered a single to score Weaver, who made a fantastic slide to avoid an extremely close tag at home plate and the Eagles took a 1-0 lead which they clung to for the rest of the game.

The Eagles next faced off against Pinellas Park in their second Regional Semi-final bout. If you remember the Patriots are the same team East Lake battled 17 long innings to finally defeat, and it looked like they could have done extras again, until late in the 7^th inning, Sydney Dinelli drove in Hayley Davis to give East Lake a 1-0 lead. The girls dug in their cleats on defense and prevented the Patriots from scoring any runs, pulling out their second straight playoff victory. East Lake advances to the Regional Finals for the time since 1993, where they set to play at home versus Sickles.

Alumni: Toal Gets Call From Giants

Former Don Bosco star Brian Toal is among 23 players scheduled to attend this weekend's Giants rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.

The 6-foot, 238-pound Toal appeared on his way to the NFL after he carried his storied high school career to Boston College. But he missed the 2007 season with a shoulder injury and had his 2008 season cut short by a broken fibula. He was not drafted last year.

He attended the Jets' 2009 rookie camp on a tryout basis but was not signed. He wound up playing for Jim Fassel's Las Vegas team in the United Football League.

Connor Corish Memory Lives On

Two years after his death, former Don Bosco freshman lacrosse player Connor Corish continues to make an impact through the sport he loved.

Don Bosco freshman lacrosse coach Brian McAleer has made sure of that.

"I just needed something to keep his memory alive," McAleer said.

Don Bosco has found the perfect way to honor Corish's memory with the second annual Connor Corish Freshman Lacrosse Tournament, which starts Friday.

Corish died two years ago this weekend, when walking on train tracks in his hometown of Nanuet, N.Y.

"He was a great kid and the kids loved to be around him," McAleer said. "And to see the outpouring of the communities, it shows how important Connor and this event is to everyone."

Last year, the tournament raised more than $20,000 toward the Connor Corish Scholarship Foundation. Each year, the foundation awards a $5,000 scholarship to an incoming Don Bosco freshman from Rockland County.

The scholarship, which pays for about half the cost of tuition at Don Bosco, can be kept for all four years if the student continues to meet the standards of the program.

This year, the tournament is hoping to raise even more money, with a higher-profile field and a sponsorship agreement with Maverik Lacrosse, an equipment company.

In addition to helping a good cause, the tournament serves an important purpose on the field as well, providing a much-needed showcase for area freshman lacrosse.

"A lot of times, freshmen don't have anything to play for," McAleer said. "This tournament gives them something to play for, and the fact is that this is the only one of its type in the Tri-State area."

The tournament brings together an elite field of teams to prove it. Along with Don Bosco, the 12-team tournament includes nine New Jersey teams and three from out of state.

North Jersey powers Ridgewood, Ramapo and Bergen Catholic will compete alongside other New Jersey lacrosse staples like Glen Ridge, Montclair, Mountain Lakes and Seton Hall Prep.

Out-of-state teams include Connecticut's Darien, and Long Island schools Chaminade of Mineola and St. Anthony of South Huntington.

"Getting teams like this just skyrocketed the prestige of the tournament," McAleer said.

In addition to honoring Corish, McAleer hopes that this tournament provides an opportunity for freshman lacrosse players at Don Bosco and elsewhere to get some valuable competitive experience early in their high school careers.

"As a coach, you want your teams to play the best," McAleer said. "You've got to set the bar high for yourselves, and let the kids know that even though this is freshman lacrosse, you've got to beat the best teams to compete."

BY ANDY VASQUEZ

Photo Credit: LESLIE BARBARO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The Record

Lax Pulls Out Victory With Rally in 4th Quarter

Anthony DiSanzo fired in three goals and Frank Gaul chipped in with two goals and two assists for Don Bosco Prep (8-5), which rallied with a 4-2 fourth quarter in Franklin Lakes. Mike Wolff lent a hand with one goal and three assists. Chris Colaneri and Danny Smith scored three goals each for Ramapo (7-9).

Super Bowl XXI MVP and 15-year NFL veteran Phil Simms, Green Bay Packers running back and former New York Giant Ryan Grant, MSG television personality Mike Quick, and other special guests will roast and toast Don Bosco Prep head football coach Greg Toal on May 13 at the Sheraton Mahwah Hotel. Cocktails will be served beginning at 6:30 p.m. with dinner and the roast to follow.

Toal, a resident of Wyckoff, has been head coach at Don Bosco Prep for 10 years and was named USA Today 2009 National High School Football Coach of the Year. He has been responsible for 14 New Jersey State Football Championship Teams at Don Bosco Prep, Ramapo High School, Hackensack High School and River Dell High School.

Tickets are $200 per person. Sponsorship opportunities range from $2,500-$10,000. For further information, contact Barbara Donatacci at babsdonatacci@ aol.com.

Don Bosco Prep is at 492 N. Franklin Turnpike, Ramsey. Visit donboscoprep.com or call 201-327-8003.

Photo Credit: Mitsu Yasukawa/The Star-Ledger

Story: The Record

Baseball Defeats Dwight Englewood 8-1

PARK RIDGE - Park Ridge defeated the visiting Dwight Englewood Bulldogs 8-1 in a key April 29 BCSL Olympic conference game.

Although they emerged victorious, the Owls briefly trailed in the second inning after Dwight-Englewood’s Mike Pacheco crushed a solo home run to give his team a 1-0 lead.

"It was still early in the ball game so I wasn’t overly concerned, "said Park Ridge coach Pete Crandall.

Nor should he have been. The Owls (9-5) offense has been downright explosive through the early part of the 2010 season. They are currently sporting a team batting average of .345, not to mention a healthy on-base percentage of .452 to go along with a league-leading 14 long balls.

In the bottom of the second Park Ridge rallied to score six runs.

Chris Lanzilotti was the first to cross the plate when Dan McEldowney drove him in with a base hit through the second base hole.

Three batters later Jake Vitaliano came to bat with the bases loaded and delivered a single to right, scoring McEldowney and Ryan Bartz.

Up next came Zach Carroll, who entered the contest with a team-high four home runs, all of which have come in his last nine at bats. The senior stayed true to form as he blasted a 3-2 fastball deep over the left field fence.

"He tried pitching me inside," said Carroll, whose hit gave the Owl’s a 6-1 lead. "But I was able to turn on it and make great contact to send it deep."

The five-run cushion gave Park Ridge’s starting pitcher Austin Clemente all the support he needed. The righty finished the day going six strong innings, striking out five Bulldogs.

"I was a little wild at the beginning of the game and because of it I gave up too many walks," he said. "But I was able to settle down and work my changeup and fastball with some effectiveness to get out of a couple jams. I also know we have a very capable offense and as long as I did my part we would be fine."

Clemente received further help from his batters in the bottom of the third inning when Park Ridge tacked on two more runs.

Matt Misley was able to improve on his team-high .562 batting average and 19 RBI’s with a two-run single, scoring Bartz and Vitaliano. From that point the two teams were scoreless as the 8-1 deficit proved to be too much for Dwight-Englewood.

The Bulldogs (4-8) found themselves with several runners in scoring position in the fifth and seventh innings, but each time they came up empty as Park Ridge pitchers found ways to get out of trouble.

Dan Wuhrman relieved Clemente in the top of the seventh and he induced two pop outs and a ground out to nail down the victory.

BY JUSTIN STOFKOPER

Northern Valley Suburbanite

Girls Track Brings Home the League IV-A Championship

The Girls track team came away with the title at the League IV-A Championship. They edged out county rivals Suffern, Clarkstown South, Clarkstown North and Ramapo. Congratulations!

The boys track team was impressive in capturing the League IV-A Championship at Clarkstown South.

Clarkstown South 5, North Rockland 3: At North Rockland, Kris Allyene had 14 saves. Brian Foley had two goals. Tom Ginty had two goals for the Red Raiders.

Benson Stellar In Victory

North Rockland 3, Clarkstown South 0: At Clarkstown South, Krystn Benson allowed four hits and struck out 13. Dana Kurtti went 3 for 3 for the Vikings

Baseball Gets League Win At South

North Rockland 12, Clarkstown South 3: At Clarkstown South Tuesday, James Wargo had two hits and four RBI, including a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Wardy Polanco and John Griffen each had two RBI.

11 locals named to FloridaGirlsSoccer.com first team

Eleven players locally were selected to the 2010 FloridaGirlsSoccer.com all-state first team. The all-state teams were nominated and voted on by coaches from around the state.

First team selections were: Jolie Annichiarico (CCC), Catherine Brinkman (PHU), Amber Famiglietti (Berkeley Prep), Stephanie Ferro (East Lake), Cici Gonzalez (Steinbrenner), Bryane Heaberlin (Berkeley Prep), Megan Lawrence (Seminole), Sierra Lelii (Seminole), Zoe Lombard (PHU), Colby Maffei (Tampa Prep), Taylor Richardson (Berkeley Prep).

Second team selections from the Bay Area include: Taylor Batye (Berkeley Prep), Tara Belvin (Seminole), Corrie Bexley (Bishop McLaughlin), Olivia Bloemke (Freedom), Alexis Bredeau (Steinbrenner), Jenn Casey (Shorecrest), Caroline Cheek (Tampa Prep), Lindsey Cooper (CCC), Brittany Cox (East Bay), Kelsey Dougherty-Howard (St. Petersburg Catholic), Jensen Eifert (Indian Rocks Christian), Caroline Evers (Newsome), Melissa Fletcher (Pasco), Noel Forsman (Seminole), Karina Gutsche (Newsome), Jordan Hatton (Tampa Prep), Gina Hayduke (Seminole), Danielle Manning (Berkeley Prep), Soraya Martinez (Freedom), Casey Merson (Seminole), Amber Miller (Tampa Prep), Sarah Moyer (Sickles), Sam Newhaller (Berkeley Prep), Tatiana Perez (East Lake), Jackie Rosenthal (Tampa Prep), Alicia Schuering (Hudson), Chelsea Smith (Zephyrhills).

11 locals named to FloridaGirlsSoccer.com first team

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Boys lacrosse: Mamaroneck defeats Eastchester 14-5; more scores

Rye 11, Byram Hills 7: At Rye Tuesday, Matt McReddie scored three goals for the Garnets. Teammate Cole McCormack had two goals and two assists. Dan Lohrfink and Andy Murphy each had two goals and an assist for the Bobcats.

Softball: North Rockland beats Clarkstown South 3-0; more scores

Hen Hud 9, Pleasantville 2: At Pleasantville Tuesday, Kristina Pelaccio and Julianna Gaspar each had two hits, including a triple. Pellaccio drove in two runs. Gaspar drove in one.

Football Team Presented Their National Championship Rings

The 2009 national champions of high school football, the Don Bosco Prep Ironmen, were awarded their national championship rings last evening in a ring ceremony held in the school’s gym.

After the rings were blessed by Don Bosco Prep Director/President Rev. Louis J. Molinelli, SDB, ’79, Head Football Coach Greg Toal gave his introductory remarks.

He announced that during the football season, 42 of the team’s players had achieved academic honor roll status. He praised the students for working hard both on the field and off. In describing the football game against Prattville H.S. in Prattville, Alabama, Coach Toal said that the Ironmen rose to the challenge, because of their mental and physical toughness, and their high moral character.

He recognized the coaching staff and thanked them for their contributions to the team, “These are people that care about you,” he told the players. He recognized each coach and their attributes, and gave special mention to Athletic Director and Offensive Line Coach, Nunzio Campanile, who received a standing ovation from the crowd, “Nunzio and I have had a special partnership for the past 10 years. We’ve been blessed to have him. I’m sorry to see him go. He’s a special guy. We’ll really miss him.”

Coach Toal then brought each player up front and with a personal encouraging comment for each young man, presented them with their rings.

CSH Varsity Boys Baseball takes two of three from Malverne to improve to (8-6)

April 29, 2010	F
at Cold Spring Harbor	4
Malverne	3

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 4, Malverne 3: Kenny Lamb's RBI single scored go-ahead run Evan Solomon from third in the top of the eighth to lead Cold Spring Harbor (8-6) in Conference BC. Lamb also pitched a scoreless eighth inning to earn the save.

Winning pitcher: Cold Spring Harbor - Matt Bertuch
Losing pitcher: Malverne - Frank Puma

Highlights: Malverne 7, Cold Spring Harbor 4: Scott Sabino and Brandon Michaels hit back-to-back doubles to lead off the top of the tenth inning and score the go-ahead run to lead Malverne (1-12) over Cold Spring Habor (8-5) in Conference BC. Sabino went 4-for-5 with three doubles, Jeremy Sonatero went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Frank Puma went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Senior Travis McKeever pitched the final three innings, allowing two hits with three strikeouts for his first varsity victory.

Winning pitcher: Malverne - McKeever
Losing pitcher: Cold Spring Harbor - Justin Suter

April 28, 2010	F
Malverne	7
at Cold Spring Harbor	4

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 6, Malverne 5: Matt Bertuch hit a sac fly to right field to score Steven Ambrosino for the winnig run in the bottom of the seventh. Cold Spring Harbor was winning 4-0 going into the seventh inning when Williams and Michaels each scored homeruns for Malverne to go head 5-4. In the bottom of the seventh Kenny Lamb singled and Steven Ambrosino singled him home to tie the game at five all. Cold Spring Harbor is 7-5 in League BC.

Winning pitcher: Cold Spring Harbor - Kenny Lamb
Losing pitcher: Malverne - Max Henry
Home runs: Cold Spring Harbor -- Steven Ambrosino, 1. Malverne -- Williams, 1; Michaels, 1.

April 27, 2010	F
Cold Spring Harbor	6
at Malverne	5

CSH Varsity Boys Lacrosse defeats Mineola 15-3 to improve its record to 12-0

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 15, Mineola 3: Chris Moriarty had three goals and one assist to lead Cold Springer Harbor (6-0) in Conference C.

Scoring:
Cold Spring Harbor -- Brendan Bouchard, 3 goals; Chris Moriarty, 3 goals/1 assists; Kevin Lohan, 2 goals/1 assists; Justin Sherlock, 2 goals; Jake Levine, 1 goals; Patrick Hackeling, 1 goals; Charles Rueger, 1 goals/1 assists; Liam Murray, 1 goals/2 assists; Sam Patterson, 1 goals; Christian Kennedy, 1 assists; Bryan Kelly, 1 assists; Alex Hildebrandt, 1 assists; Jack Wallice, 1 assists.
Mineola -- Nick Grimaldi, 2 goals; Billy Gerstner, 1 goals; Joe Massaro, 1 assists.

Goalies:
Cold Spring Harbor -- Will Beuerlein, 5 saves; Tyler Will, 3 saves; Tom Cox, 2 saves.
Mineola -- Mike Escobar, 10 saves.

April 28, 2010	1	2	3	4	F
at Cold Spring Harbor	3	7	2	3	15
Mineola	1	0	1	1	3

Ambrosino scores winner for Cold Spring Harbor Softball Team

Ambrosino scores winner for Cold Spring Harbor

Newsday originally published: April 24, 2010 10:09 PM Kristen Ambrosino scored the winning run on a wild pitch with no outs in the seventh inning to give Cold Spring Harbor a 6-5 win over Malverne Saturday in a Nassau Conference ABC-V/VI softball crossover. Priyanka Badlani and Ambrosino opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and Alex Becker's RBI base hit scored Badlani to tie the score at 5. Ambrosino (3-for-4, three runs), a shortstop, pitched three innings for her first win of the season for CSH (5-5).

April 24, 2010	F
at Cold Spring Harbor	6
Malverne	5

Winning pitcher: Cold Spring Harbor - Kristen Ambrosino Losing pitcher: Malverne - Nicole Puma

CSH Varsity Boys beat Floral Park 10-7

Highlights: Cold Spring Harbor 10, Floral Park 7: Senior midfielder Patrick Hackeling won 12-of-13 faceoffs and scored two goals to lead Cold Spring Harbor (5-0) in Conference C. Senior attack Brendan Bouchard had three goals, while junior Jack Wallice added two goals and one assist.

Scoring:
Cold Spring Harbor -- Brendan Bouchard, 3 goals; Jack Wallice, 2 goals/1 assists; Patrick Hackeling, 2 goals; Chris Moriarty, 1 goals/2 assists; Christian Kennedy, 1 goals/1 assists; Kevin Lohan, 1 goals; Sean Doyle, 1 assists.
Floral Park -- James O'Boyle, 3 goals/1 assists; Tom Monahan, 1 goals/1 assists; Kyle Vidasolo, 1 goals; Andrew Viscusi, 1 goals/1 assists; Greg Hildreth, 1 goals.

Goalies:
Cold Spring Harbor -- Tom Cox, 11 saves.
Floral Park -- Matt Massaria, 12 saves.

April 27, 2010	1	2	3	4	F
Cold Spring Harbor	4	2	1	3	10
at Floral Park	2	2	2	1	7

4A baseball: Jesuit gets late homer to edge Osceola

SEMINOLE — The first time Jesuit's Kris Johnson made contact in the seventh inning, the ball drifted beyond the first-base line into foul territory before falling out of an Osceola outfielder's glove.

A few pitches later, Johnson fouled off another pitch that drifted toward the backstop. He was given another chance when the Warriors catcher misjudged the flyball and it dropped foul.

The third time he made contact, Johnson made it count, walloping a pitch that sailed beyond the left-centerfield for a home run that turned out to be the winning run in a 4-3 victory in the Class 4A region quarterfinals.

The Tigers improve to 25-3 and move on to play in Friday's region semifinals. Osceola ends its season at 22-6.

"I was frustrated after the first few foul balls," Johnson said. "I just told myself I wasn't going to miss another fastball again. It felt great coming off my bat and once I saw the leftfielder didn't move, I knew it was gone."

Until that point, the Warriors had seized momentum, rallying from an early 3-0 deficit by scoring twice in the second inning and once in the fifth inning to tie the score.

In the sixth, Osceola appeared to be in good position to go ahead with a runner on third with one out.

But Jesuit starter Daniel Gibson struck out one batter, then Lance McCullers came on in relief to strike out the next to end the threat.

"We told (Gibson) once he came out in the sixth that we weren't going into extra innings," Johnson said. "We were going to win the game for him."

Johnson's heroics spoiled an otherwise strong performance from Osceola's Taylor Layner, who allowed six hits and struck out 11.

"We knew Taylor was going to be tough to hit and he got a lot of strikeouts against us," Jesuit coach Richie Warren said. "We had to make the most of our opportunities when we put the ball in play. We got just enough hits, especially with that big home run, to get us through."

The Warriors' best chance to tie ended when Josh Townsend hit a deep flyball that was caught at the warning track in the bottom of the seventh.

5A softball: East Lake breaks through against Sickles

TARPON SPRINGS — For six innings, Sickles was flawless in its region final at East Lake.

A few cracks, though, began to appear in the Gryphons' veneer in the seventh.

And that was all East Lake needed.

The Eagles (26-2) advance to Clermont thanks to a 1-0 win. Rightfielder Abby Hess lined a hit to rightfield with two outs and runners in scoring position to drive in Hayley Davis.

"I just knew that I had to put the ball in play, just pretended like it was practice and tried to relax," said Hess, a junior. "It was on the outside corner. As soon as I saw where it was going, I knew I could hit it."

Davis was the catalyst in the Eagles' region semifinal win over Pinellas Park, and against Sickles (24-6), she led off the seventh against Chelsea Oglevie with a hit.

Sydney Dinelli then sent a high fly ball into shallow leftfield. Three Gryphons converged on the ball, but nobody took charge on the play, and the ball dropped among the three.

The Eagles baserunners advanced thanks to a passed ball, putting both in scoring position with no outs.

But Oglevie struck out the next two batters — one looking, one swinging — before Hess ended Sickles' chance of reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2001.

"I wasn't expecting the seventh inning to end the way it did," Sickles coach Phil Giarrizzo said. "It was unfortunate; we made some great defensive plays throughout the game, but that one just happened to drop in out there, which turned out to be the play of the game."

Before the seventh, Oglevie and East Lake starting pitcher Alyssa Bache were locked in a showdown. Each gave up four hits. Oglevie struck out four. Bache fanned 10 batters.

Sickles' Ashli Goff went 3-for-3 and was the only Gryphon to get in scoring position. She had a one-out single in the sixth and a stolen base, but Bache got Danielle Rowe to strike out.

"Alyssa is just a big-game pitcher," East Lake coach Mike Estes said. " … She was here at 4 p.m.; the team wasn't supposed to be here until 5. She was that jacked up. She wanted it that bad."

Boys Golf Defeats Nanuet

Francis Kelly, Jim O'Connor, Matt DeRosa and Matt McKeon lead the Red Raiders with scores 41 and under.

East Lake volleyball senior libero Andria Tagarelli became the first signee of the spring recruiting period for Augusta State University when she signed a letter-of-intent to join the Jaguars for the fall 2010 season.

The 5-foot-5 Tagarelli was a four-year starter at East Lake and was named team MVP her junior and senior years. Tagarelli was also a three-time St. Petersburg Times All-Pinellas County first team selection at libero.

"We are truly excited and thrilled that Andria is part of the ASU Volleyball family," Augusta State head coach Sharon Bonaventure said in a press release. "What she brings to the table is her great passing skills and her tenacious pursuit on every ball. She is a huge addition to the program and we can't wait to have her on the court playing defense for us in the fall."

Tagarelli decided on Augusta State over an offer from CW Post and a spot as a walk-on at Florida Southern.

Augusta State is an NCAA Division II school playing in the Peach Belt Conference.

Mitchell ATH Leigh Andre signs with Greensboro (N.C.) College

Mitchell ATH Leigh Andre signed a letter of intent with Greensboro (N.C.) College, Mustangs coach Brian Wachtel said.

Andre became a two-way starter at defensive tackle and offensive tackle midway through the 2009 season. Wachtel asked Andre to move from his fullback spot to the line.

"He's a team guy," Wachtel said. "We needed him at offensive tackle and he did what was best for the team. He's a team plyaer and hard worker."

Andre rushed 13 times for 60 yards, and had 17 tackles on defense.

5A baseball: Dunedin has no trouble dispatching Largo

Dunedin began its quest for a second state championship in three years with a 14-1 romp over Largo at Jack Russell Stadium in the first round of the Class 5A region playoffs.

Next up for Dunedin (24-3) is its rival, Seminole (23-5), a team it has beaten three of four times this season, most recently a 4-0 victory in the Class 5A, District 11 championship game.

"It's going to be tough as it is facing our rival let alone having to beat someone four times in a season," said Dunedin senior Alex Norris, whose only two blemishes over his three innings of work were a hit batter and a hard-hit double. "But it's always tough playing them, so we're just going to have to bring our best."

The Falcons' best was clearly on display against the Packers as they scored four runs in the first inning then batted around in the order in a seven-run second in the mercy-rule game that ended in the fifth inning.

Casey Turgeon finished 2-for-2, including two monstrous homers, both two-run blasts that marked his sixth and seventh of the season.

Mike Clarkson and Kyle Kunnen each added a two-run double.

"We're just focused on taking one game at a time and not overlooking anyone," said Turgeon, who raised his batting average to .450. "We knew we had the potential to make some things happen this year. It's all about putting it all together."

Dunedin hosts Seminole at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Durant Softball Recap by Sarah Phillips

The Durant softball team has been hitting the bases hard since fall ball season in 09’. They would play double headers, where they play two games in a row, and didn’t keep score during fall ball. Now that spring ball has come to a close, they made it all the way to districts with senior captains Brittany Harwell, Carly Wolff, and Brielle Gordon. “The district game was really close”, said freshman player Alyssa Colding. The girls played East Bay High and were winning 2:1 in the sixth inning, but then East Bay scored an extra 3 points, making the final score 5:2. The final spring ball record was 12:11.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Softball: Scarsdale defeats New Rochelle 1-0; Clarkstown North defeats Suffern 1-0; more games ...

Scarsdale 1, New Rochelle 0, 9: At Scarsdale, Scarsdale's Rosaria Callara singled home Rachel Halperin in the bottom of the ninth to beat New Rochelle 1-0 and end Tuesday's duel between winning pitcher Nicole Lee and the Huguenots' Jamie Zakalik. Lee, who scattered six hits for the shutout, struck out nine and walked none. Zakalik pitched a five-hitter, and struck out five.

John Jay relentless in win over Somers

John Jay was relentless on both ends of the field Tuesday and walked off with an easy 12-6 win over Somers in boys lacrosse.

Eckerd nabs Countryside's Ashleigh Bynum

Countryside softball catcher Ashleigh Bynum will play her college softball locally next season after signing with Eckerd College.

Bynum, a mainstay behind the plate for Countryside, batted. 400 for the year before being injured in the Cougars final regular season game against St. Petersburg in the PCAC Challenge and missing the district tournament.

Spring Video Countryside

Our spring football video series kicks off at Countryside, where the biggest question is how to replace running back Alton Taylor and his almost 2,000 yards and 31 TDs. [John C. Cotey

See video here.

Track Ranked #2 in County

The Track team is continuing its successful run this year and is ranked #2 in Bergen County.

The Ramapo boys lacrosse team has been searching for its identity in the last few weeks.

Ramapo’s Cory Steimel, left, giving five to teammate Jake Krantz after Krantz’s second-quarter goal against Don Bosco tied the quarterfinal game at 4.

Judging from the way the Green Raiders walked off the field Sunday afternoon – heads held high, a swagger in their step – it might be time to stop looking.

Ramapo endured a late charge, but scored the final two goals to squeak past Don Bosco, 12-11, in the Bergen County tournament quarterfinals at Ramapo.

"There was some heart and hustle, and the kids wanted it," Ramapo coach Tim Roy said. "We were really excited about this game and for the opportunity to come out on our home field as the visitors and work hard, and we came away with the win."

The fifth-seeded Green Raiders will face No. 7 Bergen Catholic in the semifinals Sunday.

After losing five consecutive games from April 10-20 – including a crushing 13-12 overtime loss to Bergen Catholic – the Raiders (6-6) have bounced back with three straight wins. They’ve averaged more than 13 goals per game during that stretch, and no win was bigger than the one over Don Bosco.

"We’ve really had a tough schedule," Ramapo’s Corey Steimel said. "So a win like this is really a boost."

By: ANDY VASQUEZ

The Record

Baseball Falls to Delbarton

Don Bosco’s baseball season probably can be best defined by a series of measuring-stick games leading up to the Bergen County and State tournaments.

Last weekend’s win over Calvert Hall in Maryland was one such game. So is the much-anticipated April 30 showdown with archrival St. Joseph.

Then there was Saturday.

The Ironmen got a chance to see how they measure up against Delbarton, one of the premier teams in New Jersey and one their chief rivals for a State title. For now, it’s advantage Delbarton.

"In baseball, you’re going to lose games," Bosco coach Mike Stanton said after the Ironmen, ranked No. 3 in the North Jersey Top 25, dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 decision at Delbarton’s Fleury Field. "There’s no way around it."

That may be true, but this one probably will sting for a while because of the way it ended. The Ironmen (6-2) allowed Delbarton (7-2) to score two runs with two out in the bottom of the seventh off ace Eric Stevens.

Stevens (2-2), who threw a strong game, had two outs with a runner on first when he walked leadoff hitter Matt Kastner for the third time. Kastner is one of Delbarton’s best hitters, and it was his long two-out triple in the fifth inning that tied the game at 1.

"Eric threw very good again," Stanton said. "He wasn’t quite as sharp as he was in his last outing [Monday against Wayne Hills], but he was aggressive and he stayed ahead of the hitters."

Stevens, a senior right-hander bound for Boston College, also did everything he could to finish the job. He got John Elson to hit a bouncer to second base that was misplayed as the tying run raced home.

Matt DeRenzi, Delbarton’s No. 3 hitter, followed with a sharp grounder back up the middle that was knocked down as Kastner came home with the winning run.

Just like that, Bosco’s six-game winning streak was history.

"That was a great ballgame; one of those games where it’s a shame someone has to lose," Stanton said. "I told the players right afterward that I thought they played a great game. There were a couple of mistakes that cost us, but that’s how baseball is."

This was a big win for Delbarton. The Green Wave were coming off Friday’s 4-3 loss to Pope John, and they came within one out of having their two top pitchers lose consecutive one-run games.

Delbarton was aggressive on the bases. The Green Wave stole five bases in six attempts, two by Kastner, and even tried — and failed — on a suicide squeeze.

By: MARK J. CZERWINSKI

Photo Credit: GEORGE MCNISH

The Record

Baseball Defeat St. Joe's

This wasn’t the NNJIL Division C championship game as was the recent custom when Don Bosco and St. Joseph played a regular-season baseball game. Heck, these teams aren’t even in the same NJTCC division.

And there is a good chance the Ironmen and Green Knights could meet twice more this season with the stakes monumentally higher.

But that doesn’t mean Friday’s 5-1 win by Don Bosco, ranked No. 3 in the North Jersey Top 25, over No. 1 St. Joseph wasn’t significant. It was one of those big-picture games that both teams will be mulling for quite some time.

"To get the first win of this series is big," said Bosco senior ace Eric Stevens, who tossed a six-hitter. "This gives us a real confidence boost. And if we see them in the County or State tournament, well, so be it. We’ll come out ready again."

This was a nice bounce-back win for the Ironmen (12-3), who may have got caught looking ahead when they lost to DePaul on Wednesday. They played crisp defense behind Stevens (2-2), who was pitching for the first time since losing to Delbarton two weeks ago, and were able to string together some hits against St. Joseph ace Artie Lewicki (5-1).

"In the big picture, it’s a big win," said Bosco coach Mike Stanton. "It doesn’t matter what league we’re in. These are the games the kids get up for. They showed up and played."

Bosco took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on RBI singles by Ken O’Donnell and George Iskandarian. The big play in the inning was an errant pickoff throw by Lewicki with one out that set the stage for the rally.

"That pickoff changed the whole complexion of the game," said St. Joseph coach Frank Salvano.

The Ironmen scored two more runs in the fifth on an error and a controversial play in the outfield when a ball was kicked out of bounds. Salvano argued the call and was ejected from the game, which means he’s automatically suspended for the next two games.

That means Salvano won’t get to coach against Joe Cervino of Paramus on Monday in a matchup of 500-game winners. That’s also a game that should have a huge impact on the seeding for the Bergen County tournament.

"This game means we have to go out now and play harder," said Lewicki, who allowed 10 hits and struck out eight. "We had a chance to make the plays, and we didn’t get it done. Now we’ve got to bounce back Monday.

The Boston College-bound Stevens struck out eight and walked two. His one mistake was turned into a long home run by Tyler Fortanascio in the top of the sixth.

"That was the one pitch I wanted back, but it didn’t hurt us in the end," Stevens said.

"Eric has thrown that way the whole year," Stanton said. "He has been, without a doubt, our horse, and he showed it again . I don’t think I could’ve taken him out even if I wanted to."

By: MARK J. CZERWINSKI

Photo Credit: MICHAEL KARAS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The Record

Boys Tennis Defeat South

The Boys Tennis team pulled out a victory over Clarkstown South in a closely contested match.

Girls golf win behind Amy Peterson's 47 and Katie Delango's 52.

North Rockland 17, Mamaroneck 7: At North Rockland, Taylor Moore scored six goals, and Kaitlin Rau scored five. Lauren Rush and Abby Baigelman each had two goals and an assist for the Tigers.

Eagles Head to Regional Softball Finals by Caitlyn Smith

On Friday, April 30th at 7pm the Regional Semi-Finals was in full swing. The teams- East Lake vs. Pinellas Park. The last time these two teams had to face each other the game last 17 innings and as the game went on it seemed like it might just happen again. Then in a flash, Sydney Dinelli's bat drove one of Nevins' seventh-inning pitches into the rightfield gap, and just like that, it was over.

East Lake 1, Pinellas Park 0.

Dinelli's one-out hit scored Hayley Davis, who reached second on a hit that rightfielder Courtney Lenardo made a diving try on.

"Hayley getting to second was a huge thing," Dinelli said. "I have been in a slump for a month now, but I actually felt pretty good the whole game."

East Lakes stud Alyssa Bache and Pinellas Parks Sara Nevins battled it out on the mound. Nevins allowed just one hit until Davis and Dinelli went back to back, striking out seven. Bache was her equal. Returning from a forearm injury that still bothers her, she allowed four hits but struck out 11 Patriots (23-5).

"I would say in seven innings, she threw probably two pitches that didn't go where they were supposed to," Eagles coach Mike Estes said. "She was awesome."

This win was a major one for the Eagles (25-2). It is the first timethat East Lake will be apart of the Regional Finals on Tuesday, May 4th at home at 7pm. In seven previous region playoff tries, the Eagles have not won more than one postseason game since 1993. They will get their chance for revenge against Sickles who is one of their only two loses this season, so this game is sure to be a battle.

Caitlyn Smith

Pinellas region softball finals at a glance

Class 5A, Sickles (24-5) at East Lake (25-2), 7

Three reasons the Eagles will win:

Alyssa Bache: The Eagles have always been on the cusp of breaking through. With junior pitcher Alyssa Bache mowing through opposing lineups this season, it appears the Eagles have all the pieces to challenge for a state title.

Kirsten Bembnowski: Centerfielder Kirsten Bembnowski has been bothered by a knee injury recently, but coach Mike Estes said she should be available today. Bembnowski, an FGCU signee, is the Eagles' power hitter with five home runs, and has amazing range in the outfield.

Few weaknesses: The Eagles feature great pitching, stout defense and solid hitting. They're also deep with a decent amount of speed. All season, the Eagles looked like the one team that would represent the county at state, and that hasn't altered.

Three ways the Eagles could fall:

Long-term memory: Sickles ace Chelsea Oglevie limited the Eagles to two hits and one run when the teams met at Palm Harbor University's spring tournament in late March. If the Eagles continue struggling with Oglevie early today, it could be a long evening.

Bache: The junior's right forearm remains a constant worry. If she's limited by the injury, the Eagles will turn to freshman Kristen Berlo, a phenomenal pitcher in her own right but without Bache's postseason experience and success.

Scoring: The Eagles have scored only one run in each of their region playoff victories. They'll have to find a way to generate more offense, though it would be interesting for a team to reach state with three straight 1-0 wins.

Class 2A, Northside Christian (24-2) vs. Lakeland Christian (19-4) at Westside Softball Complex, 4

Three reasons the Mustangs will win:

Runs, runs and more runs: The Mustangs average more than 10 a game and 10-run ruled Fort Myers Evangelical Christian in the region quarters. Stephanie Bonalewicz, Kayla Turner, Jessica Anderson, Tiffany Boyer and Lauren Tozour are the big batters, but the Mustangs have players up and down the lineup that know how to get hits.

Anderson: The ace threw a no-hitter in the region quarters and defeated a very good Shorecrest team for the fourth time in the region semis. Her ERA has hovered near 1.00 all season, and she averages nearly eight strikeouts. If Anderson can limit her number of walks — she averages more than three a game — look out.

Aggressiveness: Whether it's stealing, taking extra bases, running on weak-armed outfielders, etc., the Mustangs go after as many runs as possible and make no apologies.

Three ways the Mustangs could fall:

Inexperience: The Mustangs have only made it this far once, back in 1995. They've never advanced to state.

Injuries: Specifically the one to centerfielder Katheryn Brown, who led the team in hitting before injuring her knee in the regular-season finale against Canterbury. Her bat will be missed, but her absence will be felt most in the outfield, where she was rock solid for the Mustangs. Which leads us to …

Fielding: A small school, Northside doesn't have the luxury of multiple players with experience on its bench. With Brown out, the Mustangs will rely on some of their rawer players to get them through defensively.

Class A, Canterbury (20-7) at West Palm Beach Berean Christian (17-4), 5

Three reasons the Crusaders will win:

Experience: Canterbury is playing for the region title for the fourth year in a row. It has won the past two. In a short amount of time, coach Jody Moore has built expectations to the point that the Crusaders are expected to make state.

Pitching depth: Staff ace Krissy Longstreet is a big-game pitcher who threw a two-hitter through six innings in the state semifinals a year ago. Sophomore Emily Winesett is a nice change of pace with her movement and control, and fellow sophomore Jennifer Crosthwaite hasn't pitched often but can get the job done in a pinch.

Coaching: One rival coach said it best: "(Moore) gets the absolute most out of her players." Especially at the Class A level, Moore's coaching could be the difference.

Three ways the Crusaders could fall:

Offensive production: Last season, Canterbury had three players batting better than .400 entering state. Entering districts this season, the Crusaders had just one (Crosthwaite).

The opponent: Berean pitchers Amber Johnson and Alison Flinn have combined to throw one-hitters in the Bulldogs' district final and region quarterfinal.

The hunted: The Crusaders have made a living the past couple years as the upstart program crashing the party. Can they continue rolling in the postseason now that they're the hunted rather than the hunters?

BCCA Lacrosse Tournament

The BCCA Boys Lacrosse Tournament has brought excellent competition and sportsmanship over the last week. Bergen Catholic and Mahwah face off in the Championship game played at Ramapo HS on Sunday May 9 at 7pm. The JV Championship has Don Bosco playing Ridgewood at Ramapo HS on Monday May 10 at 7:30pm.

Enclosed are the necessary forms that are to be completed and returned no later than

Monday , May10th, 2010. Please indicate on your schedule all games played and not played up to and including May 10th. Please place your roster in numerical order. The committee will convene Monday evening, May 10th at 7:30 PM at Emerson HS.

Preliminary games will be scheduled for Wednesday the 12th of May. Rain Date-Thursday, May 13th.

Round of 16 will begin on Saturday, May 15th.

Welcome

Welcome to your new site!

Bethpage Tennis in Cruise Control

West Hempstead - Bethpage traveled to West Hempstead and came out with the hard fought victory. Although both Ryan Rivera and Scott Jackson didn’t play their best and Johnny Kim lost a tough three set match, the team hung in there and won. The pair of Timmy Hom and Steve Triphilio won their match to remain undefeated on the season.
The players on Bethpage Tennis aren’t only good at tennis but are well rounded. Bert Geng and Aaron Feld ran in the LI Marathon (full) (their second career marathon) and Michael Niczky ran in the 10K portion of the LI marathon last Sunday.

Monday, May 3, 2010

BCCA Baseball Tournament