More championships for Raiders in 2003
By: Rudy Brandl
The Hillsborough High spring athletic teams gave their fans many reasons to celebrate in 2003.
Half of the school’s eight varsity teams won major titles and almost every squad thrilled the home crowd with a big victory on Hillsborough soil. The HHS boys’ and girls’ track and field teams led the championship charge by winning five major meets apiece (including three at the new home facility), while the Raider baseball and softball squads each captured one big trophy.
While many locals will remember this spring as the coldest and rainiest in recent memory, Raider sports fans will have fonder recollections. Although many folks had to keep their umbrellas open for two months and still needed to bundle up in May, they were treated to another fine exhibition of Raider excellence on the high school playing fields.
Before we can salute the school’s most well-rounded athletes of the year (July 3) and recap the last nine months of HHS sports (July 10), let’s take one final look back at the best and brightest of a scintillating spring season. No, we’re not talking about the weather, but rather the Hillsborough High Spring Sports Awards:
Best Team Track and field, tie between boys and girls. This one was tough to call, and I couldn’t give it to the girls alone because of their victory at the Randolph Relays, the only meet the boys didn’t win to complete a sweep. Both teams swept the Skyland Conference and Somerset County relay and individual meets and captured the Central Jersey Group 4 Championships. Both teams rolled to 7-0 records in dual meet action. Neither team won the State Group 4 title, although the girls remained in contention until late in the second day of competition. While the girls may have prevailed by more convincing margins, the boys won in more dramatic fashion. That counts for something, and since this program is one big, happy family anyway, let them share this award.
Best Athlete Erin Crawford, track and field. This senior did everything but win a gold medal at the Meet of Champions. She finished second there four times during her phenomenal career, including once in the triple jump at the most recent outdoor championship event. Crawford started as an 800 runner but turned into one of the state’s finest low hurdlers and triple jumpers in the last two seasons. She won four gold medals to dominate this year’s Somerset County Championships. Crawford leaves HHS as an All-American with school records in the 400 hurdles and triple jump.
Best Coach Cheryl Iaione, softball. The ninth-year head coach has made a year-round commitment to her program, which has grown into the best in Somerset County and one of the finest in Central Jersey. Iaione’s Raiders were the most consistent, well-drilled team of any I’ve seen in my 14 years covering local sports. HHS never allowed more than one run in an inning, didn’t give up more than two in a game and surrendered only 18 during a 19-7 season. Raider pitchers allowed only nine earned runs and the team committed only 23 errors behind them. Iaione’s preparation deserves much of the credit for this consistency.
Most Improved Athletes Erin McKee, softball, and Ashley Uniszkiewicz, track and field. Both of these girls were pretty good to start, but they became awesome in the spring of 2003.
McKee, a senior shortstop, rebounded after a subpar offensive season and turned into a big-time slugger this year. She pounded four dramatic home runs, including game-winners vs. Watchung Hills and Immaculata, while still playing her usual solid defense. McKee batted .328 with 11 RBI and 12 runs scored.
Uniszkiewicz, a junior distance runner, had spent the last two years as the school’s top female cross country athlete. However, she hadn’t made a major impact on the track until this year. Uniszkiewicz continued to reduce her times in the 1,600 and 3,200 and became a major force in the team’s championship victories in May. She also made her first outdoor appearance at the Meet of Champions.
Most Exciting Moments The track and field teams certainly earned their victory laps around the home oval after sweeping the Central Jersey Group 4 Championships … senior distance stars Nick Vaccaro and Mike Klueber pulled out clutch performances to help the team win the Skyland Conference, Somerset County and CJ 4 meets, but none was more heroic than their 2-3 finish at the sectionals in their final race on the HHS track … Erin McKee ended 10 innings of softball drama on a cold Opening Day with a walk-off solo home run to beat Watchung Hills … Erin Murphy laced a two-out triple for the first run and came on to earn the save in the 3-0 victory over Watchung Hills in the SCT softball finals for Hillsborough’s first title in 28 years … Lisa Pancoast stroked a single into left-center field with two outs in the top of the ninth for the only run of the softball team’s 1-0 victory over Freehold Township in the CJ 4 quarterfinals … Mark Demetriou finished off a one-hit masterpiece in the baseball finale vs. North Hunterdon, a 6-0 victory that brought the Delaware Division title to the Raiders for the first time since 1982 … Ali DeLuca fired in five goals to lead the girls’ lacrosse team to its first victory of the season, a 10-3 home romp against Watchung Hills … and Franklin Andreyko soared to yet another school long jump record with a 23-4 effort that ranked third in the state at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions.
Best Game Performances Erin Crawford won four gold medals to lead the girls’ track and field team to the Somerset County title … Jenizah Melendez was all over the track and field scoring points in four events to help the girls win their first sectional title since 1999 … Tim Fedroff struck out 13 batters and went 3-for-4 at the plate to propel the baseball team to a 14-8 victory over Phillipsburg after the Raiders had spotted the visitors seven runs in the top of the first inning … Erin Murphy was perfect twice against Franklin, firing two five-inning gems without allowing a walk or hit … Mark Demetriou turned in three brilliant pitching performances, beating Immaculata and blanking North Hunterdon on a one-hitter and losing a tough 2-0 decision to Montgomery in the Somerset County Tournament … staffmates Eric Eden and Will Miska also tossed one-hitters in victories over Watchung Hills during the regular season … Dan Cohen moved up from third to second singles and pulled out a clutch victory to make the difference in a 3-2 match victory over Manalapan in the first round of the state playoffs … and lacrosse scoring leader Brett Russo netted five goals to propel the boys to their first win of the season, a 10-5 decision over Freehold Township.
Heroic Comebacks Nothing can beat the baseball team’s recovery from a 7-0 deficit against Phillipsburg, which the Raiders turned into a 14-8 victory thanks to superb pitching and hitting from Tim Fedroff … the boys’ track and field team had a terrible start in the CJ 4 meet when standouts Tony Flores and Mike Barberio didn’t score in the 400 hurdles and still trailed by a bunch entering the second day of action before rallying for their first title since 2000.
Freshman Phenoms Distance runner Allison Marcsisin, baseball slugger Tim Fedroff, tennis player Dan Cohen, pole vaulter Robin Friedman, javelin thrower Colleen Maloney, golfer Steve Cannon and lacrosse scoring sensation Ali DeLuca.
Sophomore Sensations Baseball players Mark Demetriou and Brandon Shamy, softballers Chrissy Yard, Candy Palumbo, Christine Rash and Lisa Pancoast, track and field athletes Eileen Cafferty, Matt Bitten and Adam Mallet, first singles player Thomas Kinrade and lacrosse players Kristen Watts, Caitlyn Glowacki, Krystina DeLuca, Erin Poulter, Ryan Fitzgerald, Greg Roberts and Andrew Potts.
Junior Jewels All-American long jumper Franklin Andreyko and fellow track athletes Bryan Fox, Fred Kain, Aneil Sahota, Roland Lane, Jeff Meltzer, Joe Brennan, Frank Livelli, Ashley Uniszkiewicz, Jenizah Melendez, Nicole Humphrey, Courtney Siegel and Jess Tsai, baseball players Eric Eden and Will Miska, golfers Steve Golia, Joe Vulih and Matt MacCrea, softball players Marissa Van Cleef, Jess Szymanski, Lauren Scrocca and Alicia Swickle, goalkeeper Dan Glod and lacrosse teammates Ryan Mahlstedt, Stephen Mitzak and Keith Mitzak.
Senior Stars Meet of Champions medalist Erin Crawford, distance standouts Nick Vaccaro and Mike Klueber, ace hurdler Tony Flores, shot put specialist Hector Tirado, talented jumpers/hurdlers Lauren Kloss, Caitlin Kosec, Jim Morley, Mike Barberio, Nick Confuorto and Dave Minetti, javelin throwers Jared Goldstein, John Carnes and Tim Pultorak, baseball players Tony Crivello, Kyle McKenna, Mark Benson and Mike Gara, softballers Erin Murphy and Erin McKee, second singles player Mohan Anand and lacrosse players Brett Russo, Tom Rose, Katie DiGiovanni, Katelyn Powers and Amanda Maloney.