Boys end skid, stay in playoff hunt

RAIDER ROUNDUP

By: Rudy Brandl
   
   The Hillsborough High boys’ basketball team broke a five-game January losing streak with a big 37-32 victory over Immaculata Friday night.
   Hillsborough (5-7) kept its state playoff hopes alive with a smothering defensive performance that fueled the team’s first win of 2005. The Raiders had opened the year at 3-0 but hit the skids and lost seven of their next eight. Second-year head coach Ian Progin is hoping this is the start of a new streak.
   The turning point really came in Hillsborough’s fine performance in last Tuesday’s 51-47 loss to undefeated Bridgewater-Raritan. The Raiders had the Panthers on the ropes early, taking a 13-3 lead at the end of the first quarter on a four-point play by sophomore guard Tom Molarz.
   B-R turned up the heat in the second quarter and went on a 13-1 run to take a two-point lead at the break. The Panthers held off a few Hillsborough charges in the second half and survived a close one.
   Molarz hit four 3-pointers and led all scorers with 18 points. Chad Barbieri netted the team’s other three and finished with 13 points.
   The Raiders applied the defensive clamps in Friday’s home game vs. Immaculata and won their first divisional game of the season. After an 8-8 first quarter, HHS held the visitors to just two points in the second period and six in the third while taking a 23-16 lead. Immaculata didn’t break 30 points until very late in the game.
   Molarz led the Raiders in scoring for the fourth straight game, hitting a pair of threes to account for more than half of his 11 points. Molarz was the only player in the game to hit double figures. Teammates Simeon Vargas and Barbieri netted nine and seven points, respectively.
   Hillsborough limited Immaculata standout Kelms Amoo-Achampong to one field goal, one three and one free throw for six total points. Both teams hit eight field goals and three treys but the Raiders won it with a 12-7 edge at the free throw line.
   The Raiders will be looking to avenge a pair of recent losses when their second trip through the division begins this week. After a road game at Watchung Hills, the HHS boys return home to face Franklin tomorrow night. Wins in both games will put the team back at .500, where it will need to be in order to qualify for the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs.
Wrestlers fall short
in two close matches
   
The HHS wrestling team faced a couple of tough opponents in last week’s matches vs. Voorhees and Watchung Hills. While the Raiders continued to show progress, they came up a bout or two short in each match.
   Hillsborough actually won seven of the 12 contested bouts against Voorhees but lost the match by a 36-23 score. The Raiders posted five decisions and two majors but yielded three falls and gave away two forfeits. Despite some very good wrestling, the team couldn’t make up those 30 points.
   The Raiders gutted out some tough bouts against the Vikings. Adam Kull (119), Bobby Wolf (140), Dale Mathewson (160), Chris Monticchio (171) and Ernie Guaimano (189) all won bouts decided by three points or less. Kevin Lynch (135) and Frank McLaughlin (145) added majors for the Raiders.
   Saturday’s match vs. Watchung came down to the final bout at heavyweight, where Steve Reif pinned Mike Trani in 33 seconds to clinch a 40-33 victory for the Warriors. The teams split the bouts at 7-7 but the Raiders fell short on bonus points.
   Watchung won two bouts by forfeit and recorded four pins to accumulate the necessary points. Pins from Lynch and Guaimano at 135 and 189, respectively, led the Raiders. Chris Ambrose (125) and Wolf (140) added decisions and McLaughlin won a big 4-1 match over Shane Riccio at 145 pounds. Kull (119) and Scott Sliker (215) added forfeits.
   The Raiders (2-7) were scheduled to host Delaware Valley last night before making the short trip down Route 206 to face Somerville tonight.
Girls work overtime
to beat B-R rivals
   
The HHS girls’ basketball team needed overtime to beat Bridgewater-Raritan and stay undefeated in the Delaware East Division last week.
   Senior forward Christine Rash scored a hoop and sophomore guard Ebony Jones drained a pair of free throws to account for the only points of the extra session. HHS held B-R scoreless in overtime and posted a 43-39 victory.
   Erin Poulter scored a season-high 11 points to lead the HHS girls, who also got nine from Ali DeLuca, eight from Rash and six from Kelsey Kutch. Hillsborough fell behind by six points at the half but rallied with a 12-6 spurt in the third quarter.
   B-R welcomed standout transfer Jeanine Burke to the lineup and she made her presence felt with 10 points and four blocked shots. The Lady Raiders survived Burke’s first game for Bridgewater and defeated an Immaculata team with new point guard Lindsay Melone later in the week. Both victories against beefed-up lineups came on the road.
   Hillsborough (9-3 overall, 5-0 in division) was scheduled to host Watchung Hills and play at Franklin this week.