RAIDER ROUNDUP
By: Rudy Brandl
The Hillsborough High field hockey team recovered from its heart-breaking loss in the Somerset County Tournament semifinals with victories in the final two regular season games last week.
Hillsborough entered Tuesday’s first round state playoff game feeling a little bit better after consecutive shutout victories. HHS blanked Montgomery and Franklin by 3-0 scores.
The team returned to Montgomery, site of the penalty stroke shootout loss to Bridgewater-Raritan in the county semis, and posted an easy victory. Sam Schroeder had two goals and assisted on Liz Tafaro’s score for the winners. Ellyn Griggs made five saves for the shutout.
Hillsborough also completed a season sweep of Franklin with Friday’s shutout win. Schroeder, Danielle Czysz and Tafaro each connected with the back of the cage. Schroeder, Czysz and Carlin Dunne provided assists. Griggs stopped three shots for another shutout in goal.
The Raiders (11-6) entered the state playoffs hoping to get another shot at B-R in the sectional quarterfinals Friday.
Boys finish 5-0
in dual meets
The Hillsborough High boys finished an unbeaten cross country dual meet season with a sweep of Bridgewater-Raritan and Franklin last week at Buccleuch Park in Somerset.
Hillsborough (5-0) rolled over B-R (16-44) and Franklin (20-43) with six of the first eight finishers. Adam Walzer returned from an injury and placed second in 17:20 to lead the Raiders.
Others finishing in the top 10 for Hillsborough were Jordan Magath (3rd, 17:21), Mike Bitten (4th, 17:23), Kyle Figard (5th, 17:32), Brian Keohane (7th, 17:52) and Justin Risso (8th, 18:01).
The HHS girls (3-2) finished the regular season with a winning record after a split. They defeated Franklin (15-50) but lost vs. Bridgewater (21-34).
Senior Kelda Nelson continued her sparkling campaign with an easy victory in 19:07, jogging home nearly a minute ahead of everyone else. Teammates Cassandra Steel (6th, 20:28), Allison Marcsisin (8th, 21:19), Melanie Gingras (9th, 21:26) and Nicole Filipowicz (10th, 21:27) rounded out the team scoring.
Soccer teams
tie talented rivals
Both HHS soccer teams faced Montgomery in the rain last week and came away with 1-1 ties. While neither game had conference title implications for Hillsborough, there’s never a shortage of intensity between these schools.
The HHS girls were looking to avenge a prior loss, while the Raider boys were trying to win the rubber match of three played this fall. Hillsborough took the lead in both games and Montgomery managed to tie.
In the girls’ game at Hillsborough, Mary Bednar scored off an assist from sweeper Noelle Neall midway through the first half. Montgomery tied the game on a penalty kick with four minutes left in regulation. That was the only shot to beat HHS keeper Taryn O’Connor, who made 11 saves.
The HHS boys took a 1-0 lead when Yannick Smith scored in the 25th minute of the first half but gave up the equalizer midway through the second half. Montgomery, which defeated HHS in the first regular season meeting, was trying to avenge a loss in the county tournament.
Raider goalkeeper Zach Zamek made nine saves.
Hillsborough had one final tune-up for this week’s state playoffs and posted a 1-0 victory over Franklin. Chris Sporn connected off an assist from Chase Barbieri in the eighth minute of the second half. Zamek stopped eight shots for the shutout, which completed a season sweep of the Warriors.
The Raiders were ranked fifth in the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs. A victory in Tuesday’s first round game vs. Brick Memorial will send the team to fourth-seeded West Windsor Plainsboro South for Friday’s quarterfinals.

