RAIDER ROUNDUP
By: Rudy Brandl
Ali DeLuca scored a career-high 10 goals and added three assists to lead the Hillsborough High girls’ lacrosse team to a 20-7 blowout victory over Voorhees.
DeLuca connected six times in the first half when the Raiders opened an 11-2 lead. The senior attack wing also contributed five draw controls to help the team maintain possession.
Sophomores Lindsey Watts and Sara DiClemente also had big games for Hillsborough. Watts notched five goals and two assists, while DiClemente added two goals and five draw controls.
Katie Marino recorded two goals and two assists, Katie DeLuca scored and Liz Tafaro added an assist. Lauren Griggs made eight saves in the victory.
The HHS girls improved to 11-0 and won for the 31st time in 32 games dating back to last year with a 17-3 home rout of Blair Academy Thursday. Ali DeLuca scored six goals to lead the charge.
Watts (4 goals, 1 assist), Marino (2 goals), Katie DeLuca (2 goals) and Brittany Nagel (1 goal, 1 assist) also chipped in to the scoring. Griggs stopped 15 shots.
Hillsborough was scheduled to host Phillipsburg Tuesday and play at North Hunterdon today (Thursday), before Monday’s Somerset County Tournament semifinal game vs. Bridgewater-Raritan.
Productive week for
surging baseball team
The HHS baseball team avenged a previous loss and posted two high-scoring victories to stay hot in May.
Rob Kumbatovic pitched the Raiders to a 5-1 triumph over Watchung Hills. The senior right-hander allowed five hits and two walks while striking out eight to improve his season record to 4-2.
Rocky Palumbo, Matt Sadin and Corey Towey led the Hillsborough offense. Palumbo tied the game with an RBI and scored later in the second inning when the Raiders took a 2-1 lead. Sadin went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, while Towey also went 2-for-3.
Slugger Tim Fedroff was quiet against Watchung but made plenty of noise the next day vs. The Hun School in Princeton. Fedroff blasted two home runs, drove in six runs and scored twice in Hillsborough’s wild 13-11 victory. Corey Swickle also went deep as part of a 2-for-3 day that included two runs and three RBI.
Hillsborough had a different hero in Thursday’s 14-2 romp at Franklin. Junior Matt Zygmund helped his own cause with a grand slam in the fifth inning and two-run single in the sixth. Zygmund (1-0) finished with two hits and six RBI.
Swickle belted two doubles and drove in three runs, while Marc Zamarin (double) and Towey (triple) also laced extra-base hits for the winners.
The Raiders (11-4) were scheduled to play at Montgomery and host Bridgewater-Raritan in regular season action this week.
Softballers take
lead in division
Two more victories propelled the HHS softball team into the lead in the Delaware East Division standings entering this week. With three divisional games to play, the Raiders (6-1) had a one-game edge over Montgomery.
If the Raiders can defeat Montgomery, Bridgewater-Raritan and Immaculata, they’ll clinch the division title. Winning two of three secures at least a tie for the league crown.
Katie Yard ripped a two-run home run to give the Raiders a 6-4 lead in the top of the sixth inning at Watchung Hills. Yard’s blast capped a five-run inning that helped HHS erase a 4-1 deficit.
The hitting shoes were on big-time in Thursday’s 17-0 home rout of Franklin. Katelyn Derewecki (2-2), who picked up the win in the circle, led the offense with three hits and three RBI. Yard blasted another home run and Lauren Singer chipped in with a two-run double in the victory.
Golf team shoots
another great score
The HHS golf team came very close to an even-par round in last week’s 182-219 triumph over Watchung Hills at Warrenbrook.
Even par (36) multiplied times five yields a team score of 180, so the Raiders were just two strokes over par. Andrew Borsuk (34) and Nick Grappone (35) finished under par to lead the way. Teammates Steve Cannon (37), Logan Cecchine (38) and Craig Durrant (38) weren’t far behind as all five scorers carded state qualifying rounds.
The Raiders improved to 11-0 with Thursday’s 194-213 victory over Franklin at Spooky Brook. Cannon fired 37 to lead the winners, who also counted scores from Borsuk (38), Cecchine (39), Durrant (40) and Grappone (40).
Hillsborough was set to host Montgomery and play a tri-match with Ridge and Pingry at New Jersey National this week.
Track teams sweep
final dual meet
The HHS track and field teams rolled over Watchung Hills in their final dual meets of the spring.
Allison Marcsisin, Ebony Jones and Lauren Watts won two individual events apiece to lead the girls (6-0) to another undefeated regular season. Marcsisin doubled in the 800 (2:23) and 1,600 (5:50); Jones prevailed in the 400 (1:00.1) and 400 hurdles (1:07.1); and Watts took first in the 100 hurdles (15.3) and triple jump (36-0).
Other HHS winners included Melanie Gingras in the long jump (16-2), Taryn O’Connor in the shot put (36-7), Angela Davia in the javelin (114-8) and the 4×400 team (4:10.8) of Jones, Erin Suozzo, Anna Spaniol and Ebony Young.
Warner Jones, Brian Dennis and Miles Petrock produced two victories apiece to pace the boys (5-1) to victory. Jones sprinted to wins in the 100 (11.6) and 200 (22.7); Dennis doubled up in the 800 (2:00.3) and 1,600 (4:51.1); and Petrock prevailed in the long jump (19-10) and set a school record in the triple jump (43-0).
Other Raider winners included Alex Szela in the 400 (52.8), Paul Bernardo in the 3,200 (10:30), Dave Eilbacher in the high jump (5-10), Steve Theroux in the pole vault (12-6), Bryan Humphrey in the shot put (50-9½) and the 4×400 team (3:35) of Jones, Rob Marley, Szela and Jason Walton.
Volleyballers
win tough match
The Raider boys won a long and competitive volleyball match vs. Watchung Hills last week. Hillsborough returned home from Warren with a 25-21, 22-25, 25-17 victory.
Alex Miska powered the offense with seven kills and two digs. Joe Sheridan and Jake Lefevre each contributed six kills and two blocks. Evan Schwab led the defense with eight digs.
Hillsborough also defeated Marlboro in straight sets, 25-17 and 25-21. Jared Himelfarb had a career day with 20 assists. Mike Argueta (4 kills, 2 blocks), Miska (5 kills, 3 blocks) and Sheridan (5 kills, 3 blocks) also made key contributions in the victory.
The Raiders were set to play at Bridgewater-Raritan and host Manchester this week.
Netmen stay hot
as states approach
The HHS boys’ tennis team saw its 10-match win streak end Thursday at Westfield but returned to the victory column with Saturday’s 4-1 decision at Cumberland Regional.
Senior first singles player John Wu continued his stellar play with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 comeback victory. Mark Apostolos came through with a tough 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 victory at third singles.
The HHS doubles teams also prevailed at Cumberland. Ross Friedman and Tom Gross coasted to a 6-0, 6-3 win, while Stefan Apostolos and Tim Le survived a second set tie-break to take a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory.
Wu was the only Raider to win at Westfield. Second singles player Chris Plaskon lost a grueling three-setter by a 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 6-4 score and the Frideman-Gross tandem also lost in three sets.
The Raiders rolled over Immaculata (5-0) and Somerville (4-1) in their other matches last week. The team dropped only two games against Immaculata, with Plaskon, Apostolos and the second doubles team pitching shutouts.
The singles players swept Somerville and a different doubles lineup produced a split. Chris Chung and Jesse Goldstein won by a 7-5, 7-5 score at first doubles, while the second doubles team of Sam Klein and Neil Shah lost by the same score.
Hillsborough (11-3) was scheduled to host Warren Hills and play at Pingry, Bridewater-Raritan and Montgomery this week.
Kloss goes wild
in lacrosse romp
Junior midfielder Ryan Kloss erupted for eight points, on four goals and four assists, to ignite the HHS boys to an 18-8 lacrosse victory over Princeton Day School last week in Hillsborough.
After playing even to a 3-3 tie in the first quarter, the Raiders took control with a 6-2 surge in the second. Senior Brandon Wilk fired in three goals and added one assist. Freshman midfielder Ryan Buerkle added two goals and one assist.
The balanced attack featured 11 different goal scorers and seven players notching assists. Goalkeeper Brendan White made 11 saves.
Hillsborough will host Voorhees Friday night at 7 p.m. on the stadium field.