HHS ROUNDUP
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
Three Hillsborough High tandems captured first place in Saturday’s Lavino Relays at the Lawrenceville School.
Seniors Mark Ksiezopolski and Mike Lunemann combined to blow away the field in the pole vault relay with a winning height of 25 feet. Ksiezopolski (13-0) and Lunemann (12-0) teamed to beat Council Rock North by 1½ feet.
The HHS girls produced two winning relay teams. Junior Ebony Young competed on both first place units for the Raiders.
Young anchored the 4×400 team (4:08.9) that edged Ewing and included Kelly Bloom, Carlin Dunne and Anna Spaniol. She also joined Ali Moran in the triple jump relay (66-1½), which defeated local rival Franklin (65-4).
The Raiders will compete in the Peddie Duals in Hightstown this Saturday and look ahead to the Ed Grant Invitational (Jan. 31) and Skyland Conference Championships (Feb. 3).
Girls miss chance
to end losing streak
The HHS girls’ basketball team came close to stopping its January skid but Nottingham rallied to a 41-38 victory Saturday afternoon in Hamilton.
Hillsborough (2-11) was poised to win its first game of 2008 after taking a nine-point lead into the final quarter. Nottingham closed with a 16-2 surge to ruin the day for the Lady Raiders, who dropped their ninth in a row.
Janice Jeschke led the team with 12 points, while Kaitlin Capriccio continued her solid season with eight points. The Lady Raiders trailed early but played well in the middle two quarters to build a decent lead. They just couldn’t hold on.
HHS dropped a pair of Delaware East Division home games during the week to fall to 1-4 in the league. The defending division champs lost to Franklin (43-39) and Montgomery (55-42).
Franklin used a 15-4 spurt in the second quarter to take a 13-point lead, but the HHS girls fought back to make it close. Capriccio netted a career-best 17 points but was the only HHS player in double figures.
Two nights later in the first game of a home doubleheader vs. Montgomery, the Lady Raiders started slowly and played catch-up. Montgomery opened with a 15-6 run but Hillsborough scored 31 points in the middle quarters to stay in the game. Capriccio again led the way with 14 points.
Hillsborough was scheduled to play at Bridgewater Tuesday and host Immaculata Thursday. The HHS girls likely will play a preliminary round Somerset County Tournament game Saturday.
Wrestling team could
qualify for playoffs
The HHS wrestlers showed up in the top six of the Central Jersey Group 4 playoff rankings, then went out and improved their chances of qualifying for post-season action with a 40-15 romp over Voorhees.
Hillsborough (8-6), which split Saturday’s tri-meet at Warren Hills to stay above .500, was ranked fifth behind Brick Memorial, Jackson, Howell and Old Bridge. South Brunswick and Hunterdon Central are chasing the Raiders in the standings.
Voorhees led early but the Raiders won eight straight bouts from 152 back around to 112 to take command. Undefeated senior 152-pounder Luke Dawson started the surge with a pin of Nick Meyers in 2:58. George Goddiess kept it going with a 5-1 win at 160 and 171-pounder Jared Leon delivered a fall at 3:44.
Senior 189-pounder Kevin Campanale gutted out a wild 15-11 decision to maintain the team’s momentum. Max Borisenko (215) increased the lead with a quick pin at 1:20 and Chris Rossi (Hwt) posted a 5-2 decision.
The HHS freshman lightweights posted pins to run the streak to eight straight bouts. Joey DiCarlo (103) got it done in 2:48 and T.J. Guidice (112) needed only 1:49 to get six points.
Other Raider winners vs. Voorhees were Isaac Muck (injury default at 130) and Jesse DiBlasio (decision at 135).
Hillsborough was scheduled to host Montgomery Wednesday night and travel to Franklin Thursday and Roxbury Saturday.
Swimmers fall to
powerful Westfield
Hillsborough continued its monster regular season schedule with a home dual meet vs. state power Westfield last week. The Raiders already have faced the St. Joe’s boys and Mount St. Mary girls to help prepare them for the big meets in the second half of the season.
Last Thursday’s competition vs. Westfield provided another stiff challenge. The Blue Devils swept the meet, winning 97-73 (boys) and 99-71 (girls).
Rob Parker won two individual events and participated on two winning relays to lead the way for the HHS boys. Parker prevailed in the 50 free (22.65) and 100 free (50.3). He also joined Matt VanBiervliet, Sean Johnson and David Wilson in the 200 medley relay (1:42.98) and swam with Wilson, Johnson and Brian Giacopelli in the 200 free relay (1:32.99). Johnson added a victory in the 100 breast (1:03.01).
The HHS girls received first places from Carolyn Mehrtens in the 200 free (2:04.11), Ashley Smolinka in the 200 individual medley (2:23.32) and Kelsey Hurley in the 50 free (26.29).
After another tough home dual meet Tuesday vs. Montgomery, the Hillsborough teams will move into championship meet mode, which began with last weekend’s annual appearance in the Pirate Invitational. The HHS girls and boys will compete in the Somerset County Championships on Friday and Saturday, respectively.