RAIDER ROUNDUP
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
The Hillsborough High wrestlers continued their march toward a possible state team playoff berth with two victories in three matches last week.
Resounding victories over Somerset County rivals Montgomery and Franklin and a loss at Roxbury last week ran the team’s record to 10-6, a figure that doubles the win output of last year’s squad.
The streak also kept the Raiders alive in their quest for a trip to the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs.
Hillsborough sent a message to border rival Montgomery that it still has some work to do to catch up with the big boys. The Cougars have made nice progress in their two years of varsity competition, but the Raiders dominated last week’s match in Hillsborough by a 50-13 score.
The Raiders won the first nine bouts and cruised to the victory. Jesse DiBlasio (135) opened with a 10-5 decision and Nick Detsis (140) posted a pin at 5:05 to provide a 9-0 lead. Will Goddiess (145) and unbeaten senior Luke Dawson (152) kept it going with tight decisions.
George Goddiess (160) produced the team’s second fall of the night to create a 21-0 cushion and teammate Jared Leon (171) notched a 9-0 major decision. Kevin Campanale (189) and Max Borisenko (215) delivered pins to keep the home team rolling.
T.J. Guidice (112) and Isaac Muck (130) posted major decisions to account for Hillsborough’s other points.
The Raiders made it two lopsided victories in as many nights with a 55-20 thumping of Franklin Thursday. Campanale set the tone for the evening with a fall at 1:54 in the opening bout at 189 pounds. Brian Biglin (215) stepped in and accepted a forfeit to give the Raiders a 12-0 lead, but Franklin tied the score with a fall and a forfeit.
Guidice, the freshman 112-pounder, put his team ahead to stay with a 47-second fall and Kyle Yurcisin (119) followed with a pin at 5:34 to restore Hillsborough’s 12-point cushion. Greg Sprofera (125) and Muck (130) won by forfeit to increase the lead.
Other HHS winners at Franklin were Detsis at 140 (pin), Dawson at 152 (decision), George Goddiess at 160 (pin) and Leon at 171 (major).
Hillsborough ran into a tough Roxbury team on the road Saturday. Roxbury improved to 14-1 with a 51-12 victory.
Only three Raiders won bouts Guidice by decision at 112, Will Goddiess by tech fall at 145 and Leon by major decision at 171. Dawson did not wrestle at 152 because of illness.
Hillsborough was scheduled to host Hunterdon Central in a huge match Wednesday night.
Losses put boys
on back of bubble
A three-game losing streak has put the playoff hopes of the HHS boys’ basketball team in severe jeopardy.
The Raiders entered the week with a 7-9 mark after losing home games to Bridgewater-Raritan and Immaculata before falling short at Notre Dame in a Saturday night road game. Hillsborough entered the week needing victories over Watchung Hills, Franklin and Rutgers Prep to qualify for the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs.
Hillsborough struggled offensively in all three games, particularly vs. Immaculata and Notre Dame. The Raiders also fell behind in every game, including by double digits vs. B-R and Notre Dame.
Bridgewater (15-1) stormed to a 23-10 lead after one period and never looked back in their 68-53 triumph. The Raiders showed a little gusto by scoring 33 points in the second half but the rally came too late.
Junior Jason Smartt led all scorers with a career-high 23 points, while sophomore Frank Mitchell hit two 3-pointers and added 17 points. Four B-R players hit double figures.
HHS fell behind 17-11 after one vs. Immaculata but never cracked double figures in points for any other period and dropped a 57-34 game. The Spartans (11-4) continued padding their lead with a 17-9 spurt in the second quarter and allowed only 14 points by the Raiders in the second half.
Kyle Banfield was the only HHS player in double figures with 15 points. The Raiders clamped down on 3-point bomber Gamal Mohamed, who had burned them in the first meeting back in December, but Kevin Cullinan took advantage inside with a game-high 26 points.
Saturday’s 58-36 loss at Notre Dame put the Raiders in a major hole after their first three-game skid of the season. Notre Dame (12-3) opened with a 16-6 run and kept the Raiders at bay the rest of the way.
Mitchell (11) and Smartt (7) were the only Raiders to provide significant offense. The Raiders did not score more than 11 points in a quarter in their last two games.
Two years ago, the HHS boys won five in a row to qualify for the playoffs. They’ll need a similar surge to make the states this year.
Ice hockey team
still in playoff hunt
The HHS ice hockey team has been fighting its way back to .500 all season. After Friday night’s tough 3-2 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan, the Raiders will have to do it again.
Hillsborough (7-8-1) had made huge strides back to playoff contention with a recent string of victories, including one against state powerhouse St. Joseph’s of Metuchen. The Falcons were poised to avenge that loss in last week’s rematch, but Corey DeFranco scored with 2:50 remaining to forge a 3-3 tie at Aspen Ice Arena in Flemington.
DeFranco scored earlier in the period to tie the score at 2-2 but St. Joe’s took the lead with 3:58 to play. DeFranco connected again off assists from Trevor Bierwirth and Joe Kubrak to give the Raiders a much-needed point. Bierwirth scored off assists from John Cohn and Chris MacPhee in the first period.
HHS goaltender Eric Visnovsky continued his brilliant season with 34 saves.
Visnovsky stopped 35 shots in Friday’s game but that couldn’t save the Raiders from an upset loss. Matt Daugherty and DeFranco scored for the Raiders, while MacPhee registered two assists and Brett Siegrist had one.
The Raiders were scheduled to play at West Essex Wednesday and host Montclair Kimberly Friday night at Aspen Ice Arena.
Swim teams fall
in tough dual meets
The HHS swim teams lost close matches against county and conference rival Montgomery in dual meet action last week. Both Hillsborough teams enjoyed a small measure of revenge by placing one position in front of the Cougars in the Somerset County Championships over the weekend.
Sophomore Ashley Smolinka had a big meet for the girls, winning the 200 individual medley (2:21.36) and 100 breaststroke (1:13.2) with her best time. Other HHS winners were Kerri Hamersky in the 100 fly (1:06.88) and the 200 free relay team of Carolyn Mehrtens, Stephanie Silleck, Jessica Parker and Kelsey Hurley, which hit the wall in 1:47.2.
The HHS boys received individual victories from Rob Parker in the 200 free (1:50.89), Matt VanBiervliet in the 500 free (5:01.33) and Sean Johnson in the 100 breast (1:05.03). The Raiders also prevailed in two relays. VanBiervliet, Johnson, David Wilson and Brian Giacopelli took the 200 medley in 1:44.48, while Wilson, Johnson Giacopelli and Parker won the 200 free in 1:33.61.
Hillsborough’s teams were set to compete in the Skyland Conference Championships this week.