RAIDER ROUNDUP
by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
The Hillsborough High girls’ cross country team captured the school’s first championship of any kind this scholastic year by sweeping last week’s final regular-season event, a tri-meet with Watchung Hills and Bridgewater-Raritan at North Branch Park.
Hillsborough (5-0) completed an undefeated season with victories over Watchung (15-50) and Bridgewater (18-35). The HHS girls previously beat Montgomery, Immaculata and Franklin.
Junior Ashley Smolinka led the charge by winning the race in a time of 20:01. Senior teammate Meredith Mayes placed second in 20:26, while sophomore Julianna Miller took fourth in 20:28.
Other HHS girls in the top 10 included Caitlyn Kozlowski (5th, 20:53), Alexandra Cady (6th, 20:57), Amber Gorman (7th, 21:01), Jenna Scillitani (8th, 21:14) and Nicole Rittman (10th, 21:37).
The HHS boys (4-1), winners of the last four divisional titles, missed this year’s title by one point in the previous week’s loss to Franklin. The Raiders finished strong by sweeping Watchung (17-36) and B-R (24-34).
Senior Jordan Magath won the race in a time of 16:47. Other HHS boys in the top 10 included Kevin Thorp (2nd, 17:00), Dan Jacobs (3rd, 17:06) and Colin McMahon (6th, 17:33). Mike Warn (17:58), Tom Mellor (17:59) and A.J. Kaletski (18:01) rounded out Hillsborough’s top seven.
Hillsborough’s harriers will shift into championship meet mode, with the Somerset County (Oct. 22) and Skyland Conference (Oct. 30) on tap at Pleasant Valley Park in the next two weeks.
Volleyball girls
win three straight
The HHS girls’ volleyball team won matches on three consecutive days last week before dropping another close one to Bridgewater-Raritan to finish the week with an 11-8 record.
Hillsborough defeated Rutgers Prep, West Windsor-Plainsboro North and Madison before losing to Bridgewater-Raritan on Friday during another busy week of action.
The win over Prep was a barnburner, with the Raiders winning two games by two points, 26-24 and 25-23. Kelly Gabriel led the way with 17 assists and also contributed a block and an ace. Cathy Meyer was the defensive star with seven digs and Meghan O’Reilly topped the team with nine kills. Megan Kumbatovic chipped in with two kills and two blocks.
After a tight first game, the HHS rolled in the second to sweep WWPN 25-23, 25-8. The same four players led the stat sheet Gabriel (15 assists), O’Reilly (10 kills), Meyer (10 digs) and Kumbatovic (four aces).
Hillsborough needed a comeback to beat Madison the following day, 21-25, 25-17 and 25-10. Gabriel had a huge day with 22 assists and three blocks. The team showed balance at the net with Margaret Gilroy, Rachel Jackson and O’Reilly each posting five kills. Kumbatovic added three kills.
Friday’s loss to B-R ended the win streak. The Panthers beat HHS for the second time this season, winning 25-21, 26-24. Gabriel notched 18 assists, O’Reilly ripped 13 kills and Meyer recorded 13 digs to lead the team. Jackson had four kills, two blocks and four aces and Kumbatovic added three kills and two blocks.
Boys end skid
with important win
The HHS boys halted a two-game skid with Friday’s 6-0 soccer rout on the road at Immaculata.
Shaquille Hamilton completed his hat trick in the first half when the Raiders erupted to a 5-0 lead. Vinnie McEnroe opened the scoring for the HHS boys and Hamilton followed with three goals in a six-minute flurry. McEnroe had two assists and added another goal in the second half. Ed Jedziniak scored the team’s other goal.
HHS goalkeepers Brandon Tillman and Krystian Pescinski combined for three saves to post the shutout. Defender Aaron Seitz was a standout in the back for the winners.
Hillsborough (7-4-1) had dropped consecutive matches to Delaware East Division rivals Montgomery and Bridgewater-Raritan before returning to the win column. The Raiders improved to 4-2 in divisional play with the victory.
The HHS boys are ranked fourth in the Somerset County Tournament bracket and will host No. 5 Bernards in Saturday’s quarterfinal round at 2 p.m. In regular-season action, Hillsborough was set to face Watchung Hills and Franklin this week.
Girls eliminated
in CJ 4 quarters
Hillsborough’s bid for an upset in the Central Jersey Group 4 playoffs fell short at West Windsor-Plainsboro South on Friday afternoon.
The eighth-seeded Raiders ran into the top-ranked Pirates (11-0), who are ranked fourth in the state, and dropped a tough 3-2 match. Hillsborough received victories from its first two singles players but couldn’t grab the decisive team point.
Freshman Gina Li won a tough match over Ammu Mandalap 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 and senior Paige Aiello rolled past Sahana Jayaraman 6-2, 6-2. South’s Lesley Norris blanked Lauren Wisbeski at third singles.
Hillsborough’s doubles teams each played one tight set but were beaten in straight sets. Rachel Johnston and Mae Ling Strang lost 7-5, 6-1 and Eileen Li and Lisa Le were beaten 6-4, 6-2.
Hillsborough took a two-game win streak into the match, having ousted South Brunswick in the first round of the states and Franklin in regular-season action.
Li and Aiello notched easy straight set wins over South Brunswick and the doubles teams added victories to clinch the 4-1 playoff triumph. The Raiders followed with a 3.5-1.5 victory over Franklin. Aiello and the doubles teams blanked their foes and Li split another tough match with Franklin’s Joniesa Williams at first singles.
The Raiders (8-6) were set to play at Immaculata and host North Hunterdon this week.

