HILLSBOROUGH: Girls score in shuttle hurdles

RAIDER ROUNDUP

by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
   The Hillsborough High indoor track and field athletes endured a long day against some of the state’s best at Saturday’s State Group 4 Relay Championships in Toms River.
   Only one HHS relay team scored in the meet, which ran deep into Saturday night. The girls’ shuttle hurdles relay team of juniors Erica Reiss and Kelly Bloom and seniors Ali Moran and Ebony Young finished fifth in a time of 33.99 seconds for two team points.
   The HHS boys, who won a share of the State Group 4 relay title last winter, were shut out this year. The pole vault relay team of Anthony D’Ovidio (11-0) and Matt Millemann (10-0) came closest to scoring, finishing seventh less than a foot out of the money.
   Danielle Deretchin hit 33-4¼ for the 13th-best individual shot put effort. Melissa Huereca and Miranda Reinson reached 7-6 to tie for 13th in the pole vault as individuals and only 1.5 feet out of sixth place.
   Hillsborough will compete in the Lavino Relays at Lawrenceville Prep this Saturday.
Girls back in division
after two losses
The Hillsborough High girls’ basketball team had its four-game win streak snapped and dropped two games last weekend to fall to 6-4 on the season.
   Hillsborough (6-4) was scheduled to play two big Delaware East Division games this week vs. Montgomery and Bridgewater-Raritan, which will go a long way toward determining the league champion. The Lady Raiders took a 3-0 division mark into those games, having defeated Immaculata, Watchung Hills and Franklin.
   The team won its fourth in a row with a 49-32 victory over Franklin Jan. 13. HHS bolted to a 15-7 lead in the first quarter and owned a 28-9 cushion at the half.
   Eleven Lady Raiders scored in the victory. Janice Jeschke and Megan O’Reilly led the way with eight points each. O’Reilly hit two threes, while Lexi Voitovich canned one bomb and finished with seven points.
   HHS ran into a tough North Hunterdon team Friday night in Clinton. The Lady Raiders started slowly with only three points in the first quarter and trailed 23-12 at the half. It was an uphill battle all night that ended in a 50-36 defeat.
   Voitovich connected on four threes and led the HHS girls with 14 points. Brittanie Vangeli netted six and O’Reilly hit the team’s other three and added a free throw to finish with four points.
   Saturday’s loss at Nottingham was a real heart-breaker. The Lady Raiders squandered a six-point lead late in the fourth quarter and lost by a 45-41 score on the road. The loss won’t affect Hillsborough in its pursuit of a league title but could hurt the team’s chances of qualifying for the state playoffs.
   A basket by Voitovich and four points by Vangeli broke a tie and gave the Lady Raiders a 38-32 lead with 4:15 remaining. Nottingham finished the game on a 13-3 run to win by four points.
   Vangeli paced the Lady Raiders with 12 points, while O’Reilly and Ellen Vos each hit a three and finished with nine points.
Losing streak hits
six straight for boys
The HHS boys dropped three more basketball games to fall to 3-7 on the season.
   After winning three straight games in late December, capped by a holiday tournament title, the Raiders have lost their first six games of 2009. They lost home games to Franklin and North Hunterdon last week before bowing to West Windsor Plainsboro North in a Saturday afternoon road contest.
   Saturday’s game was a close one from start to finish, with the scores tied at 11, 23 and 45 after the first three quarters, respectively. WWPN finished on a 23-20 run to post a 68-65 victory.
   Junior Kyle Banfield led the Raiders with 19 points. Frank Mitchell tallied 13 for the Raiders, who had 10 different scorers in the game.
   North Hunterdon started fast and blew out Hillsborough by a 60-40 score Thursday night. The Lions roared to a 20-4 spurt in the opening period and never looked back. Hillsborough trailed by 20 at the half.
   Banfield (10) and Mitchell (9) led the HHS scoring but it wasn’t nearly enough to offset a monster performance by North star Carl Baptiste, who erupted for 31 points.
   Hillsborough also started slowly against Franklin and a late rally fell short in a 67-62 loss. The Warriors opened with a 19-10 flurry leaving the Raiders to play catchup the rest of the night.
   Mitchell (23) and Banfield (15) continued to be the team’s offensive leaders. Jason Smartt added 12 points for the Raiders, who were outgunned from 3-point range by an 8-1 margin.
   The Raiders will try to get back on the winning track with games vs. local rivals Montgomery and Bridgewater-Raritan this week.
Wrestlers roll to
fourth win in row
The Raider wrestlers rolled to a 51-21 triumph at Voorhees in a light week of dual meet action.
   HHS won six of the nine contested bouts in a quick match. Senior 215-pounder Max Borisenko and junior heavyweight Chris Rossi notched the team’s only pins of the night. Mackey Price (112), Will Goddiess (152) and George Goddiess (171) posted major decisions and Issac Muck (140) went overtime to win by decision. Joey DiCarlo (103), Nick Detsis (145) and Jared Leon (160) accepted forfeits for the winners.
   Hillsborough (15-3) was scheduled to face Montgomery Wednesday and Franklin Friday, looking to wrap up the division title with wins in both matches.