HILLSBOROUGH: Young, Magath score in CJ 4 meet

RAIDER ROUNDUP

by Rudy Brandl, Sports Editor
   Ebony Young and Jordan Magath finished third in their signature races in the Central Jersey Group 4 Championships at the Bennett Center in Toms River Sunday.
   Young, who won the Skyland Conference title in the 55 hurdles the previous weekend, finished third in a time of 8.89 seconds. Magath, the conference champ in the 3,200 meters, finished third in that event in a time of 10:07.58.
   The top six place-winners from each event qualified to compete in the State Group 4 Championships, set for Sunday in Toms River. Four more HHS individuals and the girls’ 4×400 relay team made the cut.
   Junior Danielle Deretchin took fifth in the shot put (32-91/2) and senior Melissa Huereca finished in a five-way tie for third place in the pole vault (8-0). Junior Anthony D’Ovidio tied for third in the pole vault (10-6) and senior Michael Lynch finished sixth in the high jump (5-10).
   The girls’ 4×400 relay team of Julie Figard (62.4 split), Carlin Dunne (62.8), Katelyn Sheridan (63.8) and Young (61.9) finished fifth in a time of 4:10.98. The girls scored out of an unseeded heat, beating two of the teams racing in the seeded section.
   ”I didn’t think we were getting the relay through,” HHS head coach Rich Refi said. “They ran their best time by seven seconds.”
   The HHS girls finished ninth and the boys placed 10th in the CJ 4 team standings.
Young excels
at Metro meet
Ebony Young put on a quite a show in last week’s Metropolitan Invitational at The New Balance Track & Field Center in New York City.
   The Hillsborough High senior won two events, continuing the great momentum she built in winning her first Skyland Conference indoor title the previous weekend. Young captured titles in the 55 hurdles (8.6) and triple jump (38-4¾).
   Young came within less than three inches of her personal, school and county record in the triple jump (38-7). She also finished third in the long jump (16-9) and anchored the 4×400 relay team to sixth place in a time of 4:16.9. She defeated two county foes from Watchung Hills in the hurdles and topped two potential sectional outdoor rivals from Marlboro and South Brunswick in the triple jump.
   The HHS girls also made some noise in the Novice Division. The 4×400 team of Kelly Bloom, Katelyn Sheridan, Meredith Mayes and Sade Stanley won their race in a time of 4:24.4. Sheridan also placed fifth in the 55 hurdles (9.9).
Ice hockey team
avenges defeat
The HHS ice hockey team stormed to its fourth victory of the season last Friday afternoon at Princeton Sports Center. Having lost a close game to division rival Montclair Kimberly Academy two weeks earlier on the road, the Raiders took advantage of their home ice and rolled to a 7-2 victory.
   Captain Chris Korenczuk led the assault with his first hat trick. After Dan Conguista opened the scoring with 4:30 remaining in the first period, Korenczuk lit the lamp for a huge goal with 1:12 remaining.
   The Raiders poured it on with five goals in the second period. Korenczuk scored the first two within a span of a little over a minute to complete his hat trick and produce a 4-0 lead. Brett Siegrist, who had assisted on Korenczuk’s two goals in the second period, made it 5-0. Jesse Holloway and Craig Ismaili capped the scoring later in the period, with both goals assisted by Conguista.
   ”We played a good team game and we were disciplined,” HHS head coach Rob Donovan said. “The boys executed on the breakouts and on the power play because we spent a good part of time in practice this week trying to improve those aspects of our game.”
   MKA averted the shutout with two goals in the third period, but the Raiders enjoyed their most comfortable victory of the season. Korenczuk powered the offense with three goals, but four teammates contributed one goal apiece. Six different Raiders were credited with assists – Conguista (2), Siegrist (2), Dan DeSimone (2), Dan Curry, Korenczuk and Ismaili.
   Hillsborough played a 4-4 tie vs. Pequannock Saturday night at Floyd Hall Arena at Montclair State University. The Raiders dominated the first two periods and built a 4-1 lead but settled for a tie.
   Sophomore Mike LaNeve, Holloway, Siegrist and DeSimone scored for the Raiders. Conguista assisted on LaNeve’s tally and DeSimone scored by tapping in a rebound of a shot by Alex Vitale on the power play.
   The Raiders (4-11-3) were set to face Lawrence on the road Thursday, host Paul VI Friday for Senior Night, play St. Joseph’s of Metuchen at Woodbridge Community Center Monday and challenge Montgomery at Pro Tech Feb. 20 to complete the regular season. The league playoffs begin Feb. 27.