By: centraljersey.com
The Hopewell Valley girls swim team could just missed gaining its second consecutive Colonial Valley Conference swimming title Tuesday, but first-year coach Karen Upperco is still pleased with how the season is going so far.
"I’m very happy with how the team is doing," said the former Bulldog standout. "Every swimmer has dropped time since the season started and the new swimmers have improved their stroke technique. I am excited to watch them swim in the Newcomers Meet (this Saturday)."
On Tuesday, the Bulldogs dropped a heart-breaking 91-79 decision to Lawrence in a meet that would decide the division. It came down to the final relay, which Lawrence won comfortably.
"It was an exciting meet," Upperco said. "The score kept going back and forth and they got us on the last relay.
"We had some swimmers out sick, so I am veryproud with how Hopewell competed tonight and over the entire season. As a first-year coach, coming in second in our division is great."
The Bulldogs got several strong efforts from their top swimmers against the Cardinals, as Paige Anderson won the 200 IM (2:25.16) and 100 back (1:12.17), while Shreya Rane won the 200 free (2:24.87) and 400 free (5:16.94).
Both were on the winning 200 free relay team (2:02.36) along with Lexi Hammett and Courtney Youse.
"Unfortunately, over the past two weeks we had acouple of snow days, which have interfered with practice," Upperco said. "But theteam is still doing great. We are looking forward to finishing theseason and are getting ready to power point two meets to be able toenter into team states. "The team has adjusted to new head coaches this season. Last year I was the assistant and I have known many of them from working at Penn Brook in the summers."
Which has to help the Bulldogs, considering the instability in their coaches since they have been in high school.
"The juniors have mentioned that they have had different head coaches each year," Upperco. "Unfortunately they have had to adjust every year. I think they had a smooth adjustment this year." CO-ED SWIMMING
The Bulldogs dropped an 87-83 decision to Robbinsville last Thursday, which went on the boys record and gave Lawrence the CVC Patriot Division title.
Hoval won the 200 medley relay behind Paige Anderson, Mimi Concannon, Lexi Hammett and Shreya Rane (2:10.52), while the 200 free relay team of Jeffrey Franz, Lexi Hammett, Shane Moore and Courtney Youse (1:48.15) was also victorious.
Steven Millner won the 100 butterfly (1:04.56), Roman Kostal claimed the 100 freestyle (57.56) and Evan Cignarella won the 100 breast (1:11.34). Anderson was second in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle, Oliver Stratton was third in the 200 IM, Franz was second in the 50 free and 100 breast, Kostal was third in the 50 free, Justin Voelzke was third in the 100 fly and Ethan Hatke took third in the 100 back. BOYS BASKETBALL
The Bulldogs built a 14-point lead but couldn’t hold on as Nottingham took a 63-58 overtime victory last Friday. Max Alton had 23 points while John Croak added 12 and James Harrity had 10.
HoVal dropped its second five-point decision in less than 24-hours with a 49-44 loss to Montgomery Saturday. Croak had nine points, Tyler Bell had eight and James Harrity, Mike Hussong, Alton and Austin Fellows tabbed six each. GIRLS BASKETBALL
Sarah Gronet poured in 24 points and Kelly Williams added 21 as the Bulldogs upended Nottingham, 64-52, last Friday to improve to 8-3. Emily Sing chipped in with eight.
Williams tallied 19 points but it wasn’t enough as Montgomery took a 39-35 win over the Bulldogs Saturday. WRESTLING
The Bulldogs took a 75-3 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro North last Thursday, as Jackson Place (103 pounds), John deDufour (119), Anthony DeClerico (130), Jeff Mulford (135) and Eric Barbera (145) all pinned, while Ben Holcombe (171) won by technical fall and Sean Kent (152) won by major decision.
Hopewell continued its assault on the Colonial Valley Conference, taking a 61-6 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro South Friday to move to 6-0 in he CVC. Pins were recorded by deDufour, Christian Kalwa (140), Kent, Ian Butler (189), Mike Markulec (215) and Zach Ortman (hwt), while Barbera won a major decision, and Brendan Murphy (112), DeClerico and Evan Carlton (160) won decisions. ICE HOCKEY
The Bulldogs ran their record to 8-1-1 with a 13-2 win over Nottingham last Friday in a game that was ended by the mercy rule after two periods. Chris Daley had three goals while Matt Apgar and Mike Devaney each had two goals an assist, while Mike Apgar and Gabe DeLisa both had a goal and three assists and Ian McQueary had a goal and an assist. Louis Jin Chipped in with a goal and an assist, while Owen Toland and Taggart Whittaker both had goals. Scott Muhlstein had four assists, Owen Salmon added two and Max Daley, Andrew Siddal and Tyler Weidman had one each. Hopewell had a 62-6 shot advantage.
Hopewell scored three third-period goals, two on the power play, to take a 5-3 win over Robbinsville Monday night. Cam Bregenzer had two goals and two assists, while Mike Apgar had two goals and an assist and Muhlstein had a goal. Daley had two assists, while Mike Devaney, Spencer Needham and Matt Apgar had one each. Grant Mitchell made 25 saves in goal. TRACK & FIELD
In the NJSIAA Group III Relays, Hopewell’s girls won the Section 3 1600 sprint medley with Miranda Mackey, Julia Rockey, Casey Quinto and Tess Brzezynski (4:27.01), were third in Section 2 Distance Medley with Caitlin Henderson, Sarah Chandler, Sarah Toussaint and Quinto; third in Section 7 4×200 with Rockey, Brzezynski, Erin Austin and Mackey, and Meredith Meyer and Jamie Johnson took fifth in the high jump relay.
HoVal finished tied for third as a team as its streak of nine straight championships was ended by Winslow Township.
The boys were fourth in the Section 5 1600 sprint medley with Charlie Yu, Mark Vonjaglinsky, Tim Phelan and Mike Cross; Sam Snyder was second overall in the shot relay and teamed with John Newman to take fifth; Mike Cross was third overall in the high jump relay; and Zander Filepas and Cal Graziano took fourth in pole vault.

