South Brunswick
For the second consecutive week, the South Brunswick High School football team looked like it was going to run away with a game, only to have to hold on for the win.
The 27-21 victory on Sept. 21 over Old Bridge High School upped the Vikings’ mark to 3-0 on the season and put them in a tie with Sayreville War Memorial High School for the lead in the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Red Division. South Brunswick will look for win No. 4 on Sept. 28 at Edison High School (0-2).
The Vikings’ version of “Groundhog Day” played out on Ridge Road when coach Joe George’s team scored its third touchdown of the evening to go up 21-0 with just under three minutes remaining in the first half.
Just like the week before when Monroe Township High School scored a late touchdown against the Vikings, Old Bridge got on the board with just over 30 seconds to go and took some momentum into the second half.
The visiting Knights scored again midway through the third quarter. On its next possession, South Brunswick put together a short drive that ended with Dahrae Ford’s 11-yard touchdown run. It was Ford’s fourth trip into the end zone, as he also rushed for two other scores and completed a 12-yard touchdown reception from quarterback T.J. Perkowski. That final touchdown came in handy for South Brunswick because Old Bridge scored again in the final quarter.
“Our guys came out strong and a good team was able to come back against us,” George said. “But our guys showed a lot. They kept their focus and were able to get the touchdown that we needed.”
Old Bridge had good field position twice in the opening quarter, but the South Brunswick defense held them off the board. Ford scored two minutes into the second quarter on a twoyard run. Five minutes later, he teamed up with Perkowski for the 12-yard touchdown pass.
Ford later added another touchdown on a 15-yard run. He ended the night with 106 yards on 18 carries. Perkowski completed 10 of his 15 throws for 179 yards. T.J. Taylor pulled in five passes for the Vikings, which was good for 139 yards to help on each of his team’s successful drives. Taylor also had a 17-yard punt return. Dylan Olsson kicked three extra points in as many attempts.
Defensively, South Brunswick allowed Old Bridge 190 yards in total offense, with Dmitriy Mikhol leading the way with five tackles, including a sack. Brian Lee and Donte Strickland each recovered a fumble for the Vikings. Although Knights quarterback Vin Gargano was able to rally his team, he was held to nine completions in 24 attempts for 86 yards.
South Brunswick’s girls tennis team went 1-1 over the past week and fell from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Lady Vikings won 5-0 over Sayreville early in the week, but they lost to East Brunswick High School by the same score.
The Bears turned in a dominant performance, although South Brunswick’s Tanya Krishnakumar battled Danna Tsay at third singles before losing the second set, 7-5.
In cross-country, South Brunswick’s girls and boys teams are off to 3-1 starts. The girls team finished second in the GMC to Metuchen High School last year after having won four straight crowns. Coach Wilfredo Rivera is looking for his team to return to the top and hopefully get some revenge against Old Bridge High School, which is responsible for the Vikings’ lone defeat.
Sophomores Elisa Meranchik and Zenzali Lael lead the girls’ team and both are regularly under the 21-minute mark, Rivera said. Carly Trill, juniors Jessica Himmel Danielle Oakes and Nina Paranjpe, along with freshman Annalyse Barlow, round out the top seven.
On the boys’ side, Rivera, a former Old Bridge standout, is hoping to improve his team’s third-place showing in the GMC.
The boys went on to take fifth in the NJSIAA Central Group IV sectional and 11th at the overall Group IV meet.
Phil DeSroscia, juniors Bryan Colhoun and Shahzaib Sasi and sophomores Kyle McCann Nicholas Neville, Joe Weber and Matt Zamorski are the top seven. All are in the low 17-minute range.
“No one has really broken out of the pack for the boys yet, but they’re all running good times,” the coach said.
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams will compete against Edison on Sept. 27, with the boys also battling St. Joseph High School (Metuchen).
South Brunswick’s field hockey team seems to be in a season of streaks. The Lady Vikings opened the campaign with three successive wins before losing twice. A pair of wins this past week has the team on the upswing once again.
On Sept. 20, the Lady Vikings edged Monroe, 2-1. Eileen Rolwood continued her hot scoring with a goal and Alyssa Talarick also scored for the winners. Elizabeth Ruedeman turned aside eight shots to earn the triumph in net.
Two days later, South Brunswick pumped in three goals to down Piscataway Township High School. Tori Aspir, Megan Moran and Rolwood all hit the net, while Louisa Hill got the shutout.
In girls soccer, Jessica Pulchalski’s two goals helped South Brunswick even its record at 3-3 on Sept. 19 with a 2-0 win against Edison. Casey Savoth and Courtney Eisma combined for five saves and a clean sheet. On Sept. 20, the Lady Vikings fell under .500 following a 1-0 loss at the hands of East Brunswick despite a 12-save effort by Savoth.
North Brunswick
At North Brunswick Township High School, the struggling Raiders football team fell to 0-3 despite a strong effort against East Brunswick.
Playing without sophomore running back LaShawn Boyd for the second straight week, coach Mark Zielinski’s team was locked in a scoreless battle through the first three quarters. The visitors broke through early in the fourth after a fake punt by the Raiders and put the game out of reach with a second touchdown late in the second half. North Brunswick’s defense was led by junior linebacker Robert Goulding, who had 10 tackles to raise his season total to 22.
The East Brunswick defense was also outstanding, sacking Raiders quarterback Tim Parson seven times. On the year, Parson has completed 20 of 36 passes for 331 yards. Nick Sidotti has 12 catches for 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Fullback Ron Nazarro is averaging nine yards a carry in seven tries.
“We’re struggling, but our guys played a strong game against East Brunswick,” said Zeilinski, whose team moved into the Red Division this year. “We’re inexperienced on the line and our guys are learning as they go. Right now, our focus is on getting better each week.”
In other North Brunswick action, the girls’ soccer team won a pair of 1-0 matches to raise its record to 3-4. On Sept. 19, Marylynn Muldowney’s goal proved decisive against South Plainfield High School, as Danielle Segerholm and Kelley Peterson combined to turn in a clean sheet in net. Three days later it was Lindsay Hoagland’s goal that proved the margin of victory over Perth Amboy High School, as the goaltending duo turned in another shutout.
On the tennis front, the girls upped their record to 5-1 with a 5-0 success against Bishop George Ahr High School. Juilee Malavade and Harika Thatukuro won in straight sets at first and second singles, as did the second doubles duo of Colleen Binbinon and Nikitha Rangeneni.
Kate Lonczak came back after losing the first set, 4-6, to the Trojans’ Rebecca Walsh, to win 7-6, 7-6. Atiqah Fareed and Taylor Lodise won the first set, 6-2, dropped a 5-7 decision and recovered to win the third set, 7-6.