SAYREVILLE WAR MEMORIAL
S ayreville War Memorial High
School’s girls basketball team hosted
Colonia High School on Feb. 19 in the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Tournament’s Round of 16.
The sixth-seed Bombers are coming off a 13-6 regular season showing that included victories against Monroe Township High School, Colonia and Delaware Valley Regional High School. Coach Tara Currie’s team will look to get back on the winning track after losing its last two games — a 64- 58 decision to Bishop George Ahr High School and a one-sided, 66-39 loss to Monroe in the rematch.
Sayreville could prove to be a dangerous team because it scores points in bunches, thanks to guard Jackie Rodriguez, who averages 21 points per game and scored 30- or-more points on three occasions. While Rodriguez, the only senior in the starting lineup, will certainly garner a lot of attention from opposing defenses, the Bombers will also look to junior forward Amanda Quintero (eight points per game), and freshmen guards Isi Enahora (nine points) and Ryane Brush (eight-and-a-half points).
OLD BRIDGE
Old Bridge High School’s girls basketball team, meanwhile, successfully navigated a pair of preliminary-round games to raise its overall record to 8-11 and set up a meeting with Monroe (18-2) on Feb. 19.
The Lady Knights opened the tournament with a 64-22 win over Highland Park High School, as freshman guard Amanda Carney pumped in 17 points and senior forward Taylor Torre added nine. Carney, who averages 14 points, has put together a solid campaign and leads her team in scoring.
Coach Dan DaMino’s team then parlayed an 18-11 fourth-quarter run to down Middlesex High School, 49-36. Erin Halstead, a senior guard, scored a season-high 16 points, and Torre contributed another 13 points to the win.
The Old Bridge boys were slated to meet J.P. Stevens High School on Feb. 18 in a play-in game, with the winner getting a trip to Metuchen on Feb. 20 to meet No. 1-seed St. Joseph High School.
The Knights will again look to Tyler Drews, who averages 21 points, to lead the way. The senior guard was splendid in putting up 25 points in his team’s 76-67 regular season loss to St. Joseph on Feb. 14. Connor Romano added 17 points for the Knights.
Ice hockey
On the ice, second-seed Old Bridge looked to avenge a 4-3 regular-season loss to Woodbridge on Feb. 19 in the semifinals of the GMC Cup tournament. Coach Damien LoNigro’s team fell behind early and could not quite pull even during that first game.
“We’re looking forward to playing them again, and this time it’s on our home ice,” the coach said before the GMC game.
Top-seed St. Joseph hosted fourth-seed South Brunswick High School in the other semifinals match. The two winners will square off for the championship on Feb. 22 at the Arenas at Woodbridge. Faceoff time is 6 p.m.
The Knights are 15-3-1 overall and are coming off a 5-3 victory against Watchung Hills Regional High School, as Jared Layer notched a hat trick.
Peter Krzewinski, who notched a pair of assists against Watchung Hills, is one point away from becoming the Knights’ career point leader. Krzewinski, who has scored 20 or more goals in each of his four varsity seasons, is tied with Ryan Melis at 162 points.