Metuchen High School’s Cassie Smith reaches high to pull down a rebound over Shore Regional High School’s Ciara Boice during the March 7 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I semifinals game in Metuchen. The Bulldogs prevailed in overtime, 41-37. SCOTT FRIEDMAN ST. JOSEPH
I t had been eight long days between games for the St. Joseph High School of
Metuchen boys basketball team when they took on Notre Dame High School in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA Non-Public A South tournament on March 7.
The Falcons’ fifth consecutive Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Tournament title over East Brunswick High School, 59-45, on Feb. 27 seemed like a distant memory, as they prepared for their first state action in what they hope ends with the ultimate prize — the Tournament of Champions title.
It’s little wonder the Falcons reacted like caged animals being set free as they threw up shots from rain-making distance, guarded their opponents as if they were glued to them and soared through the air before slamming the ball through the net en route to a resounding 101-75 victory over the outmanned Irish. Clearly, St. Joe’s is back with a focused purpose.
“You can only do so much in practice,” Falcons head coach Dave Turco said. “Notre Dame decided to get into a running game with us, but that [wasn’t] surprising because that’s what they do.”
Turco should know. Notre Dame is coached by his brother, Bob, who is in his third season as Irish coach. Dave understands his brother’s style, and that’s run and gun. Unfortunately, that was the wrong recipe for success against St. Joe’s, which more than matched the pace, transitioning into the fast break off missed shots and numerous thefts before Notre Dame could react.
In a remarkable demonstration of balanced scoring, center Karl Towns led the point parade with 24 points, followed by Wade Baldwin, who notched 22 points. Marques Townes and Breein Tyree added 19 each.
Shortly after the fourth quarter began with St. Joe’s leading 92-61, the Falcons’ regulars were pulled and turned into cheerleaders from the bench, as their replacements clawed their way to triple figures for the first time in two years that St. Joe’s reached the century mark.
Baldwin agreed that now that the state tournament has begun, he and his teammates are playing with renewed enthusiasm.
“We’re ready to go, and you saw that tonight,” he said. “The experience of getting to the [Tournament of Champions] championship game [last season] and losing the way we did (65-49 against Roselle Catholic High School) has motivated us, no doubt. Each game from now on is meaningful.”
The top-seed Falcons were back in action on March 10, when they hosted Bishop Eustace Preparatory School of Pennsauken in the sectional semifinals. If St. Joe’s won, the Falcons moved on to the A South finals on March 12 at Jackson Liberty High School against the winner of the other semifinals game between Paul VI High School of Haddonfield and St. Augustine Preparatory High School of Richland.
METUCHEN
In the only other state tournament basketball game involving an area team that was still alive, the Metuchen High School girls, seeded sixth in Central Jersey Group I, earned a trip to the sectional championship game, where they faced another GMC opponent in top-seed South River High School on March 11.
The Bulldogs began their journey to the title game by defeating 11th-seed Keyport High School, 53-30, in the opening round, and followed that win by knocking off third-seed Middlesex High School, 58-48. The toughest contest came on March 7, when Metuchen held off 10th-seed Shore Regional High School, 41-37, in a game that went to overtime.
In the Middlesex game, Metuchen center Cassie Smith surpassed the 2,000-point career mark. However, against Shore Regional, the Bulldogs proved they don’t need Smith to be the dominant scorer in order for them to win. Smith scored nine points in the game, nearly 20 below her 28.5 point-pergame average.
Metuchen head coach Pat Mayo has resorted to a short bench throughout the season, but that has not hurt the Bulldogs, as evidenced by their 18-9 record. Liane Cifrodelli has averaged 7.7 points, a game while Kelly Beck, Sam Streckfuss, Kelly Eustace and Katharine Chura have contributed valuable minutes and have scored key baskets throughout the tournament.
If victorious, Metuchen moves on to the Group I semifinals, which will be played on March 13 at a site to be determined.
BISHOP AHR
The Bishop George Ahr High School girls were eliminated in the first round of the Non-Public A South section against Paul VI, 55-27. The GMC Tournament finalists ended their impressive season with a 16-10 record. With Brianna Foster being the only senior, the Trojans are expected to be one of the top teams in the GMC next season.
EDISON
No area wrestlers were able to capture a state title at the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships on March 7-9 in Atlantic City. However, Edison High School’s Billy Povalac managed to gain a place on the medal stand by placing fifth in the 138- pound weight class.
Povalac was the third-place medalist in the Region 5 competition the week before, which meant his first match was in the preliminary round on March 6. That’s when he lost to Lorenzo Ruggiero of Timber Creek Regional High School, 8-4, which relegated Povalac to the grueling wrestlebacks with the goal being to survive long enough to win a medal.
The Edison junior began the grind by defeating Matt Wilhelm of Southern Regional High School, 6-4, in the first round, followed by a 7-4 victory against Nicholas Bossie of Robbinsville High School, 7-4, in the second round.
Povalac benefited from an injury default by Giovanni Ghione of Brick Memorial High School to win his third-round match, and the streak continued in the fourth round with an impressive pin of Joe Trovato of Paramus High School in just 14 seconds. Povalac came up short in the semifinals, when he dropped a tough 1-0 decision to Travis Vasquez of Delbarton School. Povalac bounced back, however, in the fifth-place match, where he scored a 9-3 decision against Shawnee High School’s Connor Muli.
With another year of high school competition, Povalac will be the figurehead for a program that has returned to the GMC scene as one of the more competitive teams. The Eagles completed the season with a 17- 6 dual meet record, while capturing their first district title in 17 years and finishing second to Monroe Township High School in the White Division.