Local athletes came through with championship performances during championship events this past weekend when the 2016 spring scholastic season approached closer to the finish line throughout New Jersey.
Shore Regional High School’s Drew Maher was a double champion at the NJSIAA Group I Track and Field Championships. The Blue Devil captured the 800 and 1,600 runs when he established school records in both races. He turned in a swift 4:18.99 in the 1,600 and an equally fast 1:53.37 for the 800.
At the Group III championships, Matawan High School’s Thomas Kalieta won the 200-meter dash (21.88) and was runner-up in the 100 (10.88) and 400 (47.53) sprints.
Freehold Township High School’s Ciara Roche ran the fastest 1,600 meters of the year at the NJSIAA Group IV Track and Field Championships. The Patriot speedster posted a 4:47.90 in claiming the second Group IV 1,600-meter title of her career.
Roche didn’t stop there. She also won the 800 meters in 2:10.69.
Howell High School’s Rachel Kern broke her own school record for the javelin throw when she won the Group IV state championship with a 139-10 throw.
South Brunswick High School’s Courtney Campbell matched the best high jump in the state this season clearing 5-8 in winning the Group IV state title.
Tyler Higgins threw a complete game shut out one-hitter leading South River High School to a 5-0 victory over Keyport in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group I baseball final. Higgins struck out 13 as the Rams captured their first state sectional baseball championship.
Brandon Szerszen provided the offense for Higgins by collecting two hits, three RBI and one run scored.
Allie Warren delivered the walk-off game-winning base hit as East Brunswick High School rallied in the last of the seventh to beat Hightstown, 3-2, in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV final played in East Brunswick.
Warren’s single to right field scored Samantha Smalley whose RBI double had tied the score.
East Brunswick pitcher Kaleigh Dwyer went the distance on a seven-hitter, allowing no earned runs and striking out seven.
Middletown South High School’s softball team used small ball to repeat as the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section II, Group III champion.
Tied with South Plainfield at 0-0 into the bottom of the seventh, Hannah Wisialko hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield that scored pinch runner Alissa Carfora to secure the 1-0 victory by the Eagles.
The one run was all Middletown South needed for pitcher Maddie McMahon. She was brilliant by throwing a one-hitter, striking out 11.
New Egypt High School won its third straight NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group I title when it rolled pastRiverside, 13-1.
Chloe Lewis was 3-4 with a home run and five RBI. Faith Weber also contributed by going 3-4 with a double, triple and five RBI.
Kyra Weiner scored three goals and assisted on two others and Morgan Steinhacker connected on three goals as Rumson-Fair Haven High School’s girls’ lacrosse team made school history by capturing the program’s first state group championship. The Bulldogs out-scored Bernards, 14-11, in the NJSIAA Group II final played at Kean University in Union.
The victory extended Rumson’s winning streak to 25.
Yoni Auerbach delivered nine kills as East Brunswick High School’s boys’ volleyball team avenged its loss to St. Joseph’s of Metuchen in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament final, by beating the Falcons for the NJSIAA Central Jersey Sectional crown, 2-0.
With Tom Pappas contributing 26 assists, the top-seeded Bears beat the second-seeded Falcons 25-23, 25-20.