The weather may have been cloudy and damp but the performances were shiny and bright this past weekend for numerous local scholastic athletes.
Here is a look on who our standouts in the area were.
Elliot Gindi of Ocean Township continued his championship running on the cross-country paths this fall when he crossed first in the Boys Varsity C Division race at the prestigious New Balance Shore Coaches Association Invitational Meet that was run on Oct. 1 at Holmdel Park.
Gindi, who has already claimed titles this season at the Battle of Ocean County Park and the Bowdoin Invitational a week earlier in Wappingers Falls, New York, won the title at Holmdel in a time of 15:48.
Over 200 schools ran in this event and Gindi’s time for the boys was the second fastest of the day. Matt Grossman of Millburn won the Varsity A meet with the fastest clocking of all division runners with a time of 15:43.
Off the paths and on to the courts…
The J.P. Stevens girls’ tennis team was crowned the champion of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament on Sept. 28.
J.P. Stevens was able to claim that title by winning three individual championships.
Deepti Talesra, a senior, completed the hat trick when she won the title at second singles to bring home her third GMC championship.
Sophomore Srinkithi Kannan captured the third singles title and the J.P. Stevens duo of juniors Ishani Kulkarni and Divya Talesra won the first doubles championship.
The stars were shining on the area football fields this past Friday and Saturday.
One particular game not only featured plenty of standouts but it was also the longest playing matchup when Old Bridge and Edison settled for a 42-42 tie after battling through four quarters and three overtime sessions.
The game was declared a tie because New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s rules call for games to end in a draw if no winner is decided after three overtimes.
Edison’s attack was spearheaded by quarterback Justin Turner, who completed 17 of his 25 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, and runner James Stewart, who gained 160 yards and scored three TDs.
Old Bridge countered with back Nick Sodano, who rushed for 160 yards and collected three TDs, and QB Artur Sitkowski, who hit on 10 of his 19 passes for 165 yards and kept for two touchdowns.
Mike Gawlik of Jackson Memorial amassed 320 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns in his team’s 26-8 victory over Toms River South on Sept. 30.
Saint Joseph of Metuchen lost its featured back, Manny Resto, to a shoulder injury last Friday against Woodbridge.
But Luke Yakely came to the rescue and rushed for 150 yards and scored a touchdown as the Metuchen school registered a 28-6 victory.
Colts Neck knocked off Marlboro, 28-20, on Saturday behind the running of Carmen Catena, who clicked for 245 yards on the ground and three TDs.
Anthony Tedesco rushed for 168 yards and scored three touchdowns to steer Ocean Township past Matawan, 27-0, on Sept. 30.
While runners and quarterbacks were ringing up big numbers, Manalapan was cooling down its foe for a third straight week.
Middle linebacker Tommy Pearce recorded 16 tackles to anchor a Manalapan defense that pitched its third consecutive shutout with a 14-0 triumph over Freehold Township on Oct. 1.
Inside the gyms…..
The Jackson Liberty girls’ volleyball team is off to a 12-0 start thanks to the solid play of its senior setter, Shayna Saltzman.
On the soccer pitch……
Sofia Ambrosio pumped in five goals to lead Wardlaw-Hartridge past J.F. Kennedy of Iselin, 6-1, in girls’ soccer play on Sept. 30.
East Brunswick moved to 9-0-1 with three victories last week, including a crucial 3-0 triumph over rival Old Bridge, 3-0, on Sept. 29. The undefeated Bears are paced by Sabria Glasgow, who tops East Brunswick with nine goals and five assists.
iJake Stump put in a goal and hit on an assist when South Brunswick blanked Perth Amboy, 2-0, in boys’ soccer on Oct. 1.