Colts Neck
Colts Neck High School’s girls’ soccer team’s quarterfinals contest in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV tournament was a showdown between two conference champions from this autumn.
The Cougars — the champion of the Shore Conference Tournament — faced East Brunswick, which won the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament.
Besides their local supremacy, each team is perennially regarded among the elite girls’ soccer programs in New Jersey.
So when the game ended that late afternoon Nov. 4 in East Brunswick, the final score of 4-0 reflected on how strong of a team Colts Neck is.
Of course, the spearhead behind Colts Neck’s domination was All-Stater Frank Tagliaferri, who connected on all three of her goals in the second half when Colts Neck broke away from a 1-0 lead at intermission.
She also earned the assist in the first half when Lauren Feaster scored a goal to give the Cougars a 1-0 edge. Victoria Spieler stopped three shots to pick up the shutout victory.
Colts Neck was scheduled to meet Hunterdon Central Regional High School in the sectional semifinals Nov. 9 in Flemington.
Cots Neck advanced to the match with East Brunswick by knocking off Monroe Township High School, 5-0, Nov. 1 in the first round of the tournament.
Kayla Lee fired in two goals and Tagliaferri, Kristi Mikula and Kara Camarco each connected on one goal to steer host Colts Neck past Monroe.
In football action, the Cougars trimmed visiting Neptune High School, 28-21, in overtime Nov. 5.
Colts Neck, which improved to 3-6 with the victory, broke the tie in overtime when Vinnie Gargiulo scored from a yard out. Colts Neck had forced overtime when Carmen Catena burst 16 yards to the end zone with a minute left in the fourth quarter. It was his second touchdown of the day.
The Colts Neck boys’ cross-country team claimed the North Jersey, Section II, Group III state sectional title Nov. 5 in the meet that was held at Greystone Park in Morris Plains.
Colts Neck was paced by runners Jordan Brannan, who finished fifth, Anthony Russo, who ended in sixth, and Matthew Schaefer, who came in ninth.
The Colts Neck boys’ soccer team was eliminated from the state tournament when the Cougars fell, 3-2, to Marlboro High School in the first round of the Central Jersey, Group IV playoffs Oct. 31.
Lois Reale scored both goals for the Cougars in that defeat.
Freehold
Ashante Worthy continued his torrid play quarterbacking a hot Freehold High School football team.
After starting the season with four straight losses, Freehold has won five in a row due to the terrific play of Worthy. The Colonials notched their fifth straight when they defeated Long Branch, 28-8, Nov. 5 in Freehold.
Again it was Worthy at the controls. He kept and ran 6 yards to a touchdown to give Freehold a 7-0 lead at the half.
Then in the third quarter, Worthy erupted. He and Alonte Hair teamed up for a 67-yard touchdown pass, and then he dashed 47 yards to the end zone.
Worthy called the scoring for the game and in the third quarter when he hit Matt Krauss for a touchdown from 6 yards.
For the afternoon, Worthy ended with 114 yards on the ground and hit on eight of his 12 passes for 163 yards.
Just a week earlier, Worthy accounted on four touchdown runs in a 31-10 victory over Edison High School and produced six touchdowns in a 48-32 triumph over Marlboro Oct. 22.
Katie Riker converted on a goal in the second round of penalty strokes when the Freehold field hockey team advanced with a victory over Millburn High School in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section II, Group III finals Nov. 4 in Freehold.
Freehold Township
The girls’ soccer team at Freehold Township High School exploded on offense to score a 7-0 victory over Edison in the Central Jersey, Group IV quarterfinals Nov. 4 in Freehold.
Laura Noseworthy and Nicole Sasso each fired in two goals and Jasmine Colbert rung up two assists to spark the offensive fireworks for Freehold Township.
Anna Priborkina contributed to the attack with a goal and an assist. Angela DeCicco stopped two shots, and Alessia LaRosa made one save to share the shutout.
Freehold Township had opened the state tournament with a 5-0 victory over visiting Montgomery High School Nov. 1.
Brianna Cucinelli was the scoring ringleader for Freehold Township against Montgomery when she collected two goals and one assist. Also contributing to that victory were Noseworthy, who hit for two goals, and Colbert, who recorded three assists. DeCicco stopped two shots to gain the shutout victory.
The Patriots’ field hockey team claimed the Central Jersey, Group IV title with a 1-0 victory over Jackson Memorial High School Nov. 4 in Freehold.
Kali Williams came through with the goal to send the Patriots to the Group IV semifinals and a date with Warren Hills Regional High School.
The boys’ soccer team for Freehold Township had its season halted by powerful Hunterdon Central, 5-0, in the Central Jersey, Group IV quarterfinals Nov. 4 in Flemington.
The Patriots were able to reach that game with Hunterdon Central when they blanked visiting Montgomery, 3-0, in the state tournament’s first round Oct. 31.
Adrian Barajs connected on two goals and one assist and Jon Finocchiaro put in a goal to lift Freehold Township past Montgomery.
Howell
Howell’s football team rung up the points behind quarterback Edwin Morales Nov. 5 when the visiting Rebels posted a 50-34 victory over Marlboro.
Morales was on target, completing 28 of his 30 passes for 303 yards and finishing with six touchdown passes on the day.
He connected with Dan Cacciatore for three of the touchdown throws, which came from 1, 8 and 5 yards out.
Morales hit Nasiem Brantly for touchdown passes from 15 and 16 yards, and Patrick Handy took in a 25-yard touchdown toss from Morales.
Manalapan
The Manalapan High School boys’ soccer team moved on through the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV tournament when it edged Old Bridge High School, 2-1, in the quarterfinals Nov. 3 in Old Bridge.
Manalapan was powered by Joe Maccariello, who registered a goal and an assist, and Gavin Lebright, who put in a goal. Goalie Josh Koenig stopped six shots to preserve the victory for the Braves.
Manalapan sprung the upset in the first round of the state tournament wen the Braves, as the 15th seed, eliminated the No. 2 seed, Princeton High School, on penalty kicks Oct. 31 in Princeton. The game ended in regulation at 2-2. Rocky Garretson knocked in two goals to lead the Braves past Princeton.
The girls’ soccer team was eliminated by Hillsborough High School in the Central Jersey, Group IV quarterfinals Nov. 4 in Manalapan.
The Braves punched a ticket to the girls’ soccer state quarterfinals with a 6-2 victory over Marlboro in the opening round Nov. 1.
Mya Donnelly was the offensive star for Manalapan when she pumped in two goals and rung up three assists. Ariella Kaplan chipped in with her two goals and two assists, while goalie Ariel Kamen made seven saves.
Marlboro
Marlboro fell one victory short of winning the Shore Conference Tournament in boys’ soccer when it fell to Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in the finals.
But Marlboro was able to beat a tournament champion when the Mustangs knocked off North Brunswick Township High School, 3-2, in double overtime Nov. 3 in the quarterfinals of the Central Jersey, Group IV tournament in Marlboro.
North Brunswick had captured the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament championship Oct. 29 — the same day when Marlboro lost in the Shore Conference Tournament finals to CBA.
In the thrilling victory over North Brunswick, Marlboro was sparked by the play of Ryan LaRocca, who collected a goal and an assist, and Steven Karp and Zachary Scarpa, who each scored one goal. James Weinberg turned back six shots to gain the victory in goal.
Marlboro had gained a berth in the state quarterfinals when the Mustangs knocked out Colts Neck, 3-2, in the opening round Oct. 31 in Marlboro.
P.J. Ringel registered two goals and Karp connected on the other Marlboro goal. Brian Dates and Varazdat Topuzyan each delivered one assist in the victory.
Marlboro’s football team felt the sting of six touchdown passes from Edwin Morales and fell to visiting Howell, 50-34, Nov. 5.
Justin Marcus scored two touchdowns for Marlboro when he grabbed scoring receptions of 77 yards from Kyle Moore and 11 yards from Mike Wolff.
Marlboro’s girls’ soccer team was eliminated from the state tournament when host Manalapan pinned down a 6-2 victory in the first round of Central Jersey, Group IV Nov. 1. Jaclyn Bernstein and Victoria Tzitzis each recorded a goal in that setback for Marlboro.