Bid farewell to the holidays and greetings to a major dose of games and events for the 2017 winter scholastic athletic season.
Here are some high school players who entered the new year with sound performances last week.
The busiest results from last week were produced on the boys’ and girls’ basketball courts.
In boys’ basketball …
Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School won twice last week behind the play of Ian O’Connor.
O’Connor pumped in 35 points, hitting on 13 of his 15 shots from the field, to spark Rumson-Fair Haven’s 75-57 victory over Middletown High School South Jan. 3.
Two days later, he clicked for 11 points while teammate Teddy Sourlis scored 17 as Rumson-Fair Haven rolled past Red Bank Regional High School, 51-35.
Latrell West poured in 28 points and took down eight rebounds when he steered Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen past Perth Amboy High School, 83-36.
Andrew Trent collected 24 points and eight rebounds when Jackson Memorial High School knocked off its township rival, Jackson Liberty High School, 50-44.
Michael Ugarte scored 25 points to guide South Brunswick High School past East Brunswick High School, 59-46.
In the battle of Red Bank, Terrence Calandrillo banged home 22 points when Red Bank Catholic High School scored a 59-43 triumph over Red Bank Regional High School.
Marc Dennis put up 22 points to lead Long Branch High School to a 56-45 victory over Middletown High School North.
Henderson Mautes was on fire from long range when he sank five baskets from 3-point land and finished with 20 points in Sayreville War Memorial High School’s 93-54 victory over Edison High School.
Dante Ralph dropped in 19 points when he steered East Brunswick to a 59-47 victory over Old Bridge High School.
Chris Panduri ended with 19 points and he led Shore Regional High School to a 53-36 triumph over St. John Vianney High School.
Deontae Crawford scored 19 points when Bishop George Ahr High School edged South Plainfield High School, 54-52.
Mater Dei Prep — one of the top teams in the region — defeated Asbury Park High School, 84-33, behind Yasin Pretlow, who recorded 18 points, five steals and four assists.
Jack Miller fired in 18 points to pace Ocean Township High School in its 63-60 victory over Wall High School.
Maneet Batra connected on 18 points when he guided North Brunswick Township High School to a 60-47 victory over Edison.
On the girls’ basketball scene …
Brynn Farrell delivered big numbers when she sparked Metuchen High School past Carteret High School Jan. 4.
Farrell registered 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to secure Metuchen’s 48-37 victory.
Amber Brown also clicked on 30 points and she pulled down eight rebounds when she led South Brunswick to a 56-34 victory over East Brunswick one day later.
Hailee Hallard was quite the scorer for Middletown North against Long Branch Jan. 5. She erupted for 37 points to lead the Lions to a 58-44 triumph.
Hannah Scanlan pulled off a sparkling double-double effort when he powered Rumson-Fair Haven past Marlboro High School. She recorded 29 points and 15 rebounds in that decision.
Samaira Sargent fired in 24 points to send East Brunswick past Old Bridge, 51-48. Alyssa Bondi put in 19 points.
Amanda Carney ended with 20 points to lead Old Bridge to a 54-44 victory over John P. Stevens High School.
Cynthia Williams scored 18 points to boost North Brunswick past New Brunswick High School, 46-27.
Kennedy Selby scored 17 points when she led Monroe to a 64-32 triumph over Perth Amboy.
Sayreville remained one of the top teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference when the Bombers beat Bishop Ahr, 51-32, Jan. 5. Isi Enahoro led Sayreville with 14 points.
On the ice …
Two of the best ice hockey teams in New Jersey met at the Navesink Country Club’s outdoor rink in Middletown Jan.4, and the winner was Christian Brothers Academy, which edged Don Bosco Preparatory High School, 3-1.
A 1-1 tie was broken when Will Egbert connected on a gal in the third period. Derek Contessa iced the victory with a goal later in the final period. Christian Brothers Academy was able to gain a 1-1 tie earlier in the third period on Corey Clifton’s goal.