The post-season tournaments are heating up and here are some local athletes who came through with sizzling performances over the past few days.
Howell High School freshman Darby Diedrich was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NJSIAA District 21 Tournament at Manalapan High School. He captured the 106-pound championship winning every match by pin fall or technical fall helping the Rebels win the District 21 team title for the third time in the last four years.
Davie Tieto of Ocean Township High School was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NJSIAA District 22 Tournament. The Spartan defeated a defending champion, Richie Koehler of Christian Brothers Academy, 9-4, in the 120-pound final at Red Bank Regional High School.
Edison High School’s Robert Cleary, the 132-pound champion, was named the NJSIAA District 19 Most Outstanding Wrestler at Woodbridge High School.
Heavyweight Anthony Porcaro of Sayreville High School captured his third NJSIAA District 20 championship at South Brunswick High School. The Bomber wrestles at heavyweight.
It was East Brunswick’s Mark Schliefer, (120) a two-time champion, who was named District 20’s Most Outstanding Wrestler
Sophomore Sabrina Glasgow went 4-4 from the foul line late in the fourth quarter to help East Brunswick High School’s girls’ basketball team upend Bishop Ahr, 44-40, in the semifinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament. Glasgow connected on the go-ahead free throw with 1:46 left in the game and the Bears padded the lead from there.
The victory put the Bars in the Feb. 25 final at Kean University in Union for the first time since 2002.
Ashlyn Petersen made key a lay-up off a steal late in the fourth quarter that allowed Monroe High School’s basketball team to pull away from South Brunswick and score a 56-48 win in the semifinals of the Greater Middlesex Conference. Petersen led the Falcons, who are making their second straight trip to the GMC final, with 17 points.
Colts Neck High School’s Ryan Tompkins raised his personal best in the high jump from 6-2 to 6-6 in winning the NJSIAA Group III state championship at the Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River. His victory was instrumental in the Cougars’ capturing the team Group III state title.
Danielle Notarfrancesco of Jackson Liberty High School, won the NJSIAA Group III girls shot put championship breaking her own school record with a throw of 45-2 ¾. Her old mark from this year was 42-2.
Khristian Acosta scored a goal and had three assists in leading Middletown North High School’s ice hockey team to an 8-6 victory over Rumson-Fair Haven High School in the final of the Handchen Cup played at the Red Bank Armory.
Bobby Hampton had a four-point game as well scoring two goals and assisting on two.
Manalapan High School’s Branden Kushnir scored the three-goal hat trick in the Braves’ 5-2 victory over Robbinsville/Allentown in the first round of the NJSIAA Public A state ice hockey tournament.
