By Jimmy Allinder
St. Joseph
Up until a few years ago, the Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen lacrosse team had to venture outside the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) in order to play competitive matches.
Those days are long gone. Due to the explosion of recreation programs that have infused high school teams with players ready to contribute on the varsity level, St. Joe’s has encountered strong competition within the GMC and can no longer count on an automatic win.
Two years ago, Old Bridge High School knocked off the Falcons twice (regular season and conference tournament) and last season, Monroe Township High School defeated St. Joe’s in a regular-season game, although the Falcons rebounded with a victory in the GMC Tournament championship.
Monroe is off to another solid start this spring (7-1 overall, 5-0 conference) and could be fielding the program’s best team, which should make for a highly entertaining match when the teams meet April 21.
That’s not to say St. Joe’s is about to relinquish its dominance in the conference without making a stand. The Falcons are off to a 7-1 start under first-year coach Andrew Pinto Jr., with their only loss coming to North Jersey power Sparta High School, 20-8. Pinto likes what he sees from his team, which includes nine returning starters.
“We’re fortunate to have players who are also great leaders,” Pinto said. “They have set an example of what it takes to be successful and have taken active roles in molding our younger players. Our team motto is ‘Win the Day,’ which means working hard every day to achieve our goals.”
The starting lineup features experience in every facet of the game, with the defense being especially effective, except for the 20 goals the Falcons yielded to Sparta. Seniors Brendan Moreau and Joseph Papa are joined by junior Luke Yakely to form a solid perimeter that protects senior goaltender Ryan Hultberg, who has registered 61 saves.
The attack is potent and relentless. Juniors Max Bischoff (12 goals, 17 assists) and Timothy Day (14 goals, 27 assists) and senior Connor Gallagher have developed into a cohesive unit, while the midfield of seniors John Henry Riccardi (12 goals, three assists), Brett Krause (14 goals) and Jimmy Tovey (18 goals, 15 assists) have provided St. Joe’s with a strong transition game. Senior Evan Zelesnick is an effective long stick middle.
“Our program continues to grow in popularity, but what sets us apart from the public schools is that we lack a youth program,” Pinto said. “We only get a handful of players that come to our school to play lacrosse, so we have to make sure our development process at the freshman and junior varsity levels are meaningful and help solidify our future.”
Following the clash with Monroe, St. Joe’s was on the road for a game at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School April 23 and returned home April 30 for a match against Montgomery High School.
Bishop Ahr
The Bishop George Ahr High School softball team suffered graduation losses at key positions, but the Trojans haven’t dropped a beat this spring.
Following a 17-7 record a year ago, they are off to a 5-2 start overall, are 5-1 in the GMC White Division and are the only team to defeat South Plainfield High School, which is one of the top teams in the conference.
Mark Fiore, a long-time assistant, is filling in for head coach Missy Collazo until she returns from maternity leave and says that only minor adjustments have been made in her absence. Fiore’s top priority has been putting the best players on the field, regardless of their experience. Thus far, he has succeeded.
Sophomore third baseman Ryleigh Greenwald has a .348 average, including eight hits and a team-leading four doubles. Freshman shortstop Colleen Cronin is hitting .368, sophomore pitcher Katie Eicher is batting .476 with a team-leading 10 hits and junior left fielder Colleen Sharlow is hitting .360 with nine hits.
Also, junior center fielder Kayla Simon has wielded an effective bat with a .348 average, including eight hits and three doubles; sophomore first baseman Erin Pepe is hitting .317; and senior second baseman Brandi Carrion is hitting .471 with a team-leading six RBIs. The rest of the lineup includes senior catcher Katie Cavico and junior right fielder Sarah Franczak.
Fiore says one of the reasons Bishop Ahr has performed well is Eicher’s effectiveness in the circle, and he hopes that will continue.
The Trojans faced South Plainfield again April 18. They then host three division opponents: Monroe April 20, John F. Kennedy Memorial High School the following day and Carteret High School April 25.
