The holidays are over and the winter sports schedules are busier than ever. For the most part, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams at both schools have had a mediocre beginning to their seasons, with all starting off at 2-3 — except one team.
North’s boys have begun their season with a good 3-1 record — a big turn-around from last year’s dismal 1-5 beginning. Meanwhile, South’s teams and the North girls are looking to improve their records.
The teams will face off against each other this Friday, January 8, when North heads to South. The girls play at 5:30 p.m., and the boys follow.
North Boys’ Basketball. Dale Florio had a rough time during his first two years as head coach for the Knights but the hard work seems to have paid off. The Knights started their season with a record over .500 — something that has not happened over the past two years.
The team went 7-19 overall last season but has an experienced group of returning players this year, including senior guards Larry Brodie, Chris Hase, Miles Eisenman, and Josh Harrison. Seniors Jim Dunn and Pat Clewell are forwards. Rounding out the talent are team leader Ethan Harel, a 6-foot-3 junior forward, and 6-foot-4 junior center Brandon Johnson.
Will Whipple, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, junior forward Chris Fania, and junior guards Greg Weisbecker, Eli Can, and Juwan Lee round out the roster.
In their opening stretch over the holiday break, the team went 3-1, despite having faced one of its biggest challenges this season: moving up to the tougher CVC Colonial Division. Can has been one of the biggest contributors to the Knights’ early success, with 14 points in the team’s win over Florence in the consolation game of the holiday tournament in Bordentown.
Following that, Can finished with 15 points — including three 3-point goals — in the team’s regular season win against Nottingham on January 5.
South Boys’ Basketball. The Pirates are looking to live up to the success they had last year, when they went 24-4 and finished as division and conference champions by winning the Central Jersey Group IV title.
The team went 12-1 against CVC Colonial Division opponents and was the Mercer County Tournament runner-up last year. The Pirates finished 11th in the state after falling in the state semifinal round. “We have a lot to live up to,” acknowledges coach Bob Schurtz.
The team graduated four starters and lost eight varsity players last year, most notably Division I scholarship player Austin Witter, along with Division III point guard Chris Johnson and forwards Dan Balevski and Dan Block.
However, Jack Dennehy, at 6-foot-5, has returned to lead the team this year, along with Zach Donohue, senior Matt Rhatigan, and 6-foot-4 junior Eric Bierck.
Last year Dennehy averaged 13 points per game for the Pirates and made 44 3-point field goals. Donohue, at 5-foot-11, helped the defense hold opponents to a CVC-low 47.1 points per game.
Rounding out the roster are senior forward Drew Sivertsen, senior guard Phil Trachtenberg, and junior guard Jake Donohue. Six-foot-4 sophomore forward Isaiah Edmonds, sophomore forwards Marquees Grant, Chris Skolka, and Ryan Witter, sophomore guards Chris Evans and Phil Loh, and freshman guard Bryan Rivers are also looking to make an impact.
“Obviously every year brings new challenges, and this year will be no different for us,” Schultz said before the season began. “We have a young and inexperienced group, and they’re working very hard.”
North Girls’ Basketball. Coming off last year’s 12-12 record, the team lost three starters to graduation. However, the Knights are returning talented starters in seniors Lexie Forsell, Kathryn Davis, Denise Pyfrom, Jenna Greenstein, and Jackie Silva.
A nice addition to the team is 5-foot-10 freshman Jacquie Klotz, who adds size to the team and who, along with 5-foot-7 sophomore forward Marilyn Allen, should add power to the roster. Sophomore guards Kerry McNeilly, Alyssa Avino, Maggie Tang, and Brianna King should also help the Knights break .500.
South Girls’ Basketball. Last season, the Pirates finished with a 14-9 record but lost three key players. Despite only returning two starters in senior guard Erica Simi and junior forward Sharell Lowe, the roster is rounded out by senior center Pooja Kallure; junior center Shanice Barnes; junior forward Kendal Borup; and junior guards Elisabeth Hansen, Laura McCormick, and Kim Meersma.
Other notable players on the roster are sophomore guards Cai-cai and Gabi Hahn and freshman guard Skylar Delemos.
