The beginning of November marks the start of state tournaments for several fall sports, and some squads from High Schools North and South are still in contention. The North football team all but secured a playoff berth with its win over Hamilton on November 1. The Knights and the Pirates got off to slow starts, but both teams are gradually picking up wins. Heading into their crosstown matchup at North on Friday, November 8, both teams sit at 2-6.
On the cross country course, the South squads dominated the county championship on October 25, while both North squads also had strong showings. On the girls’ side, the Pirates placed five runners in the top 10 and easily defeated second-place Princeton, 28-77. South’s top finisher was Christina Rancan, who came in third in 18:54. The North girls came in fifth, led by Manolya Altan’s time of 19:51, good for 13th place.
The South boys also took home the county title, coming in ahead of Robbinsville, 31-73. Thomas Vinci and Nikhil Pulimood finished first and second, respectively, with times of 15:34 and 15:44. North’s top finished, Kian Jackson, finished 12th in 16:30, and the Knights placed third as a team.
All of the cross country teams head to Thompson Park in Monroe for the State Sectional Championships on Saturday, November 9.
The North field hockey team has won three straight 2-1 games, including state tournament victories on October 30 and November 4. The Knights (10-10) play No. 6 Montgomery this Friday, November 8, in the semifinals. South (12-9) also reached the semifinals with a 6-2 victory over Monroe on November 4 and will play top-seeded Hunterdon Central on Friday. If both WW-P squads win, the crosstown rivals will face off for the third time this season in the finals.
In soccer, the North girls advanced to the state tournament but were ousted by top-seeded Old Bridge, on November 4. Julia Tampellini scored for North in the 4-1 loss. The North boys fell to South Brunswick, 2-1, in the first round of the state tournament on November 5. Nana Owusu-Boahen scored the Knights’ lone goal.
The South girls finished an off year at 3-13-1 with losses to Princeton, 3-0, on October 26, and Hun, 2-1, on October 29. Gabby Saade scored for the Pirates. The South boys also ended a 4-12-1 season with a loss, 4-0, to Notre Dame on October 26.
One of the most successful teams was South girls’ tennis, which captured county and sectional titles in addition to making a run in the state tournament, where it suffered its only loss.
#b#Scores#/b#
Football
North (2-6). A 40-13 loss to Northern Burlington on Friday, October 25. Passing: Kevin Murphy, 1 TD. Receiving: Juwan Harrison, 1 TD. Rushing: C.J. Markisz, 1 TD.
A 39-21 win over Hamilton on Friday, November 1. Passing: Murphy, 8-14, 195, 3 TD. Receiving: Harrison, 2 TD. Jack O’Connell, 1 TD. Rushing: Harrison, 1 TD. Markisz, 1 TD. Robert Peterson, 1 TD.
South (2-6). A 26-0 loss to Notre Dame on Friday, October 25.
A 32-6 win over Hightstown on Friday, November 1. Receiving: TJ Lanzetta, 5-79, 1 TD. Rushing: Nick Benfer, 14-199, 2 TD. Mike Domino, 2 TD.
Field Hockey
North (10-10). A 5-0 loss to Princeton Day on Tuesday, October 22. Saves: Christina Hayduchok, 11.
A 2-1 win over South Brunswick on Monday, October 28. Goals: Olivia Harpel, Leah Yourstone, 1. Assists: Harpel, 1. Saves: Hayduchok, 4.
A 2-1 win over Franklin on Wednesday, October 30. Goals: Harpel, Catherine Mak, 1. Assists: Harpel, 1. Saves: Hayduchok, 6. NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 tournament, first round.
A 2-1 win over East Brunswick on Monday, November 4. Goals: Harpel, 2. Saves: Hayduchok, 4. NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 tournament, second round.
South (12-9). A 4-0 loss to Hopewell Valley on Tuesday, October 22. Saves: Jess Kaganskiy, 9.
A 2-0 loss to Freehold Township on Monday, October 28. Saves: Kaganskiy, 7.
A 4-3 loss to Bordentown on Thursday, November 1. Goals: Rachael Salerno, 2. Yelin Jung, 1. Saves: Kaganskiy, 11.
A 6-2 win over Monroe on Monday, November 4. Goals: Sam McCormick, 3. Kate McCormick, Suchira Sharma, 1. Assists: K. McCormick, 2. Salerno, 1. Saves: Kaganskiy, 10. NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group 4 tournament quarterfinals.
Boys’ Soccer
North defeated South 1-0 on Tuesday, October 22. Nana Owusu-Boahen scored the game’s lone goal, assisted by Bobby Costa. Jabril Samatar had 4 saves for the Pirates.
North (10-5-1). A 4-2 win over Trenton Catholic on Saturday, October 26. Goals: Mihai Toma, 2. Owusu-Boahen, Chris Lai, 1. Assists: Toma, Owusu-Boahen, Vincenzo Pugliese, Melvin Sapon, 1. Saves: Tipu Shah, 8. Mercer County Tournament, first round.
A 2-1 loss to Hightstown on Monday, October 28. Goals: Toma, 1. Saves: Shah, 8. Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals.
South (4-12-1). A 4-3 penalty kick win over Hamilton on Thursday, October 24. Saves: Samatar, 10. Mercer County Tournament play-in game.
A 4-0 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, October 26. Mercer County Tournament, first round.
Girls’ Soccer
North bested South 2-0 on Tuesday, October 22. Meghan Wachira scored both goals for the Knights. Julia Koepp made 10 stops for South, and Deirdre Pehnke saved three shots for North.
North (7-11). A 4-0 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, October 26. Saves: Pehnke, 9. Mercer County Tournament, first round
A 4-0 win over Nottingham on Tuesday, October 29. Goals: Morgan Hendry, 2. Simone Counts, Nicole Randolph, 1. Assists: Hendry, 2. Randolph, Wachira, 1. Saves: Pehnke, 10. Mercer County Tournament consolation round.
A 4-0 loss to Rancocas Valley on Friday, November 1. Saves: Pehnke, 11.
A 4-1 loss to Old Bridge on Monday, November 4. Goals: Julia Tampellini, 1. Saves: Pehnke, 7. NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 tournament, first round.
South (3-13-1). A 6-0 loss to South Brunswick on Wednesday, October 23. Saves: Koepp, 8.
A 3-0 loss to Princeton on Saturday, October 26. Saves: Natalie Cardulla, 10. Mercer County Tournament, first round.
A 2-1 loss to Hun on Tuesday, October 29. Goals: Gabby Saade, 1. Assists: Samantha Schattin, 1. Saves: Koepp, 7. Alice Kabia, 6. Mercer County Tournament consolation round.
Girls’ Tennis
South defeated North 5-0 on Wednesday, October 30. Singles 1: Claudia Siniakowicz def. Nyambe Tuchscherer, 6-1, 6-0. Singles 2: Haley Rich def. Arielle Bosworth, 6-0, 6-0. Singles 3: Caroline Zhou def. Audrey Chen, 6-1, 6-2. Doubles 1: Angela Li and Sanjana Ravi def. Nicky Charan and Jessica Mao, 6-2, 6-2. Doubles 2: Stephanie Ji and Varna Kodoth def. Pooja Rajan and Ranjitha Vasa, 6-4, 6-1.
North (16-4). A 4-1 win over Ewing on Wednesday, October 23. Singles 2: Bosworth, 6-0, 6-1. Singles 3: Chen, 6-1, 6-0. Doubles 1: Mao and Charan, 6-1, 6-1. Doubles 2: Sai Dhulipalla and Vasa, 6-1, 6-0.
A 4-1 win over Robbinsville on Thursday, October 24. Singles 2: Bosworth, 6-1, 6-1. Singles 3: Chen, 6-1, 6-1. Doubles 1: Charan and Mao, 6-0, 6-2. Doubles 2: Rajan and Vasa, 6-4, 6-3.
A 3-2 win over Steinert on Monday, October 28. Singles 1: Tuchscherer, 6-4, 6-3. Singles 3: Chen, 6-1, 6-2. Doubles 1: Charan and Mao, 6-4, 6-2.
A 3-2 win over Steinert on Tuesday, October 29. Singles 3: Chen, 6-2, 7-5. Doubles 1: Charan and Mao, 6-2, 6-1. Doubles 2: Rajan and Vasa, 6-1, 6-3.
South (22-1). A 5-0 win over Trenton on Thursday, October 24. Singles 1: Siniakowicz, 6-0, 6-0. Singles 2: Shranya Thondapu, 6-1, 6-0. Singles 3: Megan Reilly, 6-0, 6-0. Doubles 2: Manogna Konduri and Ellen Wu, 6-0, 6-1.
A 5-0 win over Trenton on Monday, October 28. Singles 1: Zhou, 6-0, 6-0. SIngles 2: Ji, 6-0, 6-1. Singles 3: Varna Kodoth, 6-0, 6-0. Doubles 1: Sanjana Nandal and Kimberly Wong, 6-0, 6-0. Doubles 2: Ananya Pappu and Elen Wu, 6-2, 6-1.
A 3-2 win over Princeton on Tuesday, October 29. Singles 2: Rich, 6-2, 6-2. Singles 3: Zhou, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2. Doubles 1: Le and Ravi, 6-4, 7-5.
Girls’ Volleyball
North (6-15). A 2-0 loss to Old Bridge on Tuesday, October 22. Anushka Singh: 7 assists, 3 digs. Jackie Tom: 5 assists, 3 digs. Vrinda Gupta, 4 digs.
South (12-8). A 2-0 win over Colonia on Tuesday, October 22. Jinae Park: 17 assists, 2 aces, 2 service points, 2 blocks, 2 digs, 1 kill. Hayley Merrill: 15 kills, 3 blocks, 2 service points 2 digs, 1 ace. Lauren Frullo: 15 service points, 4 digs, 3 aces, 1 kill, 1 block. Ivy Li: 10 service points, 2 aces, 1 dig.
A 2-1 win over Bishop Ahr on Friday, October 25. Merrill: 21 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks, 2 service points, 1 ace. Frullo: 10 digs, 7 service points, 2 aces, 1 kill. Park: 22 assists, 9 service points, 4 aces, 2 kills. Krishna Shah: 8 digs, 5 service points, 2 assists, 1 ace.
A 2-0 win over Piscataway on Tuesday, October 29. Merrill: 15 kills, 3 service points, 2 digs, 1 block, 1 ace. Park: 20 assists, 2 digs, 1 block, 1 kill, 1 service point. Shah: 4 service points, 2 kills, 1 block, 1 ace.
Cross Country
The North boys finished third and the girls finished fifth in the Mercer County Championships at Washington Crossing State Park on Friday, October 25.
North Boys. 12. Kian Jackson (16:30); 17. Bryan Howard (16:45); 24. Shu Ming Teoh (17:00); 28. Marcus Trenfield (17:08); 39. Rohan Doshi (17:19); 42. Gus Macdonald (17:32); 45. Samuel Parveen (17:36).
North Girls. 13. Manolya Altan (19:51); 21. Yuzki Oey (20:20); 28. Illyssa Stark (20:45); 51. Jessie Ngyen (21:44); 61. Sahana Natarajan (22:18); 73. Melanie Kiebuzinski (22:56); 79. Jaspriya Malhotra (23:26).
The South boys’ and girls’ squads each took first place in the Mercer County Championships.
South Boys. 1. Thomas Vinci (15:34); 2. Nikhil Pulimood (15:44); 4. Karn Setya (16:10); 11. Tim Bason (16:25); 13. Nick Maher (16:32); 20. Sam Williams (16:53); 27. Zach Crossey (17:08).
South Girls. 3. Christina Rancan (18:54); 4. Deirdre Casey (19:10); 5. Edlyn Gulama (19:21); 6. Penny Luan (19:31); 10. Alexandra Hesterberg (19:43); 25. Ali Bacher (20:35); 36. Alexandra Murray (21:04).
