Volleyball team advances to state quarterfinal today
VERNON. Vikings, seeded eighth, rally from a set down to defeat ninth-seeded Jefferson in the opening round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 tournament.
Vernon /
| 31 May 2023 | 05:08
VLX1 Vernon attacker Makenna Thomas (20) chases Sparta Spartans midfielder Uma Kowalski (7) during the first round of the girls varsity lacrosse state tournament Thursday, May 25 at Sparta High School. Kowalski scored the winning goal with seconds to spare, helping the Spartans beat the Vikings, 15-14. (Photos by Aja Brandt)
VLX2 Vernon goaltender Abby Sokolewicz (99) defends an attempted goal by Spartan midfielder Uma Kowalski (7). Riley Lewicki of Vernon, left, and Brooke Weyant of Sparta, back right, support their teammates in the Vernon defense zone.
VLX3 Vernon midfielder Sidney Tassel (15) catches the ball before Spartan midfielder Aine Byrne (14) after an opening draw.
Uma Kowalski of Sparta (7) protects the ball from Makenna Thomas (20) and Abby Bonnema (2), both of Vernon. Her Spartan teammates Shea Cina, back left; Sophia Paolercio (18); and Katherine McCall (24) support Kowalski across the field.
Vernon attacker Makenna Thomas (20), tries to check the ball from Spartan midfielder Uma Kowalski (7). Spartan midfielder Aine Byrne (14) communicates that she is open to her teammate.
VLX4 Vernon teammates join in a group hug after their loss to Sparta in the first round of the girls varsity lacrosse state tournament.
The Vernon Vikings and Sparta Spartans line up to shake hands after the game.
Catherine Siipola (22) and Jane Bleakley (21), both of Sparta, along with Grace Dobrzynski (13) of Vernon, wait for their teammates Sidney Tassel (15) of Vernon and Aine Byrne (14) of Sparta to draw the ball. A draw is used in girls lacrosse to start play after each goal.
The Vernon Vikings raise their sticks during a time-out huddle in the first round.
Parents and family members watch the Sparta and Vernon girls lacrosse teams from both sides of the fence.
The Vernon Township High School boys volleyball team’s success in the regular season carried into the post-season as the Vikings earned a hard-fought three-set first-round victory over Jefferson on Thursday, May 25 at home.
Vernon, the eighth seed, rallied from a set down to defeat ninth-seeded Jefferson, 23-25, 25-16, 25-16, in the opening round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Group 2 tournament. The team advances to the quarterfinal round Wednesday, May 31 against top-seeded Summit.
The Vikings (14-7) were paced by Tristan Santiago (19 digs, one kill, one ace), Logan Peek (eight digs), Ben Jurewicz (12 kills, four digs, three blocks), Caden Krzyzak (four kills, one block), Jon Chromcik (two blocks, one dig, one kill), Josh Jean (15 kills, 12 digs. 1.5 blocks), one assist), Joe Petrucci (11 digs, four kills) and Pearse Esposito (33 assists, 11 digs, two aces, one kill, one block).
Here’s how other Vernon teams fared last week:
Baseball
The ninth-seeded Vikings were eliminated from the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament with a 4-0 loss to top-seeded Glen Rock there on Thursday, May 25.
Derek Lazier had two of Vernon’s five hits in the setback.
Vernon (17-6) had advanced with a 7-1 victory over eighth-seeded Jefferson in the first round May 22 in Oak Ridge.
Robert Nathan pitched a four-hitter with three strikeouts and four walks and Drew Ebbighuasen went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI, Anthony Marositz was 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs, and Jake Klein doubled twice and scored three runs.
Softball
The Vikings, seeded 13th, bowed to fourth-seeded Jefferson, 6-1, in the opening round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament May 23 in Oak Ridge.
Vernon, which finished its season with a 10-10 record, received two singles in the game from Carly Amorosi.
Maryanna Cova-Gomez batted .508 (32-for-63) with 19 runs, 16 RBI, two doubles and two triples. Amorosi hit .500 (26-for-52) with 15 runs and nine stolen bases, and Jessica LeFort added 24 hits with three home runs.
Boys lacrosse
Vernon, the 10th seed, had its season-high three-game winning streak snapped in the opening round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 tournament when it lost at seventh-seeded River Dell on Friday, May 26.
The Vikings were led by Ty Holden (30 goals, eight assists), Aidan Duffy (22 goals, four assists), Kane Lynch (19 goals, 33 assists), Gage Moskovitz (15 goals, seven assists) and goalie Luca Vizzini (125 saves).
Girls lacrosse
The Vikings, seeded 11th, battled valiantly but suffered a season-ending 15-14 loss to sixth-seeded Sparta in the opening round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 tournament on May 25 in Sparta.
Sidney Van Tassel had a career-high nine goals and Colleen Fraser added two goals for Vernon (10-8). Van Tassel, a junior, finished the season with 78 goals and 12 assists and now has 205 career points (155 goals, 50 assists).
Lexi Moskovitz (36 goals, 22 assists), Fraser (25 goals, 37 assists), Makenna Thomas (20 goals, two assists), Kaitlyn White (15 goals, four assists) and Abby Sokolewicz (95 saves) led the team.
Boys tennis
The 10th-seeded Vikings concluded their season with a 5-0 loss to seventh-seeded Sparta in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament on May 25 in Sparta.
Vernon (9-4) was led this spring by Morgan Freifelder (first singles), Michael Malolepszy (second singles), Michael Onysko-Koch (third singles), Alexander Keating and Luke Keating (first doubles), and Joseph Costa and Owen Young (second doubles).