The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

THE WEEK IN SPORTS Check it out on the website! www. goleader. com High School Sports pgs 1317

RON JENERETTE CHANGES MOMENTUM, SINKS 15

Raiders Rally But Fall Short; Farmer Cagers Win, 6255

ORANGE PANTHERS OUTCLAW PARK PANTHERS; KIVETZ GETS 4TH

National Orange ‘Flare’ Overwhelms Blue Devil Wrestling Classic Action By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

A national flare continued at the Blue Devil Classic Wrestling Tournament in Westfield on December 29 and this time a very impressive Panther team from Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina took top honors with 153.5 points to outclaw the defending champion Roselle Park Panthers that finished second with 134. Also, the tournament increased to 11 teams and the wrestling quality was, indeed, magnified.

Oddly enough, both Panther teams have a lot in common. The Orange High School head coach, Bob Schriner, was formerly a Roselle Park wrestling standout and his brother James is the present Roselle Park Athletic Director. Westfield provided the hospitality and the Orange Panthers graciously accepted it by supplying five champions and two runnersup. The Park Panthers provided two champions, two runnersup and four thirdplace finishers.

Having entered only four wrestlers, the Westfield Blue Devils finished with eight team points. Senior Mike Kivetz, seeded third at 171, wound up with a fourth place finish.

Kivetz wrestled well against Chris Parisi of West Milford and advanced to the semifinals with a 132, majority

decision. Kivetz scored four takedowns, a twopoint tilt and a threepoint nearfall, turning Parisi with a power half nelson. However,

with his explosive style some adjustments could be made and coaches Glen Kurz and Lou Cerchio would constantly remind him.

“They said I did a smart match. I didn’t do anything nonthinking unBy

DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

What a difference a player made! After being thrashed, 239, in the first quarter, the Scotch PlainsFanwood High School boys basketball team outplayed the Union Farmers but fell short, 6255, in the consolation round of the Cindy Pools Classic in Scotch Plains on December 28. Raider senior Ron Jenerette, entering for the first time in the second quarter, made the difference as he used his size and aggressiveness to throw the Farmers off their game while scoring 15 points.

“With all the big guys in, they couldn’t guard all of us,” said Jenerette. “If they press me, I just give it to (Andy) Feeley or Derrick (Brown).”

It was all Union in the first quarter as the Farmers quickly converted six steals into 12 points. Raider Derrick Brown scored seven of the Raiders’ nine points while sophomore Brian Schiller added the remainder.

The Farmers increased their lead to 289 early in the second quarter, but things changed drastically when the 6’4”, 245 pound Jenerette rumbled on the court and reeked havoc. The result, the Raiders outscored the Farmers, 159. With the inclusion of Jenerette the Raiders tightened up their defense, controlled the boards and forced the Farmers to miss their shots and to make bad passes. Also he drew fouls and sank six of six free throws nine of ten in the game to go along with his short jumper. Raider Matt Chewning added to the surge with a threepointer.

“I guess that’s the way I play,” commented Jenerette on his ability to draw fouls.

The comeback continued in the third quarter as the Raiders outpointed the Farmers, 1911, to knot the score 4343. Midway through the quarter, the Raiders went on a 12point run to take a 3837 lead. During that run, junior Andy Feeley hit for two, senior Dave Herrmann followed with a slick steal and four points, Jenerette added a blocked shot and three free throws, then Schiller

topped it off with a threepointer. Unfortunately for the Raiders, the Farmers recovered in the final quarter, but not before Chewning chomped off another threepointer to put the Raiders in front, 4643. Farmer Rob Zinkowicz and Muhammad Oliver both came alive and hit for eight and six points, respectively. Raider sophomore Steve Williams found the mark and nailed all seven of his points but the Farmers held on to win.

The Raiders who yielded six steals in the first quarter, allowed far fewer for the remainder of the game.

“We just gained more confidence,” said Jenerette. “We knew that we could bring the ball up. We may have been a little afraid in the beginning of the game because we have a lot of young guys. We just had to get used to the pressure. Also we tried to run

with them in the beginning and we are not a running team.”

Feeley led the Raiders with nine defensive and two offensive rebounds and also made two blocked shots while Herrmann had five rebounds and Williams had three. Brown finished with 13 points, Herrmann and Chewning both had six and Feeley had five as the Raiders slid to 04.

Oliver was deadly throughout the game and finished with 21 points, Zinkowicz finished with 18 and Chris Chadwick totaled 13 points as the Farmers boosted their record to 31.

“In the beginning of the season, we were a little timid. This was a real confidence boost,” said Jenerette of the Raiders’ solid play after the first quarter.

Union 23 9 11 19 62 Sc PlFanwood 9 15 19 12 55

CUSIMANO NETS 11, THORNTON YANKS DOWN EIGHT

Blue Devils Hustle to Humble Bulldog Basketballers, 4223

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Repeating as PantherPride Tournament Champions has been on the mind of Head Coach Joe Marino, and his Westfield High School girls basketball team took the first step by humbling Jonathan Dayton, 4223, on December 28 in Roselle Park to advance to the finals. Sophomore Jackie Cusimano scored seven of her gameleading 11 points in the first quarter as the Blue Devils set the pace by leaping to an early 136 lead.

The Blue Devils worked successfully as a team both offensively and defensively, and their efforts reflected on the scoreboard. Junior Carolyn Matthews offensively spread the wealth as she distributed seven assists and nearly every Devil had their share of the 34 rebounds. Led by junior Karen Manahan with five, seven Devil girls committed larceny by combining for 14 steals.

“We controlled the board the whole time plus we were changing the defense up on them a little bit, giving them a multiple look which confused them,” commented Marino.

“We made sure that they didn’t get their shots off. They had some good shooters,” said Marino of the Bulldogs. “We were definitely pressuring the ball.”

Led by Cusimano who hit for five points, the Devils jumped to a 92 lead with 2: 15 left in the first quarter after Manahan and Courtney Thornton both hit twopointers. Manahan and Cusimano added layups and Bulldogs Esther Aizenberg and Rachel Tiss also sank two points each prior to the end of the quarter.

Thornton, Kelley Masterson and Manahan added two points each early in the second quarter to push the Blue Devils’ lead to 196. After Bulldog Iyeisha Gordon hit a short jumper, Devil senior Val Griffeth rebounded her own missed foul shot and rolled in a layup, then later Matthews nailed a threepointer to extend the half time lead to 2410.

Parity ruled in the third quarter as the Bulldogs scored nine points and the Blue Devils sank eight. Thornton, Griffeth, Masterson and senior Kristen Leonardis each hit two pointers.

Dominance was insured in the final quarter as the Blue Devils outscored the Bulldogs, 104. Manahan hit two free throws, then the play of the game occurred when Cusimano passed to Matthews on a fast break. While in the air, Matthews

realized that she had a bad angle so she quickly flicked the basketball behind her to Cusimano who then laid the ball in for two points. The next great play followed when Matthews grabbed a defensive rebound, saw Cusimano breaking toward the basket and heaved the ball down court to Cusimano who then rolled in a layup. Leonardis scored the final, four Blue Devil points by sinking two free throws and a layup.

Manahan finished with eight points, Thornton and Leonardis each had six, Masterson and Griffeth both had four and Matthews had three points.

“Our girls were looking for each other and they were getting their shots off,” said Marino of the Blue Devils’ offensive success.

Thornton led with eight rebounds, followed by Manahan with seven,

Jen Hayes and Masterson with four and Val Wicks and Suanne Hutchinson with two each. Cusimano and Matthews had three and two steals, respectively and Griffeth added two assists.

Nearly every Blue Devil girl was in on the successful act. “It’s hard for me to say,” said Marino about who may have been the player of the game. “I have to give credit to everyone of those girls. They all worked hard. I’d say that the whole batch of them did a great job.”

Westfield upped its record to 12 and Dayton fell to 12. When asked how they would do in the finals, Marino said, “We’re going to win.”

Dayton 6 4 9 4 23 Westfield 13 11 8 10 42

MATTHEWS PUSHES IN 18 POINTS

Devil Hoopsters Grab Panther Pride, 5547

Westfield High School girls basketball Head Coach Joe Marino was true to his word when he said that they would win the Panther Pride Tournament as his Blue Devils defeated the Roselle Park girls, 5547, on December 30. Junior Carolyn Matthews sizzled as she burned the net for a gamehigh 18 points.

Last year, the same two teams met in the finals and the Blue Devil girls defeated the Panthers, 3625. Liz McKeon became the tournament MVP as she sank 18 points against Dayton and repeated that act against the Panthers.

Last year, the Blue Devil girls took a 102, first quarter lead over the Panthers; however, things were a bit different this year as the Panthers jumped in front, 1512. The Blue Devils did awaken and startled the Panthers as they outscored them 158 in the second quarter and 1610 in the third.

Matthews nailed 12 of her points in the first half and, along with sophomore Jackie Cusimano who sank 12 and junior Karen Manahan who zipped in 11 total points, the Blue Devils controlled the tempo of the game from the second quarter on ward. Junior Courtney Thornton hit

for seven points, senior Val Griffeth scored five and Jesina Gonzalez added two.

Roxie Netta led the Panthers with 15 points and veterans Kristen Pirozzi, Carrie Gorombey and Joanna Ollinick had 10, eight and four points, respectively. The Panthers slipped to 22 while the Blue Devils rose to 22.

Westfield 12 15 16 12 55 Roselle Park 15 8 10 14 47

two runnersup and one thirdplace finisher. Chief sophomore Derek Tranchina at 140 Westfield High School Athletic Director Ed Tranchina’s son just missed placing third when he was taken down in the final seconds, losing 76.

The Devils resumed their season on January 5 at Shabazz and will travel to Kearny tomorrow for a 7 p. m. match.

TEAM SCORES: 1. Orange [N. C.] (O) 153.5, 2.

Roselle Park (RP) 134, 3. Howell (H) 118.5, 4. West Milford (WM) 117.5, 5. Piscataway (P) 110, 6.

Colonia (C) 109, 7. Middlesex Mx) 36, 8. Morristown (Mo) 32, 9. Dover (D) and Westfield (W) 8, 11.

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

til the last five seconds. They did say though that I had to slide back a little when I used legs. I put him on my lap. I can’t get away with that much

longer,” commented Kivetz. “I thought that I dominated the guy. But I kept looking back at the coaches to try to calm down a little.”

In the semifinals, Kivetz faced eventual champion Mike Reitemeyer

of Piscataway and had a tight bout. With the score tied 33 in the third period, Reitemeyer escaped and added a takedown. Kivetz escaped to make the score 64 and, as time was running out, he made a desperate attempt to get a takedown but Reitemeyer countered to win 84.

The battle for third place resulted in a wild and confusing scoring fest with Kivetz accumulating the short end of a 1611 decision.

Blue Devil sophomore John Leonardis at 119 drew defending 103 champion Tyrone Hodge of Orange the eventual 119 pound champion and was stopped in 1: 45. Devil Kyle Swingle at 145 fell to Dan Kochakji in the opening round and heavyweight Nick Clark was pinned by Ahmed Zanati of Howell in 4: 23.

The Howell Renegades placed third with 118.5 points and had three champions and two runnersup while new entry West Milford finished a very close fourth with 117.5 points and provided two champions, two runnersup and three thirdplace finishers. The Piscataway Chiefs placed fifth with 110 points and had two champions,

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times TRYING TO KEEP A FARMER AWAY FROM THE BASKET… Raider juniors Andy Feeley, No. 22, and Derrick Brown, right, attempt to keep a Union Farmer from getting near the basket during a consolation game at the Cindy Pools Classic in Scotch Plains on December 28. The Raiders made a gallant attempt against the Farmers but fell short, 6255. See additional picture on page 15.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times MAD SCRAMBLE FOR THE BALL… Blue Devil junior Courtney Thornton, left, wins the scramble for the basketball during the game with the Jonathan Dayton Bulldogs at the Panther Pride Tournament in Roselle Park on December 28. Westfield defeated Roselle Park, 5547, in the finals to repeat as champions. See additional picture on page 14.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times BATTLING FOR THE TITLE… Mike Reitemeyer, top, of Piscataway tries to control returning champion Doug Schoening of Roselle Park in the 171 finals. Reitemeyer scored a takedown in the final seconds to win, 32.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times SETTING UP THE POWER HALF… Blue Devil Mike Kivetz, left, finds himself in the primary stages of setting up a power half tilting maneuver against Chris Parisi of West Milford. Although he was a little high on Parisi, Kivetz did manage to tilt him a few times to win a 132, majority decision at 171 pounds.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times LOOKING FOR THE NET… Blue Devil CoCaptain Val Griffeth, No. 33, looks for the basket while being closely guarded by a Dayton Bulldog during the first round of the Panther Pride Classic in Roselle Park on December 28. The Blue Devils defeated the Bulldogs, 4223, then went on to defeat Roselle Park, 5547.