The Westfield Leader Newspaper
The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood

CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK

Minutemen, Halsey Paralyze Blue Devil Footballers, 416

THE WEEK IN SPORTS

FRESH‘ H20’ GETS 2 TDS, SCHILLER PASSES FOR TWO

Raiders, ‘Wild Dogs’ Pounce Cardinal Gridmen, 2612

L. CARAVELLO SWEEPS EVERY EVENT, ALLAROUND

Blue Devils Win 7thStraight U. C. Gymnastics Tourney By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Lauren Caravello and her sister Jessica took an opportunity to make a few changes in their routines. The result allowed the thirdranked Westfield High School gymnastics team to capture its seventhstraight Union County Tournament (UCT) title. The Blue Devils totaled 106.5, outdoing the secondplace Union Catholic Vikings who totaled 99.675 and the Scotch PlainsFanwood Raiders who took third at 99.0.

Lauren Caravello seized first in every event to win the allaround with a 36.725 total. Blue Devil freshman Kristen Valla placed second at 34.9 and Jessica captured third at 34.825. Raider freshman Kyla Mendes took fourth at 34.8 and two Vikings Kim Drastura at 33.7 and Valerie Mitchell at 33.375 placed fifth and sixth, respectively. Viking Melanie Mitchell grabbed eighth at 32.6 and Raiders Jackie Tumolo at 32.05 and Megan Grabel at 30.8, finished 10th and 11th, respectively.

After winning the vaulting with a score of 9.1, Lauren Caravello, who is the twotime returning state champion on the uneven bars, easily won the event with an outstanding score of 9.575. Although every toplevel contestant had some difficulty on the balance beam, Lauren prevailed with

a score of 8.7. Then a superb floor routine, netting a score of 9.35, earned her the sweep.

Prior to the meet it would have been expected to be a battle among Lauren and Jessica Caravello and

Cranford freshman standout Bridget Murphy. Unfortunately, Murphy just happened to be in Ireland. So the question was will there be any change in strategy for Lauren?

“I’m actually throwing a new vault today and a new move on bars to prepare for the sectionals,” commented Lauren. “Depending on how my Tsukahara works out on my first vault, I may do it with a half twist on the second” – that means a lot of movement is going to be done in an event which takes just one second. “Then (on the uneven bars) I’m going to do an uprise half twist to front giant (swing).

Lauren added, “I did the uprise (maneuver) in the last meet and got it but it’s not really that consistent yet. But today, I want the experience.”

Valla placed second in the vault with a mark of 9.0, tied for third on the beam at 8.45 with Valerie and Melanie Mitchell, tied for third on the floor at 8.85 with Mendes and tied for fourth in the vault with Raider Grabel with a score of 8.6. Jessica’s fantastic performance on the floor yielded a secondplaced score of 9.3. She also tied for

By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Anyone who thought that the Scotch PlainsFanwood High School football had just a mediocre team this year, perhaps, should take a second look.

After a humiliating defeat to Westfield on September 23, the Raiders’ complex offense started to come together and their defense became very stubborn and took on a nickname known as the “Wild Dogs”. Since the Westfield game, the Raiders crushed Linden, 2514, Irvington, 428, Kearny, 260, and now Plainfield, 2612, on October 28.

Once again senior Clifton Freshwater played a major role as he rolled off 199 yards and two TDs on 28 carries – 148 yards in the second half. But that was not all. Junior quarterback Brian Schiller connected eight times on 13 pass attempts for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Senior fullback Gary Cousar was a recipient of one of those TD passes and sophomore Kyle Adams snagged the other TD pass.

As the season has progressed, Freshwater and the Raiders seem to be getting stronger and stronger. “We are working harder every week. This was a big game. We had to win. We came out here to play as a team and

you saw the outcome,” pointed out Freshwater.

“I want to thank my line. Without my line, I can’t do anything,” suggested Freshwater. “They were opening the holes and I was running in them.”

And, with emphasis, Freshwater added, “And coach is an excellent coach!”

After a chuckle, Raider Head Coach Steve Ciccotelli said, “They (Plainfield) have some good players. Holloway is a real good player. We talked at halftime about some things that we wanted to do. We are in great condition. We work very hard on that.”

As to Freshwater’s use in the second half, Ciccotelli said, “When we give him the ball, he runs hard. He runs over people and the line blocks. He is a power runner. As a team, we talk about getting better every day. That’s what we work on.”

As to Schiller, Ciccotelli pointed out, “We demand a lot of him and he is making some great reads. He is getting better every day.”

Junior Andrew Pavoni had three big receptions for 92 yards, Steve Williams grabbed one for 20 yards, Josh Finklestein caught one for six yards and Cousar had another for 21 yards. Ray Williams had a 12 yard gain on a slick reverse.

And the “Wild Dogs” were wild, putting constant pressure on the Cardinal

quarterback and making “cracking” tackles. Sophomore Matt Loomis made a key fouryard sack late in the fourth quarter, especially when the Cardinals were desperate to make gains.

“Wild junkyard dogs! We are just trying to kick off a personality and that is what this game is all about,” said Ciccotelli.

The Cardinals scored first when Tyrone Epps slid five yards for the TD with 4: 27 left in the first quarter.

Freshwater scored his first TD on a oneyard slant after the “Wild Dogs” forced the Cardinals to punt out of their endzone in the second quarter. The snap was dropped, the kicker attempted to run out and the Raiders crunched him on the one. The PAT failed.

The next Raider touchdown came when Adams grabbed a 12 yard pass with 1: 07 left in the half to cap a 78yard drive. Kicker Doug Gillie’s point after was good to give the Raiders a 136 lead at the half.

Despite coming out of the locker room late to begin the second half and being penalized for it, the Cardinals wasted no time chewing up the turf. Starting from the 16, and getting some help from a questionable interference call combined with a

By BRUCE JOHNSON

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Which is the real Westfield High School football team? The one that went 42 through its first six games, losing tight, winnable battles against Linden and Union? Or the one that showed up at Gary Kehler Stadium last Saturday and was whipped by Elizabeth 416?

A win over Elizabeth last Saturday would have virtually locked up a spot in the North Jersey Section 2 Group 4

playoffs. But, after a listless performance the offense consisted of one long run by Terrance Jenkins and one long kickoff return by Matt Daly; the defense allowed over 400 yards on the ground the playoffs sounded like something very far away.

Since a dominating win over Scotch PlainsFanwood in week 3, a solid effort to hand Shabazz its lone loss and a nice performance against Union, the Blue Devils have suddenly gone south, badly outplayed by both

Irvington (a 1412 win) and Elizabeth. They visit Kearny Saturday in a mustwin game if they want to have any shot at qualifying for the playoffs.

Amazingly, Elizabeth seemed to be doing what it could to help Westfield win. On the Minutemen’s first play, tailback Ibrahim Halsey fumbled and Westfield cocaptain Paul Johnston recovered at the Elizabeth 39. Quarterback Ryan MacDonald hit Jim Mitchell for 14 yards, then for 8 more, then connected with Jenkins, who bounced off three tacklers and raced 12 yards for a touchdown with 6: 47 left in the opening quarter. Andy Lessner’s PAT kicked was blocked.

Two plays later, WHS cocaptain Mike Mroz fell on another Halsey fumble, this time at the Elizabeth 37. But three plays gained nothing and Jay Cook punted into the end zone for a touchback. On third down, quarterback Qasim Sessoms overthrew his receiver and Mroz made the interception, returning the ball to the Elizabeth 31. Again the Devils offense stalled, picking up just four yards in four plays.

Finally, Elizabeth didn’t turn the ball over and on the first play after a penalty, Halsey took a pitch wide left, got outside the contain defenders and followed some good blocks for a 78yard touchdown. Mitchell made the stop after a fumbled snap on the PAT and the first period ended 66.

Another Cook punt put the ball at the Elizabeth 26, and it took just

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

ZOTTI, HENSAL BOTH NET 2; FLEISSNER SHINES ON GOAL

Soccer Raiders Easily Tame Linden Tiger Boys, 70 By DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Senior keeper Brad Lowyns had very little to do in the first half and even rested the entire second half as the seventhranked Scotch PlainsFanwood boys soccer team overwhelmed Linden, 70, in Scotch Plains on October 25. Lowyns’ rest allowed sophomore backup keeper Ricky Fleissner to show off his talent.

The first half was similar to a halfcourt basketball game but with one team constantly controlling the ball. The result was Lowyns taking the responsibility of positioning his teammates and maintaining focus.

“He tries to keep himself actively involved in the game and remain focused,” explained Raider Head Coach Tom Breznitsky of Lowyns in that type of situation. “He works with his defense and makes sure they are marking up. You never know. You could get a shot all of the sudden.”

Senior Mike Zotti and Jeff Hensal led the Raider assault with two goals each and Andrew Babicz and Brett Bushinger added one each. The seventh goal came on an own goal.

Dave Bell looped a shot from midfield over the defender and Hensal got it and drilled the net 11: 49 into the game. With 9: 35 left in the half, Zotti broke through and whizzed an unassisted shot into the goal. The third goal of the half came when

Dave Sigmon hooked a corner kick into Bushinger who headed the ball into the far post with 3: 24 left.

Coach Breznitsky platooned most of his first team in the second half and in came Fleissner for the duration. With the change, the Tigers did manage to claw into Raider territory and get off a few shots. However, Fleissner made two brilliant leaping saves and added influence with booming kicks to midfield. On one occasion, senior

defender Matt Metzger made a great deflection of a Tiger shot.

“He is an excellent goalkeeper,” said Breznitsky of Fleissner. “He is the goalkeeper of the future. He has to play behind Brad but we have a lot of confidence in him if he ever had to go in. And, he showed it today with some good saves.”

In the meantime, the Raiders continued to score. Zotti, charging with

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times BEATING THE TIGER… Raider Dave Bell, No. 4, beats the Linden Tiger defenders to the ball. The Raiders defeated Linden, 70. Andrew Babicz, No. 13, follows up.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times THE DEVIL DEFENSE DOING ITS JOB… Blue Devil Dave King, No. 51, delivers a crushing blow to a Minuteman. Unfortunately, Elizabeth did some crushing of its own, winning 416.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times FLEXIBILITY… Jessica Caravello shows her astounding flexibility on the beam.

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times ON HIS WAY TO A 32YARD TOUCHDOWN… Raider halfback Clifton Freshwater seems to get better every week and so does the entire Raider team. This time, Freshwater glides for a 32yard touchdown.

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