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WOODWARD RETURNS KICK-OFF 79-YARDS FOR TD
Hudson Catholic Uses Ground Attack to Beat Raiders, 28-14
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Senior Terrance Murphy scored on a 23-yard touchdown run only :33 into the game and went on to score two more rushing touchdowns as the Hudson Catholic Hawks used a continuous ground attack to defeat the Scotch Plains-Fanwood football team, 28-14, in Jersey City on September 19. Raider senior Blair Woodward dazzled the Hawks by returning a kick-off 79 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Murphy zoomed into the end zone in the first quarter to put the Hawks in front, 6-0. The extra point attempt was blocked. Hawks quarterback Jon Wasielewski softened the Raider defense with several option runs late in the first quarter, then sophomore Steve Brummer rolled left from the 35-yard line of the Raiders and scored the second touchdown with 11:48 remaining in the second quarter. Wasielewski slanted to his right and got the two-point conversion to make the score 14-0.
On the ensuing kick-off, Raider Jeremy Dodge fielded the ball and downed it on the Raider 33 yard line. Junior Nathan Jones slanted 12 yards to the left for a first down at the 45 yard line. After Woodward made a two-yard gain, quarterback Joe Franzone completed a 16-yard pass to Jones in the right flat for another first down at the Hawks 37.
The Raiders took advantage of a personal foul against the Hawks and gained another first down at the 21. La’Marr McDaniel burst through the middle to the 17, then Franzone handed off to Jones who zipped off tackle and into the end zone for a Raider touchdown. The kick was blocked and with 7:54 left in the half, the Raiders had narrowed the score 14-6.
The Hawks received the kick off on the 22-yard line and returned it to the 35 where Woodward made the tackle. From there, the Hawks continued with a grueling ground assault using the quickness of Wasielewski and Murphy. In addition, the Hawks took advantage of a 15-yard facemask penalty and a five-yard off sides penalty. From the two-yard line, Murphy slanted into the end zone for his second touchdown. The extra point was good and with 1:55 left in the half, the Hawks had a 21-6 lead.
Woodward received the kick off on his own 21, sped up the left sideline, then shifted to his right to dodge several tacklers and flew into the end zone for the touchdown. With only :18 having been ticked off the clock, the Raiders had narrowed the score to 21-12. Next, the Raiders set up as if to kick the extra point; however, Franzone, the assumed kicker, received the hike, rolled to his left and found Jones in the end zone for the two-point conversion. With 1:37 remaining, the score was cut to 21-14.
After the kick off the Hawks began another ground attack with runs from Wasielewski, Murphy and Kevin Lissenden; however, when the Hawks finally took to the air with only :11 left in the half, Raider Woodward intercepted the pass at the Raider 30 and returned the ball to midfield. The Raiders ran out the clock and hustled optimistically into the locker room.
For a brief period, the momentum seemed to be on the Raiders’ side when Woodward received the kick
MOSER HITS 2, FERRARA 1, RAPUANO NAILS ONE
Raiders Hit Pay Dirt in 2nd Half to Down the Devils, 3-1
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
A gallant defensive stand by the Westfield High School boys soccer team was finally penetrated in the second half as the second-ranked Scotch Plains-Fanwood boys came up with a 3-1 victory. Raider CoCaptains Todd Moser and Eugene Ferrara scored two and one goal, respectively to ice the victory.
The 19-ranked Blue Devils, although under constant pressure, played the Raider attack force of Moser, Ferrara, Mike Franzone, Mike Zotti and Tafarie Laing so tightly that in the first half that very few direct shots on goal could be launched. When the shots were launched, Blue Devil goalie Mike Idland made the saves. With seconds remaining in the half, Idland dove to his right and made a superb save.
In the second half the Raiders continued to take the offensive. Franzone whizzed the ball just to the outside of the left post with 3:50 off the clock. Minutes later Dan Harrison lofted a shot over the net.
With 26:30 left in the game Blue Devil Alex Lau broke into the open and fired a shot at the Raider net, but sophomore goalie Brad Lowyns snagged it. Moments later, Blue Devil Mike Orlando fired wide to the left.
The temporary penetration into Raider territory aroused the Raiders. With 24:02 left in the game, Moser took a feed on the left side from Jeff Fiorino and whacked a left-footed shot from 18-yards out into the right side of the net.
“I’m the person who is supposed to carry the team. I guess that I’ve got to live up to it. Jeff (Fiorino) made a good feed and I found an opening on the right,” stated Moser.
Minutes later, Raider Zotti fired a straight-on shot at the goal but Blue Devil Frank Ianni, who was about
four-yards away, threw himself in front of the ball and successfully blocked it. Later, with 18:45 on the clock, Fiorino took a left-footed shot which bounced off the left pole, Moser recovered it and booted the ball just over the crossbar.
Blue Devil seniors Mike Stotler and Brian Gillin, who had been sticking to the Raider attackers like a silk shirt on humid day, successfully put down another assault. Fiorino hooked a corner kick toward Zotti, who attempted to head the ball into the goal, but the clinging defense kept him slightly off line. Next, with 15:00
left, Moser fired from 25-yards out, but the ball was immediately blocked. Moser got the rebound and kicked the ball to Laing who headed the ball toward the goal, but Idland made another great diving save.
With 13:04 remaining, Blue Devil Ralph Rapuano took a free kick on the left side, outran a defender, then blazed a shot into the left side of the Raider net from 14-yards out to tie the score. Seconds later, Rapuano ripped another shot but Lowyns made the save.
“The ball went over the defender’s
YANNUZZI SCORES A HAT TRICK; HEINZEL BAGS TWO
Blue Devil Soccer Girls Blaze Past the Young Raiders, 8-0
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
What appeared to be a battle of defenses turned into a rout when the Westfield High School girls amassed seven goals in the second half to dazzle the youthful Scotch PlainsFanwood girls, 8-0, at Tamaques Park in Westfield on September 16. Liza Yannuzzi bagged three goals to
lead the Blue Devil girls to their second victory.
The young Raider defense backed up by experienced senior goalie Christine Bowers repelled one attack after another and yielded only a goal to Yannuzzi in the first half. Only on a few occasions did the Raiders penetrate the Blue Devils’ half of the field but no shots could be made on
goal. The Blue Devils had 10 shots on goal in the first half.
“We played to the other team’s level in the first half,” stated Blue Devil Head Coach Pete Giordano. “We weren’t setting up the ball. We were just kicking the ball around.”
Once the second half began, the Blue Devils found a chink in the Raiders’ defensive armor and the flood gates opened wide. Yannuzzi blasted in the next two goals early in the second half. Afterwards, Suzanne Heinkel found the net twice and Taryn Wyckoff, Valerie Griffeth and Diana Kressner added one goal apiece.
“We started doing what we were supposed to do,” stated Giordano. “We played it out wide, then put the ball across to the middle. They (Raiders) started to follow the play. So once we got them going in one direction, we cut the ball across the middle and scored,” added Giordano.
With reference to the Blue Devils’ change in effectiveness, Giordano pointed out, “In the first half, we had one goal with 10 shots on goal. In the second half, we had 10 shots on goal with seven scores. In the second half, we had a couple of breakaways. On Liza’s (Yannuzzi) third goal, she brought the ball across. Everybody
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
Raiders Return Five Starters to the Courts
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
First singles player Carolyn Pilkington led the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School girls’ tennis team to a very respectable 15-4 record last year and a No. 5 ranking in The Courier News Top 10 list. However, four other starters from that fine team also have returned with hopes of improving upon the achievements of last year. Last year, the Raiders’ only losses came at the rackets of Morristown in the state tournament, J. P. Stevens and two to Westfield.
Already this season, the Raiders have annihilated J. P. Stevens, 5-0, and Rahway, 5-0. Last year, in the J. P. Stevens match, Pilkington and her opponent, Julia Fu, battled till dark, only to end up in a draw. This season, Pilkington defeated Fu, 6-2, 7-5.
Pilkington, now a junior, occupied the first singles position since her freshman year. Last year, she placed second in the Union County Tournament, was named to the First Team All-Area by The Courier News and finished with a 15-4-2 record.
Senior Co-Captain Diegi Notoane who played second singles last year was named to the First Team All-Union/Middlesex list by The Courier News. This season she has, once again, been competing at second singles and easily defeated her J. P. Stevens opponent, 6-0, 6-2, in the season opener.
Junior Cara Bristol who competed at first doubles last year has successfully started in the opener at third singles against J. P. Stevens this season, shutting out her opponent, 6-0, 6-0.
Senior Co-Captain Danielle Kapner, who alternated at third singles and first doubles last year, has paired with senior teammate Jan Weiner at first doubles
this season and demolished their J. P. Stevens opponents, 6-0, 6-3.
New faces have appeared at second doubles. Senior Kari Whitley and sophomore Sarah Anderson made their debut by defeating their J. P. Stevens opponents, 6-2, 7-5.
“Last year, Kari sprained her ankle and missed the entire season,” stated Raider Head Coach Sue Allen.
Coach Allen was asked of her team’s chances in the Union County Tournament. “The Star Ledger indicated that we are ranked fourth this year behind
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
JESSICA CARAVELLO WIN 3 EVENTS
Devil Gymnasts Sink BridgeH2O, 102.7-82.6
Westfield High School Head Gymnastics Coach Ellen Kovac used the services of 10 of her talented gymnasts and easily swamped BridgewaterRaritan High School, 102.7-82.6, in Bridgewater on September 18. No single Blue Devil gymnast competed in all four events; however, freshman Jessica Caravello captured first place in three of the four events.
Caravello scored an 8.95 in the vaulting, an 8.4 on the balance beam and an 8.35 on the floor exercises; however, the highest score was turned in by senior Julie Elmuccio on the uneven bars with a total of 9.2. Elmuccio also placed second in the vault with a total of 8.9.
Freshman Lauren Caravello grabbed seconds on the bars with a 9.0, the beam with an 8.25 and on the floor exercises with an 8.25. Senior
Laurie Hogan placed third on the uneven bars with an 8.95, the floor exercises with an 8.1 and on the balance beam with an 8.1. Junior Tara Clarke seized third on the vault with a score of 8.25.
Sarah Burke and Katy Brunetto had respective scores of 7.8 and 7.75 0n the vault. Clarke also scored a 7.3 on the floor exercises and Brunetto had a 6.35 on the floor.
Senior Co-Captains Allison Checchio and Amy Seligman both scored 7.15 on the balance beam. Seligman also scored a 6.65 on the uneven bars and freshman Bethany Goldman turned in a fine 6.85 on the bars.
The Blue Devils will compete in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Tournament (formerly the Bulldog Tournament) tomorrow evening in Scotch Plains.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
David B. Corbin for The Leader and The Times
HARD WHACK…Senior first doubles player Jan Weiner takes a powerful whack at the tennis ball prior to a match with Rahway.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
DEFENDING THE SIDELINE…Blue Devil Mike Stotler, No. 5, hangs very close to Raider scoring threat Todd Moser, No. 2, and kicks the ball out of bounds to allow the Blue Devils time to regroup.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
DEFENDING THE GOAL…Blue Devil seniors Brian Gillin, No. 22, and Mike Stotler, No. 5, attempt to block a shot from Raider senior Todd Moser in the second half. The Raiders defeated the Blue Devils, 3-1.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times
PUTTING ON THE ATTACK…Blue Devil junior Valerie Griffeth, No. 5, forces her way between Raider freshman Jaclyn Fiorino, No. 2, and junior Meryl Bezrutczyk in the first half.
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