Exceptionally strong pitching set up yet another extra-inning game when the Central Jersey (CJ), Group 2 championAL Johnson softball Crusaders hosted the South Jersey, Group 2 champion Barnegat Bengals in the Group 2 semifinal in Clark on June 8. Crusader junior Cassie Conforti and Bengal ace Gianna...

A mixture of big wins and unanticipated losses highlighted the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School baseball team’s season. The Raiders, who seesawed with wins and losses, did however have a promising early win streak over several Union County opponents to set up a third seed for the UCT, only to be st...

Pool play for the Cal Ripken, Jr. District 12 12U baseball tournament opened at Gumbert Fields in Westfield on June 13 with nine teams competing for the championship. The Cranford 12U squad faced the Scotch Plains-Fanwood 12U on Gumbert Field 1 and capitalized on a six-run outburst in the top of the...

Strength of schedule, especially against Union County opponents, made it a very difficult season for the Westfield High School softball team. Throughout the season, the Blue Devils faced six teams that won titles (3 of the teams twice), two that lost in championship finals (faced one a second time) ...

Being merciful was not in the cards for the third-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School lacrosse Raider boys when they hosted the sixthseeded Northern Highlands Highlanders in the quarterfinal round of the North Jersey, Group 3 Tournament in Scotch Plains on June 1. The 18-3, No. 8 Raiders were n...

Same story, different year! Expectations of a highly physical showdown between the third-seeded, No. 14 Bridgewater-Raritan Panthers boys lacrosse team and the second-seeded, No. 11 Westfield Blue Devils in the semifinal round of the North Jersey, Group 4 Tournament became a reality at Gary Kehler S...

A bit of an early surprise was quickly extinguished by the second-seeded, No. 6 Westfield High School girls lacrosse team in its North Jersey, Group 5 quarterfinal game with the seventh-seeded Montclair Bulldogs at Gary Kehler Stadium in Westfield on June 1. After ceding the first goal then trailing...

Offensive support came just at the right time when the second-seeded AL Johnson High School softball Crusaders hosted the 11th-seeded Bordentown Scotties in the Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinal round in Clark on June 2. But it certainly took a while when both teams were locked in a vicious pitchers...

Pitcher Gabe Arato did not give the second-seeded North Hunterdon baseball Lions much to growl about and his offense came alive in the later innings to earn the third-seeded Cranford Cougars a 9-3 triumph in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 semifinal round atAnnandale on June 3. Cranford then go...

A golden opportunity to give its entire roster ample field time occurred early on when the second-seeded Westfield High School boys lacrosse team hosted the 15th-seeded West Orange Mountaineers at Gary Kehler Stadium in Westfield on May 27. The 11-7 Blue Devils pounded the 7-12 Mountaineers with nin...