MCT: Boys Soccer Preview (Prelim Round)

MCT: Boys Soccer Preview
Boys Soccer – Morris County Tournament Preview
Sept. 28-29, 2007

The 2007 Morris County Tournament begins this weekend with the preliminary games. The top nine seeds, based on the coaches voting, have received a bye in this round and will begin MCT play on (or about) Saturday, October 7th. Mendham is the defending Champions. The Minutemen defeated Delbarton in last years’ final held at Cougar Field in Chatham.

Top seeded Delbarton is arguably the most balanced team in the tournament. The Green Wave possess it all, but were not rewarded by getting the winner the battle that will take place in the 16/17 match up. All games are scheduled for at the higher seed’s home field for the 1st three rounds. The Quarterfinals will be held at Morris Catholic on Saturday, October 21st at 12:00 and 2:00. Please note that the girls’ games will be held at the same time, so get there early because parking will be at a premium. I have been told that the AD’s will try to avoid conflict if the boys and girls teams from one school are scheduled to be playing at the same. The championship match will be held at Chatham’s Cougar Field at 12:00. The Girls play after and are scheduled for 2:00

The preliminary round:

(17) West Morris at (16) Parsippany: This is a great opening match –up, a brutal game by any means. Both teams play brutal schedules and as a result of a sub-par record have dropped (somehow) to 16 & 17. Parsippany played a scoreless first half with Chatham earlier in the week before falling 3-1. Keeper James Jones stopped 16 shots in the match and can keep the Red Hawks in this game. West Morris moved to 3-4 after knocking off East Orange on Wednesday. Note that West Morris knocked off Randolph (the 12-seed) 4-0 on opening day and can be explosive, but have also been blanked on more than one occasion. Parsippany just knocked off West Essex, 2-1. Overall, this one is too tough to call and will probably end up in overtime or going to kicks. I’m going with West Morris on kicks.

(21) Mt. Olive at (12) Randolph: It’s always a shame when two conference teams get matched up in the first round. The Rams fell to Seton Hall 3-1 this past Wednesday. The game was tied 1-1 at the half. This was the only goal allowed by the 7-0 Pirates. The Rams were 4-2 on seeding day. Mt. Olive fell to 0-6-1 after a 1-1 tie with Livingston and loss to Morristown early in the week. Although this will be a good time for the Marauders to notch one in the win column, we’re going with the Rams to advance and meet up with Parsippany Hills.

(20) Boonton at (13) Mountain Lakes: The Lakers passed by the Bombers 2-1 in their 1st meeting. Mountain lakes needed two second-half goals to erase a 1-0 deficit en route to victory. The winner of this close battle will move on to face Morris Catholic. Going with the home team in a close one.

(19) Dover at (14) Morristown: The Tigers are 2-4 going into today’s match-up with Chatham, but a 1-0 victory over a tough Summit team on Wednesday. Morristown is 3-3 with Livingston on the schedule today. You can’t argue that wither plays a tougher schedule, since both sides of the IHC are strong. Morristown just looks to have more weapons. Colonials by two goals.

(22) Jefferson at (11) Morris Hills: I have the utmost respect for Jefferson Boys Soccer for entering the MCT (I do not know why the Girls did not). Jefferson fell to 1-7 after a 3-0 loss to Kittatinny. The Falcons only win came at the hands of High Point (then 0-7) last Monday, a 4-2 victory. Andrew Gallant scored twice in the victory. Other than that, Jefferson has been shut out, except a 2-1 loss Hopatcong. The Scarlet Knights are strong and have not played to their (and many others) expectations. A few losses have forced the Scarlet Knights to refocus, as well as try to get back to full strength. The addition of Adam Katz, back from a head injury suffered against Morris Catholic in the preseason will only help. Morris Hills advances.

(23) Pequannock at (10) Madison: These NHC foes are scheduled to meet for the 1st time on Tuesday. Hey... we’re all friends here … so let’s play two. The Dodgers have won 6 of their last 7 and are now 6-4-1. The last two wins for the Dodgers were both by one goal (1-0 over Butler, 2-1 over Orange). Pequannock is now 0-7. A 2-1 loss to Lakeland has been their closest match. Madison should win both games.

(18) Butler at (15) Morris Knolls: Wins over Cedar Grove and Boonton have been highlights for the bulldogs. A 1-0 loss to Madison was definitely a tough battle. Keeper Tyler Marion notched 11 saves against Madison and will be tested often by the powerful 15th-seeded Golden Eagles. Again, seeds are only numbers, and a sub-500 record does not earn you a great seed. But The Eagles are my dark horse for the final 4. That was even before Friday’s win over Randolph. Can you call that an upset? Yes and no. The Rams are now 1-game under 500 while Knolls is even at 4-4. Knolls is very physical and plays every outing like it’s their last game of the year. They are very physical and have been battle tested. An overtime win over Livingston is easy evidence of that fact. I witnessed all three goals scored near the end of the match and in the final few seconds. Knolls advances to a sure candidate for the Marquee match-up of the 1st Round.

Players to watch in the prelim’s:

(1) Sean Paul – Morris Knolls – You will not see Pauls on the top-scorer list, but do not be surprised when he start walking up the list. This kid is a play maker, as seen in his set of the only goal against Randolph. A healthy Pauls equals a Knolls team that maybe able to not only knock off Kinnelon, but can definitely knock off one or more of the other teams in the very tough lower bracket.

(2) Rodrigo Santiago & Adam Katz – Morris Hills – A healthy Katz will leave teams the in quandary? Double Santiago and risk allowing Katz and company a possible free look, or just pack 9 players in the box?

(3) Sasha Dobrijevic - Parsippany – The senior last connected against West Essex and due to find the back of the net. With a cast like Andrew Rodriguez, Dela Allorbi and Ameen Kandil, the speedy forward maybe a game changer against the Wolfpack.

(4) Jim Rehahan – Mtn. Lakes – With double digit goals on the season already, Rehahan is an easy candidate for a multi-goal game. At worst, he’ll draw the defense away from Schaefer and other Laker attackers. Schaefer and Rehahan scored both goals in the previous meeting with the Bombers.

(5) John Machado – Boonton – The senior knocked in four goals in a 4-3 victory over Verona. The forward also knocked in both goals in a 3-2 loss to Kinnelon early in the season. Another hot day from the Bomber and it could be bombs away for the Lakers.

Mt. Olive Sweeps, Clowers hits 100

Hackettstown Tri-meet

The Hackettstown Tigers had just come off a hard-fought 25-23, 25-23 victory over Hillsborough. Head Coach Charlie Ginex had just received the news that his quad matches scheduled for first thing Saturday morning was now one team short. There’s no rest for weary.

Hoping back on the saddle, the Tigers took it to New Brunswick in the first game of the -now - three-team round robin. In the opening match, Lauren Fedevitz knocked down 3 kills. The Tigers were led by Jen Kish’s 4 kills and 2 aces en route to a 25-15; 25-14 victory over New Brunswick. The early morning victory moved Hackettstown to 7-7 on the season. The Tigers closed the day with a second victory over New Brunswick before falling to Mt. Olive in two, 25-20 & 25-10. Also aiding the host Tigers were Megan Gannon with 10 assists and a strong 6 aces. Jen O’Dell was sharp defensively, recording 4 digs, while serving up 2 aces. Jordanna Smith finished the day with 5 kills; Jen Giannini contributed with 5 digs, 10 assists, 1 kill and 4 aces; Sam Demarco tallied 4 digs and 2 aces. The Tigers will enter the week with an 8-8 record.

Mt. Olive went 2-0 on the day. The two wins over New Brunswick and Hackettstown improved Mt. Olive to 8-3 overall. The Marauders’’ first win against New Brunswick gave Head Coach Lee Clowers his 100^th career win. Mt. Olive took the first game 25-17, and then easily cruised in the second game 25-12.

Mt. Olive trailed by one, 5-6 when power server, Hannah Ensel rolled off seven straight aces. The Marauders led 12 when Ensel’s run ended, and well on their way to their 7^th victory of the season. Ensel added three kills in the second game. Ensel ended the day with 11 aces, leaving her with 60 aces after only 10 games. If the senior sharp shooter continues on this pace, she will crush Mt. Olive’s single season record for aces which now stands at 108. Standout Amber Mosher moved to setter for game #2 and recorded 5 assists with a dig and a kill. Mosher became the career leader in kills early in the week. On her first kill against Mendham, a 2-1 loss, Mosher recorder her 296^th career kill and now has 335 for her career.

Mt. Olive steadily edged away from New Brunswick after Ensel’s serving run. An ace by junior Kelly Mitchell increased the lead to 15-8. Mosher’s ace moved the score to 17-7. The senior then served next five, giving Mt. Olive a 21-10 advantage.

There is a evident unity amongst the team and they really enjoy playing together. This makes the win more enjoyable for the amicable coach in his 7th year at Mt. Olive. "Mosher, Ensel and the rest have really bought into improving as players and leaders. So many players are stepping it up," said Clowers referring to his teams' effort this season.

New Brunswick 2-0 (25-17, 25-12)
Aces: Hannah Ensel 8, Kaitlin Behrens3, Alex Day 2, Emily Hines 2
Kills: Hannah Ensel 4, Kaitlin Behrens 4, Ashley Kopacki 2, Devon Paffendorf 2, Nicole Cottrell 2
Digs: Torie DeValve 3, Nicole Muller 3, Alex Day 2, Hannah Ensel 2
Assists: Torie Devalve 5, Emily Hines 5, Amber Mosher 5

Hackettstown 2-0 (25-20, 25-10)
Aces: Hannah Ensel 3, Christine DiFucci 2, Nicole Muller 2
Kills: Amber Mosher 8
Digs: Amber Mosher 8, Emily Hines 3
Assists: Torie Devalve 4, Emily Hines 3
Blocks: Amber Mosher 5

MCT: Girls Soccer Preview

Girls Soccer – Morris County Tournament Preview

Sept. 28, 2007

For Complete Brackets with Times & Dates: Click Here – A job well done by the AD in charge, Scott Rosenberg from Kinnelon.

The 2007 Morris County Tournament begins this weekend with six preliminary games. The top ten seeds, based on the coaches voting, have received a bye in this round and will begin MCT play on (or about) Saturday, October 7^th. Morristown is the defending Champions.

A familiar top seed, Morris Catholic, will take on the winner of the 16/17 match-up between Morris Hills and Whippany Park. All games are scheduled for at the higher seed’s home field for the 1^st three rounds. The Quarterfinals will be held at Morris Catholic on Saturday, October 21^st at 12:00 and 2:00. Please note that the boys games will be held at the same time, so get there early because parking will be at a premium and seating at the Upper Field is very limited. The championship match will be held at Chatham’s Cougar Field at or about 2:00. The Boys play 1^st at 12:00, followed by the Girls.

The preliminary round:

(17) Morris Hills at (16) Whippany Park: The Scarlet Knights have been struggling to find the net. Casey Sherwood has been swarmed with shot lately and the Knights will need to solidify their defensive efforts if they look to advance. The Rockaway-based school went into the seeding meeting at 2-5, but notched a quality tie with Mt. Olive yesterday (9/27). The 2-2 tie may give the Scarlet Knights enough inspiration to begin a turn around and start a march back to 500. The Wildcats are coming off a 7-1 victory over Verona and should be well rested. Whippany may have had their best win in the school’s history upsetting perennial power Pingry 2-1 early in the month. Senior Mikaila Weaver may cause a bit too much trouble for the Scarlet Knight defenders. Look for Whippany to advance and meet up with CHC-foe Morris Catholic.

(21) Butler at (12) Parsippany: The Red Hawks are coming into the match-up off a strong win over West Essex and a tough 3-0 loss to Chatham.. Junior Sara Cramer knocked in two goals for Parsippany before freshman Janice Wong converted on the game winner. Butler recorded their 1^st win on that same day against Montville. The Bulldogs bombarded Montville’s keeper with 20 shots and were able to notch the win on a goal by Val Roosma with only ten seconds left in regulation. Look for Parsippany to advance, despite matching up with Hanover Park in what looks to be a tough battle the day before this MCT game.

(20) Pequannock at (13) Hanover Park: Both teams will play on Friday (as far as I know, there have been no schedule changes) and that will favor the Hornets. Hanover has a handful of weapons, as seen in a 4-0 victory over Morris Hills. Four different players scored for the Hornets in the victory. Hanover was then stymied by the Scarlet Knights from West Essex. The a 4-1 loss evened Hanover’s record at 3-and-3. Pequannock played an virtually even 1^st half with undefeated Villa Walsh. The Hornets should have too much fire-power for the Panthers – no surprise here. Hanover advances.

(22) Dover at (11) Mt. Olive: The Marauders sport a 2-5-1 record, with one of those wins over Morris Knolls. Mt. Olive falls victim of a loaded conference schedule. Outside the IHC-Iron, Mt Olive fell 3-0 to Kinnelon and tied Morris Hills 2-2. The host team must not overlook the upset minded Tigers and should advance to meet up with West Morris in the next round.

(18) Madison at (15) Mountain Lakes: Quite possible the bets preliminary match-up. Mountain Lakes just fell to Verona (the day after the seeding meeting) and fell to 3-4. This bodes well for the Dodgers. Madison improved to 4-and-4 with 3-1 victory over Butler. Junior Abby Shoaf, who now has 8 goals on the season, maybe too much for the Lakers. Look for Madison in an upset.

The contenders: This is solid field. It must be when Villa Walsh comes in undefeated and gets voted the 9^th seed. Who would have thought that an undefeated team could not even be rewarded a home game.

(1) Morris Catholic

· Why they could win?

The undefeated Crusaders are deep and experienced, not to mention the #1-seed will play all home games until the final. A team like this on turf spells danger for the lower seeds.

· Why they could get knocked off?

They win one game and they face either Chatham or undefeated Villa Walsh. Again, it would just be funny if the only two undefeated teams in the county Meet in the quarterfinal round. But if Chatham advances, you have an upset in the making. The Cougars are good, a very good 8-seed. Chatham’s home games are on turf, so that negates the home-turf advantage for the Crusaders.

(2) Roxbury

· Why they could win?

Many coaches I have spoken with told me that Roxbury is the team to beat. An early season loss at West Morris may have just made the Gaels stronger and more determined. The Gaels have it all, coaching, scoring, defense and a solid goal keep.

· Why they could get knocked off?

Have you not seen Mendham or Morris Knolls. The #1 and #2 seeds were not rewarded here. Mendham is now 4-2 and just won impressively vs. Par Hills. Knollsboasts two top players in the county with Nicolette Radovcic & Stephanie Wirth. Wirth, the current and future Eagle can be a game breaker and that spells trouble in a one-goal game.

(3, 4 & 6) Randolph, Morristown & West Morris:

· Why they could win?

Yep, I am grouping all three. How can you not? You know you’re getting game from anyone one of those team and a potential run through the MCT is very likely. West Morris has beaten Roxbury. Morristown was match up very well with Roxbury, but fell 2-0 in a game that was a lot closer than the scores leads to. The Colonials are strong and work the ball well around the field. Lade has been solid in net and could be the difference to get Morristown back to the County Finals. Randolph is a quiet 4-2. With all the focus on WMC, Roxbury, Livingston and Knolls, the Rams have nudged their way nicely into the three seed. Randolph has already beaten Morristown and West Morris. Theirs is plenty of potential here and you may as well throw Knolls in this category too. Why Knolls? Radovcic already has 10 goals, the highest tally in Morris with Flood from Kinnelon) and that’s with senior being doubled while Wirth heals up.

· Why they could get knocked off?

These teams consistently beat up on one another. There are not enough games in the week to heal between the Iron-battles. Don’t forget, Livingston is solid and has really taken it to many of these Morris teams. Roxbury is the only to have beaten the Lancers.

(5) Kinnelon

· Why they could win?

Another team that could potentially make a run. They won the overall Group I last year and cannot be taken lightly.

· Why they could get knocked off?

Historically, smaller schools do not bode well in the MCT – and I do not consider private schools smaller schools. The ability to pull from a unlimited geographically area negates the head count honored by the NJSIAA. – But how tested are the Colts? Kinnelon did face Clifton, but lost. Assuming Parsippany wins, that could be one of the most interesting match-up in the MCT. Get past that game and you’re looking a tough & physical Morristown team that Kinnelon may not have seen the likes of all year.

No Shows:

• Morristown-Beard
• St. Elizabeth’s
• Jefferson

It always irks me when Morris County schools do not enter the Morris County Tournament. I do not know why these teams do not enter, but I wonder if things were different, say they boasted a 6-1 or 7-0 record, would they have entered? If the answer is yes, then they are crossing a line that coaches have very little respect for. You always enter, or you never enter. It maintains the integrity of the tournament. If you do not enter because you are afraid of being under .500 at the state cut-off, that maybe even worse. The only legitimate I will even entertain is if a private school is looking to play in that other parochial state association’s tournament and not go over the maximum allotted number of games.

Volleyball: MK 2 - Parsip 0

The Red Hawks were ready for their next opponent, despite coming off a conference loss to Mt. Olive just two days earlier. But the setback was not just any loss. The Red Hawks were engaged in an all-out battle and ended up on the losing side of an epic match, 25-21 and 39-37. Definitely a high scoring, emotional affair considering that NJ HS volleyball plays to 25. Ready for the next game, of course, but who walks into gym next? Coach Dave DeNure and the Morris Knolls Golden Eagles. A steadily improving team that will exploit any chink in the armor. A team that knows how to make a run and make it count.

Parsippany looked eager to get back on their winning ways and took advantage of five Golden Eagle errors en route to an early 7-1 lead. Jessica Richardson’s block gave the Red Hawks the 7-1 advantage just before Kaylee Monga (5 kills) pounded home her first kill. The Eagles could not maintain their serve, with no Eagle serving more than once for at their first rotation through. Despite serving woes, the Eagles slowly inched their way back in to the match. Knolls worked it down to 8-5 aided by kills from Bernadette Ventre and Leslie Kalucki (5 kills).

Parsippany was able to maintain the slim lead throughout. The Red Hawks lead by three, 13-10, when the Eagles burst through with a stunning eight point run that the home squad never recovered from. Ventre, a senior outside hitter, knocked down an unmanageable spike, regaining the serve in the Eagles favor. If Knolls was unable to develop a serving a rhythm before, Kaille Woodin was ready to do a little number. The junior OH, and instant serving specialist, sparked an 8-0 run and gave the Eagles some much needed and consistency. The run sparked what Denure referred to as the best volleyball the Eagles have played all season. “This was the best we played all year,” said Denure.

The fifth year coach was very happy with the consistency his team displayed after being down by six so quickly. “We started to get the setter the ball. We were doing a great job with our passes and serves. We always talk about avoiding those runs and getting ourselves on one.”
One was enough to get by the Red Hawks in game one. Morris Knolls outscored the Red Hawks 15 to 1 after trailing 13-10. And if one run wasn’t enough, in game #2, Knolls responded with a second in the same timely fashion. Again, Parsippany jumped out to early leads at 4-1, 7-3 and 8-4. But the poised Eagles, led by the steady passing of setter Briana Horohoe and quality passing in the back from many Eagles, including Jill Eagan, coupled with the steady serving hand of Bernadette Ventre summed up to another run in the making. Down 8-4, Ventre rolled off nine straight serves, three of which were aces. Knolls lead 12-10 when Ventre serve was lost on an attack error. But the damage was done as Morris Knolls outscored Parsippany 13-5 on the closing stretch.

The Red Hawks did not enjoy the normal luxury of efficiency. Despite 5 bocks (4 solo) from Jessica Richardson and six kills from Amethyst Holder, Parsippany committed 29 errors. Holder also led the Red Hawks in dig for the day with six. Cindy Loaiza and Jen Mendoza each had three.

IHC Cross Country - Week 3

The Swami & The Coach -- Week 4

The Sideline Swami from sidelinechatter.com, still smarting from a mediocre week where he was completely out-done in picks by The Coach from MCHSS.net, tries to mount a comeback in what is an exceptional week to try and choose winners, what with the West Essex at Morris Hills and Seton Hall Prep-East Orange Campus contests among the top games of what should be a sensational scholastic football weekend.

The Coach: Last Week: 5-1 -- Season: 13-5

The Swami: Last Week: 3-3 -- Season: 15-3

Comments from “The Coach” -- “The Coach” knows not to brag. “The Coach” knows never to dwell on the last game or the last week. But, I really am curious if there was anyone outside of Denville/Rockaway Twp that picked Morris Knolls? Chalk one up for the Public schools!

The Swami’s Comments – “The Swami,” owner of a usually trusty, crystal ball, has to relinquish top honors this past week to The Coach, who stuck to his instincts and convictions in picking Knolls to knock off the Prep. We both underrated Livingston against Randolph. This week, I see a couple of intriguing differences between the two soothsayers of pigskin picks, scholastic style, so let’s get to it!

DePaul at Montville:

The Coach: D ePaul gave Delbarton all they could handle. DePaul lost to Lakeland 34-14, and may not be at full strength; Dennis Silversey went out last week. Montville is on a two-game winning streak and should only get stronger as the year progresses. Dan McClure, Eric Toporoff and Jim DelGrosso, will give the DePaul defense a bit to worry about. Montville 21-14

The Swami: DePaul showed me a great deal when it took Delbarton to the limit in a narrow loss a couple of weeks back. The Spartans are still smarting from a one-sided loss to Lakleland and in the injury to Dennis Silversey, their talented quarterback, who separated his left, non-throwing shoulder. But, even with Silversey out, I like the adjustments with a week of practice for sophomore QB Dan Farley and with trusty runners like Nick Palmieri and a strong line, I still like DePaul in this spot. DePaul 27-21.

Livingston at West Morris:

The Coach: I was very impressed with West Morris coming back to tie the game at 14 against Mt. Olive. Michael Burton only got stronger as the game progressed and the 1-2 punch of Burton and Saum may be able to penetrate the Lancer defense a bit more than Randolph’s offense did last week. Tyler Bernstein can launch it. A balance attack by West Morris should really give the Lancers’ defense some fits. Livingston really took it to Randolph, so you know this team can play, but I have a feeling that this is the week for the Pack. West Morris 28-24

The Swami: People in the Iron Hills, Iron better not overlook Livingston any more. It’s a different looking approach with the versatile, running-oriented QB Mike Genovese taking over for the graduated three-year starter Tommy Fischer, who had a big arm; but the mix of the team might be better this time around for Coach Bill Tracy and company. Plus, with standouts like center-defensive end John Hartwick and other two-way linemen John Alston and George Reinhardt, the Lancers are very physical at the point of attack and will not back down to anyone in the trenches. Livingston 17-13

Whippany Park at Glen Ridge:

The Coach: There’s no secret that Mike Bizzarro will get as many touches as possible. Looking at Glen Ridge, you see two expected results. Coach Bronico has built a respectable football program and Bizzarro is now known as a top football player in Morris. This may be a seesaw battle that could go either way, and may come down to who ever has the ball last. I’m staying with my county here: Whippany Park 35-33

The Swami: Realize that Glen Ridge played neck and neck with Cedar Grove for a half and that the Ridgers are much improved with a bevy of veteran players, led by standout running back Nick DePhillips, who could be one of the most underrated, big-time runners in the Colonial Hills Conference. Whippany Park has had its own terrific rise in the ranks so far in this early season and veteran RB Bizzaro is getting plenty of print. As improved as the Wildcats are, I still like Duke Mendez’s Ridgers at home in a very important game for both teams. Glen Ridge 28-14

"Rivalry Central"

Roxbury at Randolph:

The Coach: A Morris-only game, but maybe the most well-known and bitter rivalry in Morris County. Randolph has taken two of the last three, but Roxbury owns bragging rights … shutting out the Rams 23-0 last year. Randolph needs to rebound now, avoiding a 1-3 start with Morristown, Seton Hall, East Orange and Morris Knolls waiting in the wings. Roxbury, much like Randolph, desperately needs a win here to avoid a 1-3 start. The Gaels were stymied last week at Morristown and may be ready for an offensive explosion. Hope all the lights are working on that scoreboard at Bauer Field … Randolph 38-35.

The Swami: I still believe talented QB Mike Suk is due for a breakout night and what better time for him to excel than at home, under the lights, against the arch rival and with a season on the line. This is a must win for both teams, Cablevision, (Channel 78) will be there with its cameras and the pressure is on both teams to come through with an absolutely essential victory. The Rams will establish Frank Beltre, who is a powerful runner with breakaway speed, and Suk’s favorite target, wide out Brian Leone, will have another huge night. Jonathan Carroll remains a dangerous runner for the Gaels, but in this spot, we like the Rams. Randolph 28-20.

"Marquee Match-Ups"

Seton Hall Prep at East Orange:

The Coach: The Pirates must move on from their stunning loss and East Orange must be thinking that the Pirates are vulnerable and ready for a losing streak. I still feel that Morristown has the best defense in the Iron Division and may have the only team that will hold East Orange Campus under three TD’s. The question is … will the Seton Hall offense have enough fire power to keep up with the explosive Jaguars? I say … yes. East Orange 28-17

The Swami: I am not going to suggest anything about the coach and his heavy consumption of that great Hazelnut coffee in home room back at school. In fact, I’m going to enjoy a little extra java myself before heading out this weekend for what is a terrific week 4 of high school gridiron action. And, one of the best match-ups is Seton Hall Prep at East Orange in Paul Robeson Stadium with the CN8 Comcast Network cameras also on hand. I know the Pirates can be a bit pedestrian at times in their ground-oriented, Wing T approach, but there is still too much talent here. and I do not, for a moment, see another flat outing like the one against Knolls. I look for both Rob Paxson and John Merklinger to churn out large chunks of yardage behind t

hat strong offensive line. EO’s soph QB Quadir Pendleton is a dangerous passer and athletes such as Akeem Cunningham can break loose at any time, but we see too much SHP. Seton Hall Prep 28-18.

West Essex at Morris Hills:

The Coach: This Morris county Marquee has much to be desired. First off, I realized that the Swami tried to get the “The Coach” but calling Coach Sabo early in the week and grabbing as much info as possible. You know that sneaky Swami has Droz’s cell on speed dial! But I have my scouts too … do not know of anyone else who was more surprised by West Essex’s win over Montville last year. Not only the win, but also the way they won … on a two-point attempt by lineman Tom Grossi so late in the game. That just tells you this: Droz knows his stuff, he believes in his team and in their strengths. West Essex will be in a position to win this game in the fourth quarter, either with a 1-touchdown lead, or down by a TD. Either way, the West Essex defense is just too strong.

Morris Hills executed a game plan to perfection at Par Hills last week. Coach Sabo and his crew had an answer to every play, every situation and acted on its opportunities. But think back … how did Morris Hills beat West Essex last season? They threw the ball and went up early. West Essex is a ground control, pound-it-at-you, smash-mouth team. They’re not built for come from behind victories when down by 14. When your defense is that strong, why would you be? Morris Hills needs to jump out to a lead then play the ball control game. I am going with the Scarlet Knights in a close one … I crack myself up … Morris Hills 20-14 (that’s two field goals for the record)

The Swami: Rarely do I pick against the Knights of Wessex, and even though I might go with Coach Droz and company on a neutral field in December if these two teams do meet again in a North 2, Group 2 playoff final. But, I have to go with Morris Hills in this spot. The Dan Kellners and Doug Dudeks of the world of Scarlet Knights have been there and done that, and they even own that victory over Wessex last year. With that being said, by no means will it come easy for Coach Sabo’s crew, which has to slow down Wessex’s irrepressible fullback Anthony Hayek, who can open up the entire Knights’ offense if he gets on full track early on. Morris Hills has its own potent ground game with Justin Doniloski and company behind a very good offensive line, headed by guard Nick Lusardi and tackle Tim Drake. This pick could change the second time around, but for this regular-season showdown: Morris Hills 21-14.

Girls Soccer: Hanover Pk 4 - Mo. Hills 0

Volleyball - Week #2

Morris County - Week #2

By Coach Carchietta – www.MCHSS.net (9-24-2007)

Monday, September 17 – Saturday, September 22

Thanks To the Coaches: I definitely want to thank the coaches who are emailing me results, weekly recaps and stats. They help. If you are not doing it - step it up. Tell other coaches to do the same. If someone complains that they are getting left out, tell them to stop whining and send me a note (coaches only – no parents).

Monday 9/17: Madison inched closer to .500 with a dominating win over Mt. St. Dominic’s, 2-0. Randolph continued on their rough and tough schedule and met up with an undefeated and talented young Livingston squad. The Rams went down 2-0, but battled tough in the second match before falling 23-25. West Morris walked by Columbia in two.

Big Tuesday 9/18: It had to be a big day, since the schedule for the rest of week was severely thinned down as a result of the religious holiday. Parsippany improved to 3-1 on the season with a 25-6, 25-17 victory over Hanover Park. Mendham remained undefeated with a 2-0 victory over Parsippany Hills. Randolph may have pulled the upset of the day when the Rams took out Mt. Olive 25-23, 25-18. The Rams improved to 2-3 – just reminding us about how tough the Iron-division really is. Montville took home their 4^th victory of the season, defeating Sparta in three. Justyna Rebisz knocked back six blocks and Brooke Zammit recorded 12 kills for the Mustangs. Morristown, Chatham and Kinnelon all notched victories in two.

Wednesday 9/19: Mt. Olive rebounded from a tough defeat, just one day earlier, and responded with 2-0 victory over Parsippany Hills. The win took the Marauders to 3-2 on the season. Chatham continued their undefeated ways with a 25-3, 25-15 victory over Whippany Park. West Morris continued to battle through their challenging and top-notch out-of-conference schedule, but again fell short. This time losing to Hunterdon Central. Kinnelon also ran into another perennial contender in MKA. The Cougars won the match in three. The Colts were led by Taylor Prall and Kelly Koch, both with 5 kills. Madison continued to up their record, now even at 3-3. The Dodgers defeated West Orange in two.

Thursday 9/20: Madison may have been on a roll, but the Mustangs put to a stop to that run. Montville defeated Madison for the second time this year. Whippany Park recorded their first victory on the season with a 2-0 win over Morristown-Beard. Morris Knolls went three, and handed Columbia a conference loss. Randolph joined the ranks of .500 teams with a 2-0 victory over Eats Orange. Kinnelon, now 4-5, continued their tough run against CHC-teams and took a 2-0 loss to University. Parsippany Hills also needed three games to defeat Hanover Park. Bella Gavez recorded 14 kills for the Vikings. Mt. Olive took their second consecutive win, taking that long haul to Vernon and coming back victorious. The trip was successful, but the Marauder assistant was late for his duties as spotter for the West Morris-Mt. Olive football game. I can tell you that his replacement was beyond excellent. In the Marquee-Match up of the night, the sister schools met for a prime-time 7:00 start. For those that were doubting the Highlanders, maybe looking for passing of the guards … keep waiting. West Morris took the match in two, 25-17, 25-15. Chalk up the first round of the sibling rivalry to school from Long Valley. I am sure they’ll be more!

Friday 9/20: Morris Knolls handled Sparta in two. The Eagles are now 5-2 on the season. Morris Tech (Morris County Vo-tech for those of you that may have not realized they changed their name) improved to 2-1. The Denville technical school defeated Newark Tech in two. Morris Catholic suffered another loss, this time, in conference play to Arts. The Jaguars needed three games to defeat the Crusaders. Whippany Park, starting a winning streak - now at two, made easy picking of Immaculate Conception of Montclair.

Saturday 9/21: In an email from Chatham A.D. Harvey Cohen, yep AD’s also send out results, notes, etc … I learned: “Women's volleyball team won the championship of the Bloomfield Invitational Tournament. The women were undefeated throughout the day.” According to The Sunday Star Ledger, Chatham defeated Holy Angels in the final match 25-13 and went 8-0 on the day.

The Super-Seven (through Sunday 9/23):

1) West Morris: (State n/r) I said it last week, “They stay at #1 until they are knocked off by Morris or a non-top 20 team. Their loss to NJ #2 Hunterdon Central will not drop them in the Morris Rankings, nor should it drop them out of The Star Ledger top 20 ... but they do there's, I'll do mine, and no one will ever be happy. As I always say, more teams should try to stack their out-of-conference schedule like West Morris does.

2) Chatham: (State #5 - #1 Group 2) Made huge statement taking the Bloomfield Tournament. The one thing I never liked about tournaments was that they do nothing for your record … but the experience is priceless!

3) Mendham: (State #9 - #3 in Group 2) Tough loss to WMC but still a definite top 3 in Morris.

4) Montville: (#10 in Group 2) Wins over Sparta and Madison last week keep the Mustangs at four. Big test this week.

5) Morris Knolls: Defeated Columbia and Sparta and will face Parsippany on Thursday the 27^th, followed by Chatham the next day.

6) Parsippany: I have received an email telling me that this team maybe a top contender in Morris County. This is a good week for the Red Hawks to make this known. Knolls and Mt. Olive come to town on Tuesday and Wednesday.

7) Randolph: Tough call here for #7, but the Rams beat Mt. Olive and that’s good enough for me.

Rest of the top 10: Mt. Olive, Par Hills, Kinnelon

This week’s Schedule:
This is a big week as the MCT Seeding meeting will be next Tuesday (October 2). All games are at 4:00 p.m. unless noted.

Monday - 9/24

• Kinnelon at Science
• Madison at Lakeland
• Whippany Park at MKA
• Fair Lawn at Jefferson (5:00)
• West Essex at Morristown

Tuesday - 9/25

• Chatham at Parsippany Hills
• Morristown at Columbia
• West Essex at Hanover Park
• Pope John at Jefferson
• East Orange at Morris Knolls
• Mount Olive at Parsippany
• West Morris at Roxbury

Wednesday - 9/26

• Montville at Caldwell
• Mt Olive at Mendham
• West Morris at Bridgewater-Raritan (5:30)
• Arts at Kinnelon
• Saint Elizabeth at Madison
• Pope John at Randolph
• Verona at Whippany Park

Thursday - 9/26

• Hanover Park at Roxbury
• Kinnelon at Immaculate Conception
• Mendham at Chatham
• Livingston at Morristown
• Summit at Mt Olive
• Morris Knolls at Parsippany
• Randolph at West Morris

Friday - 9/28

• Chatham at Morris Knolls
• Par Hills at Summit
• Whippany Park at Arts
• Vernon at Jefferson
• West Side at Madison
• Chatham at Morris Knolls

Saturday – 9/29

• Mt Olive at Hackettstown w/ N. Brunswick, 9:00
• West Morris at Livingston Tournament, 9:00
• Morristown at Hanover Park, 10:00
• Roxbury at East Orange, 10:00
• Parsippany at West Essex, 11:00
• Columbia at Randolph, 11:00