It’s been a few days since I threw down my thoughts. It’s Sunday and you get your sampling coffee table from the Coach.
Ice Hockey
Let’s go back to Friday & start with Delbarton Hockey. NJ’s #1 Delbarton not only did Delbarton send a message by beating #2 Seton Hall Prep, the Green Wave convincingly dominates the game and walked away with a 5-1 victory.
photos of #1 vs. #2 Click hereQuestions I had emailed to me: “Coach, you doing live play by play at the Delby-SHP game?” -- I try to cover the games that I know the major writers (Daily Record & Star Ledger) will not be at. Why? Because if you are getting coverage there, I want to give more press to the other games. Check out the great article by Dan Breeman at the Daily Record. The Daily Record Photo Gallery of the game. The Daily Record Video Gallery of the game.
Delbarton maybe currently trailing in points (SHP 11, Delb. 10), but Delbarton has 10 points in 5 games. SHP’s 11 are from 8 games including a tie. Delbarton’s fate is in its own hands now. Look for the rematch between Delbarton and SHP on Feb 3rd at South Mountain (1:30 pm).
Chatham (6-0-1; 9-0-1) holds a 1 point lead over Randolph (6-1, 7-2-1) in the Mennen Division. Chatham has the week off until they meet Mountain Lakes on Saturday. The Lakers have shown sign of improvement (2-0 win over Mo. Knolls on 12-22), and then come up short in a few games (losses to WMC, Vernon & Pingry). Many teams take pride in beating a Mennen team, but I think we are all starting to realize that the parity amongst the top tier schools is quite evident. This just tells you that the Mennen cup will be fun to watch!
Kinnelon has jumped up and handed in their ballot for “Team of the Year.” The Colts hold the points lead in the Halvorsen, but Pingry is right there with an unblemished 3-0 in conference play. Look at this match up: Kinnelon vs. Pingry (Wednesday, 4:15 at Bridgewater) and then Kinnelon vs. Pingry (Saturday, 2:00 at Skylands). Take about your famous home and home series! Pingry has already knocked off Morris Knolls and Mountain Lakes. The Colts have tied Mo. Beard and had Knolls on the ropes before a three goal barrage in the final 3 minutes to take a tough 5-4 defeat.
Jefferson looks strong (7-1; 10-1). The Falcons had a great week beating Roxbury (7-3) and Morristown (7-6). One thing for sure, the team can crank up that red light averaging 7 goals a game. Pequannock is right on their tail (6-0; 9-0-2). The Panthers remained undefeated this week edging Mt. Olive 4-3 and handling Hudson Catholic 6-2.
Morristown holds a six point lead in the Charette Division. The Colonials look to avenge a 4-2 loss to Roxbury on Tuesday. Another tough match on their schedule is a January 14th match up with West Morris.
Girls Basketball
A youthful Roxbury squad, looking to improve everyday, seems to be on the right path. The Gaels beat Randolph on Friday. http://www.morriscountyvarsity.net/ was there (Click Here for the story). Sandy Seegers of the Daily Record was also there. Read her great take on the game.
Friday was a fun night in Morris County Ladies Hoops: Mountain Lakes (a clear favorite MCT final four candidate) hosted the young Whippany Park Wildcats (hit hard by graduation). Most may have expected a blow out, but the scrappy Wildcats used a 12-2 4th quarter run to cu the lead to 2 as time ran out. Mountain Lakes used 14 free throws against only 2 from the Wildcats. In a quick note, daughter of Whippany Park coach Tom Wilson, Jocelyn Wilson scored a career high 9 points (3 trifecta’s) in the loss.
Ladies and gentlemen, University is for real. Many of you Iron-Hills people do not know much about the Colonial Hills conference. Mountain Lakes has been a dominate state contender in CHC and Group 1 the past decade. University is a Newark school that has depth, quickness and outstanding athletic ability. The Phoenix have handled Kinnelon and Mountain Lakes. Boonton, looking at a fine season, scored 50, but still lost by 36 to the Newark School. Although not a Morris County School, this is a team you should keep your eyes on as we approach February.
Morristown handed Morris Knolls its second straight 18 point loss. The Colonials shut out the Golden Eagles 9-0 in the second quarter and used an 18-6 third quarter on the way to a convincing victory in Iron action.
The Hills division looks tight. Hanover Park and West Essex may replace Mendham and Chatham as the favorite, but you cannot overlook Summit and Morris Hills. Here’s six teams that are capable of beating one another on any given day. Mendham wants to light up the scoreboard. Chatham runs plays to near perfection and uses a strangling press to take teams of their game. Summit has come one strong and is now a team to be respected. Hanover Park has been struggling from the field lately and needs a quality shooting performance against Summit on Tuesday night. Morris Hills suffered their first in-conference loss to West Essex Friday night. West Essex is for real. The West Caldwell School is a strong 6-0 and has turned in victories over Mendham and Summit.
West Morris looks strong. After beating Morris Knolls in the finals of the Morris Hills Holiday Tournament, the Highlanders added two more victories over Colonia and Livingston, respectively. Roxbury and Randolph look to keep pace with the Highlanders, but East Orange stands in the way. Don’t forget that Roxbury beat East Orange (now 6-2) on opening day.
The Northern Hills conference has been a Merry-Go-Round of fun play. Lakeland and Butler are both 6-1. Butler suffered their first loss of the season to Villa Walsh this week. Villa Walsh has won three straight after losing to Kinnelon in the Colts Round up. Villa most recently beat Montville, 52-44. The 16 point victory over the undefeated Butler was the most impressive. Butler responded to the first loss by edging Millburn 44-38. Lakeland meets up with Villa Walsh on Tuesday.
Boys Basketball
Hills Division action: Chatham improved to 7-1 with a close 48-43 victory over Summit. Chatham starter the 4th quarter down by two, but used an 18-11 fourth quarter to secure their 7th victory. Hanover Park was handed an 11 point defeat at home by Weequahic. Hornets’ Steve Frankoski knocked in 29 points and Matt Shellenhamer added 11 in a losing effort. Morris Hills improved to 6-1 with a 57-41 victory over West Essex. The Rockaway school is averaging 65 points a game and has a tough road ahead. The Scarlet Knights next four games are against Chatham, Hanover Park, Weequahic and Mendham. The three homes games and visit to Hanover will be a major test for the Scarlet Knights. Morris County’s #1 team, Mendham improved to 7-1 and was aided by DelTufo and Twill in a 43-33 victory over Parsippany.
Iron Teams need to do what ever it takes to keep pace with Seton Hall. The West Orange Private school is now 7-0 and Colombia also looks strong. Randolph helped its own cause with a convincing 43-28 victory over Roxbury. Morristown needs to turn it up a notch and started the New Year with a 65-43 victory over Morris Knolls. Mt. Olive could not keep up with Columbia in a 64-43 loss. Just a note that Seton Hall pummeled Columbia on Friday, 77-32. The Pirates lead 47-12 at the half.
Northern Hills Hoops: Delbarton used a strong opening quarter (16-9) and never looked back to defeat Montville 51-44. Morris County’s #2 team improved to 6-2. The Green Wave face Lakeland and Bergen Catholic this week. Madison fell to 2-4 with a 58-55 loss to Lakeland.
The Colonial Hills: Newark Acedemy handed Morristown-Beard (69-61). Whippany Park was handed losses this week from Parsippany and Mt. Lakes. The Lakes improved to 4-3 with a 38-26 victory over the Wildcats. Kinnelon improved to 4-4 and put up 70 points to beat Arts of Newark. Boonton fell to 4-3 with a 52-49 loss to Science (I refuse to call them Science Park) of Newark. Morris Catholic ended their losing streak with a 64-50 victory over MKA.
Come back tonight for Wrestling and the Morris County Top 10’s! Fell free to make a comment and tell me your thoughts, where to go this week (and be nice there!) and what you’d like to see.
My New Year’s resolution is to get to one of each during the week: 1 Wrestling match; 1 Girls Hoops game; 1 Boys Hoops game; 1 hockey game. (starting this week)
This week’s tentative schedule looks like this:
Monday: MK-Mendham Ice Hockey
Tuesday: Working Hanover Park Girls Hoops (Guest Writer @ Delbarton Hockey)
Wednesday: Working Hanover Park Wrestling at 4:30 vs. Weeq.
Thursday: (open)
Friday: Morris Hills - Hanover park Boys Hoops
Saturday: working Hanover Park Wrestling vs. Scotch Plains & Bearley 9:00 am
-- maybe a night game, but we’ll see
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