Tag: North Brunswick

by Mike Pavlichko

North Plainfield pulls lone upset in boys’ GMC Tournament preliminary round; Timothy Christian’s Fleming tops 2,000-point milestone

All but one of the higher seeds won their GMC Tournament preliminary round games on the boys’ side Tuesday, making it a perfect 16 of 16 in that round, coupled with Monday’s girls’ results.

There were some tight ones, including North Brunswick’s win over Edison and Monroe’s victory over South Brunswick. Timothy Christian’s Jalen Fleming scored his 2,000th point in a win over Perth Amboy Magnet. And 21-seed North Plainfield knocked off Silver Division champion and 12-seed Dunellen.

Here’s a recap of Tuesday evening’s action, followed by Thursday’s “first round” matchups in the round of 16. Scroll down after the recaps for postgame reaction from Middlesex head coach Jared Goldstein after the Blue Jays’ come-from-behind win over South River.

TUESDAY’S GMC TOURNAMENT RESULTS – BOYS’ PRELIMINARY ROUND

  • (16) Monroe def. (17) South Brunswick, 48-43: A late rally by the Vikings (6-17) fell just short as the Falcons built a 23-18 halftime lead and were ahead 36-25 heading into the final eight minutes. Joe Porpora led Monroe with 13 points, while Braden Hoiberg and Anthony Barsa added 10, including a 6-of-10 night from the foul line. (Porpora also went 6-for-8 from the charity stripe.) The Falcons (7-16) will face GMC Red Division champion and top-seed Colonia for a third time this year on Thursday in the first round. Colonia won this season’s first matchup on January second, 57-27, but the second one was much closer: 50-40 on January 28th. Monroe only trailed by three at the half.
  • (9) East Brunswick def. (25) JFK, 78-56: The Bears (13-10) got a huge game out of Matt Mikulka, who scored 30 points – while Cam Vick added 14 and Andrew Carusa 12 – in the win. Kennedy (7-12) was led by Grant Lorentzen with 23 points. It was only an eight point game at the half, but the Bears pulled away with a strong 16-6 fourth quarter. East Brunswick will travel to ninth-seed Woodbridge in a “true” 8/9 game that could be a toss-up. The teams split this year, with East Brunswick winning 65-61 before Christmas, while Woodbridge returned the favor with a 47-44 win on January 16th.
  • (21) North Plainfield def. (12) Dunellen, 66-53: Aaron Potts and Quadir Williams each scored 19 points for the Canucks (12-11) in the upset win over the Destroyers (15-6) at the Faber School. Ryan Hutchins scored 15 in defeat for Dunellen, which got behind big early, 22-8 after one, and trailed 40-21 at the half. Next up, the Canucks travel to five-seed Old Bridge, a team they have very little history with, since they only came over from the Skyland Conference to the GMC two seasons ago. They haven’t met since at least 2010. North Plainfield, which started 0-4 and lost eight of its first nine games, has flipped the script late in the season: they’ve now won four straight and eight of their last nine.
  • (13) Perth Amboy def. (20) Spotswood, 74-63: The Panthers had two players go off for 20-plus points, as Lavion Balthazar and Jadiel Manzueta each scored 23 to lead Perth Amboy (12-10) in the win. Balthazar logged a double-double, also grabbing 15 rebounds. Se’mir Tolbert-Brimage led Spotswood with 20 in defeat. Next up, the Panthers (12-10) travel to North Edison to take on four-seed St. Thomas Aquinas (13-8). Their last meeting was in 2022, a 94-47 Trojans win, the only time they’ve played in the last 15 years.
  • (14) Metuchen def. (19) Piscataway Magnet, 55-42: The Bulldogs (17-6) had a big second quarter, outscoring the Raiders 20-5 to take a 35-18 lead at the break, but almost gave it back when they got outscored themselves 20-8 in the third quarter. In a game dominated by defense, Metuchen then held Piscataway Magnet (17-6) to just four fourth quarter points to come out with the win. Jason Woods had 17 to lead the Bulldogs, who will next travel to play third-seed and GMC White Division champion Sayreville Thursday. It’s been almost three years since their last meeting, a 68-51 Bomber win in the 2022 GMCT preliminary round.
  • (11) Middlesex def. (22) South River, 63-58: Despite getting a 31 point game – including nine free throws – from Alex Grospe, South River (11-10) couldn’t keep the Blue Jays from coming back from an eight point halftime deficit, and a rough second quarter in which Middlesex (16-6) was outscored 20-7, coughing up a 15-10 lead at the end of one. Down 45-39 after three, the Jays stormed ahead in the fourth. Four players scored in double figures, including Owen Reynolds with 17, Chris Kozak with 13, Domenic Parenti with a dozen and Mark Melchiore with ten. Next up, Middlesex will visit sixth-seed South Plainfield, the second-place team in the GMC White Division. It’ll be their first meeting since 2022, and the Tigers have won all four matchups since COVID.
  • (10) Timothy Christian def. (26) Perth Amboy Magnet, 65-31: Just a few second in, senior Jalen Fleming nailed a triple from the right of the key to crack the 2,000 point mark in his stellar career. Fleming finished with 26 points to give him 2,023 total. Elijah Pierre added 20 for the Tigers (13-7), while Chukwudi Raphael Mamah had a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Patriots fell to 11-9 with the loss. Timothy Christian now moves on to play seventh-seed St. Joseph-Metuchen out of the GMC Red. There’s little history between the teams; the Tigers hung in last February in a GMC Tournament quarterfinal matchup before the Falcons – who were the top seed, but got knocked out in the semifinals – won it 83-68.
  • (15) North Brunswick def. (18) Edison, 68-61: A monster night of 30 points and 10-of-11 from the stripe for Tommy Koroma powered the Raiders (9-14) to the win over the Eagles (12-10). Deshawn Burgess added 11 for North Brunswick, which now moves on to play second-seed Piscataway in their first meeting since 2016.

Click below to hear Middlesex head coach Jared Goldstein talk about the Blue Jays’ rally to beat South River with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

WEDNESDAY’S GMC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE – GIRLS’ FIRST ROUND

  • (16) North Brunswick (8-13) at (1) St. Thomas Aquinas (18-6), 5:30 pm: The Trojans have won their GMC Red Division games by an average of 40-plus points per game, and their last loss to a GMC team came on January 20th, 2022, a 55-41 road loss at Monroe. Their last home loss came March 5, 2021, in the COVID-shortened season, when the Falcons topped them to win the GMC’s top postseason pod, the Somogyi Family Pod. Don’t expect much to change.
  • (9) Carteret (15-6) at (8) Calvary Christian (18-1), 4:15 pm: Calvary beat the Ramblers on January 31st in one of the lowest-scoring games of the year, 24-20, but their only loss this year came to Timothy Christian, which is 8-14 in the same division as Carteret. Call it a toss-up.
  • (12) Old Bridge (10-12) at (5) East Brunswick (12-10), 5:30 pm: The Bears have swept Old Bridge each of the last two years and won five straight in the series. East Brunswick won this year’s matchups by 21 and 23 points, but many games in the GMC Red have been competitive, and this one should be, too.
  • (13) North Plainfield (6-16) at (4) Spotswood (17-6), 6:30 pm: Not a lot of history between these teams, with the Canucks winning their only meeting in the last 15 years back in February of last year, 62-27. But North Plainfield was also 18-7 last season, a 12-win swing so far. This should be a good one as well.
  • (14) Colonia (6-17) at (3) Middlesex (17-6), 5:30 pm: Since 2012, these teams have only met three times. Middlesex won a tight one in 2021, while Colonia won the next two. But this is a different Patriots team without stars Mattie Chiera and Taylor Derkcack. Despite the record, it could be a competitive game.
  • (11) Piscataway (10-9) at (6) South Brunswick (11-10), 5:30 pm: South Brunswick swept both games this season, winning 51-43 on January 4th, and 71-61 just three weeks later. Expect another tight one between these two, with the Vikings having a bit more of a veteran edge.
  • (10) Edison (14-9) at (7) Metuchen (18-3), 6 pm: This will be their second meeting this year, as Edison pulled out a 54-42 win before the holidays. Both are solid clubs and this one also should by highly competitive.
  • (15) South Plainfield (14-8) at (2) Monroe (14-7), 4 pm: Throw out the seeds here. Monroe hasn’t lost in five meetings dating back to 2016, but the last couple have been close. They two played in the Monroe Holiday Tournament, and it was a 49-39 win for the Falcons, but only a five-point game at the half.

THURSDAY’S GMC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE – BOYS’ FIRST ROUND

  • (16) Monroe (7-16) at (1) Colonia (19-4), 7 pm
  • (9) East Brunswick (13-10) at (8) Woodbridge (11-9), 5:30 pm
  • (21) North Plainfield (12-11) at (5) Old Bridge (13-9), 5 pm
  • (13) Perth Amboy (12-10) at (4) St. Thomas Aquinas (13-9), 6:15 pm
  • (14) Metuchen (17-6) at (3) Sayreville (18-3), 7 pm
  • (11) Middlesex (16-6) at (6) South Plainfield (15-7), 4:15
  • (10) Timothy Christian (13-7) at (7) St. Joseph-Metuchen (6-12), 7 pm
  • (15) North Brunswick (9-14) at (2) Piscataway (19-4), 5:30 pm

by Mike Pavlichko

South Brunswick tops North for first win against Raiders in rivalry series since 2017

Things are looking remarkably good for the South Brunswick football team right now.

Off to a 1-0 start under new head coach Ibrahim Halsey, the Vikings came out for one heck of an encore Thursday night: they knocked off arch-rival and No. 8 North Brunswick 30-21 for their first win in the series since 2017.

Now, South Brunswick is off to its first 2-0 start since 2020, when they went 4-3. And if you want to find the last time they did it in a “full” season – since 2020 was that abbreviated COVID year – go back two years prior, to 2018.

The Vikings had lost five straight in the series since their 2017 victory, a 42-20 win. They didn’t play in 2018, but North Brunswick won the next five, with only one really close game, a 14-7 win in 2020. The Raiders had shut them out twice in that five-year span, including a 38-6 win last season.

South Brunswick is now 2-0 with a trip to Monroe on deck next Friday.

Things don’t get any easier for North Brunswick, which should drop out of the Top Ten as a result, and will take an 0-2 record into a Friday night home game at No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas, which has won 25 straight games against Big Central Conference competition, the best current win streak of its kind in the league.

Click below to hear from South Brunswick’s first-year head coach Ibrahim Halsey:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg, Aquinas remain No. 1 and 2; Watchung Hills joins CJSR Top Ten

There were no changes in the top two spots in the Central Jersey Sports Radio Week 0 rankings, but several teams in the middle shuffled.

Phillipsburg holds steady at No. 1, and will open its season Friday night, taking on Westfield at Maloney Stadium. St. Thomas Aquinas dropped its opener down at the Mid-Atlantic Pigskin Classic in Wilmington, DE, falling 36-26 to Mount St. Joseph (MD). The Trojans take on their second of three out-of-state opponents Saturday at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson when they face Lincoln High School out of Brooklyn.

Moving up a spot to second is Woodbridge. The Barrons opened with a thrilling 36-34 win at Old Bridge last Thursday night, and host 1-0 Watchung Hills this Friday evening.

Also up a spot is Somerville, which moves up to fourth after holding on for a 21-20 victory over then-No. 3 Hillsborough back on Thursday, in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Hillsborough drops from third to No. 5.

Holding steady at No. 6 is Piscataway. The Chiefs opened their season with a 21-11 home win over Manalapan, and host Bridgewater-Raritan Friday night at 6 in the first of a doubleheader of the “Big Central Game of the Week presented by Bellamy & Son Paving.”

Defending North 2 Group 2 champion Bernards is up one spot to No. 7, picking up a convincing season-opening 35-6 road win at Monmouth last Thursday. Friday night, the Mountaineers host Hillside, putting their 15-game Big Central Conference winning streak on the line. The Comets were the last league team to beat them, on September 2, 2022.

Falling one spot to eighth was North Brunswick, which lost on the road Friday night, giving up ten fourth-quarter points in a 17-7 defeat at Jackson Memorial. Thursday night they face South Brunswick, having won five straight in the series between the archrivals.

Idle Ridge holds in ninth; the Red Devils open their season on Saturday afternoon at St. Joseph-Metuchen in the opener for both schools. Falcons’ head coach Bill Tracy was at Ridge before moving to Metuchen, and Andy West – his former assistant – how is the Red Devils’ head coach.

New to the rankings this week is Watchung Hills. The Warriors won at Moorestown Friday night, 31-7, and visit Woodbridge Friday evening.

Sayreville dropped out after a 21-20 overtime loss to Colonia in their season opener Thursday night.

Colonia was “also considered” for the Top Ten this week, along with Rahway, which thumped Voorhees 41-14 at home Thursday night, snapping the Vikings’ five game Big Central winning streak. Scotch Plains-Fanwood visits Rahway River Park this Friday night.

Below is the full Central Jersey Sports Radio Week 0 Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

Phillipsburg, St. Thomas Aquinas begin 2024 where they ended 2023: Nos. 1 and 2 in the CJSR Big Central Rankings

The same teams that ended 2023 at No. 1 and No. 2 in the Central Jersey Sports Radio Big Central Top Ten are right back in the same spots to begin 2024.

In the preseason rankings, Phillipsburg remains at the top, followed by St. Thomas Aquinas. The Stateliners were one of just two BCC teams to make a state sectional final last year, and finished the season 10-2, with their second straight Thanksgiving win over Easton, the first time they’ve done that since 2002 and 2003. The Trojans finished 10-1 and got to host a playoff game.

After that, Hillsborough will begin the season at No. 3, four spots higher than where they ended 2023. Top runningback Jackson Jankowicz is back, and the Raiders, who were 8-3 last year in one of the toughest divisions in the state, have a veteran and improved offensive line for Jankowicz to run behind this year.

Next up are three teams that didn’t finish in the final 2023 rankings, but are expected to make an impact in 2024.

Woodbridge checks in at No. 4, with the Barrons coming off a 6-4 year, but returning a ton of players, including the twin combo of QB and WR Derek and Bryan Anderson, plus a new coach in Joe Goerge, who comes over from South Brunswick.

Somerville is stacked with D1 talent, looking to improve upon a a 5-5 campaign in the first full season with Matt Bloom at the helm. The Pioneers are fifth in the preseason rankings.

And Piscataway, with two both quarterbacks who played last year returning, as well as a slew of other players, has high copes coming off a 6-4 campaign where they just missed the playoffs. The Chiefs are ranked sixth.

The final four teams all were in last year’s final rankings.

North Brunswick ended last year fifth with an 8-1 season that included a first-round playoff loss, but they have also won eight games in each of the last three seasons since the short COVID year in 2020, in which they still won seven games. The Raiders went from No. 5 to seventh.

At No. 8 is Bernards, which was 12-1 last year, and the Central Jersey Sports Radio Team of the Year. The Mountaineers won their first-ever state sectional title of the playoff era, and finished last year at No. 4. Though they graduate a ton, they should compete with Hillside for a division title.

Ninth is Ridge, which also lost a lot to graduation after an 8-2 year and No. 3 final ranking.

Sayreville checks in at No. 10, finishing 8-3 last year, returning several key players, and with a new coach in Mark Poore, who played at Sayreville under George Najjar, then coached under him and the next two coaches, Chris Beagan and last year’s skipper, Don Sofilkanich.

Montgomery – which was 8-1-1 last year but also lost a slew of talent including the one-two QB/receiver combo of Michael Schmelzer, Jr. and Matt D’Avino – also received consideration.

Below is the full Central Jersey Sports Radio Preseason Top Ten:

by Mike Pavlichko

North Brunswick looks to keep the ball rolling, and take next step to title, in 2024

The North Brunswick football program has been one of the most successful in the Big Central Conference – and before that, the GMC – under head coach Mike Cipot.

The Raiders are 56-16 in that seven year span, and after a 6-4 debut season, they have not won fewer than seven games in a year, and have won eight games in each of the last three.

But there’s one thing that has eluded North Brunswick: a state title.

The closest they got was in 2018, falling to eventual South 5 regional champion Sayreville in the Central Jersey Group 5 title game.

So, that elusive piece to the puzzle – as it always is – remains the goal for the 2024 edition of North Brunswick football. And seemingly, as always, there is a lot of talent to go around. Al Trevelise (1,036 yards, 13 TDs) is back at quarterback, and senior Jahir Dawud (WR/DB) will help lead the defense, while also catching passes on offense.

The Raiders are in a tough division, the National Silver, which includes Sayreville, along with Edison, and newcomer St. Thomas Aquinas, which gets bumped up this year to play with the Group 5s.

Click below to hear from North Brunswick football coach Mike Cipot and senior Jahir Dawud at Big Central Media Day with Mike Pavlichko:

by Mike Pavlichko

2024 Big Central Preview: National Silver Division

It’s a hellulva swap.

The National Silver Division in the Big Central Conference just got a whole lot tougher, with New Brunswick moving out, and St. Thomas Aquinas moving in. And it makes this division just that much more intriguing.

The Zebras were winless last year, but Aquinas has won 25 straight games against Big Central competition, the longest active streak of its kind. Now, that could spell doom for the division, but there are some pretty good teams here.

Both North Brunswick and Sayreville won eight games each a year ago, and should contend with Aquinas, which was in the United Gold last year, playing against schools like Cranford and Summit. Now, the Trojans are in with the big boys, the Group 5 schools.

Edison should also make a play in this division, with the Eagles looking at a bounceback year. Franklin has a tough road with all those powerhouses in the division, and even their crossover against Plainfield will be a challenge.

One good thing for the rest of the division, though: St. Thomas will be a multiplier, so even a loss to the Trojans would be better for an opponent’s playoff hopes than a defeat at the hands of a “traditional” team.

Click below to hear our preview of the National Silver Division from Big Central Conference Media Day:

North Brunswick
by Marcus Borden

Marcus Borden’s Camp Caravan 2024: Week 1 Notebook

Photo credit: (Marcus Borden)
Photo Credit: (Marcus Borden)

Week One (August 12 -17) of the Caravan was exciting, and with the weather cooling down significantly after several weeks of 90-degree heat for most of July as well as those dreary rainy days of early August!

Monday morning, I kicked off the 2024 preseason at the South River High School campus, which is under construction along Drew Pearson Hall of Fame Way.

The Rams’ senior leadership is excited to show that its off-season work will be rewarded when they host Point Pleasant Beach on Saturday August 31 at noon in a much different looking Bill Denny Stadium.

Four-year starter Michael Marchesi – the head coach’s son, who led the captains’ practices – will play tight end and outside linebacker. Senior Aiden Velez brings the energy on defense as he will make the calls from his middle linebacker position and will also help carry the football as a fullback.

Returning center senior Karl Nielsen will anchor the middle on offense and defense as the center and nose guard. Ryker Stewart returns for his final season at guard and inside linebacker and he is looking forward to bringing back that South River Ram rich tradition.

Monday’s afternoon stop was at Highland Park’s Joe Policastro Stadium, which was recently re-turfed last year, while also adding new lighting.

The Owls are soaring high since their final regular season game win at Point Pleasant Beach, 46-29, ending the program’s 51-game losing streak, at the time, the longest active skid in New Jersey.

Many of those players were underclassmen who now return with the knowledge of how to win by finishing the game.

Multi-talented senior quarterback Markos Hantsoulis showed everyone that he can beat you with his legs and his arm. His ability to escape pressure while on the run and his pinpoint accuracy will pose problems for the opposition. Hantsoulis’ junior cousins Stamatis and Konstantinos will also make a difference on offense and defense.

Senior Zyaire Holland is excited about the season and believes he can make his mark at running back and linebacker. Brian Mahoney, who returns for his final season at guard and linebacker, brings toughness and discipline after a great off-season in the weight room and in summer workouts.

Tuesday’s 6:45 a.m. practice at Bob Demarco Stadium in Old Bridge was non-stop and well-orchestrated with a plethora of talented players separated by offense and defense on either side of the 50-yard line.

Junior quarterback Brody Nugent returns after being inserted into the starting lineup early in the 2023 season. His 2000 plus yards rushing and passing accounted for 18 touchdowns making the Knights excited about this season’s prospects.

With massive 6’4″, 270 lb. returning senior two-way tackle Noah Balbuena opening holes for Nugent and a host of underclassmen with experience, Old Bridge hopes to continue its improvement as they finished the 2023 campaign by winning four of their last six games.

Seniors Zahmir Evans and Munvy Francois return on defense along with at least eleven other underclassmen having played on either side of the ball.

North Brunswick
Photo Credit: (Marcus Borden)

Wednesday the Raiders of North Brunswick were on the field at 9 a.m. with the music playing throughout the session just like it was the day before at Old Bridge.

I have to say, I rather enjoyed the mix of heavy metal, rap, disco and classic rock. However, I didn’t hear any Bad Bunny, Karol G, Anuel, Myke Towers nor Young Miko…¡tú sabes!

North returns a hungry group focused on the team and what they can do together to finally make a successful championship run. Senior QB Al Trevelise said it best when he touted the newly formed Leadership Council and the importance of key words used as reminder how successful teams work with each other.

The Raiders are one of the winningest teams over the last seven years averaging eight wins and two losses a season. With the likes of seniors Trevelise, U of Penn bound speedster Jahir Dawud, linebacker Abdul Kargbo and strong safety Tommy Koroma, the message is clear: focus and finish.

With a physical offensive and defensive line led by junior tackle Ruhan Sriram, and fellow classmate Anthony Walker making his mark on both sides of the ball, North Brunswick will be ready for their opener in Jackson.

Barrons dance Team
Photo Credit: (Marcus Borden)

Thursday’s 9 a.m. start in Woodbridge was a bit more humid with a slight breeze in Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium. I was welcomed by the Barrons’ Dance Team, which reminded me that Halloween will be cutoff weekend for non-public schools for the playoffs.

Woodbridge’s new head coach, Joe George is playing catch-up as he was hired in May replacing Joe LaSala who is now at Fairleigh Dickinson University as receiver coach.

The well-traveled George is no stranger to the Tri-State area, as he has been successful everywhere he has coached.

The Barrons have a strong core of returning players with the Anderson twins, one of the Big Central Conference’s best passing duos. Derek threw for 1,750 yards and 21 touchdowns four of which landed in the hands of twin brother Bryan.

With massive two-way tackle senior Jancarlos Mena leading the way for fellow classmen Jahmir Beal and Daunte DiFonzo at running back, you can expect Woodbridge’s multiple offense to be solid running and throwing the ball.

Bryan Anderson and Beal will return to the defensive secondary along with Senior Tyler Simkovich who has a nose for the football at inside line backer.

Friday morning had the Caravan pulling up to the Southside of Edison for the Eagles 9 a.m. practice. I toured the campus checking out the field turf baseball stadium and ended up at the grass soccer practice field where an encased field turf “E” was on the small hill near Boulevard of the Eagles. Is that field next?

There were nearly 100 players on the field as the humidity was high and the temperature was already rising as the team did a dynamic warm-up. They quickly transitioned to five stations which emphasized footwork and agility by position.

Seniors Justin Boslet and Gavin Bailey return to anchor the offensive line which has size and potential. Junior tight end Robert Roma was impressive as a blocker and receiver.

Quarterback Anthony Calantoni is back for his final season with a year under his belt, bringing athleticism and big play capability when he threatens the edge with run or pass. Fellow classmate Dedrick Harvey will be on the receiving end of Edison’s play action pass attack while sophomore Shaun Garland will align in the backfield as a blocker or runner alongside senior running back Nyekir Eato.

South Plainfield FB
Photo Credit: (Marcus Borden)

The final stop of the Week 1 Camp Caravan Tour was Saturday morning at South Plainfield. The Tigers were in full pads for the first time this season and were greeted by Mr. Ken Totten and his officiating crew to talk about what the players can expect from the officials when they start scrimmaging in the upcoming week.

The return of a veteran senior class led by quarterback Ryan Balent, center Ryan Rizk and tackle Evan Brown has head coach Bill Hamilton excited for the upcoming season. Of course when you add in junior returning running back Dominic Massaro’s nearly one thousand yards rushing for last year, there is reason for optimism.

Defensively seniors A.J. Perales and Jack Jones are both playmakers at linebacker/defensive end with the duo accounting for 31 tackles for a loss between them last year. Massaro shines on defense too, having registered 85 tackles in 2023.

Borden’s Camp Caravan Week 2 Scrimmage Schedule is as follows:

Below are links to Borden’s Week One coverage:

by Mike Pavlichko

Marcus Borden’s 2024 GMC/BCC Camp Caravan: North Brunswick working toward a championship

Central Jersey Sports Radio analyst Marcus Borden continued his first week of trips through the Central Jersey Sports Radio Coverage area on his 2024 GMC/Big Central Conference Camp Caravan with a visit to North Brunswick Wednesday morning.

Watch Borden’s full coverage below, including clips from camp, and interviews with head coach Mike Cipot, along with seniors Jahir Dawud (RB/DB), Al Trevelise (QB), Tommy Koroma (WR/OLB/K), and Abdul Kargo (RB/LB), as well as juniors Ruhan Sriram (OL/DL) and Anthony Walker (RB/DE).

You can now watch all the 2024 Camp Caravan videos on YouTube by clicking this link!

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: GMC Tournament Quarterfinals

In Game One of the a GMC Tournament quarterfinal doubleheader heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio, third-seed Old Bridge fell behind 4-0, but came back to beat 11-seed North Brunswick 8-9, scoring seven runs in its final two at bats.

In Game Two, top-seed South Plainfield also rallied, scoring six runs in the seventh inning to walk-off with a 10-9 win over eighth-seed South Brunswick on a Nick Irizzarry RBI single up the middle.

Click below to listen to all the play-by-play, as broadcast live from North Brunswick Community Park on May 8, 2024, with Mike Pavlichko and Dom Savino on the call:

(3) Old Bridge 8, (11) North Brunswick 5
(1) South Plainfield 10, (8) South Brunswick 9
by Mike Pavlichko

Old Bridge rallies in 6th to drop North Brunswick 8-5, move on to GMC Tournament semifinals

Third-seed Old Bridge avoided an upset at the hands of 11th-sedd North Brunswick in the GMC Tournament quarterfinals, rallying for four runs in the sixth inning to beat the upset-minded Raider as heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

The Knights move on to face the winner of the 7 pm semifinal between 8th-seed South Brunswick and top-seed South Plainfield, Saturday afternoon at Ray Cipperly Field in East Brunswick

North Brunswick got the lead first, in the fourth, and held it until the Knights’ comeback.

In the North Brunswick fourth, Kyle Anderson led off with a single, Connor Levine walked, and Willy Pena got hit to load the bases. DH Avery Price then roped a ball down the left field line to plate two runs. And after a pop-up and strikeout, leadoff man Tim DeGaetano hit a roller to shortstop that John Smith booted, allowing two more runs to score.

Old Bridge got a run back in the bottom of the inning, but could have had more. Justin Hascup led off with a walk and scored on an RBI single by JT Meyer, but Akhil Penkala got caught in a rundown as MJ Altman behind him got caught close to third, forcing Penkala to try and score. That wild play ended the inning.

And after a 1-2-3 top of the fifth for North Brunswick, Old Bridge would get even closer, with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Christian Cavanaugh led off with a single, followed another from John Smith. Chris Crosta singled in a run to make it 4-2, and head coach Jake Rosenberg took out Jabar, going with Chris Rosario from third to pitch.

Frank Papeo promptly singled to drive in a run and make it 4-3, then Hascup tied it with an RBI ground out to short before Rosario got two Ks to end the inning.

North Brunswick grabbed the lead back in the top of the sixth. With one out, Danny Breheney rolled a grounder past the shortstop to drive in Pena, making it 5-4 Raiders.

But Old Bridge tied it, then took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the inning. Altman and led off with a double, then JT Meyer singled him in to make it 5-5. After a sac bunt by Cavanaugh and a flyout by Smith, Crosta roped a double over the centerfielder’s head to give Old Bridge its first lead of the day, scoring Meyer.

Then came an even bigger blow, when Frank Papeo homered to left field to drive in Crosta, giving the Knights at 8-5 lead.

Luke Hagen came in to close the game out, and after two strikeouts, walked the next two hitters, Levine and Pena, before getting Price – who’d doubled in his last two at bats – to hit a fly ball to right. It could have been another two-bagger in the gap, but Akhil Penkala saved the game with a diving catch to end it.

Hagen got the save in relief, while Hascup got the win to improve to 5-1, while Rosario took the loss to fall to 1-2.

Click below to hear postgame reaction presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

Old Bridge 2B Chris Crosta, head coach Matt Donaghue and 1B Frank Papeo