The holiday season did not stop the high school sports action in North Jersey, as several teams competed in various events on Dec. 26. Here are some of the highlights and box scores from the games involving North Jersey teams.
In one of the most anticipated matchups of the season, Bergen Catholic and St. Joseph faced off in a battle of two of the top teams in the state. The game lived up to the hype, as it went to overtime and was decided by a single point. Bergen Catholic prevailed 67-66, thanks to a clutch free throw by Will Richardson with 1.2 seconds left in the extra period.
Richardson, a senior guard, finished with a game-high 27 points, including five 3-pointers. He also had six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He was supported by Eli Camacho, who had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Rafael Castro, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
St. Joseph, which suffered its first loss of the season, was led by Dyree Rogers, who had 23 points and seven rebounds. He was followed by Jaquan Harris, who had 16 points and six assists, and Albert Serrano, who had 11 points and six rebounds.
The game was close throughout, as neither team led by more than six points at any point. Bergen Catholic had a 32-31 lead at halftime, and a 54-53 lead at the end of regulation. St. Joseph had a chance to win the game in the final seconds of the fourth quarter, but Justin Glover missed a layup at the buzzer
In overtime, Bergen Catholic took a 66-63 lead with 1:08 left, after a 3-pointer by Richardson. St. Joseph responded with a 3-pointer by Harris to tie the game with 43 seconds left. After a timeout, Bergen Catholic ran the clock down and gave the ball to Richardson, who drove to the basket and drew a foul with 1.2 seconds left. He made the first free throw, but missed the second. St. Joseph could not get a shot off before the final horn.
Bergen Catholic improved to 5-0 on the season, while St. Joseph fell to 4-1. Both teams will resume their schedules in January, after the holiday break.
Girls Basketball: Ramapo cruises past Paramus Catholic in season opener
Ramapo started its season on a high note, as it defeated Paramus Catholic 61-36 in a non-league game. Ramapo, which is ranked No. 4 in the North Jersey Top 25, dominated the game from the start, as it led 19-8 after the first quarter and 35-15 at halftime.
Ramapo had a balanced scoring attack, as four players reached double figuresLauren Achter led the way with 15 points, followed by Savannah Nowak with 14 points, Madison Schiller with 13 points, and Sophia DeBenedetto with 10 points.
Paramus Catholic, which is ranked No. 17 in the North Jersey Top 25, struggled to find its rhythm offensively, as it shot 25 percent from the field and 50 percent from the free throw lineAria Myers was the only player to score in double digits, as she had 12 points.
Ramapo improved to 1-0 on the season, while Paramus Catholic dropped to 2-2. Ramapo will face No. 3 Immaculate Heart on Jan. 4, while Paramus Catholic will take on No. 9 Teaneck on Jan. .
Wrestling: Emerson/Park Ridge wins team title at Lenape Valley Tournament
Emerson/Park Ridge showed its strength on the mat, as it won the team title at the Lenape Valley Tournament. Emerson/Park Ridge scored 215.5 points, well ahead of second-place Kittatinny, which had 173 points. Lenape Valley finished third with 147 points.
Emerson/Park Ridge had six individual champions, as Logan Mazzeo (120), Nick Babin (126), Zach Lewis (132), Luke Mazzeo (138), Jonah Schechtman (170), and Shane Carcich (182) all won their weight classes. Emerson/Park Ridge also had two runners-up, as Ryan Shaw (145) and Joe Giordano (152) both finished second.
Other North Jersey teams that competed in the tournament were High Point, which finished fourth with 136.5 points, and Wallkill Valley, which finished seventh with 81 points. High Point had two individual champions, as Clayton Utter (106) and Brian Soldano (160) both won their weight classes. Wallkill Valley had one individual champion, as Derek Molfetto (113) won his weight class.
Hockey: Northern Highlands edges out Ramsey in overtime
In a matchup of two of the top teams in the Big North Conference, Northern Highlands and Ramsey needed overtime to settle their score. Northern Highlands came out on top, as it won 3-2 on a goal by Mark Cinotti with 1:39 left in the extra period.
Cinotti, a senior forward, scored his second goal of the game, as he beat Ramsey goalie Dane Beltramini with a wrist shot from the right circle. Cinotti also scored the first goal of the game, as he gave Northern Highlands a 1-0 lead in the first period.
Ramsey tied the game in the second period, as Tyler Botta scored on a power play. Northern Highlands regained the lead in the third period, as Aidan Connolly scored on a breakaway. Ramsey forced overtime with 2:19 left in regulation, as Jake Barone scored on a rebound.
Northern Highlands goalie John Werber made 25 saves, while Beltramini made 24 saves. Northern Highlands improved to 5-1-1 on the season, while Ramsey fell to 4-2-1.