Sports roundup: Falcons win sectional title

Kama Skrek hurled a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and no walks and also went 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI to lift the third-seeded Jefferson Township High School softball team to a 7-0 victory over top-seeded and No. 8 Ramsey in the championship game of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament there Friday afternoon, June 6.

The sectional title is the second in three seasons for the Falcons, who lost to Ramsey, 4-3, in last year’s final after defeating High Point, 4-0, in 2023 for their first sectional crown in 19 years.

Jefferson (24-5) is scheduled to play at Hanover Park in a Group 2 semifinal at 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 10. The overall Group 2 final is slated for noon Friday, June 13 at Ivy Hill Park in Newark.

On Friday, Jefferson scored once in the second inning and four times in the third to extend its lead to a commanding 5-0.

Kylie Plunkett singled in two runs; Maya Weber was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run; Madison Manco singled, walked and drove in a run; Emmagrace Bartels was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs; Katie Kopera went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run; and Gianna Licursi walked and drove in a run.

In four state tournament games, Skrek has not allowed an earned run while striking out 34, walking two and surrendering just 15 hits. She owns a 0.53 ERA this season and a career ERA of 1.28.

Skrek, a senior, has 187 strikeouts this season and 627 for her four-year career.

Here’s how other Jefferson teams have fared recently:

Outdoor track

Kiley Shatzel placed 12th in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:03.17 to pace Jefferson at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions on Wednesday, June 4 at Pennsauken High School.

Baseball

The ninth-seeded Falcons bowed to top-seeded Pascack Valley, 10-2, in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament there May 30.

Ryan Rysdeck homered for Jefferson, which tied the score, 2-2, in the top of the third before Pascack Valley scored eight unanswered runs.

Jefferson had defeated eighth-seeded Pascack Hills in a first-round game there May 27. The team was led by Jake Small, who singled, walked and drove in three runs; Dylan Rockey, who singled, walked, drove in a run and scored; Nick Do, who singled in a run and scored; Noah Mednick, who walked, was hit twice and scored twice and stole a base; and Sam Orlando, who went 2-for-3 with a run.

Jefferson finished 17-10 overall and 6-4 and in third place in the Freedom Division of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference.

Boys lacrosse

Matty Leppard had two goals and two assists; Calen Reid added a goal and three assists; and Brendan Fox and Tommy Del Masto each added a goal as sixth-seeded Jefferson was edged, 6-5, by second-seeded Ramsey in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 1 tournament there Thursday afternoon, June 5.

Leppard finished his junior season with 87 goals and 15 assists and is the all-time school record-holder with 192 career goals.

Reid, who is heading to Stockton University, ended his senior season with 35 goals and 94 assists and his career with a state record 291 assists and a school record of 405 points, which includes 114 career goals.

Girls lacrosse

Jefferson, seeded seventh, received goals from Samantha Kepler, Gracie Castimore, Gabriella Fitzsimmons and Gabriella Celentano in a 19-4 loss to second-seeded Madison in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 1 tournament there June 2.

The Falcons, who finished with a 10-9 mark, were led this season by Kepler (65 goals, 14 assists), Castimore (31 goals, five assists), Riley Strauch (34 goals, 23 assists), Olivia Bahamondes (26 goals, 14 assists), Gianna Fox (22 goals, seven assists), Celentano (14 goals, four assists), Fitzsimmons (13 goals, four assists), Casey Hartnett (eight goals, 24 assists) and goalie Angelys Castillo (165 saves).

Boys volleyball

The seventh-seeded Falcons played well but were edged by second-seeded West Caldwell Tech, 25-20, 25-23, in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 1 tournament there June 5.

Jefferson (14-14) was led by Jack Schild (17 assists, six digs), Andrew Mohlenhoff (nine digs, one assist), Raymond Bradley (two kills, one dig), Allan Czerwinski (nine digs, four kills), Aiden Morris (four kills, two blocks), Spencer Mutsavage (two kills, two blocks) and Dorian Kaminski (seven kills, four digs, two blocks).

Boys golf

Jack Reed carded a 78 to finish in a tie for second place and was followed by Zachary Geise (80), Ryan Saletto (86), Michael Baumann (86) and Gavin Malakuskie (90) as the Falcons placed second overall at the Sussex Cup on May 27 at High Point Country Club in Montague.

Jefferson, which completed a 16-6 season, amassed 330 strokes, just two off champion Wallkill Valley in the 10-team field.

Girls golf

Samantha Cocca shot a match-low 44 and was followed by Katherine Blair (49), Olivia Gugliotta (53), Erin Nimbley (55), Phoebe Szekula (55) and Roxana Wida (57) as the Falcons earned a 201-205 victory over Pope John on May 27 at Bowling Green Golf Course in Oak Ridge.

Jefferson was 13-4 overall this spring and placed second in the NJAC North Division with a 9-3 mark.