Sports roundup: Falcons lose in group semifinal

While the season didn’t have a happy ending, it was an extremely successful one for the Jefferson Township High School softball team.

The Falcons’ 2025 campaign came to an end Wednesday, June 11 in a nine-inning loss to Hanover Park, 5-4, in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 2 semifinal round there.

Jefferson finished with a 24-6 record under eight-year head coach Amy Pearce. That included a perfect 10-0 mark in the Freedom Division of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, giving the Falcons the division title.

Kailey Strauch, who was 2-for-5, drove in a run for Jefferson in the top of the first with a sac fly before Hanover Park scored twice in the bottom half of the frame.

Gianna Licursi, who singled three times, had an RBI single in the top of the second to knot the score, 2-2, for the Falcons.

Jefferson then received two-out run-delivering singles from Madison Manco and Strauch to take a 4-2 lead in the sixth. That lead held until Hanover Park struck for two runs in the bottom of the seventh that were aided by two errors.

Hanover Park then claimed the victory via sacrifice fly that brought home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

Senior right-hander Kama Skrek, who was 2-for-4 and scored a run, surrendered just three hits, two walks and two earned runs while striking out five to wrap up a sterling season and high school career.

Skrek, who is bound for Oakland University in New Rochester, Mich., finished her 2025 campaign at the plate batting .410 (43-for-105) with 39 RBI, 29 runs, 11 doubles and eight home runs. For her career, she amassed 143 hits, 109 RBI, 65 runs, 31 doubles, four triples and 20 home runs with an average of .388.

In the circle, Skrek was even more effective, allowing just 13 earned runs and 15 walks while striking out 196 in 154 innings. She pitched to a miniscule ERA of 0.59 this spring.

The two earned runs against Hanover Park were the only ones she allowed in five state tournament games in which she struck out 39 and allowed just 18 hits and four walks.

For her career, Skrek struck out 636, walked 78 and had an ERA of 1.28.

Jefferson outscored its foes, 231-43, this season.

In addition to Skrek, the team was led offensively by Kylie Plunkett (36 hits, 21 RBI, 27 runs, seven doubles, four triples, 12 walks, eight stolen bases), Manco (36 hits, 25 runs, 21 RBI, seven stolen bases), Strauch (34 hits, 29 runs, 22 RBI, six doubles, 10 walks), Maya Weber (33 hits, 30 runs, 23 RBI, six doubles, nine walks), Katie Kopera (29 hits, 23 runs, 22 RBI, five doubles, three triples, 12 walks), Emmagrace Bartels (23 hits, 24 runs, 16 RBI, seven doubles, 10 walks), Licursi (21 hits, 21 runs, 11 RBI, seven walks) and Gianna Catania (20 hits, 29 RBI, three doubles, four home runs, 12 walks).

In the past three seasons, the Falcons have forged a record of 68-21, which included a 25-8 mark in 2023. That year, Jefferson reached the overall Group 2 final for the first time since it won the crown in 2004.

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.