Danny Breslauer

Stories from Danny Breslauer

Sky Blue FC stretching long for a playoff berth
Danny Breslauer
Thursday, September 2, 2010

Defending Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) champion Sky Blue FC has continued to put forth solid soccer in Piscataway during the 2010 summer campaign. Recently-promoted head coach Rick Stainton believes his team’s late-season adjustments have led to a more exciting brand of soccer.

New athletic director appointed for H.P. schools
Danny Breslauer
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Highland Park public schools' new athletic director has high aspirations for his programs. Craig Girvan wants to win the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup.

Owls wrap up spring seasons on a high note
Danny Breslauer
Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Spring sports at HPHS combined for 31 victories, three state tournament appearances and multiple individual awards.

Claiming the team honor of fewest losses while holding a winning record is boys tennis. At 12-3, the squad qualified for the Central Jersey Group I tournament as the No. 2 seed, before bowing out in the quarterfinals to South River, 3-2.

Track & field benefits from a growing squad of cross-trainers
Danny Breslauer
Wednesday, May 5, 2010

It is the forgotten spring activity—the one many athletes use to stay in peak condition after their main season ends. But track & field requires Highland Park High School athletes to be more versatile than they’d ever imagine in another sport.

Spring softballers searching for a streak
Danny Breslauer
Friday, April 9, 2010
Looking to build off newfound success in the 2009 campaign, Highland Park High School softball coach Lori Szentgyorgyi thought hitting might be an issue in early-season games. But her players put paid to those thoughts in the opener, pummeling East Brunswick Tech 16-1 and scoring in every inning.

With seven home games in April, and an 18-player squad with three seniors and no defections from ’09, HPHS is looking to qualify for the state tournament in consecutive seasons. The Owls made the field last year for the first time in nearly a decade.

Rutgers' rugged 'Ruggers' brings possession down to the essentials
Danny Breslauer
Sunday, March 28, 2010

There are your average club teams. And then there’s the “Black Death” Rugby Football Club. A fraternity on and off the pitch, this group of students has embraced a game that isn’t extremely popular in the U.S.A.

The team is directed by captain Eric Daneman (known as D’animal) and vice-captain Sean “Kiwi” Taylor (you guessed it—he’s a New Zealander). Senior team member (and former Match Secretary) Tom Cotton talked about the task of helping Rugby get popular in the region.

“Do a lot of people not understand the rules? Yes,” Cotton said. “But, that’s something if they don’t know a lot of Rugby players; it’s a good conversation starter. It’s an interesting sport that people have seen, but they really want to learn about it.”

2010 brings transition to Owls dugout
Danny Breslauer
Friday, March 19, 2010

In his squad’s final year of a Blue Division experiment, Highland Park High School baseball coach Rich McGlynn still has high expectations.

“I’m very optimistic this year,” the fifth-year head coach said. “Like any other year, you look at it as a fresh start. I do like the makeup of the team this season.”

The Owls will return to the Gold Division in 2011—something that McGlynn believes will be beneficial down the line.

Back to the roots for hardwood coach
Danny Breslauer
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Highland Park athletes will tell you that there’s something contagious about playing sports at the school. It’s a sense of familiarity that stays with you long after graduation and can be a factor in luring you back home. This is the case for 2002 graduate Tim Stark HPHS '02, who has returned to the Stockman Gym as assistant coach of girls basketball.

“To me, it’s familiar because this team is in the same spot I was in during my time here,” Stark said. “They’re competing for the lead in the Blue Division and preparing for a deep state tournament run. I’ve had the chance to learn a lot from [head coach] Erin Washington and the kids. In the end, I make decisions but they do all the work on the court.”

Girls basketball cruises into GMCs at 12-5
Danny Breslauer
Friday, February 5, 2010

 

All it takes is a quick start for a team to play at a high level for an extended period of time. Sometimes, that quick start makes a coach salivate over postseason aspirations. Other times, it can force them to step back and realize fundamental flaws before they become more costly.

 

The Highland Park High School basketball teams and instructors have both been through this learning experience during the 2009-2010 campaign. It’s now time to catch you up on the season-to-date for each program.

Back to the mat as Owls grapplers roll out 2010
Danny Breslauer
Monday, January 4, 2010
When a squad loses its school’s all-time wins leader, it would be easy to assume that the program might need a year to rebuild.

You’d be wrong when it comes to Highland Park High School wrestling.

The Owls enter the 2009-'10 campaign without the services of graduated star Will Randall-Goodwin, who posted 88 career victories, including a 32-8 mark at 171 lbs. last year on his way to a district championship. But the cupboard is far from bare.

Owls take to the hardwood under a new coach
Danny Breslauer
Sunday, December 13, 2009

Winning is contagious around Highland Park High School athletics.  That is the opinion of HPHS girls basketball acting head coach Erin Washington, who believes her squad will feed off the recent accomplishments of the Owls’ fall sports season.
“All of these kids play multiple sports and know each other,” Washington said.  “Watching these teams win and do well, it helps this group of tight-knit students.  They like to see each other succeed.”

Boys b-ball washing their reds
Danny Breslauer
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Highland Park High School boys basketball coach Derek Nobles looks at his 2009-2010 Owls before preseason workouts and sees three crucial elements—veteran leadership, consistent guard play and a forward-heavy roster.

After enduring a midseason slide last year, the Owls lost only one senior (Justin Brown) and will look to capitalize on some additional height and athleticism.  Undoubtedly, the squad will be led by senior guard David Webb, whose school-record interception total on the football field put him in the spotlight this fall.
Goal Post Notebook
Danny Breslauer
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Highland Park football fans couldn’t have asked for a more perfect victory lap than the one they got in the sectional semifinals against Metuchen.
The 36-0 victory for the Owls over the Bulldogs came in the 75th meeting of the series — which HP now owns with 57 wins.  The meeting was only the third time the teams have met in the state tournament.
*  *  * *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Senior running back Nate Smith’s 229 rushing and 311 all-purpose yards furthered his legacy at HPHS, as he broke the 2,400-yard barrier on the ground.
Soccer squads finish ‘09 strong with state tournament stands
Danny Breslauer
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Another year on the pitch ends with positive results for the Highland Park High School soccer programs.  Both the HPHS boys and girls soccer teams qualified for the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I state tournament and picked up a victory in their respective brackets.

On the girls side, head coach Chris Ruckdeschel and company enjoyed a 10-7-1 campaign, including a stellar 7-4-1 record in the Gold Division.  After a 1-0 home win in the sectional quarterfinals over Florence on a 70th minute penalty kick by senior Leah Salkin, HP bowed out to eventual champion Robbinsville 8-0 in the semifinals.
"Running culture" revives HS cross country program
Danny Breslauer
Monday, November 9, 2009
The all-terrain running of cross country isn’t for everybody. It requires a certain degree of commitment and understanding to navigate courses such as the ones on the Highland Park High Schoolcross country team’s schedule. As fall rolled in and renovations around the borough finished up, the Owls had a chance to use Donaldson Park and the old Raritan Valley Roadrunners course for the first time in five years. This served as a degree of motivation for HPHS head coach Eric Davis.
Serve, volley and win
Danny Breslauer
Sunday, October 25, 2009

“Do two and out and win with a smile.”  That’s the motto of the 2009 Highland Park High School girls’ tennis team.  Taking two sets, being respectful to your opponent and coming out with a victory have been themes for this year’s squad.

Girls’ soccer taking the next step
Danny Breslauer
Thursday, October 8, 2009

Every coach aspires to find that special formula which produces success on the field.  Eighth-year Highland Park High School girls soccer coach Chris Ruckdeschel offers a simple winning equation to his team—heart and passion.

“Heart and passion are oftentimes what win games,” Ruckdeschel said. “That’s what it takes to be around when it matters and I tell that to our team all the time.  When we bring those things together, our attitude can be contagious and they are fun to watch.”

HPHS athletics wraps up the 2008- 09 seasons
Danny Breslauer
Saturday, August 1, 2009
If Highland Park football fans were worried about the program’s newfound success fading away, the 2008 campaign quieted their concerns.  Another Gold Division championship coupled with a state tournament appearance was the formula for another successful season for Coach Rich McGlynn’s squad.