Athletes in Shorts
From staff & wire reports

LOCAL SWIMMERS ARE POOLING THEIR RESOURCES
GMC meet brings out several personal bests

Fessant-Eaton, Shangle, and Nolan put in a solid performance at the swimming GMCs.

Highland Park High School received outstanding performances from three exuberant swimmers at the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) championships one week ago at the Denunzio Pool on the campus of Princeton University.

Leading the way was junior Kayleigh Shangle, who captured the 50-yard freestyle event in 25.04. With her victory, Kayleigh qualified for the NJSIAA Meet of Championshps held in March. This is her third year of competing and she is the first swimmer from her school to win an event since Lisa Rong in 2001. Shangle placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:03.42, a personal best for her.

Sophomore Henry Fessant-Eaton competed in the 100-yard backstroke placing 16th in 1:10.13, a personal best for him, while finishing 29th in the 50-yard freestyle in 26.25. Fessant-Eaton is in his second year of competition.

Freshman Jessica Nolan competed in the 50-yard freestyle placing ninth in 26.94 while finishing seventh in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:12.83 a personal best for her. All three swimmers practice at the University Swim Club at Rutgers University.

Most schools that have a full squad swim in the team events. Other schools like Highland Park may not field a full squad but can compete in individual events. Only eight individual events are contested but the schools who don't field a full team like Highland Park can only have their individual swimmers compete in just two events.

Head coach Elaine Hewins-Shangle is proud of the way her swimmers went out and competed: "It's a nice opportunity for the swimmers to compete and we appreciate the support from the high school and the town."

- Howard Princz

OWLS EARN ANOTHER STATE TOURNEY BERTH
Girls' squad is 12-5 with gutsy upset of ranked Blue Jays

The Highland Park High School girls basketball team has looked to set a number of goals heading into the season. With a 12-5 record, they are on their way to the state tournament, for starters.

"We wanted to qualify for the states, defend and win the sectional tournament, win the overall Group I championship and the holiday tournament, which we won," said third-year girls varsity basketball coach Glen Kertes.

The Owls successfully defended their Brearley Tournament championship earlier this season. Their 1-2 punch this season is led by freshman point guard Jocelyn Summers and senior swingman Justine Boyd.

"Justine has been a mentor to Jocelyn," said Kertes. "We like to have Justine play different positions in different games to create a mismatch."

"She is not into individual stats, just doing what she has to do in order for the team to win." he added.

Seniors Michelle Ivey and Ania Underwood and junior Alyssa Hudgins share the center position. Clara Younge, another senior, is a scoring threat from the outside. "When Clara has the confidence, the team has confidence in her," he said. "She has played well defensively."

Team unity is something that Kertes has stressed this season. "We're playing as a team, like a family this season instead of focusing on individual stats... a lot of individuals have stepped up."

Sophomore guard Leah Salkin has been assigned a very important task: "She has been given the task of stopping the other team's leading scorer, their best player. She is our defensive stopper," explained Kertes.

Things are looking up for Highland Park come late February. The Owls could be a #2 or #3 seed when the state tournament begins on February 25th.

- Howard Princz

HPHS FOOTBALL

The Highland Park High School football team's most successful season in the last eight years ended Saturday Nov. 17 with a 50-33 Central Jersey Group 1 semifinal loss to second-seeded Keansburg. Junior running back Bryant Fitzgerald collected 74 yards on the afternoon and took a kick return back for a 69-yard touchdown. The halfback ended the season with 1,988 yards rushing to lead the area. H.P. had beaten four-time defending sectional champion Florence 20-17 on Nov. 10 to advance in the tournament. In the win, Fitzgerald had 227 yards rushing and two touchdowns while sophomore Nate Smith had 124 yards receiving and a score. The Owls' final record was 8-3. Look for a full season recap in the next Mirror.

HPHS GIRLS SOCCER

Varsity girls soccer has also wrapped up their season, with a closely contested 1-0 double overtime loss to third-seeded Middlesex. Regulation ended 0-0, with a staggering 24 saves by the H.P. defense against relentless pressure by the Blue Jays. Each team turned away three more penalty kicks in overtime, resulting in a second overtime of sudden-death penalty kicks. As the higher seed, Middlesex was awarded the first turn and converted on their first attempt. The team and coach Peter Ruckdeschel are pleased with the 9-8-1 finish, their best season and first state tournament trip since 2004.

HPHS FOOTBALL

The Highland Park High School football team is on a winning tear with first-year head coach Rich McGlynn at the helm. Following a 25-14 triumph over fellow-unbeaten Middlesex on October 12, the Owls locked up a Gold Division crown for the second year in a row and improved to a record of 6-0 overall. Junior running back Bryant Fitzgerald rushed for 193 yards and three touchdowns, bringing his season totals to over 1,200 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns. Sophomore Nate Smith added another score on the ground and intercepted a pass in the final minute to cap off the victory. The Owls also defeated out-of-conference foe Pennington 28-7 on October 20 to go to 7-0 as Fitzgerald added 228 yards on the ground and 3 TDs. HP now looks to stay sharp in the season’s final weeks while preparing for a run in the Central Jersey Group 1 tournament.

HPHS GIRLS SOCCER

The HPHS girls soccer team, led by Coach Chris Ruckdescehel, improved to 7-7-1 and assured themselves a state tournament berth on October 17 with a 2-0 win over Perth Amboy. Sophomore midfielder Leah Salkin scored a goal and tallied an assist in the victory to send the Owls back to .500. Junior goalkeeper Abby Petkov recorded her sixth shutout of the season with five saves on the evening. The first goal of the night was scored by senior Erin Sanchez. The Central Jersey Group 1 tournament appearance will be HPHS Girls’ Soccer’s first in three years. Please read Coach Ruckdeschel’s note to his team in this edition of The Mirror.

HPHS FOOTBALL UNDEFEATED

Highland Park junior running back Bryant Fitzgerald rushed for 247 yards on 16 carries against arch-rival Metuchen in an Owls' 27-0 win on September 28. As of that date, Fitzgerald led the area in rushing with 824 yards on the ground. He has nine touchdowns to his name after HP football's 4-0 start.

YOUTH BASKETBALL

The Recreation Department is sponsoring youth basketball for children in grades K-6. Co-ed grades K-2 participate in skills clinics on Sundays; boys and girls in grades 3-4 play once a week on Sundays plus practice once a week; boys and girls in grades 5-6 play on Sundays and Wednesdays or Thursdays, plus practice once per week.

Registration runs through November 15. The skills clinics begin December 2 for grades 3-6 at Bartle School gym; practices start the week of December 10; and games run from January 6-March 8. The fee is $50 for residents, $40 for each additional resident in a family, and $75 for non-residents. Scholarships are available. For more information or for registration forms, call (732) 819-0411.

Highland Park High School students are in for a nice surprise this fall, and we're not talking about yet another coat of paint on the gym floor. The gym itself "hadn't been painted for 35 years, and back then it was done by a gym teacher," said Linda Hoefele, Board of Ed. business administrator.

The overhaul was a cooperative effort with Sodexho, the maintenance contractor to the district. "Because we knew the bleachers were coming out, we planned to do the floor," Hoefele expounded. "We had it drum sanded to the original wood, and then they put on all the coats of sealant. It looks like a brand new floor."

"They painted the ceiling, the walls, it's beautiful. It was starting to become an eyesore. The paint was peeling .... It needed it badly."

SOCCER CLEATS / EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE

Have your children outgrown soccer cleats or equipment? Share them with your neighbors with this great new program! Please drop off your gently used, clean soccer cleats, shinguards, shorts, and equipment by Tuesday, September 18th. Please label the item with size etc., on a piece of tape and attach it to the article. Equipment drop off is at either the Senior/Youth Center, 221 South Sixth, or Main Street Highland Park at 421 Raritan Avenue.

Then join us at Donaldson Park, at noon on either Thursday, September 20th or Sunday, September 23rd to pick out gently used cleats & equipment.

Suggested donation of $2 to participate, which will be shared by the Highland Park Rec Soccer program and the H.P. Soccer Association (travel soccer) to be applied toward programming.

Following up on the exploits of the Highland Park Frisbee culture, the New Jersey Youth Club Championships team finished 5th out of 16 teams in Blaine, Minnesota last month. The NJ YCC team contains players from high schools all over New Jersey, including HPHS grads Thales Nazario and Jake Rainwater. The squad defeated Colorado and Wisconsin on their way to the quarterfinals, where they bowed out to Minnesota 10-8 on a hard cap. By winning their consolation games, the Jerseyans slid into fifth place overall.

"It was an amazing experience," Rainwater told the Mirror upon his return from Minnesota. "The competition was great and you just wish that you could experience that level of play day-in and day-out. It was a luxury and an honor."

The Booster Club for the H.P. Middle School sports program is continuing its fund-raising efforts. A second letter will be going out to families of incoming 6th, 7th, and current 8th graders, describing the Club's plans to support the athletic program and explaining the need for additional funding to support the unexpectedly large number of students planning on participating in fall sports. The Club reports receiving $1100 in contributions so far - which is about half its goal.

There is no doubting that Jane Kenny is a Renaissance woman - she has recently scored a sponsorship from Toyota through the company's Engines of Change marketing program, for her role in triathlons over the last couple of years. A former state Cabinet officer, Kenny is a founding partner of The Whitman Strategy Group LLC, an environmental consulting firm.

She started doing triathlons two years ago when she was asked to train for the famed Danskin triathlon to celebrate her friend's 50th birthday. She is slated to participate in the Danskin event again this month in Sandy Hook. Kenny admits that prior to the Danskin, "I was never an athlete... I was the reader in the family." Her exercise did include Pilates during the week and bike rides (including the 50 Miles for MS ride organized by HP residents Jeff and Diane Feldman).

Coming off a winning season, HPHS first-year head football coach Rich McGlynn looks to follow in the footsteps of Joe Policastro's winning ways during his multi-decade tenure. The team was the 6-seed in last year's NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 1 state tournament, losing to rival Metuchen 13-12 in the first round of action. The team returns many highlight-reel worthy athletes, including junior track star Bryant Fitzgerald and sophomore running back Nate Smith.

""We've got guys here who are ready to step up and be the future of this program," McGlynn told the Mirror. We have to build on that foundation and strive towards excellence both in this upcoming season and down the road."

H.P. native Stefan Hirniak will be a swimmer to look out for over the next year.

One of Highland Park's more accomplished, three-season athletes has made a splash in the New Jersey Frisbee all-star ranks. 2007 HPHS graduate Jake Rainwater made the Youth Club Championships team, which is made up of top-notch talent from the Frisbee powerhouse schools around the state. While playing Frisbee as a fourth sport for the HP Enforcers, Rainwater lettered as sweeper for the soccer team, forward for the basketball team, and left fielder for the baseball team.

Rainwater along with 2006 HPHS graduate Thales Nazario, who played outfield for the Highland Park baseball squad, are scheduled to take part in a Frisbee tournament in Minnesota with this NJ YCC squad. Both are thrilled to have the opportunity.

"It means a lot to get this kind of recognition," the Dickinson University-bound Rainwater said in an interview with the Mirror. "Frisbee is a growing sport and this is the first year New Jersey is sending a team, so it's special for Thales and me to be the first representing Highland Park at a competition like this."

Nazario shared Rainwater's sentiments regarding their all-star selections and the impending tournament.

"Finally getting HP the respect it deserves in the sport is really cool," the soon-to-be Rutgers University sophomore Nazario said. "The fact that I'm getting the chance to go to Minnesota with Jake shows that Highland Park is being noticed in the Frisbee ranks along with all of this great NJ talent."

The tournament will start in Minnesota on Friday, August 10th.

Jason Montana, who coached the HPHS girls' basketball team to a 41-30 record in 3 seasons, is now a full-time assistant coach for the Columbia University women's basketball squad. The former HPHS algebra, geometry, statistics, and calculus teacher served as the video operations director for the WNBA's New York Liberty before latching on at Columbia. Montana's teams at HPHS reached the Central Jersey Group 1 finals once and won a division title. The sectional final appearance was also coupled with the team garnering the program's first ever 20-win season. Montana has fond memories of his Highland Park days.

"I'm forever grateful to Bob Thomas and Joe Policastro for their faith and support during my time at HP," Montana told the Mirror. "I don't know where I'd be if they hadn't provided me with an opportunity to coach."

In our last issue, it was mentioned that 2003 HPHS graduate Joe Augustine had finished his collegiate baseball career with a Division III National Championship and had been signed by the Kansas City Royals. On June 22nd, Augustine made his first professional start for the Burlington Royals. Presumably on a pitch-count constraint in his debut, Joe threw 4 brilliant innings, giving up no runs and striking out 3, while only surrendering 2 hits. In his second outing on June 27th, Augustine threw five innings of shutout relief, striking out 4 and once again only giving up 2 hits.

The Margaritaville Sluggers of the HP women's softball league sat in 2nd place with a record of 5-3 as of June 30th. Games for the league are played at Johnson and Donaldson Park and all teams are Highland Park based. The Sluggers are headed up by pitcher-coach Kathy Thomas. Oasis Auto Center led the league as of the aforementioned date with only one loss on the season-at the hands of the Margaritaville Sluggers. The two teams met in last year's championship game, with Oasis coming out on top.

Sluggers' infielder Lori Lauterbach says she's happy that the squad already knocked off the league leaders in the regular season; however, she would love a rematch of last year's title game when the postseason comes around.

It was a jam-packed spring for the Highland Park traveling soccer teams in the Mid-New Jersey Youth Soccer Association. According to standings found on www.mnjysa.org, the Owls U-19 Boys squad finished the season at 4-3-2, while the H.P. Rangers (Boys U-13) squad went 3-4-3 after moving up two flights for the spring season.

The Flaming Pink Flamingos (U-14 Boys) finished 4-5-1, and H.P. Owls U-19 girls went 1-6-2. At the U-11 Boys ranks, the Ospreys were 2-4-4, while being the only team of the group with an even goal differential. [Competitive standings are not kept for the younger teams; in Highland Park, the U-10 Girls Ravens, U-9 Boys Raptors, and U-10 Boys Falcons.]

Discovery Day Camp, running from July 9th until Aug 17th, is a camp held at Irving School for Highland Park students entering grade K through 6th. The certified teaching staff creates interesting and enjoyable activities for the kids to do each day-including swimming, sports during slotted recreation time, and day trips to the zoo and planetarium. In addition, the camp offers art instruction by the H.P. Academy of Art. The day camp, co-directed by Dave Luxembourg, costs $195 per week and the campers get to enjoy the activities from 9 AM to 3 PM, with optional before- and after- care.

With the extreme heat in the Highland Park area over end of June, the Mirror staff started thinking about how the fall athletes endure the weather during their training period. Both the football and soccer squads will start double-session practices in mid-August with long distance running, sprinting, and fitness workouts. [Catch Danny's pre-season report in the September 4th Mirror - Ed.] We remind all athletes to stay hydrated during their strength and conditioning sessions as they prepare to represent HPHS this September.