HS Sports Wrap: Boys Track Earn Three Straight Indoor Titles

The Hasbrouck Heights boys track and field team made it three straight indoor Group 1 North 1 state sectional titles.

The Aviators outran Pascack Hills, 73-64, in the race for winning the state sectional title at the John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex in Toms River last week.

"We knew that we were going to be competitive and we did our best," said Hasbrouck Heights senior Chris Connors who won the shot put competition.

And another senior, Alex Sisco, who came in second in the pole vault, felt the team did not take anything for granted after winning the previous two years. "We knew that it was going to be tough so we weren't overconfident," said Sisco.

The Heights girls team came in third with 32 points, behind only Verona and Westwood, who came in first and second.

While it wasn't a title, Hasbrouck Heights head coach Rob Brady will take the third place finish for the girls. "I was happy with the third place finish with the girls, I thought we could have a scored about 12 more points if everything went our way,"" said Brady. "On a whole our girls did a great job in what was a very competitive meet in our section."

The Group 1 state championship is this Saturday in Toms River.

For the Heights boys team, junior Roland Gamez led the Aviators with a first place in the 55 meters along with a pair of seconds in the high jump and the 55 meter hurdles.

Connors continued the school tradition of top throwers by winning the shot put with a throw of 49-feet-3/4 inch. He said that the throwers are able to work out in the Heights old gym as they use the wrestling mats to cushion the blow of the discus and the shots.

On the girls side junior Irene Cedano captured first in the shot put with a throw of 34-feet-11.25. The other two top finishes for the girls came from sophomore Danielle Cannici for a second in the pole vault (9 feet) and senior Rayn Moses, a third place in the 55 meters with a time of 7.70.

For the boys, Brady said the key events were the shot put and the 55 hurdles. The Aviators registered 16 points in the shot with Connors grabbing gold while junior Anthony Seidel finished fourth and A.J. Traina added a fifth place.

In the 55 hurdles Heights took second, fourth and fifth with Rolando Gamez leading the way at second while Mark Monahan and Mike Pikowski coming in fourth and fifth to give the Aviators 14 points.

For Sisco it was amazing that he came in second in the pole vault after just running the 800 meter race. "I was exhausted and they gave me five minutes between the race and the pole vault," said Sisco.

Boys basketball

The Hasbrouck Heights boys team continues to struggle after a 63-57 loss at Saddle Brook on Friday.

But with games this week at Hawthorne (Tuesday), at St. Mary (on Friday) and Mahwah (at Bergenfield in the Bergen Invitational Tournament), they hope to get on a hot streak heading into the state tournament at the end of the month.

The Aviators are the ninth seed in Group 1 North 1 and travel to eighth-seeded Waldwick in the first round on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. If Heights wins over the Warriors, they probably will face neighborhood and top-seeded Wood-Ridge on Feb. 29 on the road.

In the loss to Saddle Brook, three Heights players scored in double figures led by Michael Schroback with 18 while Joe Crabbe and Gabe Toledo added 17 and 15 points respectively. The Aviators could not stop Falcons' Alex Fernandez with 23 points in the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference (NJIC) Meadowlands B division contest.

Girls basketball

Hasbrouck Heights rebounded from a loss to Immaculate Conception last week with a dominating 36-10 victory over Saddle Brook at home on Friday.

The Lady Aviators had the game from the start combining some offense and stifling defense to take a 14-0 lead after the first quarter.

Daniella Castellanos lead Heights again in the points category with 13 points while Nicole Callen added nine in the NJIC Meadowlands B division contest.

In addition the Lady Aviators will face a familiar foe in the state tournament. Last season Heights was knocked out by Wood-Ridge in the first round and the Aviators will have a shot at avenging that loss with a first round meet-up this season against the Blue Devils on Feb. 27 at 5 p.m.

Hasbrouck Heights results for Group 1 North 1 indoor

(Top three finishes)

55 meter hurdles

2. Roland Gamez, 8.04

Girls 55 meters run

3. Rayn Moses, 7.70

Boys 55 meter run

1. Roland Gamez, 6.89

Boys 3,200 meter run

3. Rolando Mendoza, 10:20.39

1,600 meter relay

2. Hasbrouck Heights, Mark Monohan, Javier Marte, Roland Gamez and Alex Sisco, 3:26.51

Girls shot put

1. Irene Cedano, 34-feet-11.25

Boys shot put

1. Chris Connors, 49-00.75

Boys high jump

2. Roland Gamez, 6-04.00

Girls pole vault

2. Danielle Cannici, 9-feet

Boys pole vault

2. Alex Sisco, 12-feet

Hasbrouck Heights varsity schedule

Feb. 15

Girls basketball - Heights at Ridgefield, 5 p.m.

Feb. 17

Girls basketball - St. Mary at Heights, 7 p.m.

Boys basketball - Heights at St. Mary, 7 p.m.

Indoor track - Heights at Ultimate Sports Invitational, 4 p.m.

Feb. 18

Wrestling - Heights at District state individual tournament, TBD

Boys basketball - Heights vs. Mahwah at Bergenfield, Bergen Invitational Tournament, 1:30 p.m

Indoor track - Heights at State Group championships, John Bennett Athletic Center, 4 p.m.

Tues, Feb. 21

Girls basketball - Heights at Wallington, 7 p.m.

Boys basketball - Wallington at Heights, 7 p.m.

Indoor track - Heights at Bergen County Championships, 168th Street Armory, New York City, 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 22

Wrestling - Heights at Regional Tournament, West Orange, TBD

Thursday, Feb. 24 

Girls basketball - Heights at Wood-Ridge, 7 p.m.

Boys basketball - Wood-Ridge at Heights, 7 p.m.