Sports Wrap: Mastropietro Takes Eighth at State Finals

Hasbrouck Heights sophomore Marc Mastropietro might have lost his last match at the state finals last weekend at Atlantic City, but it still was a valuable weekend.

Mastropietro was nipped by North Hunterdon's Ryan Pomrinca, 4-3, in the seventh-place match, but it was quite a nice run for the Aviators wrestler last weekend.

The Heights wrestler was actually ahead 3-2 late in the match before Pomrinca took Mastropietro down. "I think I could have been a little more aggressive," said Mastropietro. "I came out hard and left it all on the mat."

The loss still gave him a medal with his eighth-place finish. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class collect a medal.

"I felt great and I thought everything went real well," said Mastropietro who added about the big crowds at the Atlantic City Convention Center to watch the matches. "I was pretty cool and just had to block it out."

Only a sophomore and his first time down to Atlantic City, Mastropietro did what many first-time wrestlers to the state finals didn't by winning his two matches that gave him plenty of confidence.

In addition he defeated Northern Highlands Matt Murphy in the wrestlebacks that gave him the nod as the All Bergen 113-pound first team wrestler.

One of his biggest wins came in his first match in the preliminaries where he shook off any jitters and went on and dominated Burlington's Sebastian Arroyo, 11-0. He then defeated St. Joseph's Vincent Macaluso, 5-2, in the pre-quarterfinals, both matches on Friday, the first day of the meet.

In getting to the state finals, Mastropietro finished second in the regions at West Orange High School. Mastropietro lost the 113-pound final to North Bergen’s Luis Gonzalez in the regional title match.

Girls basketball

The Hasbrouck Heights girls basketball team had a tough time in the first round of the Group 1 North 1 state tournament against Wood-Ridge on Feb. 27.

For the third time the Lady Aviators dropped a decision to the Lady Blue Devils.

Heights was only down six, 11-5, after the first quarter but Wood-Ridge started pulling away in the second quarter as the Aviators were down 28-14 at halftime.

Heights senior Daniella Castellanos finished her Aviators career with a team-high 15 points to lead Heights. It was the first game after Castellanos reached the thousand point mark on Feb. 24, also at Wood-Ridge. Nicole Callen and Swati Shivkumar added nine points each for the Aviators.

Boys basketball

The Hasbrouck Heights boys basketball team suffered the same fate as the girls team as the Aviators lost 60-36 to Waldwick on Feb. 27 in the first round of the Group 1 North 1 state tournament.

Heights stayed with the Warriors for most of the game, but could not go on a run to slice the double-digit lead in the third quarter.

Point guard Mike Schroback led the Aviators with 21 points while Joe Crabbe added 11 for Heights who could not get the balanced scoring like Waldwick.

Indoor track

The Hasbrouck Heights boys and girls indoor track team had its best results recently at the Bergen County Championships at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City.

Roland Gamez had a big county meet by taking first place in both the high jump (6-4) and the triple jump (45-0.5). Gamez also came in third in the 55 meter hurdles (7.9) and senior Chris Connors grabbed third in the shot put (51-7.75).

On the girls side Rayn Moses had the best mark in the county title meet with a third in the triple jump (35-4.75). Aviators Irene Cedano also grabbed fourth place in the shot put with a throw of 35-feet-8.25

Bergen County Championships

Boys

55 meter hurdles:
3. Roland Gamez, 7.9

Shot put:
3. Chris Connors, 51-feet-7.75

High jump:
1. Roland Gamez, 6-4

Triple jump:
1. Roland Gamez, 45-0.5

Indoor Pentathlon:
4. Mark Monahan, 3007

Girls

Shot put:
4. Irene Cedano, 35-feet-8.25

Triple jump:
3. Rayn Moses, 35-4.75