Girls Basketball: Despite Home-Opening Loss, Hopatcong Looks at Positives

A year ago, Hackettstown's main scorer, Sarah Kayal, dropped more than 30 points in a win over Hopatcong. Later in the season she racked up about 15 on the Chiefs.

This time, Nicole Jaronsky was determined to slow Kayal down.

While Hopatcong lost its home opener to the Tigers, 42-30, on Tuesday night at , Chiefs head coach Jamie Douglass found comfort in some moral victories—holding Kayal to 11 points, Kiristen Toropiw's offensive output and improved team focus.

"We had a lot of heart, determination and I'm extremely proud of how they stayed with the game plan," said Douglass, whose team fell to 0-2. "We've been trying to accomplish goals as a team."

One of those goals, however, involved a single player—Jaronsky. The junior guard was tasked with defending Kayal, and while the Hackettstown scorer hit several big shots—her five points near the end of the fourth quarter all but sealed the Tigers' win—Douglass was impressed with Jaronsky's effort.

"The whole game plan was for Nicole to shut down Sarah," the head coach said. "She busted her butt and sacrificed for the team."

Jaronsky wasn't Hopatcong's only bright spot, however.

Toropiw scored nine first-quarter points, finishing with 13. She was recently named Hopatcong High School's Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

"We rely on her a lot," Jaronsky said.

Douglass also said she liked guard Haleigh Holmes' intensity. Holmes played the entire game, scoring six points.

Alaine Slavin finished with 12 points as the Tigers' leading scorer. Hackettstown improved to 1-1.

The Chiefs entered Tuesday night looking to rebound from Saturday's 50-26 season-opening loss at Butler. And for a quarter, it looked like they might avenge it.
Hopatcong lead during most of the first quarter, starting things with a 5-0. But Hackettstown fought back, and Slavin drilled a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Tigers a 13-11 lead going into the second.

They never looked back, though Hopatcong kept things close, closing the first half down, 20-15.

But Hackettsotwn extended its lead to 13 points when Kayal, rebounding from a head injury, sank a three from the right wing, effectively ending the Chiefs' comeback hopes. Then she tacked on a layup to end a Hopatcong 5-0 run near game's end.

Holmes said the win was a step in the right direction for Hopatcong, which hosts Dover on Thursday.

"It is," Holmes said. "I'm proud of the team this year. It was a big improvement."