Sports roundup: Wildcats share division title

Will VanPuttinvink went 2-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and a run; Kyle Morsell was 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, an RBI and a run; and Ayden Ellis singled twice, drove in a run and scored twice to lead the High Point Regional High School baseball team to an 8-3 victory over Vernon Township High School in its final game of the season there May 31.

With the win, High Point vaulted itself into a first-place tie with Vernon for the championship of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division. The schools each finished with 8-2 records, and each beat the other on the road.

High Point (13-9) was led this season by Zach Leto (30 hits, 19 RBI, 17 runs, four doubles), Ethan Rasmussen (19 hits, 25 RBI, 17 runs, six doubles, four home runs, 10 walks; 3.47 ERA), Aiden Carlson (14 hits, 12 RBI, 11 runs, three doubles, two home runs), Joey Elko (13 hits, 14 runs), Ellis (21 hits, 15 RBI, 24 runs, five doubles, 28 walks), Austin Mitchell (14 hits, eight runs, eight RBI), Morsell (26 hits, 20 runs, 17 RBI, 11 walks; 3.29 ERA), Brad Sabato (21 hits, 17 runs, 16 RBI), VanPuttinvink (21 hits, 20 runs, 17 RBI, seven doubles, nine walks) and Erik Wiley (25 hits, 16 RBI, 16 runs, 15 stolen bases).

Here’s how other High Point teams fared this season:

Softball

The Wildcats (13-11) did well to reach the semifinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament where they bowed to eventual sectional champion, Jefferson, 4-0, there June 3.

The team was steered by Karli Matthews (29 hits, 17 runs, 16 RBI, eight doubles), Daphne Mathews (28 hits, 16 RBI, 12 runs, six doubles, three home runs), Grace Meyers (27 hits, 22 runs, 13 RBI, five doubles, three home runs, 13 walks, 179 strikeouts in 110.2 innings), Emma Palomo (20 hits, 12 runs, 12 RBI), Abby Macfie (24 hits, 22 runs, six doubles, 17 walks), Joelle Lucatorto (20 hits, 10 runs, 13 RBI), Abi Amick (17 hits, 12 runs, 14 RBI) and Grace Burch (14 hits, nine RBI, nine runs).

Boys lacrosse

Alex Sonvico (25 goals, six assists), Brian Gruber (27 goals, four assists), Ryder Gervald (13 goals, 10 assists), Daniel Cunha (13 goals, six assists), Dylan Jenkins (13 goals, four assists, 32 ground balls), Gabriel Perrotto-Wald (11 goals, 36 ground balls, won 115-of-179 face-offs) and goalie Neeko Basanyi (135 saves) led High Point (4-9).

Girls lacrosse

The Wildcats (3-10) were steered by Paige Farber (24 goals, two assists), Ashley Boffa (10 goals, four assists, 23 draw controls), Natalia Thornton (six goals, five assists, 17 draw controls), Jenna Gianuzzi (54 saves), Isabella Grisales (41 saves) and Jailene Soto (28 saves).

Boys tennis

Zach Sprung (first singles), Sam Faillace (second singles), Leo Castillo/Hatib Khan (third singles), Alec Sekelsky and Thomas Geunther (first doubles), and Ethan Sprung/Nikolas Thornton and Owen Castillo (second doubles) guided High Point to a 10-3 record and a 10-2 mark and second-place finish in the NJAC Colonial Division.