Vikings win four in a row

Dhamir Morfe-Chess scored a game-high 22 points along with seven rebounds, two steals and one block to pace the Vernon Township High School boys basketball team to a 56-52 decision over West Morris on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 6 in Chester.

Alex Fessel (10 points, six assists, three rebounds, two blocks), Dylan Heykoop (10 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals), Aden Karwoski (seven rebounds, four rebounds), Ben Jurewicz (six points, six rebounds, four assists) and Michael Pecoraro (one point, two rebounds) rounded out the scoring for the Vikings, who have won four straight games after a 1-3 start.

Vernon (5-3) is scheduled to play at Jefferson at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 before playing at Immaculata at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 in Somerset.

Here’s how other Vernon High sports teams fared last week:

Girls basketball

Despite a game-high 14 points from Jonnah Castillo, Vernon had its three-game winning streak snapped with a 44-40 loss at Newton on Wednesday, Jan. 3.

Castillo added six rebounds and six steals while teammate Monica Curry added 12 points, five steals and two rebounds.

The Vikings (4-3) are scheduled to play host to Hopatcong at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 and to Caldwell at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13.

Ice hockey

Luke Zabriskie had a goal and two assists and Brady Hendricks halted 46 shots in a 7-3 loss to Old Tappan on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at the Palisades Ice Center in West Nyack, N.Y.

Rick Bennett and Zach Crozier also scored for the Vikings, who fell to 0-5 this winter.

Vernon is scheduled to play Parsippany Hills on Saturday, Jan. 13 at Skylands Ice World in Stockholm.

Wrestling

True DiGuiseppe captured the 175-pound championship to highlight Vernon’s showing at the Pioneer Classic on Jan. 6 in New Providence.

Vernon, which placed ninth of 11 teams, had two other place-winners in Gavin Pych (third at 150 pounds) and Patrick Kaminski (third at 215).

DiGuiseppe, a sophomore, won the 175-pound crown with a 10-2 major decision over Jake Abramson of Waldwick/Midland Park.

Vernon (1-4) will take part in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Saturday, Jan. 13 at Phillipsburg High beginning at 9 a.m.

Indoor track

Zack Mountain finished first in the 55-meter dash (6.87) and 55-meter hurdles (8.80) and was second in the high jump (6-0) to lead the Vernon boys at the Merli Invitational on Jan. 6 at the Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex in Toms River.

Other top 10 finishers included Michael Evanick (third in 400 meter dash in 56.10, fifth in 55-meter hurdles in 9.97), Luke Zuraik (fourth in 400 meter dash in 57.54), Daniel Kim (sixth in 400 meter dash in 57.82, third in 55-meter hurdles in 9.19), Dylan Barca (first in 1600-meter run in 4:56.08), Jack Turner (sixth in 1600-meter run in 5:22.52), David Velez (seventh in 1600-meter run in 5:36.05), Aiden Velez (10th in 1600-meter run in 5:56.04), Cole Herman (third in shot put in 37-10) and Ethan Jones (ninth in shot put in 28-11.5).

For the girls, Brooke Schneider finished fourth in the 1600-meter run in 5:57.14 with Gabrielle Austin placing eighth in the 55-meter dash in 8.32.