Curry sisters power Vernon girls into H/W/S second round
Vernon. Monica and Vanessa Curry combined for 32 points as Vernon’s girls’ basketball team defeated Wallkill Valley in the H/W/S Tournament opener, highlighting a week that also included a boys win and the wrestling team’s first victory of the season.
Monica Curry scored a game-high 19 points and her sister, Vanessa Curry added 13 points to lead the 12th-seeded Vernon High girls basketball team to a 40-31 victory over 17th-seeded Wallkill Valley in the first round of the 16th annual Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Saturday in Vernon Township.
With the win, the Lady Vikings advanced to the second round of the H/W/S Tournament, which was held on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at fifth-seeded North Hunterdon.
Monica Curry, a senior guard, has now scored 1,064 career points having reached the 1,000-point milestone with a 22-point effort at Lenape Valley on Jan. 23 in Stanhope.
She is just the second Vernon girl to score 1,000 career points after 1985 graduate Gail Werner, who totaled 1,083 points.
Monica Curry, who has scored 356 points this winter, is on target to surpass the single season record for points set by Mallory Costello, who had 364 points in 2011.
In the fall, Curry became Sussex County’s all-time leading soccer goal-scorer and leaves having totaled 161 goals and 40 assists - the latter also a school record.
Curry signed a National Letter of Intent with the University of Massachusetts to continue her soccer career in the fall.
“Monica is focused on soccer and we’re just blessed to have her on our team,” Vernon coach Stephanie DePiano said.. “She checks all the boxes - she’s been dominant but also makes everyone better.
“She has such great athleticism and no one can really keep up with her.”
Vernon (7-11) was scheduled to play host to Wallkill Valley on Thursday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. on National Girls And Women In Sports Day.
“We’re really focused on defense and learning our identity as a defensive unit,” said DePiano, now in her eighth season at the helm. “Our young players are really feeding into what we’re building.”
Vernon Boys Basketball
Vernon was seeded sixth for the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament and was slated to play host to 11th-seeded Lenape Valley in a first round game on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
If the Vikings prevailed they would play in the quarterfinal round on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Senior Dylan Heykoop scored a career-high 27 points, along with seven rebounds and five assists and four steals, Tyler Dobrzynski added 19 points, nine rebounds, five steals and three assists and Dustin Wagner collected 11 points, three rebounds and three assists to lead Vernon to a 70-51 victory over Hanover Park on Thursday at home.
Vernon has now won four of its last six games to improve to 7-9 this winter.
Wrestling
Cole Hecht at 144 pounds and Jackson Moore at 285 each won by fall and the Vikings benefitted from five forfeits as the Vikings won for the first time this season with a 42-27 decision over North Warren on Monday, Jan. 26 at home.
The win snapped a 14-match losing steak for Vernon (1-12) dating to last season.