Elston, Vernon relay team capture Group 2 titles

The High Point and Vernon High outdoor track teams each struck gold at the NJSIAA Group 2 championships on May 29-30 at Northern Burlington High in Columbus.

High Point’s Daniel Elston won the boys pole vault event with an effort of 14-0 while the Vernon foursome of Sophia Haw, Monica Curry, Isabella Kuzicki and Samantha Janus placed first in the 4x100 meter relay in a time of 48.03.

Janus also placed sixth in the 200-meter dash in 25.61 for Vernon.

The season’s final event - the NJSIAA Meet of Champions - was scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, at Pennsauken High.

High Point Softball

Grace Meyers pitched a five-hitter with nine strikeouts, one walk and didn’t allow an earned run and also doubled, walked, drove in a run and scored twice to pace third-seeded High Point to a 3-1 victory over sixth-seeded Demarest in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament on May 28 at home.

High Point (18-6) was scheduled to play at second-seeded Pascack Valley in a sectional semifinal on Tuesday, June 2.

Abby Macfie added two singles, Emma Palomo singled, stole a base and scored and Karly Lockburner went 2-for-3 with a double to aid the victory.

High Point Baseball

High Point, the second seed, was held to four hits as it was edged, 1-0, by seventh-seeded Glen Rock in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament on Friday afternoon at home.

The Wildcats had defeated 15th-seeded Mahwah, 4-2, in a first round game on May 26.

High Point (18-8-1) scored all four runs in the second inning as Zach Leto singled in two runs, Nick Civitan (2-for-2) and Joey Elko each singled in a run.

Rowan Buresh allowed four hits and two walks and struck out nine in 5.2 innings with Aiden Carlson surrendering two hits and two walks with strikeouts in 1.1 innings.

Vernon Baseball

The third-seeded Vikings, which defeated 11th-seeded Sparta, 3-2, in a sectional quarterfinal on Friday afternoon, were slated to play host to seventh-seeded Glen Rock in a NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament semifinal on Wednesday, June 3.

Vernon (17-8) had defeated 14th-seeded Morris Tech, 11-1, in a five-inning first round game on May 27 at home.

Brayden Cosenza went 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run, Otto Dejager was 2-for-3 with a stolen base, two RBI and two runs, Gavin Bruno doubled, walked, stole a base, drove in two runs and scored twice and Dustin Wagner, Tyler Dobrzynski and Jorge Troche each doubled and drove in a run.

Vernon Softball

The ninth-seeded Lady Vikings saw their season end with a 10-0, six-inning loss to top-seeded Ramsey in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament on Thursday afternoon in Ramsey Township.

Vernon (12-11) had defeated eighth-seeded Glen Rock, 3-0, in a first round game on May 26 in Glen Rock.

Miranda Ebbinghausen twirled a six-hit shutout with no walks and five strikeouts and also doubled in a run and scored to pace the win. Riley Lazier added an RBI single and scored a run and Madigan VanBlarcom singled twice and scored.