Sports roundup: Vikings, 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 and Vernon teams fared this season:

High Point 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).

High Point 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).

High Point 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).

High Point 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.

Vernon baseball

The Vikings’ 2025 season came to a close with an 11-0 loss to Glen Rock in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament June 3 at home.

The setback was the first time that the Vikings had been held scoreless in two full seasons.

Vernon, which went 16-7 under head coach Stephen Myhren, reached the semifinal round of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament and finished in a first-place tie with High Point for the NJAC Freedom Division championship.

The squad was led by James Curry (24 hits, 18 RBI, 14 runs, six doubles, 10 walks), Gavin Bruno (23 hits, 17 RBI, 13 runs, 11 walks), Matthew Baumann (13 hits, 22 runs, 11 RBI, 16 walks, 14 stolen bases), Tyler Dobrzynski (21 hits, 13 runs, 11 RBI, eight walks), Joe Rodriguez (21 hits, 12 RBI, 10 runs, two home runs, 11 walks), Dustin Wagner (19 hits, 17 runs, 11 RBI, nine walks, nine stolen bases; 2.70 ERA), Chris Perrotta (17 hits, 15 runs, 10 walks), Aden Karwoski (13 hits, seven walks), Charlie Paladino (18 hits, 13 runs, 10 RBI, seven doubles), Michael Pecoraro (1.81 ERA, 72 strikeouts in 54 innings) and Otto Dejager (2.04 ERA).

Vernon softball

Madigan VanBlarcom (25 hits, 16 RBI, 15 runs, five doubles, 12 stolen bases), Miranda Ebbinhausen (23 hits, 16 runs, two home runs), Hailey Hanshaw (23 hits, 15 RBI, 11 runs, six doubles, three home runs), Riley Lazier (23 hits, 13 RBI, 11 runs, nine doubles, two home runs), Elizabeth Peek (23 hits, 21 runs, eight doubles, two triples, 11 walks), Teagan Ressler (19 hits, 11 runs, seven doubles) and Kaitlyn VanBlarcom (22 hits, 19 runs, five doubles, 21 stolen bases) helped lead Vernon to a 14-7 record. That included a 7-3 mark and second-place finish in the NJAC Freedom Division.

Ebbinhausen, a junior, also struck out 182 and pitched to a 1.74 ERA in 133 innings; she now has 310 career strikeouts.

Vernon boys lacrosse

Jake Delrosario (23 goals, 11 assists), Dean Grundy (18 goals, 10 assists), Andrew Geisen (14 goals, seven assists), Branden Curley (14 goals, six assists) and goalie Luca Vizzini (229 saves) led the Vikings (4-13).

Vernon girls lacrosse

Emma Lally enjoyed a very productive sophomore season, totaling 48 goals and two assists for the Vikings (5-12).

Other catalysts included Grace Dobrzynski (23 goals, three assists), Audra Leiter (14 goals, one assist), Payton Wilson (11 goals, 18 assists), Abby Cawley (11 goals, one assist), Ava Pecoraro (nine goals, three assists), Annalliese Drupka (nine goals, two assists) and goalie Abby Sokolewicz (100 saves).

Vernon boys volleyball

James Bergacs (70 digs), Cyrus Cruz (137 digs, 20 aces, 85 kills), Josh Jean (424 assists, 19 aces, 122 digs, 16 blocks, 41 kills), Caden Krzyzak (146 kills, 23 blocks, 89 digs, 30 aces), Amos Shin (60 digs), Victor Silva (170 kills, 13 blocks, 138 digs, 47 assists, 49 aces) and Mike VanBenschoten (57 kills, 15 blocks, 50 digs, 18 aces) led Vernon (9-12) this spring.