Big Mountain Division girls' basketball game pits undefeated GL at Cranford Thursday afternoon; Features two of Union County's best teams
By JR Parachini
Union County Sports Editor
So far in this Mickey Spillane world of girls’ basketball in Union County - and the famous mystery writer even grew up for a period of time in Elizabeth - almost anything can happen.
In Union County Conference play so far we’ve seen Johnson beat Dayton, Cranford beat Johnson, Dayton beat Cranford, Oak Knoll beat Dayton, Dayton beat Roselle Catholic, Linden beat Cranford, Elizabeth beat Scotch Plains, Plainfield almost beat New Providence, Union almost beat Roselle Catholic, Cranford beat Union Catholic, Union Catholic beat Oak Knoll, New Providence beat Summit, Oak Knoll beat New Providence, Plainfield beat Union, Union beat Linden, Summit beat Scotch Plains and Scotch Plains beat Westfield – by one point.
Rahway even managed to become the first Valley Division team to beat a Mountain or Watchung division squad, downing Watchung rival Roselle last Saturday at the Rahway Recreation Center.
Valley leader Hillside gave Dayton all it could handle at home Tuesday afternoon before falling by eight.
This is Union County girls’ basketball.
You just don’t know.
And just when the smoke clears for a bit we have a big-time Mountain Division clash Thursday afternoon.
Leader Governor Livingston will play at second place Cranford in a 4 p.m. start expected to attract a large crowd at Martin Gymnasium.
GL is 10-0 overall, the only undefeated basketball team in Union County and leads the Mountain Division at 5-0. Division wins so far have come against Johnson, Union Catholic, Dayton, Elizabeth and New Providence. After Cranford the Highlanders will play Oak Knoll for the first time in division play – Friday night at 7 at GL.
Cranford is 9-2 overall with a three-point division loss at Dayton and a one-point conference-crossover setback at Linden. The Cougars are 4-1 in the Mountain Division, with wins over Oak Knoll, New Providence, Johnson and Union Catholic and the loss to Dayton. After GL the Cougars will play Elizabeth for the first time in division play – Friday at 4 p.m. at Elizabeth.
GL is undefeated on the road at 4-0 and Cranford undefeated at home at 8-0.
Both teams returned all five starters – GL led by Alyssa Polimeni, Sam Dowling, Erin Ferguson, Mallory George and Rebecca Johnson and Cranford by Morgan Miller, Jessica McCoy, Jenna Goeller, Kaitlin McGovern and Mairead McKeary.
Polimeni and Miller - both versatile seniors - are considered two of the top five players in the county.
Both head coaches are in their fifth seasons at the helm, New Providence’s Andy Silvagni a 2001 New Providence graduate and Cranford’s Jackie Dyer a 2001 Union Catholic grad.
The teams split Mountain Division games last year, finishing below champion New Providence. GL topped Cranford first at GL, holding on for a 29-21 win. Cranford then downed GL at Cranford by a 37-29 score.
GL reached the UCT final last year. Cranford made it to the North 2, Group 3 final.
Here’s a look at this season’s results so far:
GL HIGHLANDERS (10-0, 5-0):
Dec. 16 (A) Gov. Livingston 35, Johnson 31
Dec. 20 (H) Gov. Livingston 40, Union Catholic 28
Dec. 22 (H) Gov. Livingston 52, West Morris 44
RC HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT
Dec. 27 (A) Gov. Livingston 55, Morris Catholic 52 (OT)
Dec. 29 (A) Gov. Livingston 42, Roselle Catholic 25
Jan. 3 (H) Gov. Livingston 46, Dayton 34
Jan. 6 (H) Gov. Livingston 52, Elizabeth 41
Jan. 12 (H) Gov. Livingston 52, Union 30
Jan. 14 (H) Gov. Livingston 47, New Providence 23
Jan. 17 (A) Gov. Livingston 67, Rahway 29
CRANFORD COUGARS (9-2, 4-1):
Dec. 16 (H) Cranford 55, Oak Knoll 37
Dec. 20 (H) Cranford 44, New Providence 35
COACHES VS. CANCER AT CRANFORD
Dec. 27 (H) Cranford 50, Nutley 28
Dec. 29 (H) Cranford 38, West Orange 32
Jan. 3 (A) Cranford 47, Johnson 31
Jan. 5 (H) Cranford 38, Union Catholic 15
Jan. 6 (A) Dayton 46, Cranford 43
Jan. 9 (H) Cranford 43, Metuchen 29
Jan. 12 (H) Cranford 61, Bridgewater-Raritan 45
Jan. 13 (A) Linden 44, Cranford 43
Jan. 17 (H) Cranford 51, Brearley 7
MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS
THROUGH GAMES PLAYED JAN. 17:
1-Gov. Livingston (5-0)
2-Cranford (4-1)
3-Oak Knoll (3-2)
4-Johnson (3-3)
5-Dayton (2-3)
New Providence (2-3)
7-Union Catholic (2-4)
8-Elizabeth (0-5)
Both teams concentrate on defense first and then seek to push the ball up court and run off it.
The Highlanders have given up 337 points for a 33.7 average, while Cranford has yielded 349 for a 31.7 clip.
Neither team looked past Tuesday’s conference-crossover opponent, with GL winning decisively at Rahway 67-29, while Cranford had very little trouble with visiting Brearley 51-7.
So here we are, with the teams ready to face each other for the first of two times in division play. A possible third meeting could arise in next month’s UCT.
“Cranford is well-coached, has everyone back and is very similar to us,” Silvagni said. “They play good defense and are a lot more than Miller and McCoy.
“If you try to key on them, then they have other players that are capable. The games are tough and defensive when we get together.
“We know each other. Nothing is easy in the games when we play them.”
In the Roselle Catholic Holiday Tournament, GL came back to beat a very good Morris Catholic team in overtime and then led undefeated Roselle Catholic from start to finish.
The Highlanders have kept up their intensity ever since.
“We have a lot of depth, play with confidence and nobody is selfish,” Polimeni said.
This is what Miller said following Cranford’s home division win over defending champion New Providence: “We believe that we’re a team to beat. There’s definitely a lot of potential here.
“We’re now all used to working with each other. Everyone wants to win.”
Cranford fifth-year head coach Jackie Dyer said the difference so far this year is that the team is more complete as far as using the entire court.
“Everyone perceives us as an outside shooting team, but this season we’re starting to take the ball inside a lot more,” Dyer said.
In the close losses to Dayton and Linden, Dyer said the Cougars did not get off to the best of starts and it eventually cost them.
“We came out slow in both games and then had to exert a lot of energy to try to get back in both, which we did, but just not enough,” Dyer said.
After trailing Dayton by 15 in the first half, Cranford got to within one point in the fourth quarter before falling by three.
“That was our first 7 p.m. game after we were used to playing at 4 o’clock right after school,” Dyer said. “Defensively, we were a little soft. We were helping out too much and not getting out enough on their shooters.”
Against Linden, Dyer said that her team has always struggles when it plays the Tigers in their gym.
“In general, we just don’t play well at Linden,” Dyer said. “If we play them at our place or on a neutral court we seem to have no problem.”
Since the Linden setback last Friday, Dyer adjusted practice a bit.
“We’re working on coming out with aggression and not being so laid back,” Dyer said. “With GL I think we match up with them very well, offensively and defensively.”
The teams will clash in Berkeley Heights in division play on Feb. 3, which will also be before the UCT is seeded. Both games will go a long way to determining what should be high seeds for both.
“It’s very hard to say where everyone is going to be right now,” Dyer said. “My girls got upset because they dropped in the rankings after our two losses. I told them it’s just a number.”
“You can have a good win one night and then turn around and lose the next night,” Silvagni said. “The county so far this year has been crazy. It’s just been unbelievable.”
Expect a bit of craziness at Martin Gymnasium Thursday afternoon and – hopefully – plenty of entertaining and well played hoops between two of the best teams in Union County.
GL HIGHLANDERS:
15-Mallory George, junior
24-Cat Quinn, senior
5-Marielle Jankowski, junior
42-Sam Dowling, senior
3-Bari Machado, senior
23-Patrice DiTommaso, sophomore
14-Alyssa Polimeni, senior
21-Rebecca Johnson, senior
11-Kristen Soranno, senior
22-Erin Ferguson, junior
10-Alyssa Cranston, junior
12-Chrissy Dilly, junior
Head coach: Andy Silvagni, fifth season
69-36 (.657)
2011: 19-6. 2010: 11-12. 2009: 15-10. 2008: 14-8.
CRANFORD COUGARS:
22-Kaitlin McGovern, junior
25-Jennifer Carovillano, freshman
21-Alyssa Curry, sophomore
13-Mairead McKeary, sophomore
11-Hannah DeMars, sophomore
12-Erin Meixner, freshman
4-Jenna Goeller, junior
3-Morgan Miller, senior
24-Megan Pringle, sophomore
23-Vienna Stivala, freshman
20-Jessica McCoy, junior
15-Carly Maucione, sophomore
10-Kerry Wischusen, sophomore
Head coach: Jackie Dyer, fifth season
85-35 (.708)
2011: 22-6. 2010: 21-8. 2009: 18-11. 2008: 15-8.
Union County Sports Editor
So far in this Mickey Spillane world of girls’ basketball in Union County - and the famous mystery writer even grew up for a period of time in Elizabeth - almost anything can happen.
In Union County Conference play so far we’ve seen Johnson beat Dayton, Cranford beat Johnson, Dayton beat Cranford, Oak Knoll beat Dayton, Dayton beat Roselle Catholic, Linden beat Cranford, Elizabeth beat Scotch Plains, Plainfield almost beat New Providence, Union almost beat Roselle Catholic, Cranford beat Union Catholic, Union Catholic beat Oak Knoll, New Providence beat Summit, Oak Knoll beat New Providence, Plainfield beat Union, Union beat Linden, Summit beat Scotch Plains and Scotch Plains beat Westfield – by one point.
Rahway even managed to become the first Valley Division team to beat a Mountain or Watchung division squad, downing Watchung rival Roselle last Saturday at the Rahway Recreation Center.
Valley leader Hillside gave Dayton all it could handle at home Tuesday afternoon before falling by eight.
This is Union County girls’ basketball.
You just don’t know.
And just when the smoke clears for a bit we have a big-time Mountain Division clash Thursday afternoon.
Leader Governor Livingston will play at second place Cranford in a 4 p.m. start expected to attract a large crowd at Martin Gymnasium.
GL is 10-0 overall, the only undefeated basketball team in Union County and leads the Mountain Division at 5-0. Division wins so far have come against Johnson, Union Catholic, Dayton, Elizabeth and New Providence. After Cranford the Highlanders will play Oak Knoll for the first time in division play – Friday night at 7 at GL.
Cranford is 9-2 overall with a three-point division loss at Dayton and a one-point conference-crossover setback at Linden. The Cougars are 4-1 in the Mountain Division, with wins over Oak Knoll, New Providence, Johnson and Union Catholic and the loss to Dayton. After GL the Cougars will play Elizabeth for the first time in division play – Friday at 4 p.m. at Elizabeth.
GL is undefeated on the road at 4-0 and Cranford undefeated at home at 8-0.
Both teams returned all five starters – GL led by Alyssa Polimeni, Sam Dowling, Erin Ferguson, Mallory George and Rebecca Johnson and Cranford by Morgan Miller, Jessica McCoy, Jenna Goeller, Kaitlin McGovern and Mairead McKeary.
Polimeni and Miller - both versatile seniors - are considered two of the top five players in the county.
Both head coaches are in their fifth seasons at the helm, New Providence’s Andy Silvagni a 2001 New Providence graduate and Cranford’s Jackie Dyer a 2001 Union Catholic grad.
The teams split Mountain Division games last year, finishing below champion New Providence. GL topped Cranford first at GL, holding on for a 29-21 win. Cranford then downed GL at Cranford by a 37-29 score.
GL reached the UCT final last year. Cranford made it to the North 2, Group 3 final.
Here’s a look at this season’s results so far:
GL HIGHLANDERS (10-0, 5-0):
Dec. 16 (A) Gov. Livingston 35, Johnson 31
Dec. 20 (H) Gov. Livingston 40, Union Catholic 28
Dec. 22 (H) Gov. Livingston 52, West Morris 44
RC HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT
Dec. 27 (A) Gov. Livingston 55, Morris Catholic 52 (OT)
Dec. 29 (A) Gov. Livingston 42, Roselle Catholic 25
Jan. 3 (H) Gov. Livingston 46, Dayton 34
Jan. 6 (H) Gov. Livingston 52, Elizabeth 41
Jan. 12 (H) Gov. Livingston 52, Union 30
Jan. 14 (H) Gov. Livingston 47, New Providence 23
Jan. 17 (A) Gov. Livingston 67, Rahway 29
CRANFORD COUGARS (9-2, 4-1):
Dec. 16 (H) Cranford 55, Oak Knoll 37
Dec. 20 (H) Cranford 44, New Providence 35
COACHES VS. CANCER AT CRANFORD
Dec. 27 (H) Cranford 50, Nutley 28
Dec. 29 (H) Cranford 38, West Orange 32
Jan. 3 (A) Cranford 47, Johnson 31
Jan. 5 (H) Cranford 38, Union Catholic 15
Jan. 6 (A) Dayton 46, Cranford 43
Jan. 9 (H) Cranford 43, Metuchen 29
Jan. 12 (H) Cranford 61, Bridgewater-Raritan 45
Jan. 13 (A) Linden 44, Cranford 43
Jan. 17 (H) Cranford 51, Brearley 7
MOUNTAIN DIVISION STANDINGS
THROUGH GAMES PLAYED JAN. 17:
1-Gov. Livingston (5-0)
2-Cranford (4-1)
3-Oak Knoll (3-2)
4-Johnson (3-3)
5-Dayton (2-3)
New Providence (2-3)
7-Union Catholic (2-4)
8-Elizabeth (0-5)
Both teams concentrate on defense first and then seek to push the ball up court and run off it.
The Highlanders have given up 337 points for a 33.7 average, while Cranford has yielded 349 for a 31.7 clip.
Neither team looked past Tuesday’s conference-crossover opponent, with GL winning decisively at Rahway 67-29, while Cranford had very little trouble with visiting Brearley 51-7.
So here we are, with the teams ready to face each other for the first of two times in division play. A possible third meeting could arise in next month’s UCT.
“Cranford is well-coached, has everyone back and is very similar to us,” Silvagni said. “They play good defense and are a lot more than Miller and McCoy.
“If you try to key on them, then they have other players that are capable. The games are tough and defensive when we get together.
“We know each other. Nothing is easy in the games when we play them.”
In the Roselle Catholic Holiday Tournament, GL came back to beat a very good Morris Catholic team in overtime and then led undefeated Roselle Catholic from start to finish.
The Highlanders have kept up their intensity ever since.
“We have a lot of depth, play with confidence and nobody is selfish,” Polimeni said.
This is what Miller said following Cranford’s home division win over defending champion New Providence: “We believe that we’re a team to beat. There’s definitely a lot of potential here.
“We’re now all used to working with each other. Everyone wants to win.”
Cranford fifth-year head coach Jackie Dyer said the difference so far this year is that the team is more complete as far as using the entire court.
“Everyone perceives us as an outside shooting team, but this season we’re starting to take the ball inside a lot more,” Dyer said.
In the close losses to Dayton and Linden, Dyer said the Cougars did not get off to the best of starts and it eventually cost them.
“We came out slow in both games and then had to exert a lot of energy to try to get back in both, which we did, but just not enough,” Dyer said.
After trailing Dayton by 15 in the first half, Cranford got to within one point in the fourth quarter before falling by three.
“That was our first 7 p.m. game after we were used to playing at 4 o’clock right after school,” Dyer said. “Defensively, we were a little soft. We were helping out too much and not getting out enough on their shooters.”
Against Linden, Dyer said that her team has always struggles when it plays the Tigers in their gym.
“In general, we just don’t play well at Linden,” Dyer said. “If we play them at our place or on a neutral court we seem to have no problem.”
Since the Linden setback last Friday, Dyer adjusted practice a bit.
“We’re working on coming out with aggression and not being so laid back,” Dyer said. “With GL I think we match up with them very well, offensively and defensively.”
The teams will clash in Berkeley Heights in division play on Feb. 3, which will also be before the UCT is seeded. Both games will go a long way to determining what should be high seeds for both.
“It’s very hard to say where everyone is going to be right now,” Dyer said. “My girls got upset because they dropped in the rankings after our two losses. I told them it’s just a number.”
“You can have a good win one night and then turn around and lose the next night,” Silvagni said. “The county so far this year has been crazy. It’s just been unbelievable.”
Expect a bit of craziness at Martin Gymnasium Thursday afternoon and – hopefully – plenty of entertaining and well played hoops between two of the best teams in Union County.
GL HIGHLANDERS:
15-Mallory George, junior
24-Cat Quinn, senior
5-Marielle Jankowski, junior
42-Sam Dowling, senior
3-Bari Machado, senior
23-Patrice DiTommaso, sophomore
14-Alyssa Polimeni, senior
21-Rebecca Johnson, senior
11-Kristen Soranno, senior
22-Erin Ferguson, junior
10-Alyssa Cranston, junior
12-Chrissy Dilly, junior
Head coach: Andy Silvagni, fifth season
69-36 (.657)
2011: 19-6. 2010: 11-12. 2009: 15-10. 2008: 14-8.
CRANFORD COUGARS:
22-Kaitlin McGovern, junior
25-Jennifer Carovillano, freshman
21-Alyssa Curry, sophomore
13-Mairead McKeary, sophomore
11-Hannah DeMars, sophomore
12-Erin Meixner, freshman
4-Jenna Goeller, junior
3-Morgan Miller, senior
24-Megan Pringle, sophomore
23-Vienna Stivala, freshman
20-Jessica McCoy, junior
15-Carly Maucione, sophomore
10-Kerry Wischusen, sophomore
Head coach: Jackie Dyer, fifth season
85-35 (.708)
2011: 22-6. 2010: 21-8. 2009: 18-11. 2008: 15-8.
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