Dayton, Linden girls' basketball post big victories; GL is now the only undefeated team remaining in Union County
By JR Parachini
Union County Sports Editor
Déjà vu Friday night: Dayton defeats Cranford for the second consecutive year, this time in the first Union County Conference-Mountain Division meeting between the two.
Déjà vu – again – Saturday afternoon: For the second straight season – and on the same Saturday in the basketball campaign – Linden defeats an undefeated Somerville squad in overtime.
Sometimes teams just seem to have a knack for beating certain opponents more than once. That might be the case now with Dayton vs. Cranford and Linden against Somerville.
Less than 12 months after Dayton - as the 12th seed - stunned fourth-seeded Cranford 43-42 in a Union County Tournament quarterfinal contest at Rahway, the Bulldogs did it again to the Cougars.
Sparked by a 14-point performance from senior swing player Jen Kuczynski, Dayton built a double-digit lead and then held on to halt Cranford 46-43 in Springfield.
Cranford was 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Mountain Division. Last year when the Cougars fell to Dayton, they were 18-4 and on a six-game winning streak.
Dayton was able to switch with Hillside and move up to the Mountain Division this year one year ahead of schedule. Dayton head coach Dave Rennie thought his squad, sparked by four-year starters Kuczynski, Anna Lies and Emily MacDonnell, would benefit from a more challenging schedule.
Lies and teammate Lea Ginefra both made key free throws in the final minute in helping Dayton hold off Cranford.
Dayton begins the week 5-2 overall and tied for third in the Mountain Division with a 2-2 record. Also 2-2 are Oak Knoll and defending champion New Providence.
Senior guard Morgan Miller paced Cranford with 13 points, while junior point guard Jenna Goeller added 11. Miller scored 17 and Jessica McCoy 20 in last year’s setback.
Dayton was able to edge Cranford last year behind seven three-point field goals, six of them coming in the first half. MacDonnell scored 13 points, Lies 11 and Kuczynski 10 in that Bulldog victory.
The teams will clash again in Mountain Division play Feb. 2 in Cranford.
Last year Linden defeated a 7-0 Somerville squad 53-50 in overtime at home on Saturday, Jan. 8. Linden won its fifth straight to improve to 6-1 after winning the fourth quarter 16-7 and overtime 7-4.
On Saturday Linden defeated a 7-0 Somerville team 60-59 in overtime in Somerville. Linden won its second straight to improve to 6-3 after winning the fourth quarter 11-9 and overtime 6-5.
That makes second-year Linden head coach Paul Gorski 2-0 vs. Somerville head coach Corey Floyd, who played at Linden in the late 1980s.
“To beat an undefeated team on the road anytime is pretty good,” Gorski said. “We might have to schedule them again for next year.”
Linden junior Jada Lewis provided the winning basket for the Tigers Saturday, with Gorski explaining that she scored on a left-handed layup.
“There were two people on (senior) Shannon Wheeler,” Gorski said. “Jada caught the ball and put it in with 1.6 seconds to go.”
Wheeler paced Linden with 24 points, while Lewis netted 18.
Linden followed up a big 51-45 Watchung Division home win over Summit on Thursday. That victory came after a disappointing 50-34 division setback at Union Tuesday.
“On the road the girls played really well and it was a great win to follow up our victory over Summit,” Gorski said. “The girls were disappointed after Tuesday and then we had a great practice on Wednesday.”
Gorski said that Linden had a chance to win Saturday’s game in the fourth quarter, but it didn’t work out.
“Then they took the lead in overtime, but we didn’t panic,” Gorski said. “We took the lead on a basket by Shannon and then they took the lead again on free throws. Then we came back with Jada’s basket.
“We came together as a team to get a big victory on the road.”
In last year’s win against Somerville, Wheeler poured in a game-high 22 points, including five in overtime. Lewis grabbed eight rebounds.
GL OFF TO 7-0 START AND LEADS MOUNTAIN DIVISION AT 4-0
The only undefeated team remaining in Union County is Gov. Livingston. The Highlanders begin the week at 7-0 and lead the Mountain Division with a 4-0 mark.
If you were to seed the Union County Tournament now, GL- sparked by returning starters Alyssa Polimeni, Sam Dowling, Erin Ferguson, Mallory George and Rebecca Johnson - would be the top seed. However, we still have a month to go before the tournament will be officially seeded.
GL beat Dayton 46-34 at home Tuesday and then Elizabeth 52-41 at home Friday.
The Highlanders will remain at home for their only two games this week, with the first one vs. Watchung Division opponent Union Thursday night at 7. GL is then scheduled to host Mountain Division rival New Providence Saturday at 11:45 a.m.
UNION COUNTY CONFERENCE
2011-2012 GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
STANDINGS THROUGH
GAMES PLAYED JAN. 7:
WATCHUNG DIVISION:
Roselle Catholic (4-0)
Scotch Plains (3-0)
Linden (3-2)
Union (2-2)
Summit (1-2)
Plainfield (1-2)
Westfield (0-3)
Roselle (0-3)
MOUNTAIN DIVISION:
Gov. Livingston (4-0)
Cranford (4-1)
Dayton (2-2)
Oak Knoll (2-2)
New Providence (2-2)
Johnson (2-3)
Union Catholic (2-3)
Elizabeth (0-5)
VALLEY DIVISION:
Hillside (4-0)
Brearley (3-1)
Kent Place (2-1)
Benedictine Academy (2-1)
Rahway (2-3)
St. Patrick (1-2)
Roselle Park (1-3)
St. Mary’s, Elizabeth (0-4)
OVERALL RECORDS:
Gov. Livingston (7-0)
Cranford (6-1)
Hillside (5-1)
Linden (6-3)
Roselle Catholic (5-2)
Scotch Plains (5-2)
Dayton (5-2)
Union Catholic (5-3)
Brearley (5-3)
New Providence (4-2)
Benedictine Academy (4-4)
Kent Place (3-2)
Summit (3-3)
Oak Knoll (3-4)
Rahway (3-4)
Union (3-5)
Plainfield (2-5)
Johnson (2-5)
Westfield (2-6)
Roselle Park (2-6)
St. Patrick (1-2)
Roselle (1-5)
Elizabeth (1-6)
St. Mary's, Elizabeth (1-6)
GMC school: Mother Seton (2-2)
JR’S TOP 10
THROUGH JAN. 7:
1-Gov. Livingston (7-0)
2-Cranford (6-1)
3-Roselle Catholic (5-2)
4-Linden (6-3)
5-Scotch Plains (5-2)
6-Dayton (5-2)
7-Oak Knoll (3-4)
8-New Providence (4-2)
9-Summit (3-3)
10-Union (3-4)
DIVISION GAMES OF NOTE THIS WEEK:
Watchung – Summit at Scotch Plains Tuesday (Jan. 10) night at 6.
Scotch Plains (3-0) and Roselle Catholic (4-0) are the only undefeated
teams in the division. On the Union County Conference website,
Summit’s schedule lists the game as a 4 p.m. start and the Scotch Plains
schedule lists it as a 6 p.m. tipoff.
Mountain – New Providence at GL Saturday (Jan. 14) at 11:45 a.m.
GL split with New Providence in Mountain Division play last year and
also defeated the Pioneers in the Millburn Tournament final and the
UCT semifinals.
Valley – Hillside at St. Mary’s, Elizabeth Tuesday (Jan. 10) at 4 p.m.
Hillside leads the division at 4-0.
Brearley at St. Patrick Tuesday (Jan. 10) at 6 p.m.
Brearley is second in the division at 3-1.
Union County Sports Editor
Déjà vu Friday night: Dayton defeats Cranford for the second consecutive year, this time in the first Union County Conference-Mountain Division meeting between the two.
Déjà vu – again – Saturday afternoon: For the second straight season – and on the same Saturday in the basketball campaign – Linden defeats an undefeated Somerville squad in overtime.
Sometimes teams just seem to have a knack for beating certain opponents more than once. That might be the case now with Dayton vs. Cranford and Linden against Somerville.
Less than 12 months after Dayton - as the 12th seed - stunned fourth-seeded Cranford 43-42 in a Union County Tournament quarterfinal contest at Rahway, the Bulldogs did it again to the Cougars.
Sparked by a 14-point performance from senior swing player Jen Kuczynski, Dayton built a double-digit lead and then held on to halt Cranford 46-43 in Springfield.
Cranford was 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Mountain Division. Last year when the Cougars fell to Dayton, they were 18-4 and on a six-game winning streak.
Dayton was able to switch with Hillside and move up to the Mountain Division this year one year ahead of schedule. Dayton head coach Dave Rennie thought his squad, sparked by four-year starters Kuczynski, Anna Lies and Emily MacDonnell, would benefit from a more challenging schedule.
Lies and teammate Lea Ginefra both made key free throws in the final minute in helping Dayton hold off Cranford.
Dayton begins the week 5-2 overall and tied for third in the Mountain Division with a 2-2 record. Also 2-2 are Oak Knoll and defending champion New Providence.
Senior guard Morgan Miller paced Cranford with 13 points, while junior point guard Jenna Goeller added 11. Miller scored 17 and Jessica McCoy 20 in last year’s setback.
Dayton was able to edge Cranford last year behind seven three-point field goals, six of them coming in the first half. MacDonnell scored 13 points, Lies 11 and Kuczynski 10 in that Bulldog victory.
The teams will clash again in Mountain Division play Feb. 2 in Cranford.
Last year Linden defeated a 7-0 Somerville squad 53-50 in overtime at home on Saturday, Jan. 8. Linden won its fifth straight to improve to 6-1 after winning the fourth quarter 16-7 and overtime 7-4.
On Saturday Linden defeated a 7-0 Somerville team 60-59 in overtime in Somerville. Linden won its second straight to improve to 6-3 after winning the fourth quarter 11-9 and overtime 6-5.
That makes second-year Linden head coach Paul Gorski 2-0 vs. Somerville head coach Corey Floyd, who played at Linden in the late 1980s.
“To beat an undefeated team on the road anytime is pretty good,” Gorski said. “We might have to schedule them again for next year.”
Linden junior Jada Lewis provided the winning basket for the Tigers Saturday, with Gorski explaining that she scored on a left-handed layup.
“There were two people on (senior) Shannon Wheeler,” Gorski said. “Jada caught the ball and put it in with 1.6 seconds to go.”
Wheeler paced Linden with 24 points, while Lewis netted 18.
Linden followed up a big 51-45 Watchung Division home win over Summit on Thursday. That victory came after a disappointing 50-34 division setback at Union Tuesday.
“On the road the girls played really well and it was a great win to follow up our victory over Summit,” Gorski said. “The girls were disappointed after Tuesday and then we had a great practice on Wednesday.”
Gorski said that Linden had a chance to win Saturday’s game in the fourth quarter, but it didn’t work out.
“Then they took the lead in overtime, but we didn’t panic,” Gorski said. “We took the lead on a basket by Shannon and then they took the lead again on free throws. Then we came back with Jada’s basket.
“We came together as a team to get a big victory on the road.”
In last year’s win against Somerville, Wheeler poured in a game-high 22 points, including five in overtime. Lewis grabbed eight rebounds.
GL OFF TO 7-0 START AND LEADS MOUNTAIN DIVISION AT 4-0
The only undefeated team remaining in Union County is Gov. Livingston. The Highlanders begin the week at 7-0 and lead the Mountain Division with a 4-0 mark.
If you were to seed the Union County Tournament now, GL- sparked by returning starters Alyssa Polimeni, Sam Dowling, Erin Ferguson, Mallory George and Rebecca Johnson - would be the top seed. However, we still have a month to go before the tournament will be officially seeded.
GL beat Dayton 46-34 at home Tuesday and then Elizabeth 52-41 at home Friday.
The Highlanders will remain at home for their only two games this week, with the first one vs. Watchung Division opponent Union Thursday night at 7. GL is then scheduled to host Mountain Division rival New Providence Saturday at 11:45 a.m.
UNION COUNTY CONFERENCE
2011-2012 GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
STANDINGS THROUGH
GAMES PLAYED JAN. 7:
WATCHUNG DIVISION:
Roselle Catholic (4-0)
Scotch Plains (3-0)
Linden (3-2)
Union (2-2)
Summit (1-2)
Plainfield (1-2)
Westfield (0-3)
Roselle (0-3)
MOUNTAIN DIVISION:
Gov. Livingston (4-0)
Cranford (4-1)
Dayton (2-2)
Oak Knoll (2-2)
New Providence (2-2)
Johnson (2-3)
Union Catholic (2-3)
Elizabeth (0-5)
VALLEY DIVISION:
Hillside (4-0)
Brearley (3-1)
Kent Place (2-1)
Benedictine Academy (2-1)
Rahway (2-3)
St. Patrick (1-2)
Roselle Park (1-3)
St. Mary’s, Elizabeth (0-4)
OVERALL RECORDS:
Gov. Livingston (7-0)
Cranford (6-1)
Hillside (5-1)
Linden (6-3)
Roselle Catholic (5-2)
Scotch Plains (5-2)
Dayton (5-2)
Union Catholic (5-3)
Brearley (5-3)
New Providence (4-2)
Benedictine Academy (4-4)
Kent Place (3-2)
Summit (3-3)
Oak Knoll (3-4)
Rahway (3-4)
Union (3-5)
Plainfield (2-5)
Johnson (2-5)
Westfield (2-6)
Roselle Park (2-6)
St. Patrick (1-2)
Roselle (1-5)
Elizabeth (1-6)
St. Mary's, Elizabeth (1-6)
GMC school: Mother Seton (2-2)
JR’S TOP 10
THROUGH JAN. 7:
1-Gov. Livingston (7-0)
2-Cranford (6-1)
3-Roselle Catholic (5-2)
4-Linden (6-3)
5-Scotch Plains (5-2)
6-Dayton (5-2)
7-Oak Knoll (3-4)
8-New Providence (4-2)
9-Summit (3-3)
10-Union (3-4)
DIVISION GAMES OF NOTE THIS WEEK:
Watchung – Summit at Scotch Plains Tuesday (Jan. 10) night at 6.
Scotch Plains (3-0) and Roselle Catholic (4-0) are the only undefeated
teams in the division. On the Union County Conference website,
Summit’s schedule lists the game as a 4 p.m. start and the Scotch Plains
schedule lists it as a 6 p.m. tipoff.
Mountain – New Providence at GL Saturday (Jan. 14) at 11:45 a.m.
GL split with New Providence in Mountain Division play last year and
also defeated the Pioneers in the Millburn Tournament final and the
UCT semifinals.
Valley – Hillside at St. Mary’s, Elizabeth Tuesday (Jan. 10) at 4 p.m.
Hillside leads the division at 4-0.
Brearley at St. Patrick Tuesday (Jan. 10) at 6 p.m.
Brearley is second in the division at 3-1.
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