February 22, 2020
Complete details at: https://www.trackwrestling.com/ search for NJSIAA Tournament
NJSIAA District 21 held at Wall High School
138 Hamilton North Nottingham David Aboasu with a 5-3 decision over Northern Burlington David Aboasu
152 Hamilton North Nottingham Joachim Larose with a 6-1 decision over Lawrence Sean Mills
160 Hamilton North Nottingham Kwanir Edwards with a 9-5 decision over Northern Burlington Jamie Lovenduski
NJSIAA District 22 held at Middletown North High School
113 Trenton Cory Stallworth 3rd place with a fall over Westampton Ibrahim Kermen at 2:18
120 Allentown Joey Lamparelli 1st place with a 9-3 decision over Middletown North Fred Luchs
145 Allentown’s Matt Paglia 2nd place after a 5-3 decision over CBA Tyler Barrett
160 Allentown’ Nick Golden 1st place after a 3-1 decision over Red Bank Catholic Sabino Portella
170 Trenton Central High School Te’amo Nazario 1st place, Allentown Paskal Miga 2nd place
195 Notre Dame Jaylen Bynes 3rd place with a fall against Trenton Jayson Williams at 1:47
220 Allentown Daniel Schweitzer 3rd with a fall against Willingboro Naeem Walker at 3:01
160 Allentown’ Nick Golden 1st place after a 3-1 decision over Red Bank Catholic Sabino Portella- 145 Allentown’s Matt Paglia 2nd place after a 5-3 decision over CBA Tyler Barrett
220 Allentown Daniel Schweitzer 3rd with a fall against Willingboro Naeem Walker at 3:01
Allentown’s Matt Paglia with 100 career wins today at Middletown North High School During Districts- 120 Allentown Joey Lamparelli 1st place with a 9-3 decision over Middletown North Fred Luchs
- 170 Trenton Central High School Te’amo Nazario 1st place, Allentown Paskal Miga 2nd place
- 4 Time District Champions left Allentown’s Joey Lamparelli and right Tyler Klinsky from Middletown North
- District 22 Champions
NJSIAA District 22 held at Middletown North High School Allentown’s Matt Paglia with 100 career wins today at Middletown North High School During Districts
NJSIAS District 23 held at Point Pleasant Beach High School
106 Robbinsville Shailen Savur 1st place with 8-1 decision over Pt. Pleasant Boro Lucas Toree
106 Hightstown Robert Fattore 3rd place TF 1.5 5:16 over Steinert-Hamilton East Nicholas Ricigliano
113 Hamilton East Steinert 1st with a 11-3 decision over Long Branch Dylan Kelleher
120 Robbinsville Dylan Cifrodelli 2nd after a 7-3 decision against Point Pleasant Boro James Latendorf 1st
120 Hightstown Joseph Obst 3rd place over Long Branch Ignacio Guzman
126 Robbinsville Drake Torrington 1st in 11-4 decision over Long Branch Joseph Conlon
126 Giovanni Morina 3rd place with a 9-4 decision over Anthony Verdi Hamilton East Steinert
132 Hightstown Kether Thornton 1st place with a 9-2 decision over Point Pleasant Beach Siley Simon
145 Hightstown Elijah Rodriguez 2nd after a decision against Point Pleasant Beach Jesse Bowers
160 Highstown Alex Stavrou 2nd after a 6-5 decision against Point Pleasant Boro Ty Bailey
195 Hightstown Chris Stavrou 2nd against Long Branch Patrick O’Dwyer 1st
195 Hamilton East Steinert 3rd against Point Pleasant Beach George Kaiafas
220 Hightstown Bryan Bonilla 3rd with at 4-0 decision over Point Pleasant Boro Patrick Frawley
285 Hightstown Brenden Hansen 1st over Neptune Isaias Thomas
Congrats to Hightstown Coach Russo who was named the District 23 Coach of the Year
NJSIAA DISTRICT 24 held at Delran High School
170 Hamilton West Ryan Bennett 1st with a 8-7 decision over Ocean Twp. Tah-Jay Phillips
February 22, 2020
UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–The Allentown FFA Chapter was at the Allentown-Upper Freehold Tractor Supply today showing scrap books and other items from the FFA Chapter. Several current FFA members as well as Allentown FFA Alumni were on hand. Tractor Supply is collecting donations for the FFA Paper Emblem Program during FFA Week.
Tomorrow the Allentown FFA Chapter will have a wreath laying ceremony at grave site of Leslie Applegate from New Jersey who was elected first National FFA president in 1929. Looking though chapter records this has been a tradition since at least 1975 during FFA Week.
You may want to donate to the TSC FFA Paper Emblem Program if you happen to visit Tractor Supply this FFA Week.
- Left to right: Willow Lugo, Rebecca Hopkins Allentown FFA Vice President and Maddin Emmons today at Tractor Supply Company in Allentown, NJ
- Left to right: Willow Lugo, Rebecca Hopkins Allentown FFA Vice President and Maddin Emmons today at Tractor Supply Company in Allentown, NJ
FFA Week Activities at Tractor Supply Company, Allentown, NJ. Photo by: Dennis Symons, Jr.
February 22, 2020
Story by: Ed James
ROBBINSVILLE/HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Molly Aromando, a senior at Trenton Catholic Academy (Hamilton, NJ) and lifelong Robbinsville resident, recently accepted a basketball scholarship offer from The College of Saint Rose (Albany, NY) and signed a National Letter of Intent. The Golden Knights, an NCAA Division II program, are members of the Northeast 10 Conference.
“I’m so excited to be continuing my academic and basketball careers at Saint Rose,” said Aromando. “Coaches (Karen) Haag and (John) Ardizone are great people and teachers of the game. The Northeast 10 is one of the best conferences in Division II. I got along really well with my future teammates on my visits. I plan to be a teacher and coach, and their School of Education is excellent. And I love the campus in Albany, which is a beautiful city.”
Aromando, a smooth, versatile 5’11” guard with excellent range, playmaking ability and tenacity on defense, first attracted attention from colleges as the MVP of her AAU team, the Central Jersey Hawks-Lightning, coached by John Mayo. Her play in AAU and at TCA has enabled her to be only the second Robbinsville native to earn a basketball scholarship. Peddie grad Lisa Lebak, a star guard at Division I Quinnipiac from 2009-2013, was the first.
Aromando is also the first Robbinsville resident to play Girls Varsity Basketball for the legendary Lady Mikes. She has been building a laudable legacy at TCA since her arrival in Fall 2018. She enrolled there after two standout years at Robbinsville High School, where she earned a 4.1 GPA, letters in two Varsity sports (soccer and basketball), all-conference honors and recognition as one of the Top 100 Sophomores in NJ Girls High School Basketball.
During Aromando’s time at TCA, the Lady Mikes, under head coach Bob Fusik, have been among the best teams in the state and nation.
In 2018-19, TCA finished 25-4 and ranked #6 in the state. The Lady Mikes won Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL) Liberty Division, Mercer County Tournament and NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public B titles. Aromando became a key contributor after sitting the first 30 days of the season per state transfer rules. In her best outing, she registered 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists vs. Pennsauken.
This season, TCA has played a schedule filled with state and national powers. The Lady Mikes have more than risen to the challenge, posting a 22-1 record as of February 21. They are currently ranked #2 in NJ and in the Top 25 in several national polls, including MaxPreps (#14) and espnW (#24). The roster includes four senior D1 commits (three basketball; one track), as well as one junior and two freshmen with many D1 offers.
“I love my teammates,” said Aromando. “They are talented players and great people. We spend a lot of time together. We have so much fun. And we have each other’s back. You can see that in games. We play unselfish, team basketball.”
Indeed. TCA scores a whopping 72 points per game, but no player averages over 13 per game. Six average between 10 and 13 per game. As many as 11 players may see the floor. So individual contributions aren’t always visible in box scores.
Still, Aromando has made her mark on the Lady Mikes super season. In her last 10 games since returning to the lineup after an injury, she has contributed 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. In a recent start against Westampton Tech, defending Central Jersey Group 3 champions, she delivered 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots. In another start in the MCT opener vs. Nottingham, Aromando exploded for a career-high 23 points on 8-13 shooting, including three 3’s, and recorded 6 steals, 6 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 2 assists. And in the MCT quarterfinals against Hightstown, she registered 9 points, 6 steals, 4 assists and 3 rebounds.
“I’ve never cared about stats,” said Aromando. “My teammates feel the same way. We just want to win and play the right way. We have big team goals this season. We know we have to continue to work very hard, get better every day and bring our best each game to achieve them.”
Aromando also excels off the hardwood at TCA. She was named TCA’s Female Scholar-Athlete in 2018-19. She has made the Honor Roll of Distinction (no grades less than an A) in every semester of her TCA career, has earned an A in every class she has taken in high school (except for one B) and maintains a 4.0 GPA taking Honors and AP courses. She also serves as Student Council President, leads the TCA Chapter of Catholic Athletes for Christ, is a Peer Tutor and spent part of the past two summers as a volunteer for Project Appalachia, in which members of the St. Gregory The Great Catholic Church youth group perform home repairs for those in need in rural West Virginia.
“TCA welcomed me from Day 1 like I was family,” said Aromando. “It’s been that way ever since. The school community is so caring. The experiences, opportunities and support I’ve had here have been incredible. I’ll always cherish my time at TCA.”
See: TCA against Hightstown 2/21/2020
Trenton Catholic Academy’s Molly Aromando during a Mercer County Tournament game against Hightstown on 2/21/2020 Photo by: Dennis Symons, Jr.
February 22, 2020
ALLENTOWN, NJ (MONMOUTH)–It is National FFA Week and this year is celebrated from February 22 to 29, 2020. The Allentown High School Chapter of the FFA Organization has a deep history in the area. Recently I came across a set of negatives of the 1988-89 FFA Banquet in Allentown. From the mark on one of the negatives one of the group photos may have been published back in the Messenger Press, none of the other photos have been seen before. Enjoy a look back in time from 32 years ago. Also a few photos in the mix of the Allentown FFA Alumni meeting in 1988-89.
If you happen to stop by Tractor Supply Company in Allentown/Upper Freehold today you may bump into some current and past FFA members. You may want to donate to the TSC FFA Paper Emblem Program while you are there.
Follow our Facebook page there are over 1,000 photo from late 1980s to early 90s of events in our area.
File photos by: Dennis Symons, Jr. 86-87 NJ State FFA Association President and AHS Alumni