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Colonials secure a "wild" MCT win

Colonials secure a "wild" MCT win

RANDOLPH _ The first half of the 2026 Morris County Girls Basketball Tournament semifinal between Morristown and Madison was slow-paced. deliberate and relatively polite. When the second half commenced, though, the game took a turn as both sides wanted to make the leap into the title game and were wiling to do whatever it took to get there. Colonials coach Allie Ferrara referred to the final two quarters as "wild." Morristown standout Nawel Ibazalene Lefebvre got the feeling that the victory would go to "whoever hustled the most." Either one of the teams could have been awarded that distinction but…
Chatham's Ella Kreuzer, No. 33, had 17 points to spur the Cougars to a win over Northern Valley/Demarest.

Chatham rebounds from OT loss

HILLSDALE _ The Chatham girls basketball team is remarkably resilient and resolved to remain highly successful. Coach Joe Gaba's Cougars proved that point - emphatically - on Sunday, Jan. 26 at Pascack Valley's Zack Latteri Foundation Benefit Games event.   The Cougars (16-1) lost their first game of the season after a fast 15-0 start to IHA, 48-44, in overtime a day before.   But Chatham came back on Sunday with a big 62-42 win over Northern Valley/Demarest (13-3), led by a troika of senior guards - the 5-foot-11 Ella Kreuzer with a game-high 17 points, 5-10 Mia Semioli with…
Mia Pauldo of Morris Catholic pressures Chatham's McKenna Hogan in the 2024 MCT Final.

Pauldos power Crusaders to MCT crown

RANDOLPH _ Morris Catholic freshman Jacqueline Edelman had been here before. Sort of. That's why Edelman, a 6-foot guard/forward, is accustomed to the fanfare and hoopla surrounding high-pressure games, like the Morris County Girls Basketball Tournament final on Friday, Feb. 16. "I wasn't really nervous. No. Barely," said Edelman, a resident of Augusta. "I've played in thousands of games." That may have been a slight exaggeration but, no doubt about it, Edelman is beyond battle tested. Still, each time she takes to the hardwood, she's thrilled and motivated to make memories. And, the top-seeded Crusaders' 73-41 victory over Chatham in…
MCT 2024 Final: Crusaders, Chatham

MCT 2024 Final: Crusaders, Chatham

RANDOLPH _The fantasy novel Madison Miller held in her hand said it all and more... "A Court of Wings and Ruin." The title of the 736-page book can be applied to Morris Catholic's season, one in which it has ruled the hardwood, leaving opposing teams reeling with their ability to crush opponent's hopes. Morristown, which fell behind early but rallied to come within eight points 3:19 after halftime, was the 21st team to experience the Crusaders' relentlessness. The Colonials had exceptional stretches but were defeated 70-38 by top-seeded and defending champion Morris Catholic in a Morris County Tournament semifinal on…
Charlee Perna of Morris Knolls dribbles while guarded by the Crusaders' Ashley Labeach.

MC, Colonials secure berths in Final Four

  DENVILLE _ Morris Catholic has relied on many different elements to formulate an ultra-successful 2023-24 season.   Two of those elements are sophomore Kennedy Brown and senior Madison Miller, both transfers from Pope John in Sparta.   Brown and Miller, along with identical junior twin sisters Mya and Mia Pauldo, senior center Alexis Rosenfeld and freshman forward Jacquline Edelman, helped lead the top-seeded Crusaders to a 76-22 victory over ninth-seeded Morris Knolls in a Morris County Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal on Saturday, Feb. 3 at Morris Knolls High School.   Morris Catholic, which has won the last two MCT…
Charlotte Tuhy of Madison and Kiley Shatzel of Jefferson vie for control of the ball in a MCT quarterfinal on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2024.

Jefferson, Chatham gain MCT semifinals

DENVILLE _ When it comes to free throws, a well-known idiom applies to the Jefferson girls basketball team. They know the drill. Or, in this instance, the drills. The sixth-seeded Falcons work diligently on their foul shots during practice sessions, engaging in drill after drill. They prepare for pressure situations and possible late-game fatigue. On Saturday, Feb. 3, it all paid off - again - when Jefferson defeated No. 3 Madison 41-35 in overtime in a Morris County Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinal at Morris Knolls High School. In the second game of the quadruple header, second-seeded Chatham beat No. 7…
Madison's Devon Johnson, right, tries to maintain control of the ball as Chloe Vasquez of Pequannock closes in.

Madison triumphs on road in opener

PEQUANNOCK _ Eight minutes into the season, Madison was up by 13 and seemingy on track for a blowout win over Pequannock. Instead, that impressive start, which was marked by superb passing and incessant communication, especially on defense, dwindled and, ultimately, disappeared late in the third quarter. The Dodgers went from dominant early on to highly concerned as the Golden Panthers closed in and tied the score. Madison, however, endured what its coach, Lisa DiTuro, referred to as an "experience" and triumphed 52-39 over Pequannock in a NJAC-Liberty Divison opening-day game on Thursday, Dec. 14. "I'm proud for this experience…
Coach Billy Lovett and Morris Catholic came together for photos after winning the Non-Public B title.

Crusaders hoist Non-Public B trophy

TOMS RIVER _ Think the Non-Public B final was intense? It certainly was for the fans, whether they were cheering on Morris Catholic or Rutgers Prep. However, for the Pauldo sisters, Mya and Mia, this was routine. Commonplace. Most certainly ho-hum. The Pauldos, sophomores who play for the Crusaders, have played in games like the one that took place on Sunday, March 5 at the RWJBarnabas Health Arena since third or fourth grade. So the effort it took to claim the Non-Public B trophy required little sweat and worry by the Pauldos and Morris Catholic, who rode out several storms…
Randolph coach Pete Torres takes his turn cutting down the net after the Rams clinched the sectional title.

Randolph shakes off Mendham for sectional crown

RANDOLPH _ Allyson Kuridza has an abundance of bruises and wears them proudly, knowing they were acquired while going into battle with the Randolph girls basketball team. Eight days after getting her largest one - a contusion three inches in diameter on her upper right arm - in a first-round game against Rahway, Kuridza, known for her hard-nosed play, gained a few more while putting in a top-notch effort in a 53-43 win over Mendham on Tuesday, Feb. 28 in the North Jersey Section 2, Group III final. The sectional title was the Rams' second in four years. In 2020,…
Beau Braverman of Madison guards Hanover Park's Arianna Allonardo during a North Jersey Section II, Group II semifinal on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023.

Reigle recovers, boosts Dodgers

MADISON _ Alex Reigle went to her usual spot in the Madison locker room at halftime and leaned against the wall, just like she does for every home game. This time, though, Reigle, annoyed with herself for, in her words, "missing easy layups right under the basket," closed her eyes and took deep breaths for five minutes before returning to the gym. She was determined to get a subpar first-haf showing, in which she scored three points, out of her head. If Madison was to emerge victorious from the North Jersey Section 2, Group II semifinal and get the opportunity…
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