Girls lacrosse team beats Vernon, 17-5

Sophomore Uma Kowalski and senior Leah Moore helped to power the third-seeded Sparta High School girls lacrosse team to a 17-5 victory over sixth-seeded Vernon in the quarterfinal round of the 13th annual Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Saturday afternoon, May 6 at home.

Kowalski totaled five goals and two assists, four ground balls, 14 draw controls and two forced turnovers and Moore also scored five times.

Sparta, which won its only tri-county title in 2018, was scheduled to play at second-seeded North Hunterdon in the semifinal round Tuesday, May 9.

The H/W/S championship game is scheduled at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 13 at Sparta High School.

Kowalski has 63 goals and 14 assists this season and 150 goals in her two-year career.

Against Vernon, Sparta also received standout efforts from Emily Reina (two goals), Aine Byrne (two goals, three assists, six ground balls, two draw controls), Catherine Siipola (two goals, three ground balls), Brooke Weyant (one goal, two assists) and goalie Sama Elhamouly (eight saves).

Here is how other Sparta-area teams fared last week:

Sparta baseball

The Spartans, seeded seventh, struck for eight runs during the first innings and held on for a 10-7 victory over 10th-seeded Hackettstown in the second round of the H/W/S Tournament May 6 in Sparta.

Sparta (10-6) was scheduled to play at second-seeded North Hunterdon in a tri-county quarterfinal Wednesday, May 10, with a trip to the May 13 semifinals on the line.

The Spartans held an 8-3 lead after three innings in the game against Hackettstown. The team led, 10-5, after four frames.

Jake Hand and Tanner Blendinger each went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs; Josh Brancy was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a run; Liam Gallagher was 3-for-3 with a walk and an RBI; Braden Schappert had a two-run single and scored; and Anthony Patrickio went 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run to power the 14-hit attack.

Sparta softball

Grace Conrad pitched a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts and no walks to help lead the third-seeded Spartans to a 5-0 victory over 14th-seeded Vernon in the second round of the H/W/S Tournament on May 6 in Sparta.

Rylee Munier was 2-for-3 with two runs; Emily Ciaburri went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, two RBI and a run; and Gabrielle Heim singled in two runs to pace the offense for Sparta (9-4).

The team is scheduled to play host to sixth-seeded Pope John in a quarterfinal round game May 10.

Pope John boys lacrosse

The top-seeded Lions, seeking their second title in three seasons, earned a 15-6 victory over eighth-seeded North Hunterdon in the quarterfinal round of the H/W/S Tournament on May 6 in Sparta.

Pope John (9-3) was led by Jack Sakowski (four goals, two assists), Eric Vargas (two goals, three assists), Travis Heller (two goals, two assists), Johans Bars (two goals, one assist), Jack Gallucci (two goals), Brandon McIvor (one goal), Mickey Ramirez (10 ground balls, won 12-of-14 face-offs) and Kristian Vozza (two ground balls, won 3-of-7 face-offs).

The Lions were scheduled to play host to fifth-seeded Vernon in the semifinal round May 9.

Pope John softball

Pope John, seeded sixth, rolled to a 17-0, five-inning victory over 11th-seeded Vernon in the second round of the H/W/S Tournament on May 6 in Sparta.

Charlotte Peter pitched a five-inning two-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk while Brooke Jacobus (3-for-3, double, three runs, three RBI), Abbey Davis (2-for-4, home run, three RBI), Karly Severinsen (3-for-3, double, RBI, three runs), Alison Mazich (2-for-3, two RBI, run) and Remmi Joustra (2-for-3, double, RBI, three runs) fueled Pope John’s 16-hit attack.

The Lions (7-7) were scheduled to play at third-seeded Sparta in the quarterfinal round May 10. Sparta won the only meeting between the schools this spring, 2-0, on April 18.