Girls track team 12th in state sectional championships

Sophomore Isabella Frattura took home the gold medal in the javelin to pace the Sparta High School girls track team to a 12th-place finish at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Sectional Championships on Friday and Saturday, June 2 and 3 at Vernon Township High School.

Frattura won the javelin event with a throw of 126-05.00 and took fourth in the high jump with an effort of 5-00.00. She also placed 12th in the long jump with an effort of 15-11.25.

The top six place-winners in each event advance to the NJSIAA Group Championships on June 9-10 at Delsea High School.

The Sparta girls 4x800 team placed sixth in that event with a time of 10:23.44 and will join Frattura at the group championships.

The Sparta boys were led by senior Hunter Peterson, who was eighth in the shot put with a throw of 45-01.75; senior Timothy Mulkerin, who was ninth in the javelin with a throw of 129-11.00 and 15th in the discus with a throw of 119-00.00; and junior Remson Jarrell, who placed ninth in the 800-meter run in 2:00.63 and ninth in the 3200-meter run in 10:01.36

Here is how other Sparta and Pope John teams fared last week:

Sparta softball

Sparta, the third seed, pushed across a run in the top of the seventh but fell to second-seeded Morris Knolls, 2-1, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament May 31 in Rockaway.

The game was scoreless before Morris Knolls scored a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Mason Munier had two hits and scored a run in the top of the seventh for Sparta (16-7).

Sparta boys lacrosse

The fifth-seeded Spartans fell to top-seeded Summit, 11-0, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 tournament Saturday afternoon in Summit.

Sparta (10-8) had advanced with a 5-4 victory over fourth-seeded Mendham in the quarterfinal round May 31.

Matt Ciarelli scored twice; Greg Peters and Michael Pandiscia each added a goal and an assist; and Jeremy Schon also scored; while Joe Buono was stellar in goal with 24 saves.

Sparta girls lacrosse

The Spartans, seeded sixth, suffered a 13-10 loss to third-seeded West Essex in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 2 tournament May 30 in North Caldwell.

Sparta (13-8) trailed, 10-3, before outscoring its foe, 7-3, after the break.

Uma Kowalski finished with six goals, one assist, nine draw controls and three ground balls; Brooke Weyant had a goal and three assists; Aine Byrne scored twice; and Leah Moore also had a goal.

Kowalski finished her sophomore season with an incredible 113 goals and 39 assists, while Byrne, a senior, totaled 43 goals and 26 assists.

Sparta boys tennis

The seventh-seeded Spartans reached the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament but bowed to third-seeded Old Tappan, 3-2, there on Thursday, June 1.

Sparta (12-10) had upset second-seeded River Dell in the quarterfinal round there May 30. Thomas Schottland (first singles), Robert Matkiwsky (second singles), Andrew Young (third singles), and Ian Yip and Graham Mahoney (first doubles) each won in straight sets. Charles Canzoniero and Aidan Mahoney (second doubles) lost in a second-set tiebreaker.

Pope John softball

Pope John saw its season conclude with a 4-1 loss to top-seeded Mount St. Dominic, ranked 17th in the state, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Non-Public A tournament May 30 in Caldwell.

The Mount (23-7) held a 4-0 lead before Abbey Davis (2-for-3) hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth for Pope John (14-11).