Ice hockey team wins opener

Braydon Sisco scored twice and Mike Pandiscia and Caden Lombardo each added a goal to lift the Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United ice hockey team to a 4-3 victory over Chatham as it opened its season Sunday night, Dec. 8 at Mennen Arena in Morris Township.

KJS United (1-0) held a 4-1 lead before Chatham scored the final two goals of the game. Chatham fell to 1-1 with the loss.

Brian Sisti anchored the KJS United defense with a 21-save effort.

KJS United went 17-5 a year ago, reaching the semifinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Public Co-Op Tournament under the direction of head coach Jeff Myhren.

Sisco (18 goals, 15 assists), Jake Prunty (seven goals, 18 assists), Pandiscia (six goals, 14 assists), Cormac Gibbons (seven goals, four assists), Alex Roslan (one goal, nine assists) and Sisti are back from last year’s team.

KJS United is scheduled to play Morristown at 4:40 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13 at Skylands Ice World before playing Lakeland at 5 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Ice House in Wayne.

Here is a look at other Sparta sports teams:

Boys basketball

Sparta, 10-13 last season, will open this year at Cranford at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 before playing its home opener at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 against Chatham.

The Spartans return their top four scorers in seniors Tyler Conlee (10.8 points per game), Pat Connors (5.2 ppg) and juniors Leshem Little (13 ppg) and Chrystian Grubbs (13 ppg).

Girls basketball

The Spartans are looking to improve on last season’s 8-18 finish when its season begins at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at Mount Olive.

Sparta will play its home opener at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 when it plays host to Morris Knolls followed by a home game against Morristown at 10 a.m. Dec. 21.

Molly Chapman (9.9 ppg, 4.2 rebounds), Abby Connors (5.9 ppg, 4 rebounds), Katie Sutton (5.8 ppg, 4 rebounds) all return for their senior seasons.

Wrestling

Sparta enjoyed a 19-4 record in dual meets last season, including a trip to the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament.

Seniors Logan Hrenenko (31-12 at 138 pounds) and Luke Brown (28-5 at 190) and junior Ryan Hrenenko (32-4 at 126) - each won district championships last year - return this winter.

Junior Paige Weiss looks to make her third straight trip to the NJSIAA state tournament this season. Weiss, who won the 100-pound crown as a freshman, placed fourth at 114 pounds last year.

Bowling

Sparta (0-2) will look to earn its first victory of the season when it meets Hopatcong at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12 at Sparta Lanes.

In a 5-2 season-opening loss to Sussex Tech on Dec. 2, Sparta received a high series from John Ferrara (509) and a high game from Evan Miller (186).

On Dec. 4, Sparta bowed to Sussex Tech again, this time by a 7-0 score.

Miller had the high series (612) and high game (220) followed by Ferrara (438 series), Diego Torres (388), Matthew Trela (350), Nicholas Vasquez (348) and Joshua Lipton (322).

Swimming

The Spartans open their season against Montville at 2 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Lakeland Hills YMCA in Mountain Lakes.

Indoor track

The Sparta boys and girls contingents each will compete in the Dick DeSchriver Invitational beginning at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Drew University in Madison.