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Spartans end losing streak

SPARTA. Girls basketball team beats Colts Neck, 43-34, after dropping 10 games in a row.

Sparta /
| 31 Jan 2024 | 09:26
    Braydon Sisco (17) of the Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United ice hockey team maneuvers the puck just before he scores the first goal against Cranford High School on Friday, Jan. 26 at Skylands Ice World in Stockholm. The tri-op team won, 6-4. Sisco and Adam Stefancik each scored two goals. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
    Braydon Sisco (17) of the Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United ice hockey team maneuvers the puck just before he scores the first goal against Cranford High School on Friday, Jan. 26 at Skylands Ice World in Stockholm. The tri-op team won, 6-4. Sisco and Adam Stefancik each scored two goals. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
    Kittatinny’s Tucker Lockburner, top, grapples with Sparta’s Connor White in the 285-pound weight class. Lockburner won by decision, 3-1, on Friday, Jan. 26.
    Kittatinny’s Tucker Lockburner, top, grapples with Sparta’s Connor White in the 285-pound weight class. Lockburner won by decision, 3-1, on Friday, Jan. 26.
    The puck moves toward the goal after being struck by Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United's Joey Kopec (34).
    The puck moves toward the goal after being struck by Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United's Joey Kopec (34).
    A Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United hockey player maneuvers between two opponents.
    A Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United hockey player maneuvers between two opponents.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United's Aiden Parlapiano (21) moves the puck away from the goal.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United's Aiden Parlapiano (21) moves the puck away from the goal.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United’s Michael Pandiscia steers the puck.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United’s Michael Pandiscia steers the puck.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United’s Alex Roslan controls the puck.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United’s Alex Roslan controls the puck.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United's Jake Prunty controls the puck. He made two assists.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United's Jake Prunty controls the puck. He made two assists.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United goalie Rylan Gibbons stands guard. He made 25 saves.
    Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta United goalie Rylan Gibbons stands guard. He made 25 saves.
    Sparta’s Eugene Donnelly grapples with Kittatinny’s Jacob Savage in the 144-pound weight class. Savage won by decision, 7-0. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
    Sparta’s Eugene Donnelly grapples with Kittatinny’s Jacob Savage in the 144-pound weight class. Savage won by decision, 7-0. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
    Sparta’s Eugene Donnelly grapples with Kittatinny’s Jacob Savage, right, in the 144-pound weight class. Savage won by decision, 7-0.
    Sparta’s Eugene Donnelly grapples with Kittatinny’s Jacob Savage, right, in the 144-pound weight class. Savage won by decision, 7-0.
    Sparta’s Lucas Brown, left, faces Kittatinny’s Alex Laoudis in the 215-pound weight class. Brown won by ultimate tie breaker, 3-2.
    Sparta’s Lucas Brown, left, faces Kittatinny’s Alex Laoudis in the 215-pound weight class. Brown won by ultimate tie breaker, 3-2.
    Sparta's Lucas Brown is on top of Kittatinny's Alex Laoudis in the 215 pound weight class. Brown won by ultimate tie breaker 3-2.
    Sparta's Lucas Brown is on top of Kittatinny's Alex Laoudis in the 215 pound weight class. Brown won by ultimate tie breaker 3-2.
    Sparta’s Lucas Brown, left, faces Kittatinny’s Alex Laoudis in the 215-pound weight class. Brown won by ultimate tie breaker, 3-2.
    Sparta’s Lucas Brown, left, faces Kittatinny’s Alex Laoudis in the 215-pound weight class. Brown won by ultimate tie breaker, 3-2.
    Kittatinny’s Troy Sharp, left, faces Sparta’s Johnathan Petelicki in the 106-pound weight class. Sharp pinned Petelicki in 3:27.
    Kittatinny’s Troy Sharp, left, faces Sparta’s Johnathan Petelicki in the 106-pound weight class. Sharp pinned Petelicki in 3:27.
    Sparta’s Patrick Bruseo, top, puts pressure on Kittatinny’s Nikolas Martinez in the 120-pound weight class. Bruseo won by decision, 3-0.
    Sparta’s Patrick Bruseo, top, puts pressure on Kittatinny’s Nikolas Martinez in the 120-pound weight class. Bruseo won by decision, 3-0.
    Kittatinny’s Blake Giangrasso gets on top of Sparta’s Andrew Weinzetl in the 126-pound weight class. Giangrasso won by major decision, 13-4.
    Kittatinny’s Blake Giangrasso gets on top of Sparta’s Andrew Weinzetl in the 126-pound weight class. Giangrasso won by major decision, 13-4.
    A Spartan, top, and a Kittatinny Cougar grapple on the mat.
    A Spartan, top, and a Kittatinny Cougar grapple on the mat.
    Sparta’s Ryan Hrenenko, top, grapples with Kittatinny’s Dylan Zupkay in the 126-pound weight class. Hrenenko pinned Zupkay in 2:40.
    Sparta’s Ryan Hrenenko, top, grapples with Kittatinny’s Dylan Zupkay in the 126-pound weight class. Hrenenko pinned Zupkay in 2:40.
    Sparta’s Logan Hrenenko handles Kittatinny’s Leonardo Garcia in the 138-pound weight class. Hrenenko won by technical fall (20-4) in 4:15.
    Sparta’s Logan Hrenenko handles Kittatinny’s Leonardo Garcia in the 138-pound weight class. Hrenenko won by technical fall (20-4) in 4:15.

Led by a game-high 13 points from Malaya Dobbs and 12 points from Katie Sutton, the Sparta High School girls basketball team halted its 10-game losing streak with a 43-34 victory over Colts Neck on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 27 at home.

The win was supplemented by Molly Chapman (six points), Abby Connors (five points), Moira Sweeney (four points) and Kayleigh O’Brien (three points).

Sparta, which started the season, 3-2, now has a 4-12 record. Colts Neck fell to 7-7.

Chapman (8.6 points per game), Dobbs (7.8 ppg) and Sutton (6.7 ppg) lead Sparta in scoring this season.

The Spartans, seeded sixth for the 14th Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament, were scheduled to play host to 11th-seeded Vernon on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

A win there and Sparta, seeking its fourth straight tri-county tournament crown, would play sixth-seeded Hunterdon Central or 15th-seeded Kittatinny in the quarterfinal round Saturday, Feb. 3.

Here is how other Sparta sports teams fared this week:

Boys basketball

Sophomore Chrystian Grubbs scored a career-high 23 points, and Leshem Little added 11 points to lead Sparta to a 48-46 decision over Parsippany Hills on Jan. 27 at home.

In its first victory of the week, Sparta received 17 points from Tyler Conlee and 14 points apiece from Little and Grubbs as it downed Morristown there Jan. 24.

Sparta was seeded sixth and will host 11th-seeded Voorhees in the first round of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Jan. 30.

If the Spartans prevail, they would meet third-seeded Hunterdon Central or 14th-seeded North Warren in the quarterfinal round Feb. 3.

The Spartans are the defending tri-county champion, having won their second championship last year and the first since 2019.

Wrestling

Sparta swept its quad meet against Dumont (57-18), Ramsey (49-25) and Paramus (39-36) on Jan.27 at Dumont High School.

In its victory over Paramus, Sparta received back-to-back pins from Connor White (215 pounds) and Tahg Herbison (285) to give the Spartans an insurmountable 39-24 lead with two bouts remaining.

Sparta, now 13-3, will wrestle at Jefferson at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2.

Bowling

Sparta won for the third time in its past four matches when it defeated Wallkill Valley, 5-2, on Thursday, Jan. 25 at Sparta Lanes.

Leading the way for the Spartans were Khalil Masri (570 high series, 234 high game), Evan Miller (508 series, 173 game), John Ferrara (407 series, 143 game), Karen Maasbach (354 series, 143 game), Nicholas Vasquez (232 series, 17 game) and Joshua Lipton (93 series, 93 game).

Sparta (5-8) will roll against Hopatcong at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1 at Sparta Lanes.