Frattura in 9th place at Penn Relays

Senior Isabella Frattura placed ninth in the javelin event with an effort of 133-9 on Friday morning, April 25 to highlight Sparta High School’s appearance at the 129th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

Frattura, who was sixth in the event at last year’s Penn Relays with a throw of 139-11, was the highest-placing finisher from New Jersey for the second straight season.

Frattura, who is headed to Liberty University in the fall, is the defending New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Meet of Champions winner in the event, having secured the top spot with a throw of 139-3 last June.

The Sparta boys also were represented at the Penn Relays, placing 11th in the 4x400 meter relay Thursday, April 24.

The quartet of Jack Wittenmeier, Tyler Harms, Le-Shem Little and Jace Baiden crossed the tape in 3:37.67 and were the fifth-highest-placing team from the state.

Here’s how other Sparta teams have fared recently:

Girls lacrosse

Uma Kowalski totaled six goals, one assist, 11 draw controls, two ground balls and one forced turnover; Joey Roque collected three goals and three assists; Moira Sweeney scored three times; Sophie Ku had two goals and an assist; and Emme Ku added a goal and an assist to power Sparta to a 16-7 victory over West Essex at home April 25.

Callie Maines made seven stops in net to anchor the defense.

Sparta (7-2), which has won five straight games, is seeded second for the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament and received a bye into the quarterfinal round. when the team will host a game Saturday, May 3.

Baseball

The Spartans extended their winning streak to five with a 7-4 victory over Vernon at home April 24.

Anthony Patrickio was 3-for-4 with three runs; Shane Hoover went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, an RBI and a run; and Chris Verney singled twice and drove in a run to pace the 14-hit attack.

Braden Schappert was 3-for-4 with a double and a run and Branden Woletz singled in two runs and scored, with Jacob Diaz adding a single, an RBI and a run.

Sparta (7-4) is seeded sixth for the H/W/S Tournament and received a bye into the second round, when it will host a game May 3.

Softball

Alexis Arpino singled in Elizabeth Fagersten, who had tripled, and scored on a single by Ingrid Brevig as Sparta took a two-run lead in the bottom of the third inning. Then undefeated Jefferson struck for five unanswered runs to win, 5-2, on April 25 in Sparta.

The Spartans are seeded 13th in the H/W/S Tournament and are slated to play host to 16th-seeded Hackettstown in a first-round game Wednesday, April 30. If Sparta prevails, it would play at fourth-seeded Delaware Valley in a second-round game May 3.

Boys lacrosse

The Spartans were tied with Scotch Plains-Fanwood before the latter scored three times in the fourth period to win, 5-2, on April 25 in Scotch Plains.

Matt Ciarelli and Jace Stiansen each registered a goal for Sparta, which also received 17 saves from Jake Alliegro.

Sparta (4-5) is seeded fourth in the H/W/S Tournament and received a bye into the quarterfinal round, where it will host fifth-seeded North Hunterdon on May 3.

Boys tennis

The Spartans finished second in the H/W/S Tournament on April 17 in Flemington.

Hunterdon Central, with 21 points, halted Sparta’s bid for a third straight team title as it won the championship by five points over the Spartans. Hunterdon Central has won 11 of the past 14 tournaments.

Ian Yip, who had won the first singles title and was named MVP of the event last year, bowed to Jake Christensen, 6-2, 6-4, in this year’s first singles title match.

Sparta’s Graham Mahoney won the second singles title for the second straight season, defeating Chris Carlucci of Voorhees, 6-0, 6-0.