Sports roundup: Spartans win first two matches
SPARTA. Boys tennis team defeats Parsippany Hills and Pope John.
Sparta /
| 01 Apr 2025 | 05:56
Sparta's Diandre Carr leaps toward the ball in the game against Randolph on Wednesday, March 26. The Spartans lost, 2-0. Carr is credited with three kills, one block, one dig and one assist. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
Randolph and Sparta players reach for the ball above the net.
Randolph's Kevin Tinio (7) jumps toward the ball. He had 21 assists, one ace, one dig and one kill.
Sparta's Owen Englehardt in the midst of a serve. He is credited with one kill and one block.
Sparta's Roberto Vasquez in the midst of a serve. He is credited with one dig.
Sparta's Diandre Carr is credited with three kills, one block, one dig and one assist.
Sparta's George Tsamadias is credited with one assist, two aces, one block and one kill.
The Sparta High School boys tennis team got off to a fast start, winning the first two matches of its 2025 campaign last week.
The Spartans opened their season with a 3-2 victory over Parsippany Hills on Wednesday, March 26.
Ian Yip (first singles), Graham Mahoney (second singles) and Het Raniipa (third singles) each won in straight sets to pace the decision.
The next day saw Sparta edge rival Pope John, 3-2, at home.
Yip and Mahoney won at first and second singles, respectively, with the second doubles team of Christian Layman and George Miller prevailing over William Franco and Aidan Cavanagh, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7).
Jaden Alphonse (third singles) and Josiah Smith and Jack Sacchiero (first doubles) each won for Pope John (0-1).
Sparta (2-0) is scheduled to play at Blair at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 3.
Here are other Sparta teams’ opening week schedules:
Baseball
The Spartans are coming off a 13-9 record from a year ago.
Returning are seniors Braden Schappert (27 hits, 16 RBI, 18 runs, 11 walks, 10 stolen bases), Anthony Patrickio (24 hits, 12 runs, 11 RBI, 10 walks) and Colin Gallagher (15 walks, 12 runs) and junior Shane Hoover (30 hits, 22 RBI, 21 runs, 20 stolen bases).
Sparta is scheduled to play at Mendham at 4 p.m. Friday, April 4 before playing host to Parsippany Hills at 4 p.m. Monday, April 7.
Softball
Sparta, which was set to open its season at Pope John on Monday, March 31, is slated to play host to Roxbury at 4 p.m. April 4.
A year ago, the Spartans went 12-11, reaching the semifinal rounds of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournaments.
Seniors Alexis Arpino (23 hits, 12 runs, nine RBI), Ingrid Brevig (12 hits, nine RBI), Maya Laliker (34 hits, 15 RBI, 17 runs) and Kathryn Sutton (23 hits, 12 RBI) and junior Alexia Hill (21 hits, 15 runs, 10 RBI) are all back for head coach Gretchen Bowie.
Boys lacrosse
Eddie Brown scored the lone goal - off a feed from Jace Stiansen - as Sparta opened its 2025 season with a 9-1 loss to Mountain Lakes there Saturday, March 29.
Sparta went 18-3 a year ago, winning the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament for the first time since 2016.
Seniors Matt Ciarelli (38 goals, 25 assists) and Adam Texeira (58 ground balls) and juniors Eddie Brown (44 goals, 31 assists), Marco Aquino (33 goals, 10 assists), Eric McCall (81 ground balls), Luke Spelman (six goals, 20 assists), Michael Pandiscia (18 goals, 19 assists) and Stone Herbison (29 ground balls) are back this season for head coach Sean Peterson.
The Spartans will play host to Pope John at 4 p.m. April 3.
Girls lacrosse
One of the state’s top players, Uma Kowalski, ended her junior season with 92 goals and 25 assists and will take 292 goals and 95 assists into this spring for Sparta, which went 15-5 a year ago.
Other returning players for second-year head coach Jack Bushey include senior Ava Capeci (10 goals, one assist, 23 draw controls, 20 ground balls), juniors Moira Sweeney (47 goals, 10 assists) and Sophie Ku (10 goals, five assists), and sophomore Joey Roque (18 goals, nine assists).
Sparta will play at Glen Rock at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 5 before playing at Glen Ridge at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 8.
Boys golf
Calvin Kirchner and Ryan Grycuk each shot a match-low 43 and Gavin Sloginski (46), John Ferrara (47), Matt Sturchio (47) and Matt Stittes (48) all paced Sparta to a season-opening 179-183 victory over Newton on Wednesday, March 26 at the Newton Country Club.
Girls golf
Erin Duthaler shot a match-low 53 to help lead the Spartans to a 230-243 victory over Newton as the team opened its season March 26 at the Newton Country Club.
Other contributors for the Spartans included Hannuri Lee (56), Sayler Salvigsen (59), Aralyn Saulys (62), Jocelyn Beach (63) and Lea Tsamadias (66).