Hunterdon Central Could Complete Improbable Run vs. Sparta
Photo by Danielle Freel | New Jersey Herald The Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament will conclude on Friday night. The championship game will be held at Centenary University and it will feature two interesting teams. One team you expected to be there. No.…
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Continue ReadingPhoto by Danielle Freel | New Jersey Herald
The Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament will conclude on Friday night. The championship game will be held at Centenary University and it will feature two interesting teams. One team you expected to be there. No. 1 Sparta has made easy work of their opponents. The other team is No. 10 Hunterdon Central.
It has been an incredible run for Hunterdon Central. They began with a blowout victory over No. 19 Vernon. In round two, they pulled off a win against No. 7 North Hunterdon 35-30. The major upsets began in the quarterfinals when they took down No. 2 Pope John 58-43. Hunterdon Central did it again in the semis against No. 3 North Warren 41-25. They did not only beat the No. 2 and 3 seeds in the tournament, they won easily.
Lily Testa scored a team-high 12 points in the semi-final win. Jessica Mastriano hit three three’s and finished with 16 points against Pope John. Mackenzie Lalor finished with 11. Hunterdon Central has hit their stride. They are a team full of confidence and that is a dangerous thing in these tournaments. They all know their role. Mastriano is the catalyst but there are plenty of players who can score, like Sara Carfagno.
Hunterdon Central will not have an easy task. They will face No. 1 Sparta in the finals. Sparta is here thanks to a 57-48 win over Warren Hills in the semi-finals. Prior to that, they took down Voorhees 63-46 after securing a first-round bye. Sparta is 20-4 on the season. They are a team full of star power.
Brynn McCurry has continued her dominance in the county tournament. She finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists against Voorhees. Bailey Chapman scored 15 points in that same game. It was Ally Sweeney who got it done in the semi-finals with 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. McCurry finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
McCurry is the No. 1 option on this team and she has shown that she can do it all. She is a dominant forward who can score the ball and rebound at a high rate. McCurry is also a gifted passer from the post if the defense brings a second defender. Sweeney is the team’s best passer and can score on the inside with contact. Sparta is explosive. They are a team that is put together perfectly and built for the postseason.
If Hunterdon Central is to win a county title, they will have earned taking down the top-three seeds in consecutive rounds. They are almost there. The only problem is the team standing in their way is one of the best in the state. Sparta will look to assert their dominance early in this game. This is a game of interest whether you are a fan of either side or just an impartial observer.