Montgomery Cougar Sports Recap: Wins, Losses, and Dominant Performances Highlight Busy Day
Nicholas Mistretta
MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent
April 16, Montgomery, NJ — It was a packed day of action for Montgomery High School athletics on Wednesday, with four Cougar squads hitting the field and court. The day featured a mix of triumphs, tough losses, and standout individual performances across baseball, tennis, and lacrosse.
Baseball Falls Short Against Franklin
The Montgomery baseball team suffered a 6-2 road loss to Franklin, despite striking early with a run in the top of the first inning. The Cougars struggled to generate offense through the middle innings, only adding one more run in the seventh. Alex Bender led the offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Mason Nuefeld chipped in with a 1-for-3 day and an RBI of his own. Liam McDonald, John Donahue, and Eva Puelo each added a hit to round out the Cougar offense. On the mound, John Donahue started for Montgomery, tossing 3 2/3 innings and allowing just one earned run on three hits. He struck out two but issued six walks and hit a batter, lowering his ERA to an impressive 1.91. Nuefeld pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief, surrendering four runs (one earned) and striking out five. The Cougars’ defense faltered, committing two errors and allowing two passed balls.
Tennis Tops Ridge in Thriller
Montgomery boy’s varsity tennis improved to 4-1 with a narrow 3-2 win over Ridge on their home court, with clutch performances across the board. In first singles, Juan Miguel Pereyra battled through a three-set thriller, emerging victorious 6-0, 3-6, 11-9 over Vihaan Iyer. At third singles, Ethan Qian rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 10-7 win against Nikhil Narsi. The doubles pair of Advaith Molakaseema and Ethan Silverberg sealed the match with a dramatic 6-2, 4-6, 13-11 victory over Ridge’s Matthew Cech and Brian Lee, showcasing nerves of steel in the super tiebreaker.
Boys Lacrosse Dominates in Shutout Victory
Montgomery boy’s lacrosse delivered their most emphatic win of the season, shutting out J.P. Stevens 18-0 at Cougar Stadium to improve to 2-5. Colon Long was unstoppable with 5 goals and 2 assists, while Patrick Petrozzini added a hat trick and 4 assists. Zach Mutton, Matthew Cudmore, and Finn Jaworowich each scored twice, highlighting a relentless offensive attack. The Cougars controlled possession and stifled J.P. Stevens throughout the contest.
Girls Lacrosse Falls to Pingry
Rounding out the day, the girl’s lacrosse team dropped a tough matchup to Pingry, 18-7, moving their record to 6-2 on the season. Ellie Pizzulli led the way with 3 goals, 2 assists, 3 ground balls, 3 draw controls, and a forced turnover. Lexi Lopez added 2 goals and a ground ball, while Sophia Soron scored twice and dominated the draw with 10 draw controls. Goalie Victoria Formica faced a barrage of shots, making 7 saves on 28 attempts.
Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com