Cougars Face Mixed Results Across Busy Week; Girls Lacrosse Stays Unbeaten
Nicholas Mistretta
MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent
Montgomery Township — It was a full slate of competition for Montgomery High School athletics, with the Cougars experiencing a mix of results across baseball, lacrosse, softball, and golf, highlighted by a dominant girls lacrosse victory and a strong showing on the links.
Baseball Struggles at the Plate in Two Losses
Montgomery’s baseball team dropped both ends of a challenging stretch, falling 4-0 to North Hunterdon and 4-1 to Hightstown.
Against North Hunterdon, the Cougars were limited to just one hit, a single by Carter Olson, as they struggled to generate offense against a strong pitching performance. Despite drawing seven walks, Montgomery was unable to capitalize. Mason Neufeld took the loss on the mound, allowing four runs (three earned) over 4.1 innings.
North Hunterdon was paced offensively by Brooks Lunger, who drove in three runs, while Jadon Krisanda struck out 10 over 6.2 innings to earn the win.
In the second game, Montgomery again found runs hard to come by in a 4-1 loss to Hightstown. Alex Bender accounted for the Cougars’ lone RBI, while Patrick Fogarty scored the team’s only run. The Cougars managed just two hits in the contest.
Liam McDonnell pitched effectively into the sixth inning, allowing three earned runs, but defensive miscues and limited offensive support proved costly. Hightstown broke the game open with a two-run sixth inning behind a balanced offensive effort.
Boys Lacrosse Falls to North Hunterdon
On the lacrosse field, the boys team fell 9-5 to North Hunterdon despite a strong individual effort from Colin Long, who scored four goals.
Montgomery generated 30 shots on goal but was unable to convert consistently against North Hunterdon goalkeeper Jonah Spagnuolo, who made 21 saves.
The Cougars trailed 3-0 after the first quarter but battled back to within one before North Hunterdon pulled away with a four-goal third period. Patrick Petrozzini added a goal, while Will Schwartz and Zach Mutton each contributed assists.
Defensively, Montgomery recorded 27 ground balls, but North Hunterdon’s physical play and efficiency in transition proved decisive.
Softball Rally Falls Short in High-Scoring Loss
Montgomery softball dropped a high-scoring contest to South Hunterdon, 16-8, in a game that featured offensive bursts from both teams.
After falling behind early, the Cougars mounted a six-run fifth inning to cut into the deficit. Matilda Suh led the offense with two hits and two RBIs, while Ryane Riddell and Isabella Malek each added two hits. Alex Winer contributed a pair of RBIs.
However, defensive struggles proved costly, as Montgomery committed nine errors and allowed 18 hits. South Hunterdon capitalized throughout the game, with multiple players recording multi-hit performances.
Girls Lacrosse Remains Undefeated with Dominant Win
Montgomery’s girls lacrosse team continued its strong start to the season, improving to 4-0 with an emphatic 18-6 victory over Somerville.
The Cougars set the tone early, erupting for 11 first-quarter goals and never looking back.
Elliana Pizzulli led the offensive surge with seven goals and two assists, while Kennedy Dexter added four goals and Sophia Soron contributed three. Lexi Lopez chipped in with two goals and two assists in a balanced team effort.
Montgomery controlled possession throughout, recording 23 shots on goal and dominating draw controls and transition play.
Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomry.com