Cougars Boys Lacrosse Falls Late, Softball Drops Senior Night Matchup

Nicholas Mistretta

MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent

It was a tough week for Montgomery High School athletics, as both the boys lacrosse and girls varsity softball teams suffered hard-fought losses.

On Thursday, the Cougars boys lacrosse team couldn’t hold off a late-game surge by Phillipsburg, falling 10–7 after a tightly contested matchup. Montgomery played a consistent and balanced offensive game, notching two goals in each of the first three quarters. But the Stateliners came alive in the fourth, erupting for five goals to seal the victory. Colin Long led the charge offensively for Montgomery, recording a hat trick and collecting two ground balls. Patrick Petrozzini, Will Schwartz, Matthew Cudmore, and Zach Mutton each added a goal to round out the Cougars’ scoring. Between the pipes,goalie Xander Mancilla was a standout, finishing with 15 saves on 25 shots faced.

Meanwhile, the Cougars softball team celebrated Senior Night on Monday but couldn’t capitalize on the occasion, falling 13–6 to Manville. Montgomery now sits at 1–12 on the season. Despite the loss, there were bright spots at the plate. Allison McKnight led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance, adding an RBI and scoring a run. Connor Fogarty went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Nicolette Shackelford showcased patience at the plate, drawing three walks and scoring once. Charlotte Spina, Stella Cunha, and Maahi Sethi each chipped in with a hit. On the mound, Ryane Riddell took the loss, pitching 4.2 innings and allowing 10 hits and 13 runs—12 of them earned—while walking nine and striking out two. Fogarty came on in relief, throwing 1.1 hitless innings but issuing five walks.

Photo Credit: Nick Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com