Cougars Roar on the Court, Come Up Just Short on the Mat in Busy Week of Winter Sports
Nicholas Mistretta
MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent
It was a full slate of competition for Montgomery High School this week, with the Cougars delivering statement wins in boys’ and girls’ basketball and dropping a razor-thin heartbreaker in wrestling against a perennial power.
Wrestling: Cougars Push Hillsborough to the Wire in 36–34 Thriller
The Montgomery wrestling team went toe-to-toe with visiting Hillsborough, falling just short in a 36–34 dual that wasn’t decided until heavyweight.
The Cougars came out strong in the lower weights. At 106 pounds, Suchey Karna opened the night with a decision over Mikey Olivieri, putting Montgomery on the board. At 113, Evan Grant needed just 13 seconds to pin Jacob Kammerman, staking the Cougars to early momentum.
Hillsborough responded at 120 and 126 with a decision and a technical fall, but Montgomery answered in emphatic fashion at 132, where Gavin Fong pinned Mike Hamdeh in 1:10.
The middle of the lineup turned into a tug-of-war. Hillsborough earned back-to-back pins at 138 and 144, before Anjin Tsuchihashi stopped the run at 150 with a pin over Walter Onofre Contreras at 4:17. At 157, Johnathin Swank gutted out a 10–9 decision over Eric Tipton, edging his opponent in one of the tightest bouts of the night.
Hillsborough used another technical fall at 165 to swing the team score again, but Montgomery surged back in the upper weights. At 175, Jahkee Carr decked Charlie Giehl in just 51 seconds, and at 215, Aryan Ahmad delivered a dominant major decision over Ashton Arguello to pull the Cougars within striking distance.
Ultimately, the dual was decided at 285, where Nicholas Duarte received a forfeit for Hillsborough, providing the final margin in what was otherwise an evenly fought meet.
Despite the narrow loss, Montgomery showed firepower up and down the lineup, with multiple pins and bonus-point wins that should bode well as the season moves deeper into conference competition.
Boys’ Basketball: Cougars Lock Down Haddonfield, Stay Perfect at 4–0
On the hardwood, the Montgomery boys’ varsity basketball team stayed unbeaten with a 60–36 home win over Haddonfield, improving to 4–0 behind a suffocating defensive effort and a balanced scoring attack.
The Cougars started slowly, trailing 12–5 after the first quarter, but completely flipped the script in the second period with a 21–6 run to take a 26–18 halftime lead. Montgomery never looked back, outscoring Haddonfield 22–7 in the third to blow the game open and cruising through the fourth.
Mike Simborski led the way with 17 points, scoring six two-point field goals, knocking down a three, and adding two free throws. Shriyans Mallavarapu and Connor Benedict each finished with 12 points—Mallavarapu doing his work inside and Benedict stretching the floor with a mix of drives and perimeter shooting.
James Kamara added 11 points, including a three-pointer, while Sebastian Kyler hit a three for 3 points, and Mohamed Ndiaye and Ethan Lin chipped in 2 points apiece. Xavier Harrigan added a free throw for 1 point.
After giving up 12 points in the first quarter, Montgomery’s defense locked in, holding Haddonfield to 6, 7 and 11 points over the final three periods. The Cougars’ ability to respond to early adversity and then overwhelm their opponent on both ends underscored why they remain one of the hottest teams in the area.
Girls’ Basketball: Threes, Defense Lift Cougars Past Hopewell Valley, 46–33
The Montgomery girls’ varsity basketball team continued its strong start with a 46–33 win over Hopewell Valley, improving to 2–1.
Montgomery set the tone early, jumping out to a 13–6 lead after the first quarter and matching Hopewell Valley in the second to carry a 22–15 advantage into halftime. A 13-point third quarter pushed the lead further out of reach.
The Cougars’ offense was powered by a potent combination of perimeter shooting and unselfish play.
Aliza Schulberg led all scorers with 16 points, hitting two two-point field goals, three three-pointers, and going 3-for-3 from the line. She also added 1 rebound, 1 assist and 2 steals, providing production on both ends.
On the wing, Sophia Lehmann knocked down four three-pointers en route to 12 points, while grabbing 6 rebounds and adding an assist. Her shooting helped stretch the Hopewell Valley defense and open driving lanes for teammates.
Point guard Alia Johnson turned in an outstanding all-around game with 8 points (including a three), 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals, orchestrating the offense and applying relentless pressure on defense.
In the paint, Virginia Herring anchored the glass with 8 rebounds and 4 points, while Abby Schwartz added 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, doing a bit of everything.
As a team, Montgomery finished with 28 rebounds, 13 assists and 11 steals, numbers that reflect both effort and cohesion. Hopewell Valley’s trio of Katherine Reinhart (12 points), Megan Kurian (8) and Paige Ritter (11) kept the visitors within range at times, but the Cougars’ depth and defense ultimately carried the day.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com