NEWTON-LENAPE VALLEY CLAIMS CHARETTE TITLE, KJS CLOSES IN ON HALVORSEN
Last night saw two programs earn regular season divisional titles as well as the top seed in their respective Cup tournaments, as Kinnelon-Jefferson-Sparta (Halvorsen) and Newton-Lenape Valley (Charette) accomplished that with wins.
Newton-Lenape Valley completed a season-sweep of High Point-Wallkill Valley-Kittatinny with a 7-2 win at Skylands Ice World to clinch the Charette Division title.
Maksym Pastukh scored four times for NLV, which improved to 10-7 overall with a 6-1 mark in the Charette. Justin Zappe had a goal and three assists, while Ty Dellicker and Matthew Walter each scored a goal. Ryan Salerno shut the door with 29 saves in the win.
Newton-Lenape Valley will be the top seed for the Charette Cup. It appears to be facing either Vernon or Parsippany Regional, depending on which team finishes in the fourth spot pending the outcome of the Vernon-NLV game on Saturday at Skylands Ice World. A Vernon win, tie, or overtime loss would mean Vernon finishes third and Parsippany fourth, however a Vernon regulation loss would mean it comes down to tiebreakers.
High Point-Wallkill-Kittatinny, on the other hand, is currently in second place with a 5-3 record and its divisional slate complete. A Vernon loss, tie or overtime loss to NLV would clinch the second seed for High Point. A Vernon win would mean tiebreakers to determine the second seed.
KJS United downed Madison, 7-2 at Mennen Arena. Anthony Pandiscia led KJS with a goal and three assists, Adam Stefancik had two goals and an assist, and Anthony Prunty scored twice, as the program won its eighth-straight game overall and continued its two-season long unbeaten streak in the Halvorsen Division with its 14th-straight Halvorsen win. Jake Prunty added a goal and an assist, and Michael Pandiscia dished out two assists, while Brian Sisti made 23 saves in the win.
KJS United holds a four-point lead on Mendham for first place, but the teams will play each other both Thursday and Friday. The official seedings and match-ups will be confirmed by the MCSSIHL on Sunday morning.
A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS POST HAD KJS UNITED AS HAVING CLINCHED THE HALVORSEN DIVISION TITLE. THAT WAS INCORRECT. MY STANDINGS DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR AN OVERTIME LOSS BY MENDHAM TO MADISON EARLIER THIS SEASON, SO MENDHAM TRAILS KJS BY FOUR POINTS GOING INTO THE BACK-TO-BACK. MY APOLOGIES FOR THE ERROR.
TOGNO GETS 100TH POINT IN WEST MORRIS WIN
Tommy Togno had a goal and an assist, which brought him to over 100 points for his career, as West Morris downed Watchung Hills, 4-1 at Rock Ice in Dunellen.
Togno now has 38 goals and 63 assists to his name over his four-year career with the Wolfpack.
Ben Barnhill scored twice, Zach Knopf had a goal and an assist, and Jake Salamone had two assists as West Morris improved to 13-4-1. Michael Treiber made 17 saves in the win.
OTHER SCORES
Summit 2, Morristown 1
Seton Hall Prep 4, Pope John 2
Girls: Chatham 5, Clarkstown North (N.Y.) 4.
e-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 