JR Parachini

Cranford, Dayton, Westfield baseball get back to defend their sectional titles

By JR Parachini on May 29, 2014 CRANFORD, SPORTS, SPRINGFIELD

Perhaps it’s only fitting that the last three Union County baseball teams still alive in state tournament play are defending sectional champions. Cranford – in North 2, Group 3 – Dayton – in North 2, Group 1 – and Westfield – in North 2, Group 4 – all got back to the finals in their […]

Summit girls’ lacrosse captures North Jersey, Group 2 crown; Szynal, Celmer, Gramigna each net 3 goals

By JR Parachini on May 28, 2014 SPORTS, SUMMIT

Hilltoppers to face Red Bank in Group 2 state championship game at Monmouth University

SUMMIT – Head coach Mike Walsh’s immediate words to his Hilltoppers following another sectional championship won at home Wednesday afternoon were: “We play again on Saturday, girls, and what day is Saturday? (the ‘31st’ is yelled out). Yes, the 31st (of May) and what is our (ultimate) goal? That’s right, to play in June.” Summit is where […]

Hillside’s Spruill, Roselle’s James realize football dreams by beling selected in NFL draft

By JR Parachini on May 12, 2014 HILLSIDE, ROSELLE, SPORTS

Two of the best high school football players in Union County to graduate in 2009 – Marquis Spruill of Hillside (6-1, 231) and Kendall James of Roselle (5-11, 180) – had gridiron dreams realized this past week. Both 22-year-olds were selected by NFL teams in the 2014 draft, with Spruill – a linebacker out […]

GL, still seeking its first title, will face Westfield, which has won the most with 13, in UCT baseball final at Kean; Junior lefty Frohman is mound ace

By JR Parachini on May 9, 2014 CRANFORD, MOUNTAINSIDE, SPORTS, SUMMIT, UNION

Highlanders are in final for fourth time and first time since 2011

UNION – For the third straight year Westfield – the team with the most county championships – will face a left-hander in title game. For the second straight season the Blue Devils will attempt to beat a hurler seeking to go 4-0 in UCT competition. Two years ago it took four innings, but Westfield was […]

Phil Simms New Jersey North-South All-Star Football Classic includes 7 players from Union County; They include Summit’s Terry, Westfield’s Scaglione, Linden’s Champagne, Rahway’s Raymond, Elizabeth’s Pretlow, Union’s Iroha and Roselle’s McRae

By JR Parachini on May 5, 2014 CRANFORD, ELIZABETH, LINDEN, RAHWAY, ROSELLE, SPORTS, SUMMIT, UNION

Game is June 23 at Piscataway High School; North has another chance to take first series lead

PISCATAWAY – Summit senior Charlie Terry spent the fall season impressing a lot of people with his play at quarterback, leading the Hilltoppers to a perfect 12-0 record and the North 2, Group 3 state championship. Now the First Team All-County and Third Team All-State performer will get the opportunity to show what he can […]

GL baseball tops Dayton in UCT semifinals; Will face Westfield in championship game

By JR Parachini on May 3, 2014 MOUNTAINSIDE, SPORTS, SPRINGFIELD

Falk, Frohman lead Highlanders to their fourth title game in program history

UNION – When the Governor Livingston team bus arrived at KeanUniversity’s Jim Hynes ’63 Baseball Stadium approximately an hour before Saturday’s county tournament game was to begin, one player was not on it. That was junior Mike Falk, who arrived just 20 minutes before the game started after taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for […]

UCT baseball semis set after 4 quarterfinal winners all triumph at home; It will be Dayton vs. GL, followed by Westfield vs. Cranford at Kean

By JR Parachini on May 2, 2014 CRANFORD, ELIZABETH, MOUNTAINSIDE, SPORTS, SPRINGFIELD

Highlanders come back in fifth, Cougars victorious in extra innings again over Vikings

UNION – The last time Dayton and Governor Livingston met in the Union County Tournament was in 2012. Both schools remember the game vividly. Dayton broke through late and, as the seventh seed, upset the second-seeded Highlanders 7-3 in BerkeleyHeights to reach the semifinals for the first time in seven years. Both teams entered the […]

UCT baseball semifinals will take place at Kean for the first time; Quarterfinals moved to May 2

By JR Parachini on May 1, 2014 CRANFORD, ELIZABETH, MOUNTAINSIDE, ROSELLE PARK, SPORTS, SPRINGFIELD, UNION

Semis are May 3 and final at Kean is May 10

For the first time in nine years the baseball Union County Tournament semifinals will not take place at Elizabeth’s Williams Field. Union County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (UCIAC) Executive Director Tom Lewis disclosed Thursday afternoon that the semifinals will take place at KeanUniversity’s Jim Hynes ’63 Baseball Stadium in Union for the first time. Saturday’s scheduled semifinals […]

GL baseball in line to earn top seed for 61st annual Union County Tournament; Highlanders off to fine 10-1 start

By JR Parachini on April 21, 2014 CLARK, CRANFORD, ELIZABETH, HILLSIDE, KENILWORTH, LINDEN, MOUNTAINSIDE, RAHWAY, ROSELLE, ROSELLE PARK, SPORTS, SPRINGFIELD, SUMMIT, UNION

First-round games are April 26, quarterfinals April 30, semifinals May 3 and final May 10.

The Governor Livingston baseball team has never won the Union County Tournament. The Highlanders probably never earned the top seed before either. This could be their year. GL, with an overall record of 10-1 and a Union County Conference-Watchung Division mark of 4-1, is in line to earn the top seed for the 61st annual […]

Union baseball rallies in 7th, but falls short at Watchung Hills; Farmers see 2-game winning streak snapped

By JR Parachini on April 19, 2014 SPORTS, UNION

Union County Tournament to be seeded next

WARREN – Despite playing its fourth game in four days, the Union baseball team was – according to first-year head coach Angel Navarette – “rested and ready to go” when it traveled to Somerset County Saturday to face an improving Watchung Hills squad that had won three in a row after a 1-5 start. The visiting […]