Since it has been a busy last couple of days, I will quickly recap the events that happened over the weekend as well as on Monday and Tuesday. Enjoy
Saturday:
Pascack Valley Girls Basketball 63, Dumont 21 (Record: 11-5)
Pascack Valley crushed Dumont in the first round of the County Tournament. With the win, Coach Jeff Jasper now has 900 wins and further establishes himself as one of the legends of the game of basketball.
Wrestling defeated fair Lawn, lost to River Dell, and lost to Lodi.
(Record: 10-7)
Girls Swimming Defeats Demarest and completes undefeated season.
(Record: 9-0)
Boys Swimming fell to Demarest in a meet that came down to the last relay.
Pascack Valley Regional Dance Team came in 1st place for Pom and overall grand champs.
Mountain Lakes 3, Pascack Valley Hockey 2 (Record: 6-7)
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Sunday:
Pascack Valley Boys Basketball 55, Garfield 49 (Record: 8-7)
After earning the 14th seed in the Bergen County Jamboree, the Indians took care of business and disposed of 19th seeded Garfield. With the win, PV will move on to play 3rd seeded Don Bosco next Sunday at 11:45 AM at Tenafly.
PV Hockey 6, Paramus 4 (Record: 7-7)
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Monday:
Boys Bowling defeated Demarest (Record: 4-8)
Girls Bowling lost to Demarest (Record: 9-3)
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Tuesday:
Pascack Valley Girls Basketball 41, Old Tappan 40 (F/OT)
On Saturday at 12 PM, Pascack Valley will play Old Tappan in the second round of the Bergen County Tournament.
If today was any indication about how competitive that game would be, this is a must watch on Saturday afternoon.
Although it took overtime, Pascack Valley was able to hold off Old Tappan and improve to 12-5.
As with most of their games this season, the game was close for the full 32 minutes. Both teams traded baskets with neither team being able to pull away.
Simply put, Pascack Valley made more plays in overtime and came away with the victory because of it.
With the win, Coach Jeff Jasper now has 901 wins. He received the coveted 900 after defeating Dumont on Saturday afternoon.
Record: 12-5
Next Game: Thursday, January 31st at 7 PM against Bergenfield (Away)
Old Tappan 63, Pascack Valley Boys Basketball 48
After Old Tappan got out to an 11-0 lead, Pascack Valley was never able to recover.
The problem today was defense and rebounding. Old Tappan continued to get easy shots and were able to rebound their misses constantly.
On offense, Ryan Onderdonk led the Indians in scoring. Although he had the hot hand, everyone else seemed to be stagnant on offense.
With a battle between them and Don Bosco looming on Sunday, Pascack Valley needs to play better than they did tonight.
Record: 8-8
Next Game: Thursday, January 31st at 7 PM against Bergenfield (Home)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Pascack Valley Back to .500 after Win Over Tenafly
It was only a few weeks ago when Pascack Valley and Tenafly played one of the best games of the year. After a back and forth battle, the game went into overtime after Nick Soravilla failed to covert the game winning layup. In overtime, Valley used turnovers and free throws to come away with the hard fought 60-53 win.
On this Thursday night, overtime wasn't needed.
Instead, Pascack Valley picked up an impressive 60-49 over Tenafly in a game that never seemed in doubt.
Like I have said so many different times this year, balance is the key to this team's success.
"We played as a team tonight and made all the right decisions," said Senior Kyle Schneider.
As early as the first quarter, it became apparent that Pascack Valley was looking to get multiple players involved. In fact, at the end of the first quarter, Valley had a 12-7 lead with the scoring being done by big men Kyle Schneider and Jamie Seymour (4 points a piece).
Against the smaller Tenafly squad, Pascack Valley pounded the ball inside and got easy buckets because of it. Schneider believes that is the key to their offense going forward.
"We finally got the ball inside and took advantage of it. Our game needs to be inside and it will open up the outside for the shooters we have."
After Seymour hurt his ankle early in the first half, it was up to Schneider to do the dirty work inside and he sure did "step up". Schneider finished with 19 points and was the catalyst to an Indian offense that was set on cruise control for most of the game.
The Indians held a 29-17 lead at the half and never looked back. They did it by making good decisions and not forcing anything that wasn't there.
"We were able to take care of the ball," added Schneider. "I think this was the first game of the year with under 10 turnovers."
By taking care of the ball, Valley was able to sustain their lead and walk out of PV with a well needed victory going into the Bergen County Jamboree.
With a 7-7 record, there were doubts about this team making the big dance.Those doubts were silenced last night when it was announced that the Indians would be the 14th seed and play 19th seeded Garfield in the first round. That game will be played on Sunday, January 27th at 1 PM at Old Tappan with the winner taking on Don Bosco.
Since Valley has faced one of the best schedules in the state this season, it is no surprise that they gained this high of a seed with only a 7-7 record. This is a very talented team that with the right match ups, could find itself making a Cinderella-like run in the tournament.
On this Thursday night, overtime wasn't needed.
Instead, Pascack Valley picked up an impressive 60-49 over Tenafly in a game that never seemed in doubt.
Like I have said so many different times this year, balance is the key to this team's success.
"We played as a team tonight and made all the right decisions," said Senior Kyle Schneider.
As early as the first quarter, it became apparent that Pascack Valley was looking to get multiple players involved. In fact, at the end of the first quarter, Valley had a 12-7 lead with the scoring being done by big men Kyle Schneider and Jamie Seymour (4 points a piece).Against the smaller Tenafly squad, Pascack Valley pounded the ball inside and got easy buckets because of it. Schneider believes that is the key to their offense going forward.
"We finally got the ball inside and took advantage of it. Our game needs to be inside and it will open up the outside for the shooters we have."
After Seymour hurt his ankle early in the first half, it was up to Schneider to do the dirty work inside and he sure did "step up". Schneider finished with 19 points and was the catalyst to an Indian offense that was set on cruise control for most of the game.
The Indians held a 29-17 lead at the half and never looked back. They did it by making good decisions and not forcing anything that wasn't there.
"We were able to take care of the ball," added Schneider. "I think this was the first game of the year with under 10 turnovers."
By taking care of the ball, Valley was able to sustain their lead and walk out of PV with a well needed victory going into the Bergen County Jamboree.
With a 7-7 record, there were doubts about this team making the big dance.Those doubts were silenced last night when it was announced that the Indians would be the 14th seed and play 19th seeded Garfield in the first round. That game will be played on Sunday, January 27th at 1 PM at Old Tappan with the winner taking on Don Bosco.
Since Valley has faced one of the best schedules in the state this season, it is no surprise that they gained this high of a seed with only a 7-7 record. This is a very talented team that with the right match ups, could find itself making a Cinderella-like run in the tournament.
Daily Recap: Thursday, January 24th
Although midterms have arrived, games still have to be played. On Thursday night, both Boys and Girls Basketball went head to head against Tenafly. Lets see how each team did.
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Boys Basketball:
Pascack Valley 60, Tenafly 49
Coming in with a record of 6-7, the hopes of making the Bergen County Jamboree were slim for Pascack Valley.
Those chances got a bit better on Thursday night when Pascack Valley took down Tenafly 60-49.
The key to the game? Simple. The balance of the Indians offense allowed them to find holes in the defense and ultimately score at will. Kyle Schneider led the Indians with 19 points and there were 5 players in total who scored in double figures.
A scary moment occurred early in the game when Senior Jamie Seymour went down with what appeared to be an ankle injury and caused him to sit out the rest of the game. After the game, I talked to Seymour and he said that he rolled it, but doesn't know how bad it is yet. I will release more information when it becomes readily available.
After a loss to Teaneck, it was important they win this game to boost their confidence. Now at 7-7, they must hope to be selected into the Bergen County Jamboree after failing to receive an automatic bid (Had to have a winning percentage of at least .650 to get the automatic bid).
***Full post will be up on the blog later tonight***
Record: 7-7
Next Game: Tuesday, January 29th at 7 PM against Old Tappan
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Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 33, Tenafly 30 (F/2OT)
Yes that is the right score.
Yes Pascack Valley and Tenafly scored a combined 63 points in a 32 minute game and two over time periods.
Despite the dreadful scoring, a win is a win and Coach Jasper now has 899, one win away from the coveted 900.
The game was never much of a high scoring game. After the first quarter, Tenafly had a 6-5 lead. The second quarter was no different as the Girls went into the half only scoring 8 points. Luckily for them, Tenafly only scored 11.
To assume that the third quarter would bring some offense would be a stupid assumption to make. Each team scored 7 points in the quarter and Tenafly still held the 18-15 lead.
The game stayed close until the final minutes, giving it the drama so many people were looking for. With 48 seconds left in the game, Tenafly held a 24-22 lead. With 18 seconds remaining, Senior Michelle Garay scored to tie the game at 24. Tenafly had two chances to end the game in regulation but both shots rimmed out so to overtime they went.
The first overtime was dominated by the Indians, but not in the way you might think. Since there was 3:30 left in the game, the Indians held the ball until there were 7.6 left on the clock, looking to shoot the final shot. As time expired, Pascack Valley missed and the game would move on to a second overtime.
Although scoring was a problem in the second overtime as well, Pascack Valley's Kelly Svorinic hit a three pointer to put Valley ahead 29-26 with 1:06 left in the game. With 21 seconds remaining and PV down 1, Junior Amelia Della Pesca scored and gave the Indians a one point lead. With 4.2 seconds left in the game, Valley added a pair of free throws to put them up three. A last second three by Tenafly came up short and the Indians came out of there with a thrilling, hard fought victory.
Now at 899 wins, the next game for Pascack Valley is a big one. It will be played at 1 PM at Pascack Valley against Dumont and will be the first round of the Bergen County Tournament. If Valley can pull out the win, Coach Jasper will accomplish 900 wins and further prove himself as one of the best coaches in North Jersey.
Record: 10-5
Next Game: Saturday, January 26th at 1 PM against Dumont (First Round of County Tournament at Pascack Valley)
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Daily Recap: Tuesday, January 22nd
With the brisk weather outside, today is the one of the days we are thankful that winter sports are played indoors. Boys and Girls Basketball faced off against Teaneck while Bowling battled it out with Old Tappan. Lets see how it all played out.
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Boys Basketball:
Teaneck 66, Pascack Valley 50
If there was a theme to Pascack Valley this season, it would be close games.
Throughout the year, the Indians have played countless classics but have failed to win hardly any of those games.
Their struggles in close games continued on Tuesday night when they fell to Teaneck 66-50.
This was a game of quarters. In the first, Teaneck was doing whatever it wanted on offense and Pascack Valley couldn't stop them. The Indians were scoring, but couldn't keep Teaneck off the offensive glass and were down 16-13.
During the second quarter, Coach Al Coleman put his team into a zone that proved to be super effective. Teaneck was missing their open shots and Pascack Valley was grabbing every defensive rebound.
On offense, balanced scoring was the key to the Indians success. Senior Kyle Schneider scored 10 points in the first half and kept Pascack Valley under control. Going into the break, the Indians held a 2 point lead and were sitting pretty.
Just like in the Girls game, Teaneck made their move in the third quarter. They started hitting their outside shots which opened up room for Lindsey to get into the lane. The officials were calling absolutely nothing, which was a disadvantage because Pascack Valley was getting mugged. Down 43-36 after 3, the game wasn't out of reach but it was certainly danger time.
The game only got chippier in the fourth. Fans started yelling and coaches were furious. This worked to Teaneck's advantage because they were the ones in the lead. Poor officiating took a 7 point game to a 20 point one in only a matter of minutes. Although Pascack Valley lost 66-50, the score does not indicate how close the game really was.
Kyle Schneider and Ryan Onderdonk each scored 12 points to lead the Indians. Kyle Onderdonk (11) and Jamie Seymour (10), were also in double figures.
On Thursday night, Pascack Valley will face a team in Tenafly that took them to overtime last time around. Throughout the season, that game was one of the few that they were able to pull out.
With the season coming to an end, Pascack Valley must improve in late game situations.
It is do or die now for the Indians and they must take advantage of every opportunity they have going forward.
Record: 6-7
Next Game: Thursday, January 24th at 7 PM against Tenafly (Home)
_____________________
Girls Basketball:
Teaneck 47, Pascack Valley 43
57-33
That was the score of the game the first time these two teams met on December 18th. Simply put, Teaneck was on the right side of a blowout while Pascack Valley was left in the dust.
More than a month later, these teams met again with Pascack Valley determined to make it a game and hopefully come out with a win.
The game started out well for the Indians as they led 14-9 at the end of the opening period. The second quarter was no different with Pascack Valley dictating tempo and putting points up with ease (something that has been hard to do this season). By the time halftime strolled around, Valley led 28-26 and had all the confidence in the world to pull the upset.
The third quarter is where Pascack Valley struggled. Teaneck stepped up the defense and held the Indians to 5 points in the quarter. On offensive, Teaneck was now the team getting the open looks and scoring 16 points because of it. Teaneck led by 7 after the third and the upset bit seemed to be in jeopardy.
Through tough times, the Indians never quit. They kept even with Teaneck and even pulled within 1 with three minutes left in the game. However, Teaneck proved to be too much for Pascack Valley and walked out of there with a 47-43 win.
Despite the disappointment, Coach Jasper has to be proud at the way his team competed. They scored 10 more points then they did in their first match up and allowed 10 fewer.
When looking at that statistic, it screams to me one thing.
Improvement.
Pascack Valley is continuing to improve and will prove to be dangerous in the County Tournament.
Record: 9-5
Next Game: Thursday, January 24th at 4 PM against Tenafly (Home)
________________________
Girls Bowling:
Girls Bowling defeated Old Tappan on Tuesday afternoon.
Jamie Saslaw had the high game of 158 and Alexa McManus had the high series of 423.
Record: 4-7
Next Game: Monday, January 28th at 4 PM against Demarest (@Bowler City)
___________________
Boys Bowling:
Boys Bowling also defeated Old Tappan on Tuesday afternoon.
Ryan Vasel had both the high game of 255 and the high series of 717.
Record: 8-3
Next Game: Monday, January 28th at 4 PM against Demarest (@Bowler City)
____________________________
Boys Basketball:
Teaneck 66, Pascack Valley 50
If there was a theme to Pascack Valley this season, it would be close games.
Throughout the year, the Indians have played countless classics but have failed to win hardly any of those games.
Their struggles in close games continued on Tuesday night when they fell to Teaneck 66-50.
This was a game of quarters. In the first, Teaneck was doing whatever it wanted on offense and Pascack Valley couldn't stop them. The Indians were scoring, but couldn't keep Teaneck off the offensive glass and were down 16-13.
During the second quarter, Coach Al Coleman put his team into a zone that proved to be super effective. Teaneck was missing their open shots and Pascack Valley was grabbing every defensive rebound.
On offense, balanced scoring was the key to the Indians success. Senior Kyle Schneider scored 10 points in the first half and kept Pascack Valley under control. Going into the break, the Indians held a 2 point lead and were sitting pretty.
Just like in the Girls game, Teaneck made their move in the third quarter. They started hitting their outside shots which opened up room for Lindsey to get into the lane. The officials were calling absolutely nothing, which was a disadvantage because Pascack Valley was getting mugged. Down 43-36 after 3, the game wasn't out of reach but it was certainly danger time.
The game only got chippier in the fourth. Fans started yelling and coaches were furious. This worked to Teaneck's advantage because they were the ones in the lead. Poor officiating took a 7 point game to a 20 point one in only a matter of minutes. Although Pascack Valley lost 66-50, the score does not indicate how close the game really was.
Kyle Schneider and Ryan Onderdonk each scored 12 points to lead the Indians. Kyle Onderdonk (11) and Jamie Seymour (10), were also in double figures.
On Thursday night, Pascack Valley will face a team in Tenafly that took them to overtime last time around. Throughout the season, that game was one of the few that they were able to pull out.
With the season coming to an end, Pascack Valley must improve in late game situations.
It is do or die now for the Indians and they must take advantage of every opportunity they have going forward.
Record: 6-7
Next Game: Thursday, January 24th at 7 PM against Tenafly (Home)
_____________________
Girls Basketball:
Teaneck 47, Pascack Valley 43
57-33
That was the score of the game the first time these two teams met on December 18th. Simply put, Teaneck was on the right side of a blowout while Pascack Valley was left in the dust.
More than a month later, these teams met again with Pascack Valley determined to make it a game and hopefully come out with a win.
The game started out well for the Indians as they led 14-9 at the end of the opening period. The second quarter was no different with Pascack Valley dictating tempo and putting points up with ease (something that has been hard to do this season). By the time halftime strolled around, Valley led 28-26 and had all the confidence in the world to pull the upset.
The third quarter is where Pascack Valley struggled. Teaneck stepped up the defense and held the Indians to 5 points in the quarter. On offensive, Teaneck was now the team getting the open looks and scoring 16 points because of it. Teaneck led by 7 after the third and the upset bit seemed to be in jeopardy.
Through tough times, the Indians never quit. They kept even with Teaneck and even pulled within 1 with three minutes left in the game. However, Teaneck proved to be too much for Pascack Valley and walked out of there with a 47-43 win.
Despite the disappointment, Coach Jasper has to be proud at the way his team competed. They scored 10 more points then they did in their first match up and allowed 10 fewer.
When looking at that statistic, it screams to me one thing.
Improvement.
Pascack Valley is continuing to improve and will prove to be dangerous in the County Tournament.
Record: 9-5
Next Game: Thursday, January 24th at 4 PM against Tenafly (Home)
________________________
Girls Bowling:
Girls Bowling defeated Old Tappan on Tuesday afternoon.
Jamie Saslaw had the high game of 158 and Alexa McManus had the high series of 423.
Record: 4-7
Next Game: Monday, January 28th at 4 PM against Demarest (@Bowler City)
___________________
Boys Bowling:
Boys Bowling also defeated Old Tappan on Tuesday afternoon.
Ryan Vasel had both the high game of 255 and the high series of 717.
Record: 8-3
Next Game: Monday, January 28th at 4 PM against Demarest (@Bowler City)
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Weekend Recap: 1/17 - 1/20
Boys Basketball:
Pascack Valley 67, Demarest 62 (Thursday)
After defeating Demarest 72-43 in the first game of the season, everyone believed that the same result would occur when the Norsemen came to the Valley on Thursday Night.
Instead, Demarest came out ready to play and the Indians came out asleep.
After leading 14-11 after the 1st quarter, Demarest dominated the second quarter. Pascack Valley couldn't get anything going on offense as their frustration increased with every empty possession. By the time halftime had arrived, Demarest led by the score of 36-22 and left the Indians shaking their heads.
It wasn't until the second half that Pascack Valley woke up. They controlled the tempo and ultimately shut down Demarest on the offensive end. They ended up scoring more points in the third quarter (27) then they did all of the first half. The result, a 6 point lead heading into the fourth.
You have to give the Norsemen credit for staying in the game. After the Indians came back from 14 down to take the lead, Demarest could have laid down. Instead, Pascack Valley had to earn this win, something they are certainly going to have to do later in the season. They made big plays down the stretch to escape with the 67-62 victory.
Snyder 44, Pascack Valley 38 (Saturday)
Coming into the game, Pascack Valley had little information on what kind of team Synder was.
What they realized is that this team could really defend and Pascack Valley could not adapt.
By scoring 38 points, this was the lowest output of the year. Hopefully this is a fluke with Teaneck on the schedule for Tuesday.
Record: 6-6
Next Game: Tuesday, January 22nd at 7 PM against Teaneck (Away)
______________________
Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 32, Demarest 31 (Thursday)
When you score 32 points in a game, you shouldn't normally expect to win.
For Pascack Valley, scoring 32 points is more than enough to come out with a win. The prime example came on Thursday when they defeated Demarest and held them to a mind-boggling 31 points.
Although the game lacked offensive efficiency, this game sure did not lack for drama. The game went back and forth throughout with neither team being able to pull away.
Pascack Valley had to convert their free throws late in the game to hold off a determined Demarest squad. Despite the offensive nightmare, a win is a win for a Valley team that is coming together at just the right time.
Pascack Valley 61, Rutherford 33 (Sunday)
61 points?
In a whole game?
Yes you are reading this correctly. Pascack Valley's offense exploded for 61 points in a blowout win against Rutherford on Sunday morning. The game was part of an event held at the High School to benefit Autism and Diabetes.
As for the game itself, it was never really close. Pascack Valley dominated from the opening tip and cruised to victory.
With a record of 9-4 on the season, the Indians are putting together a pretty impressive resume. Hopefully they can continue on this run and be a contender later in the season.
Record: 9-4
Next Game: January 22nd at 4 PM against Teaneck (Home)
___________________
Girls Bowling:
The Girls were able to defeat Tenafly on Friday afternoon.
Jamie Saslaw had the high game of 165 and Alexa McManus had the high series of 436.
Record: 3-7
Next Match: Tuesday, January 22nd at 4 PM against Old Tappan.
___________________
Boys Bowling:
The Boys also defeated Tenafly on Friday afternoon.
Ryan Vasel had the high game of 235 and the high series of 665.
Record: 7-3
Next Match: Tuesday, January 22nd at 4 PM against Old Tappan.
_________________
Wrestling:
Pascack Hills 37, Pascack Valley 31
Pascack Valley 39, Emerson 30
Pascack Valley defeats Manchester
Record: 9-4
Next Match: Wednesday, January 23rd at 7 PM against Demarest (Home)
Pascack Valley 67, Demarest 62 (Thursday)
After defeating Demarest 72-43 in the first game of the season, everyone believed that the same result would occur when the Norsemen came to the Valley on Thursday Night.
Instead, Demarest came out ready to play and the Indians came out asleep.
After leading 14-11 after the 1st quarter, Demarest dominated the second quarter. Pascack Valley couldn't get anything going on offense as their frustration increased with every empty possession. By the time halftime had arrived, Demarest led by the score of 36-22 and left the Indians shaking their heads.
It wasn't until the second half that Pascack Valley woke up. They controlled the tempo and ultimately shut down Demarest on the offensive end. They ended up scoring more points in the third quarter (27) then they did all of the first half. The result, a 6 point lead heading into the fourth.
You have to give the Norsemen credit for staying in the game. After the Indians came back from 14 down to take the lead, Demarest could have laid down. Instead, Pascack Valley had to earn this win, something they are certainly going to have to do later in the season. They made big plays down the stretch to escape with the 67-62 victory.
Snyder 44, Pascack Valley 38 (Saturday)
Coming into the game, Pascack Valley had little information on what kind of team Synder was.
What they realized is that this team could really defend and Pascack Valley could not adapt.
By scoring 38 points, this was the lowest output of the year. Hopefully this is a fluke with Teaneck on the schedule for Tuesday.
Record: 6-6
Next Game: Tuesday, January 22nd at 7 PM against Teaneck (Away)
______________________
Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 32, Demarest 31 (Thursday)
When you score 32 points in a game, you shouldn't normally expect to win.
For Pascack Valley, scoring 32 points is more than enough to come out with a win. The prime example came on Thursday when they defeated Demarest and held them to a mind-boggling 31 points.
Although the game lacked offensive efficiency, this game sure did not lack for drama. The game went back and forth throughout with neither team being able to pull away.
Pascack Valley had to convert their free throws late in the game to hold off a determined Demarest squad. Despite the offensive nightmare, a win is a win for a Valley team that is coming together at just the right time.
Pascack Valley 61, Rutherford 33 (Sunday)
61 points?
In a whole game?
Yes you are reading this correctly. Pascack Valley's offense exploded for 61 points in a blowout win against Rutherford on Sunday morning. The game was part of an event held at the High School to benefit Autism and Diabetes.
As for the game itself, it was never really close. Pascack Valley dominated from the opening tip and cruised to victory.
With a record of 9-4 on the season, the Indians are putting together a pretty impressive resume. Hopefully they can continue on this run and be a contender later in the season.
Record: 9-4
Next Game: January 22nd at 4 PM against Teaneck (Home)
___________________
Girls Bowling:
The Girls were able to defeat Tenafly on Friday afternoon.
Jamie Saslaw had the high game of 165 and Alexa McManus had the high series of 436.
Record: 3-7
Next Match: Tuesday, January 22nd at 4 PM against Old Tappan.
___________________
Boys Bowling:
The Boys also defeated Tenafly on Friday afternoon.
Ryan Vasel had the high game of 235 and the high series of 665.
Record: 7-3
Next Match: Tuesday, January 22nd at 4 PM against Old Tappan.
_________________
Wrestling:
Pascack Hills 37, Pascack Valley 31
Pascack Valley 39, Emerson 30
Pascack Valley defeats Manchester
Record: 9-4
Next Match: Wednesday, January 23rd at 7 PM against Demarest (Home)
Friday, January 18, 2013
Diving In: An In Depth Look at Pascack Valley Swimming
In a
school where Pascack Valley prides itself on athletics, it’s hard to keep track
of it all.
The
football team started the season at 11-0 and competed for a State Championship.
Boys and Girls Soccer each had double digits win totals and fantastic seasons
overall. The Volleyball team was in the Top 10 in the County. Girls Basketball
is coached by a legend in Jeff Jasper and has continued to have success
throughout the years. If someone explained that the Girls Swimming team has won
three straight league titles and have been one of the most successful teams in
the school, not many people would have believed it.
A couple
of years ago, Pascack Valley didn’t even have a swim team. After being involved
in swimming his whole life, Shawn Buchanan wanted that to change.
“I
started to swim when I was 5 and started coaching when I was 18,” said Coach
Shawn Buchanan. “I have always loved coaching and was surprised when I found
out that Pascack Valley didn’t have a team.”
When he
arrived at Pascack Valley during his first year of teaching, two families
expressed interest in creating a swim team.
“It was
perfect timing because of my arrival and their interest,” added Buchanan. “It
just worked out really well.”
With the
help of those families and the school itself, a swim team was created and the
tradition had begun.
Three
consecutive league titles later, the time is now for everyone to start paying
attention. They are currently undefeated at 8-0 and took first in the Big North
League Meet on January 13th.
“These
girls really exceeded my expectations in how they came together as a team and
put in the hard work in practices and meets,” explained Buchanan. “Our original
goal is to be league champs and I am happy we have been able to achieve that
goal.”
Swimming isn't the typical sport in terms of its practice schedule and preparation.
“People
think we’re crazy for waking up at the ungodly hour of around 4 am,” joked
Senior Co-Caption Jennifer Iannello.
Instead
of practicing after school, swimmers have a completely different routine. They
hit the pool for a 4:45 practice that usually does not end until 6 AM. Despite
waking up early, Senior Nicole Calianese, the other co-captain, embraces the
moment.
“Practicing
before school creates a strong bond between the team because it is composed of
a group of people all with the same passion.”
This
could be used to show why Pascack Valley has been successful.
“Never
has our team been made up of a bunch of superstars,” added Buchanan. “It really
takes a team effort to win in swimming and many people don’t realize that.
Depth is the key because in the end, it takes a collective effort to be
successful.”
In
addition to working together, certain qualities and skills are needed to
compete at the Varsity Level. Many swimmers love the water, making it a little
easier to jump into a freezing cold pool before the sun rises. In addition,
stamina and determination are important in any type of swimming race. Whether
it be freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, or breaststroke, swimmers must be able
to maintain a fast pace to keep up with their competitors.
“When
you have hit your limit, you have to push even harder, “ said Iannello.
Most
importantly, the mental aspect of swimming is just as important as the physical
aspect. “When you are racing,” explained Calianese, “you are in a lane
yourself, alone with your mind. It is up to you to find the drive from within.”
These
are qualities that Coach Buchanan has continuously preached to his swimmers
throughout the year and they have responded. His calm demeanor and knowledge of
the sport have given these girls a good coach, a supporter, and most of all, a
very good role model.
“Mr.
Buchanan is amazing,” added Iannello. “Words will never do justice to how great
of a coach he is.”
Although
winning the league championship was the immediate goal, the Pascack Valley
swimming team is not finished yet.
“Our
ultimate goal is to qualify for states,” said Buchannan, “and we have only
accomplished that once.”
Buchanan
believes that the Girls Team will qualify with the only question being the seed
they will receive. Regardless of how they fare in the state meet (granted they
make it there), this has been a memorable season for the team and one that will
not soon be forgotten.
When
receiving the daily newspaper, the time is now for people to start looking at
the swimming results along with those of other Pascack Valley sports.
Some
might find it surprising, but the fact of the matter is that Swimming is one of
the most successful and consistent programs this school has to offer.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Daily Recap: Tuesday, January 15th
Basketball took center stage on Tuesday night as Pascack Valley took on Hackensack. Lets see how each of the teams competed.
_____________________
Boys Basketball:
Hackensack 73, Pascack Valley 65
The performance that Pascack Valley put together against Ramapo was by far the most impressive of the season. There was not a chance they would play as well for a whole game as they did as the Green Raiders....right?
For the first quarter against Hackensack, Pascack Valley took their level of play to a point that I have never seen before.
They simply dominated Hackensack in the opening 8 minutes. They were able to frustrate Hackensack's superstar on defense and were getting easy baskets on offense. It seemed as though everything was going in for the Indians. Once the first had ended, Pascack Valley had a 19-8 lead in a game no one gave them a chance to win.
It was during the second quarter that Hackensack found their rhythm. They used full court pressure to force Pascack Valley into turnovers and were driving to the rim at will. in fact, the Indians were lucky only to be down 34-31 because simply put, Hackensack took it to Pascack Valley and they had no response.
It was after halftime that Pascack Valley really hurt itself. Jamie Seymour picked up his third foul and Kyle Schneider picked up his fourth, forcing the Indians to go with a small lineup. With the size and athleticism of Hackensack, they immediately took advantage of it. They dominated Valley on the boards and had a ton of second chance points. With a quarter left to play, Hackensack led by nine.
Beginning the fourth quarter, no one told Junior Chris Jackson that Pascack Valley wasn't supposed to pull the upset on this night.
The Pascack Valley point guard did it from all spots on the floor. He stepped out and hit a couple of threes and then drove into the paint and picked up a basket plus the foul.
While Jackson was single handedly keeping them in the game, Pascack Valley could not get stops on the defensive end. Hackensack continued to grab offensive rebounds that killed any momentum of a comeback. After a valiant effort, the Indians fell by a score of 73 - 65.
Chris Jackson led the Indians in scoring with 29 points and showed his ability to dominate a game. Having another player who can put up points in bunches will only make Pascack Valley more dangerous going forward.
After the three game gauntlet in the last week, the Indians have no time to rest as Demarest come to town on Thursday.
That could be the type of game that jump starts them for the future.
Record: 5-5
Next Game: Thursday, January 17th at 7 PM against Demarest (Home)
______________________
Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 65, Hackensack 28
After falling to Paramus Catholic last Thursday, it was imperative that Pascack Valley respond against Hackensack.
Not only did they respond, but they put the game out of reach before the first half had ended. After two quarters of play, the Indians held a 31-13 lead and Hackensack looked as though they were ready to pack it in.
Once the second half had started, the rout was on. Pascack Valley ended up scoring 65 points and won by the largest margin (37 points) of the season.
This impressive win should give the Indians the confidence they need going forward.
In a season where scoring points has been hard to come by, Pascack Valley finally showed their potential on the offensive end.
Record: 7-4
Next Game: Thursday, January 17th at 4 PM against Demarest (Away)
Monday, January 14, 2013
Revenge Much? Pascack Valley Dominates Ramapo in Much Anticipated Rematch
It was only two weeks ago that Pascack Valley Basketball tasted defeat at the hands of Ramapo in the final of the Cliffside Park Holiday Tournament.
In that contest, Ramapo held the Indians to only 44 points and disrupted their offense completely. Because of the frustration, it caused sloppy play in the closing minutes to assure Ramapo the hard fought victory.
When Valley's players saw that Ramapo was on the schedule again, they knew that this time, the result would be different.
In fact, that is exactly what occurred. Pascack Valley simply outplayed Ramapo to earn a season-changing 71-54 win on Saturday afternoon.
Sure Pascack Valley was confident coming into the game against the Green Raiders. But defeating a team of this caliber easily and by 17 points? They couldn't have imagined that would have ever happened...right?
Not so much.
"I wasn't surprised at all," said Senior Jamie Seymour. "We were the better team and we showed everyone that. It comes down to taking care of the ball and controlling the game and that's what we did."
Despite the blowout, the game wasn't always that way. In the early going, Pascack Valley and Ramapo were both hot from the field. Jamie Seymour led Valley with 9 points in the quarter and Junior Matt Grassi dominated for Ramapo. After a well played first opening period, Ramapo held a 19-18 lead.
The second quarter was much of the same for these two evenly matched squads. Unlike the first match up, Pascack Valley was getting everyone involved and were very successful because of it. Instead of playing tentative, the Indians showed the confidence of a team that truly believed it could win.
"We played as a team and got everyone involved," added Seymour. "We had 4 guys in double figures. Last game we beat ourselves and played with fear."
After one of the best halves Pascack Valley had played all year, they still only held a 32-30 lead over Ramapo at the break. It was easy to think that the Indians would not keep up their solid play and that in the second half, Ramapo would take control.
Instead, it was Pascack Valley who took their level of play to another notch. They continued to play with poise through Ramapo's pressure defense and were able to score several easy buckets. Kyle Onderdonk began to heat up from the outside and Seymour did plenty of damage from inside the paint. The Indians scored 16 in the quarter and held a 8 point cushion going into the fourth.
As if it couldn't get any sweeter, Pascack Valley dominated the fourth quarter. They allowed Ramapo to score only 6 points while adding 23 of their own! The ability to close out a game with such authority is something that still makes Pascack Valley one of the most dangerous teams in North Jersey. When it was all said and done, the rout was on.
Pascack Valley 71, Ramapo 54
"We played our game and not theirs. We played our tempo and not theirs. By doing both of those things, that is why we came out on top."
Jamie Seymour had a team high 21 points for the Indians who are now 5-4 on the year. The Junior trio of Kyle Onderdonk, Ryan Onderdonk, and Chris Jackson also scored in double figures. KO had 18, Ryan added 16, and CJ scored 12.
How does a team score 71 points against a high pressure defense? The answer comes from the foul line. Pascack Valley went a remarkable 27-28 from the charity strike, taking advantage of any opportunity they had to score easy points.
"We did all the little things like rebounding, taking care of the ball, and hitting our free throws. That's how you win ball games."
With this outstanding win behind them, it is time for Pascack Valley to look ahead to tomorrow's game against Hackensack, one of the best teams in the county.
If they hope to pull the improbable upset, Pascack Valley is going to have to do the little things extremely well.
@Feartheindian
In that contest, Ramapo held the Indians to only 44 points and disrupted their offense completely. Because of the frustration, it caused sloppy play in the closing minutes to assure Ramapo the hard fought victory.
When Valley's players saw that Ramapo was on the schedule again, they knew that this time, the result would be different.
In fact, that is exactly what occurred. Pascack Valley simply outplayed Ramapo to earn a season-changing 71-54 win on Saturday afternoon.
Sure Pascack Valley was confident coming into the game against the Green Raiders. But defeating a team of this caliber easily and by 17 points? They couldn't have imagined that would have ever happened...right?
Not so much.
"I wasn't surprised at all," said Senior Jamie Seymour. "We were the better team and we showed everyone that. It comes down to taking care of the ball and controlling the game and that's what we did."
Despite the blowout, the game wasn't always that way. In the early going, Pascack Valley and Ramapo were both hot from the field. Jamie Seymour led Valley with 9 points in the quarter and Junior Matt Grassi dominated for Ramapo. After a well played first opening period, Ramapo held a 19-18 lead.
The second quarter was much of the same for these two evenly matched squads. Unlike the first match up, Pascack Valley was getting everyone involved and were very successful because of it. Instead of playing tentative, the Indians showed the confidence of a team that truly believed it could win.
"We played as a team and got everyone involved," added Seymour. "We had 4 guys in double figures. Last game we beat ourselves and played with fear."
After one of the best halves Pascack Valley had played all year, they still only held a 32-30 lead over Ramapo at the break. It was easy to think that the Indians would not keep up their solid play and that in the second half, Ramapo would take control.
Instead, it was Pascack Valley who took their level of play to another notch. They continued to play with poise through Ramapo's pressure defense and were able to score several easy buckets. Kyle Onderdonk began to heat up from the outside and Seymour did plenty of damage from inside the paint. The Indians scored 16 in the quarter and held a 8 point cushion going into the fourth.
As if it couldn't get any sweeter, Pascack Valley dominated the fourth quarter. They allowed Ramapo to score only 6 points while adding 23 of their own! The ability to close out a game with such authority is something that still makes Pascack Valley one of the most dangerous teams in North Jersey. When it was all said and done, the rout was on.
Pascack Valley 71, Ramapo 54
"We played our game and not theirs. We played our tempo and not theirs. By doing both of those things, that is why we came out on top."
Jamie Seymour had a team high 21 points for the Indians who are now 5-4 on the year. The Junior trio of Kyle Onderdonk, Ryan Onderdonk, and Chris Jackson also scored in double figures. KO had 18, Ryan added 16, and CJ scored 12.
How does a team score 71 points against a high pressure defense? The answer comes from the foul line. Pascack Valley went a remarkable 27-28 from the charity strike, taking advantage of any opportunity they had to score easy points.
"We did all the little things like rebounding, taking care of the ball, and hitting our free throws. That's how you win ball games."
With this outstanding win behind them, it is time for Pascack Valley to look ahead to tomorrow's game against Hackensack, one of the best teams in the county.
If they hope to pull the improbable upset, Pascack Valley is going to have to do the little things extremely well.
@Feartheindian
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Weekend Recap: 1/10 - 1/13
All winter sports were in action this weekend and all performed fairly well. Girls Swimming was going for a league title and Boys Basketball was looking for revenge. Lets see how they and the rest of the teams fared.
______________________
Boys Basketball:
Paramus Catholic 52, Pascack Valley 49 (Thursday)
If you haven't noticed, Pascack Valley can shoot the hell out of the ball. Kyle and Ryan Onderdonk are two of the best shooters in the county and can go off at any time if not defended correctly.
In the first half, Paramus Catholic understood that and played man to man defense. The twins had a tough time getting their shot and the whole offense struggled because of it.
Paramus Catholic was able to get up and pressure the Indian's guards, forcing turnovers that led to easy transition buckets.
At the half, Pascack Valley seemed lost and were down 31-17.
However, when the second half opened, they received a blessing as Paramus Catholic changed to a zone defense for some reason.
Kyle Onderdonk wasted no time letting PC know that the zone was a decision they would quickly regret. He made about 4 threes in the third quarter alone to bring the Indians back.
By the time the third had ended, Pascack Valley outscored their opponent 15-6 and had cut the lead to 5 (37-32).
Paramus Catholic decided to go back to man, but the damage was already done. The Indians had all the momentum and were poised to pull the upset. In fact, the game was tied at 46 with only 2:16 to play.
With the Indians down 2 with under a minute left, Jabrill Peppers stole the ball and Ryan Onderdonk was forced to foul, exiting him from the game. With 10 seconds left, the Indians were still only down 3 with Paramus Catholic going to the line. They missed the front end and Valley had a chance to tie!
Chris Jackson was doubled and half court and was forced to pass it to Seymour. Seymour tried to get it to KO for the tie but the quick hands of PC stole it away.
Final score: 52-49
This can be added to the number of games that Pascack Valley had a chance to win. As time goes on, the Indians will more comfortable in these situations and will perform better because of it.
Pascack Valley 71, Ramapo 54 (Saturday)
***Full article will be up on the blog either later tonight or tomorrow.***
Record: 5-4
Next Game: Tuesday, January 15th at 7 PM against Hackensack (Home)
_______________
Girls Basketball:
Paramus Catholic 46, Pascack Valley 37 (Thursday)
Despite the valiant effort, Pascack Valley was defeated by Paramus Catholic on Thursday afternoon.
When facing a team with the talent of Paramus Catholic, it is important to keep the game close.
For most of the game, Pascack Valley did just that.
Throughout the first half, the lead changed hands many different times. However, neither team was able to pull away from the other before intermission. At the half, Pascack Valley held a 23-22 lead and had to feel good about where they were.
The third quarter was much of the same as it was very evenly played. Going into the last quarter, the Indians were up 2 and could sense the upset.
It was in the fourth quarter that Paramus Catholic finally found their rhythm. They were efficient on offense and only allowed Valley to score 2 points in the final period. The end result was Paramus Catholic taking the game 46-37.
Knowing they can play with the best of them is something Pascack Valley has already experienced. The next step is pulling out one of these close games and earning the W.
Record: 6-4
Next Game: Tuesday, January 15th at 4 PM against Hackensack (Away)
___________________
Girls Bowling:
Demarest 1576, Pascack Valley 1245 (Friday)
The Girls Bowling team was defeated by Demarest 1576-1245 on Friday afternoon.
After the first game, the Indians fell into a 50 point hole and were never able to recover.
Senior Jamie Saslaw had the high game of 156 and the high series of 425.
Record: 2-6
Next Match: Monday, January 14th at 4 PM against Westwood (@Bowler City)
________________________
Boys Bowling:
Pascack Valley 2096, Demarest 1530 (Friday)
On Friday afternoon, the Boys Bowling team crushed Demarest in a match that was never really close.
The Indians dominated from the opening roll and never looked back.
Ryan Vasel had the high game of 238 and Robbie Borrelli had the high series of 425.
Record: 6-2
Next Match: Monday, January 14th at 4 PM against Westwood (@Bowler City)
____________________
Wrestling:
Paramus 58, Pascack Valley 9 (Friday)
Record: 6-3
Next Match: Wednesday, January 16th at 7 PM against Teaneck (Home)
________________
Hockey:
Pascack Valley 5, Tenafly 2 (Friday)
Pascack Valley scored early and often against Tenafly on Friday night and it all started with Sam Komrower.
The Senior scored the first two goals for the Indians who ended up scoring three in the period. Tenafly simply did not have the defense to stop their powerful attack.
With a couple of minutes left in the second, Komrower completed the hat trick and increased Valley's lead to 5-0. Tenafly was able to score two goals, but they were of zero relevance.
The end result was a 5-2 win and Pascack Valley picked up a much needed win.
Pascack Valley 6, Northern Highlands 2 (Saturday)
Pascack Valley completed their impressive weekend by defeating Northern Highlands 6-2.
Devon Palmieri began the scoring for the Indians with 13:17 left in the first. However, Northern Highlands responded and the game was tied after the opening period.
Valley's John Scarano put Valley ahead, but again, Highlands answered. Throughout the next period and a half, Pascack Valley scored 4 unanswered goals and cruised to a 6-2 victories.
The other goals were scored by Sam Komrower, Chris Hayden, Robbie Sawyer, and another one added by Devon Palmieri.
This was a great weekend for PV Puck and one they should be able to build on.
Record: 5-6
Next Game: Wednesday, January 16th at 8:20 PM against Northern Highlands
______________________
Boys Swimming:
The Boys fell victim over the weekend to Wayne Valley and Demarest but competed hard and should be proud.
Record: 1-7
Next Meet: Saturday, January 19th at 8 AM (Bergen County Championship Swim Meet)
_______________________
Girls Swimming:
Pascack Valley 109, Wayne Valley 61 (Thursday)
The Girls Swim team continued their domination with a 50 point win in a meet that was supposed to be close. With the win, they improve to 7-0 and are that much closer to a league title.
Pascack Valley 97, Demarest 73 (Saturday)
Pascack Valley swam again on Saturday, defeating a talented Demarest team and improving their record to 8-0. This has been an unbelievable season for the Indians and they should be extremely proud of what they have accomplished.
Record: 8-0
Next Meet: Saturday, January 19th at 8 AM (Bergen County Championship Swim Meet)
UPDATE: The Girls Swim Team is LEAGUE CHAMPS!!!!
________________________________
Boys Winter Track:
If you want to be the best, you have to prove it.
At the state relays on Saturday, Pascack Valley took first and let everyone know they are the real deal.
Jaleel Felton ran the 400 m in 53 seconds, Ricky Tiburcio ran the 200 m in 24.1 seconds, Ben Mandel ran the 200 in 24.7 seconds, and Ben Malone ran the 800 in 1:56.
There was also a league meet on Sunday and the Pascack Valley performed very well.
Ben Malone finished first in the 400 with a time of 51.1 seconds and Jaleel Felton finished 3rd with a time of 51.7 seconds
Also, Jaleel Felton got fourth in the 55 m with 6.6 seconds and Ricky Tiburcio got 5th with 6.8 seconds.
________________________________
Girls Winter Track:
The Pascack Valley Girls Team fared very well at the league meet on Sunday.
In the 55 m, Junior Nicole Miller placed 2nd with 7.5 seconds.
In the 55 m hurdles, Senior Kelsey Witt placed 4th with 9.2 seconds.
In the 400 m dash, Junior Alice Urbiel finished 2nd with 61 seconds
Finally, the Indians came in first in the 4 x 4. Kelsey ran the first leg in 63 seconds, Kayla Begen ran the second leg in 63 seconds, Nicole Miller ran the third leg in 64 seconds, and Alice Urbiel finished it up in 61 seconds.
Also, Alexa McManus set a PR in the mile by running a 6:12.
The girls did a great job and should be proud of what they accomplished.
______________________
Boys Basketball:
Paramus Catholic 52, Pascack Valley 49 (Thursday)
If you haven't noticed, Pascack Valley can shoot the hell out of the ball. Kyle and Ryan Onderdonk are two of the best shooters in the county and can go off at any time if not defended correctly.
In the first half, Paramus Catholic understood that and played man to man defense. The twins had a tough time getting their shot and the whole offense struggled because of it.
Paramus Catholic was able to get up and pressure the Indian's guards, forcing turnovers that led to easy transition buckets.
At the half, Pascack Valley seemed lost and were down 31-17.
However, when the second half opened, they received a blessing as Paramus Catholic changed to a zone defense for some reason.
Kyle Onderdonk wasted no time letting PC know that the zone was a decision they would quickly regret. He made about 4 threes in the third quarter alone to bring the Indians back.
By the time the third had ended, Pascack Valley outscored their opponent 15-6 and had cut the lead to 5 (37-32).
Paramus Catholic decided to go back to man, but the damage was already done. The Indians had all the momentum and were poised to pull the upset. In fact, the game was tied at 46 with only 2:16 to play.
With the Indians down 2 with under a minute left, Jabrill Peppers stole the ball and Ryan Onderdonk was forced to foul, exiting him from the game. With 10 seconds left, the Indians were still only down 3 with Paramus Catholic going to the line. They missed the front end and Valley had a chance to tie!
Chris Jackson was doubled and half court and was forced to pass it to Seymour. Seymour tried to get it to KO for the tie but the quick hands of PC stole it away.
Final score: 52-49
This can be added to the number of games that Pascack Valley had a chance to win. As time goes on, the Indians will more comfortable in these situations and will perform better because of it.
Pascack Valley 71, Ramapo 54 (Saturday)
***Full article will be up on the blog either later tonight or tomorrow.***
Record: 5-4
Next Game: Tuesday, January 15th at 7 PM against Hackensack (Home)
_______________
Girls Basketball:
Paramus Catholic 46, Pascack Valley 37 (Thursday)
Despite the valiant effort, Pascack Valley was defeated by Paramus Catholic on Thursday afternoon.
When facing a team with the talent of Paramus Catholic, it is important to keep the game close.
For most of the game, Pascack Valley did just that.
Throughout the first half, the lead changed hands many different times. However, neither team was able to pull away from the other before intermission. At the half, Pascack Valley held a 23-22 lead and had to feel good about where they were.
The third quarter was much of the same as it was very evenly played. Going into the last quarter, the Indians were up 2 and could sense the upset.
It was in the fourth quarter that Paramus Catholic finally found their rhythm. They were efficient on offense and only allowed Valley to score 2 points in the final period. The end result was Paramus Catholic taking the game 46-37.
Knowing they can play with the best of them is something Pascack Valley has already experienced. The next step is pulling out one of these close games and earning the W.
Record: 6-4
Next Game: Tuesday, January 15th at 4 PM against Hackensack (Away)
___________________
Girls Bowling:
Demarest 1576, Pascack Valley 1245 (Friday)
The Girls Bowling team was defeated by Demarest 1576-1245 on Friday afternoon.
After the first game, the Indians fell into a 50 point hole and were never able to recover.
Senior Jamie Saslaw had the high game of 156 and the high series of 425.
Record: 2-6
Next Match: Monday, January 14th at 4 PM against Westwood (@Bowler City)
________________________
Boys Bowling:
Pascack Valley 2096, Demarest 1530 (Friday)
On Friday afternoon, the Boys Bowling team crushed Demarest in a match that was never really close.
The Indians dominated from the opening roll and never looked back.
Ryan Vasel had the high game of 238 and Robbie Borrelli had the high series of 425.
Record: 6-2
Next Match: Monday, January 14th at 4 PM against Westwood (@Bowler City)
____________________
Wrestling:
Paramus 58, Pascack Valley 9 (Friday)
Record: 6-3
Next Match: Wednesday, January 16th at 7 PM against Teaneck (Home)
________________
Hockey:
Pascack Valley 5, Tenafly 2 (Friday)
Pascack Valley scored early and often against Tenafly on Friday night and it all started with Sam Komrower.
The Senior scored the first two goals for the Indians who ended up scoring three in the period. Tenafly simply did not have the defense to stop their powerful attack.
With a couple of minutes left in the second, Komrower completed the hat trick and increased Valley's lead to 5-0. Tenafly was able to score two goals, but they were of zero relevance.
The end result was a 5-2 win and Pascack Valley picked up a much needed win.
Pascack Valley 6, Northern Highlands 2 (Saturday)
Pascack Valley completed their impressive weekend by defeating Northern Highlands 6-2.
Devon Palmieri began the scoring for the Indians with 13:17 left in the first. However, Northern Highlands responded and the game was tied after the opening period.
Valley's John Scarano put Valley ahead, but again, Highlands answered. Throughout the next period and a half, Pascack Valley scored 4 unanswered goals and cruised to a 6-2 victories.
The other goals were scored by Sam Komrower, Chris Hayden, Robbie Sawyer, and another one added by Devon Palmieri.
This was a great weekend for PV Puck and one they should be able to build on.
Record: 5-6
Next Game: Wednesday, January 16th at 8:20 PM against Northern Highlands
______________________
Boys Swimming:
The Boys fell victim over the weekend to Wayne Valley and Demarest but competed hard and should be proud.
Record: 1-7
Next Meet: Saturday, January 19th at 8 AM (Bergen County Championship Swim Meet)
_______________________
Girls Swimming:
Pascack Valley 109, Wayne Valley 61 (Thursday)
The Girls Swim team continued their domination with a 50 point win in a meet that was supposed to be close. With the win, they improve to 7-0 and are that much closer to a league title.
Pascack Valley 97, Demarest 73 (Saturday)
Pascack Valley swam again on Saturday, defeating a talented Demarest team and improving their record to 8-0. This has been an unbelievable season for the Indians and they should be extremely proud of what they have accomplished.
Record: 8-0
Next Meet: Saturday, January 19th at 8 AM (Bergen County Championship Swim Meet)
UPDATE: The Girls Swim Team is LEAGUE CHAMPS!!!!
________________________________
Boys Winter Track:
If you want to be the best, you have to prove it.
At the state relays on Saturday, Pascack Valley took first and let everyone know they are the real deal.
Jaleel Felton ran the 400 m in 53 seconds, Ricky Tiburcio ran the 200 m in 24.1 seconds, Ben Mandel ran the 200 in 24.7 seconds, and Ben Malone ran the 800 in 1:56.
There was also a league meet on Sunday and the Pascack Valley performed very well.
Ben Malone finished first in the 400 with a time of 51.1 seconds and Jaleel Felton finished 3rd with a time of 51.7 seconds
Also, Jaleel Felton got fourth in the 55 m with 6.6 seconds and Ricky Tiburcio got 5th with 6.8 seconds.
________________________________
Girls Winter Track:
The Pascack Valley Girls Team fared very well at the league meet on Sunday.
In the 55 m, Junior Nicole Miller placed 2nd with 7.5 seconds.
In the 55 m hurdles, Senior Kelsey Witt placed 4th with 9.2 seconds.
In the 400 m dash, Junior Alice Urbiel finished 2nd with 61 seconds
Finally, the Indians came in first in the 4 x 4. Kelsey ran the first leg in 63 seconds, Kayla Begen ran the second leg in 63 seconds, Nicole Miller ran the third leg in 64 seconds, and Alice Urbiel finished it up in 61 seconds.
Also, Alexa McManus set a PR in the mile by running a 6:12.
The girls did a great job and should be proud of what they accomplished.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Pascack Valley Uses Big Second Half to Speed Past Indian Hills
Without Junior Kyle Onderdonk, Pascack Valley would have been looking at a third straight loss.
His 13 points in the first half and 22 for the game drove the Indians to a hard fought 59-54 win over Indian Hills on Thursday night.
"I was able to put the ball on the floor and create space for myself," said Kyle Onderdonk.
If it were not for Kyle and his twin brother Ryan, Pascack Valley would have struggled to score points in the first half In fact, they wouldn't have scored at all as the Onderdonks combined for all of Valley's 22 points during that time span. The rest of the team seemed to be out of rhythm. They were forcing shots instead of moving the ball to create open looks. The result was a tied halftime score with an Indians Hills team that Valley knew they should handle.
Coach Al Coleman must have gotten on his guys during the intermission because they came out with great intensity and attention to detail. Defensively, they caused countless turnovers that led to easy baskets in transition. More importantly, there were playing defense without fouling and were playing together.
"Everyone played harder defensively," added Onderdonk, "and everyone was jumping to the ball and talking."
The success on the defensive side carried over to the offensive end as well. The Indians were able to receive scoring from a number of players, not allowing Indians Hills to key solely on the Onderdonks. Senior Jamie Seymour had 8 points in the 2nd half while Chris Jackson added 7. Before Indians Hills could blink, Pascack Valley was up by double digits.
The game ended as a 5 point win, but the Indians were much more dominant then that in the second half. They reverted back to how they played earlier in the year when they had success against teams like Demarest and Tenafly.
This was a good win for Valley to get back on track, but the night belonged to the lefty sharpshooter. Kyle Onderdonk (aka KO) scored a quiet 22 points and leads the team in scoring by averaging 16 through seven games. Not only is he a shooter, but can also create his own shot off the dribble or by using the shot fake.
The road doesn't get much easier for Pascack Valley going forward. They are blessed to play Paramus Catholic, Ramapo, and Hackensack in their next three contests.
To establish themselves as a serious contender going forward, it seems likely that the Indians need to win 1-2 out of the three games.
With Kyle Onderdonk on the wing, Pascack Valley has a good chance to make that happen.
@Feartheindian
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Daily Recap: Tuesday, January 8th
Boys Basketball:
Pascack Valley 59, Indian Hills 54
After laying down in the second half against Bergenfield, Pascack Valley would be motivated against Indians Hills and dominate from the opening tip...right?
That answer would be wrong. This was the second consecutive sloppy half for Pascack Valley who found themselves tied at 22 against an Indians Hills team they should easily beat.
In fact, if it weren't for the Onderdonks, Pascack Valley wouldn't have scored at all. The twins scored all 22 points for an Indian team that just seemed out of rhythm.
The second half was a completely different story. Pascack Valley was moving the ball and getting everyone open looks. The scoring became more balanced, not allowing Indians Hills to key on Ryan or Kyle Onderdonk.
Pascack Valley just about dominated the second half. The score doesn't account for the lashing that the Indians handed out because of a few late baskets by Indian Hills.
After a group of decent opponents, Pascack Valley will now face off against one of North Jersey's best.
If the Indians play like they did in the second half tonight, they sure have a chance to knock off Paramus Catholic in what would be a season defining win.
Record: 4-3
Next Game: Thursday, January 10th at 7 PM against Paramus Catholic (Away)
____________________
Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 45, Indian Hills 40
It looks like the Lady Indians are peaking at just the right time. After punishing Bergenfield on Saturday, Valley used an early run to get by Indian Hills.
The first half was dominated by the Indians as they scored a surprising 30 points and only allowed 16.
Although the second half was more of a struggle, they were able to hold off Indian Hills and earn the 5 point win.
Pascack Valley looks as though it has hit the ground running. They will truly find out how good they are on Thursday when they take on Paramus Catholic.
Record: 6-3
Next Game: Thursday, January 10th at 4 PM against Paramus Catholic (Home)
___________________
Boys Bowling:
The Boys Bowling team lost to Paramus Catholic on Tuesday afternoon.
The Indians were lead by Ryan Vasel, who scored a 204, and Robbie Borrelli, who scored a 206.
Record: 5-2
Next Match: Friday, January 11th at 4 PM against Demarest (@Bowler City)
___________________
Girls Bowling:
The Girls Bowling team lost to Paramus Catholic on Thursday after noon.
Alexa McManus had the high series and Jamie Saslaw had the high game.
Record: 2-5
Next Match: Friday, January 11th at 4 PM against Demarest (@Bowler City)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Pascack Valley Fizzles in Second Half in Loss to Bergenfield
The second half is one that Pascack Valley wishes it had back.
Everything was running smoothly until after intermission. During the first half, the Indians were controlling the pace and getting easy shots around the rim. The Onderdonks were hitting from the outside while Schneider and Seymour controlled the paint. Above all, their defense completely took Bergenfield out of what they wanted to do.
Pascack Valley was able to do all of those thing and earn a 26-12 lead going into intermission because of it. The problem was that Pascack Valley forgot that there was still a second half to play and it sure did show.
The Indians came out lethargic, committing turnovers and giving Bergenfield shooters good looks. The layups they were making in the first half weren't going down. The barrage of three pointers began to fall short.
Bergenfield recognized Valley's struggles and immediately took advantage of it. They went on an 8-0 run before Sean Hynekamp scored for Pascack Valley with 2:37 to play. Despite the sloppy quarter, Pascack Valley was still in control with a 34-30 lead. Surely they would come out in the fourth as they did in the first half and silence the Bears. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
In fact, Bergenfield took its first lead (35-34) less than a minute into the final period. The next few minutes were back and forth with both teams trading baskets.
Throughout the game, the officials had been very suspect about their officiating. This caused Pascack Valley Head Coach Al Coleman to become impatient with the calls. With the score 41-39 Bergenfield with 5 minutes left in the game, the officials made yet another wrong call. Coach Coleman said something and the head official gave him a technical foul. (Note: At this point in the game, a technical foul should never be called unless a horrible thing was said or done) Bergenfield would go on to make both foul shots and also received the ball. On that possession, they nailed a three and all of the sudden, the Bears were up 7. At that point, the game had changed hands and Bergenfield held the momentum.
It was an uphill battle for Pascack Valley for the rest of the game. They were able to fight and keep the game close until the final buzzer. In fact, after Kyle Schneider hit a three, the Indians were only down 3 with 15 seconds left. After 2 misses by Bergenfield at the charity strike, Ryan Onderdonk took a three that would have put Valley ahead. Like most of the shots in the half, the ball rimmed out and Valley was forced to foul again. Bergenfield split a pair at the line, taking a 56-53 lead with a few seconds left. The Indians were forced to take a seriously deep three pointer that fell short, giving Bergenfield the close win.
Jamie Seymour had 15 points to lead a Pascack Valley team that is now .500 (3-3) on the season. Ryan Onderdonk (14 points) was the only other Indian to score in double figures. After scoring 62.4 points in their first 5 games, Valley simply couldn't score enough to win.
When looking at what went wrong from the first half to the second, all signs point to rebounding. In the first half, Valley controlled the boards and allowed Bergenfield shooters one shot per possession. In the second half, the Bergenfield big men gave their team multiple extra possessions. From these possessions led to wide open kick outs and made three pointers because of the Indians being out of position.
Despite the disappointing loss, Pascack Valley must not hang their heads. They knew this was a game they should have won and hopefully they will use this to motivate them for the rest of the season.
In any high school basketball game, there are 32 minutes.
On Saturday afternoon, Pascack Valley only played 16.
And that needs to change.
@Feartheindian
Everything was running smoothly until after intermission. During the first half, the Indians were controlling the pace and getting easy shots around the rim. The Onderdonks were hitting from the outside while Schneider and Seymour controlled the paint. Above all, their defense completely took Bergenfield out of what they wanted to do.
Pascack Valley was able to do all of those thing and earn a 26-12 lead going into intermission because of it. The problem was that Pascack Valley forgot that there was still a second half to play and it sure did show.
The Indians came out lethargic, committing turnovers and giving Bergenfield shooters good looks. The layups they were making in the first half weren't going down. The barrage of three pointers began to fall short.
Bergenfield recognized Valley's struggles and immediately took advantage of it. They went on an 8-0 run before Sean Hynekamp scored for Pascack Valley with 2:37 to play. Despite the sloppy quarter, Pascack Valley was still in control with a 34-30 lead. Surely they would come out in the fourth as they did in the first half and silence the Bears. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
In fact, Bergenfield took its first lead (35-34) less than a minute into the final period. The next few minutes were back and forth with both teams trading baskets.
Throughout the game, the officials had been very suspect about their officiating. This caused Pascack Valley Head Coach Al Coleman to become impatient with the calls. With the score 41-39 Bergenfield with 5 minutes left in the game, the officials made yet another wrong call. Coach Coleman said something and the head official gave him a technical foul. (Note: At this point in the game, a technical foul should never be called unless a horrible thing was said or done) Bergenfield would go on to make both foul shots and also received the ball. On that possession, they nailed a three and all of the sudden, the Bears were up 7. At that point, the game had changed hands and Bergenfield held the momentum.
It was an uphill battle for Pascack Valley for the rest of the game. They were able to fight and keep the game close until the final buzzer. In fact, after Kyle Schneider hit a three, the Indians were only down 3 with 15 seconds left. After 2 misses by Bergenfield at the charity strike, Ryan Onderdonk took a three that would have put Valley ahead. Like most of the shots in the half, the ball rimmed out and Valley was forced to foul again. Bergenfield split a pair at the line, taking a 56-53 lead with a few seconds left. The Indians were forced to take a seriously deep three pointer that fell short, giving Bergenfield the close win.
Jamie Seymour had 15 points to lead a Pascack Valley team that is now .500 (3-3) on the season. Ryan Onderdonk (14 points) was the only other Indian to score in double figures. After scoring 62.4 points in their first 5 games, Valley simply couldn't score enough to win.
When looking at what went wrong from the first half to the second, all signs point to rebounding. In the first half, Valley controlled the boards and allowed Bergenfield shooters one shot per possession. In the second half, the Bergenfield big men gave their team multiple extra possessions. From these possessions led to wide open kick outs and made three pointers because of the Indians being out of position.
Despite the disappointing loss, Pascack Valley must not hang their heads. They knew this was a game they should have won and hopefully they will use this to motivate them for the rest of the season.
In any high school basketball game, there are 32 minutes.
On Saturday afternoon, Pascack Valley only played 16.
And that needs to change.
@Feartheindian
Weekend Recap: 1/4 - 1/6
This was a huge weekend in the Valley as all winter sports are in full swing after the New Year. This is the time where teams will find out most about their identity. Lets see how each team fared.
______________
Boys Basketball:
Bergenfield 56, Pascack Valley 53 (Saturday)
Simply put, Pascack Valley wishes they could have this game back.
After commanding the opening half and taking a 12 point lead into intermission, the Indians became stagnant on offense and allowed Bergenfield back into the game.
Bergenfield finally took the lead about halfway into the fourth quarter and Valley just couldn't respond. Ryan Onderdonk had a chance to tie it as time expired but his three pointer fell short.
Senior Jamie Seymour scored 15 points to lead a Pascack Valley team now .500 (3-3) on the season.
This one is going to be tough to swallow, but nothing that this team won't be able to overcome.
***FULL GAME STORY***
Record: 3-3
Next Game: Tuesday, January 8th at 7 PM against Indian Hills (Home)
______________
Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 46, Bergenfield 38 (Saturday)
After their tough overtime loss to Holy Angels, Pascack Valley was eager to get back on the court against Bergenfield.
The Indians held the edge from the beginning. They held a 13-9 lead after the first quarter and extended that lead to 26-14 by halftime.
With the lead, Pascack Valley was content with playing it safe. They took care of the ball, took good shots, and came away with a 46-38 win.
A big part of this game was the fact that the Indians scored 46 points. If the offense can continue to score, Valley will only become that much more dangerous.
Record: 5-3
Next Game: Tuesday, January 8th at 7 PM against Indian Hills (Away)
_____________
Wrestling:
Pascack Valley 65, Indian Hills 12 (Friday)
Pascack Valley opened the weekend by dominating Indians Hills on Friday night.
During the match, there were multiple pins that gave the Indians a commanding win.
Those pins were made by Zach Lanzalotto (120), Danny White (138), Dylan Bader (195), Max Adoff (285).
There is no reason that Pascack Valley won't continue its winning ways in the future.
Pascack Valley 60, Mahwah 18 (Saturday)
Pascack Valley Wrestling backed up their win on Friday by crushing Mahwah on Saturday afternoon.
The Indians received pins by Alex Moore (132), Danny White (138), Chris Carcich (113),and Zach Lanzalotto (120).
Record: 4-2
Next Match: Monday, January 7th at 7 PM against Garfield (Home)
_____________
Hockey:
Glen Rock 7, Pascack Valley 2 (Friday)
Before Pascack Valley could blink, Glen Rock had already taken a 4-0 lead.
Just as the second period had started, Valley looked like it was going to make a run. Senior Devon Palmieri scored with 14:47 left in the second to make it 4-1. Three minutes later, John Scarano scored on a feed from Sam Komrower to cut the lead to 4-2. It seemed that the Indians had all of the momentum in their favor.
However, that proved not to be the case. Glen Rock added two more goals before the second had ended and ultimately put the game out of reach.
It has been a rough stretch for the Indians. On the positive side, there is still plenty of time for Pascack Valley to turn it around.
Howell 5, Pascack Valley 1 (Saturday)
Record: 3-6
Next Game: Friday, January 11th at 8 PM against Tenafly (Ice House)
____________
Girls Swimming:
Paramus Catholic was the latest victim to fall to Pascack Valley.
With the win, the Indians improve to 6-0 and now officially are off to the best start in school history.
I know it is still early in the season, but this team looks poised to do something special.
Record: 6-0
Next Meet: Saturday, January 12th at 1 PM against Demarest (Bergen Community College)
______________
Boys Swimming:
The boys were defeated by Paramus Catholic on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the rough start to begin the season, I am confident that the boys will get on the right track.
Record: 1-5
Next Meet: Saturday, January 12th at 1 PM against Demarest (Bergen Community College)
______________
Girls Winter Track:
First off, I want to apologize to Winter track for not tweeting out that they had a big event on Friday night.
That event, called the Hispanic Games, was a sprint medley relay between 23 different teams.
The Indians fared very well and ended up finishing 9th out of 23 teams.
Junior Alice Urbiel ran the first leg (400) in 63 seconds, Junior Nicole Miller ran the second leg (200) in 26 seconds, Senior Kayla Begen ran the third leg (200) in 28 seconds, and Senior Kelsey Witt ran the last leg (800) in 2:31.
The girls should be very proud of their performance as they represented Pascack Valley very well.
______________
Boys Winter Track:
Believe it or not, Pascack Valley may just have the best boys sprint medley team in the area.
They showed it at the Hispanic Games by finishing in 1st place.
Junior Jaleel Felton ran the first leg (400), Junior Riky Tiburcio ran the second leg (200), Sophomore Kevin Hsieh ran the third leg (200), and Senior Ben Malone ran the last leg (800). They finished with an overall time of 3:36.
Last years team was good, but this years squad might just be a little bit better. I guess we'll have to just wait and see.
@Feartheindian
______________
Boys Basketball:
Bergenfield 56, Pascack Valley 53 (Saturday)
Simply put, Pascack Valley wishes they could have this game back.
After commanding the opening half and taking a 12 point lead into intermission, the Indians became stagnant on offense and allowed Bergenfield back into the game.
Bergenfield finally took the lead about halfway into the fourth quarter and Valley just couldn't respond. Ryan Onderdonk had a chance to tie it as time expired but his three pointer fell short.
Senior Jamie Seymour scored 15 points to lead a Pascack Valley team now .500 (3-3) on the season.
This one is going to be tough to swallow, but nothing that this team won't be able to overcome.
***FULL GAME STORY***
Record: 3-3
Next Game: Tuesday, January 8th at 7 PM against Indian Hills (Home)
______________
Girls Basketball:
Pascack Valley 46, Bergenfield 38 (Saturday)
After their tough overtime loss to Holy Angels, Pascack Valley was eager to get back on the court against Bergenfield.
The Indians held the edge from the beginning. They held a 13-9 lead after the first quarter and extended that lead to 26-14 by halftime.
With the lead, Pascack Valley was content with playing it safe. They took care of the ball, took good shots, and came away with a 46-38 win.
A big part of this game was the fact that the Indians scored 46 points. If the offense can continue to score, Valley will only become that much more dangerous.
Record: 5-3
Next Game: Tuesday, January 8th at 7 PM against Indian Hills (Away)
_____________
Wrestling:
Pascack Valley 65, Indian Hills 12 (Friday)
Pascack Valley opened the weekend by dominating Indians Hills on Friday night.
During the match, there were multiple pins that gave the Indians a commanding win.
Those pins were made by Zach Lanzalotto (120), Danny White (138), Dylan Bader (195), Max Adoff (285).
There is no reason that Pascack Valley won't continue its winning ways in the future.
Pascack Valley 60, Mahwah 18 (Saturday)
Pascack Valley Wrestling backed up their win on Friday by crushing Mahwah on Saturday afternoon.
The Indians received pins by Alex Moore (132), Danny White (138), Chris Carcich (113),and Zach Lanzalotto (120).
Record: 4-2
Next Match: Monday, January 7th at 7 PM against Garfield (Home)
_____________
Hockey:
Glen Rock 7, Pascack Valley 2 (Friday)
Before Pascack Valley could blink, Glen Rock had already taken a 4-0 lead.
Just as the second period had started, Valley looked like it was going to make a run. Senior Devon Palmieri scored with 14:47 left in the second to make it 4-1. Three minutes later, John Scarano scored on a feed from Sam Komrower to cut the lead to 4-2. It seemed that the Indians had all of the momentum in their favor.
However, that proved not to be the case. Glen Rock added two more goals before the second had ended and ultimately put the game out of reach.
It has been a rough stretch for the Indians. On the positive side, there is still plenty of time for Pascack Valley to turn it around.
Howell 5, Pascack Valley 1 (Saturday)
Record: 3-6
Next Game: Friday, January 11th at 8 PM against Tenafly (Ice House)
____________
Girls Swimming:
Paramus Catholic was the latest victim to fall to Pascack Valley.
With the win, the Indians improve to 6-0 and now officially are off to the best start in school history.
I know it is still early in the season, but this team looks poised to do something special.
Record: 6-0
Next Meet: Saturday, January 12th at 1 PM against Demarest (Bergen Community College)
______________
Boys Swimming:
The boys were defeated by Paramus Catholic on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the rough start to begin the season, I am confident that the boys will get on the right track.
Record: 1-5
Next Meet: Saturday, January 12th at 1 PM against Demarest (Bergen Community College)
______________
Girls Winter Track:
First off, I want to apologize to Winter track for not tweeting out that they had a big event on Friday night.
That event, called the Hispanic Games, was a sprint medley relay between 23 different teams.
The Indians fared very well and ended up finishing 9th out of 23 teams.
Junior Alice Urbiel ran the first leg (400) in 63 seconds, Junior Nicole Miller ran the second leg (200) in 26 seconds, Senior Kayla Begen ran the third leg (200) in 28 seconds, and Senior Kelsey Witt ran the last leg (800) in 2:31.
The girls should be very proud of their performance as they represented Pascack Valley very well.
______________
Boys Winter Track:
Believe it or not, Pascack Valley may just have the best boys sprint medley team in the area.
They showed it at the Hispanic Games by finishing in 1st place.
Junior Jaleel Felton ran the first leg (400), Junior Riky Tiburcio ran the second leg (200), Sophomore Kevin Hsieh ran the third leg (200), and Senior Ben Malone ran the last leg (800). They finished with an overall time of 3:36.
Last years team was good, but this years squad might just be a little bit better. I guess we'll have to just wait and see.
@Feartheindian
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