Sports

Defending Champs, Title Hopefuls Prep for '13 Season

Fall sports teams at West Morris Central look to repeat on huge success from 2012.

While many residents have been relaxing and enjoying their summer vacations, or at the very least the lack of traffic that comes with the non-school months, our student-athletes have been hard at work preparing for the fall season.

And if 2012 was any indication of success, 2013 could be a season for the ages.

Two fall sports teams captured state championship titles last year with another squad falling just short in the final round. All those teams are coming back hungrier and looking for more this year.

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Returning from their North 2, Group 3 title run, the Wolfpack football team hopes the haven’t awoken from last year’s dream season after dousing Warren Hills for the championship.

The team will face some challenges this year, as three-year starting quarterback John Gutowski and conference standout lineman Robbie Hughes both graduated. Central kicks off its 2013 campaign with a home game against Morris Knolls on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

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Not to be outdone, the Lady Highlanders volleyball team did what it always does: win.

In what should be referred to as the Central Classic, the varsity girls won yet another Morris County Title in 2012 en route to a Group 3 championship over powerhouse Old Tappan. While touting strong senior leadership last season, the team was buoyed by young talent ready to take the reigns in 2013.

The Lady Highlanders play their first match of the season at home on Sept. 12 against Roxbury. First serve is set for 4 p.m.

There’s no better motivation than the bitter taste of a last second defeat to make a team want it that much more.

That’s exactly the motivation the girls’ varsity soccer team will be using after losing in a shootout to Roxbury in the North 2, Group 3 championship game in 2012. The lady footers will face off for their first regular season game on Friday, Sept. 6 at home against Villa Walsh Academy. Game time is 4 p.m.

Perennial contender and always exciting to watch, the West Morris Central field hockey team is also looking for a stronger finish in 2013 – not that 2012 was disappointing by any means.

A loss in the Group 3 semifinals to Warren Hills thwarted the squad’s opportunity at yet another state sectional title, but the team will be back and looking for more as they kick of the regular season on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at Voorhees High School at 4 p.m.

Which teams are you most excited about watching this season?


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