Sports

OPENING SEASON: The Livingston 16U Giants opened the season against Rutherford Wladyka 16 U on Thursday, June 29, at Tevlin Field. Shown above, Livingston Giants 16U leadoff hitter Joe Meierhofer doubles to left center field against Wladyka pitcher Jimmy Corcoran. Home plate umpire Marty Writt and Wladyka catcher Ben Leeds follow the ball. At left, Livingston 16U Giants pitcher Noah Boxer brings it to the plate against Wladyka. 

Livingston residents and martial artists Derek Wei, eight years old, and Sophia Shen, nine years old, succeeded at the Presidential Wushu Cup in Olney, Maryland. Wei won 5 Gold and Shen won 4 Gold.

As a result both qualified for the U.S. Kung Fu Team, which will represent the United States in the fourth Pan American Kung Fu Championships, which are scheduled to be held August 3 to 7, 2023, in Ontario, Canada.

Wei also won the All-Around Grand Champion title for the “Male 11 and under” age category. Shen was First Runner Up in the All-Around Grand Champion title in the “Female 11 and under” age category. Both are students of the Wushu-Kung Fu Fitness Center in Livingston.

LIVINGSTON KNIGHTS BASEBALL: The 10U Livingston Knights came up short in the semi-finals against Verona, losing 10-4. The Knights ended its spring season with a 10-1 overall record. The Knights will be back in the fall and, until then, some Knights will be playing for Livingston’s 9/10 Williamsport team this summer. Shown above are Knights in the dugout before the game: (bottom row) Kaiden Shah, Harrison Watt, Dylan Spector, Ryan Mirman and Hudson Weisenberg; and (top row) Tyler Kot, Matthew Granet and Leo Krantz. Below, left, is Tyler Kot, #88, on third base after leading off the third inning with a triple. Below, right, Matthew Granet, #24, and Harrison Watt, #5, on the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Livingston High School track coach Keith Chaudruc provided the following review of the Lady Lancer track and field team’s season.

• • • This was a memorable and very successful season for the girls’ track and field program. The Lancers built upon the concept of TEAM, (Together EveryoneAchieves More) and turned in one of the stronger seasons in the history of the program. This year, over 70 girls signed up to run, jump, and throw for the squad. The athletes were very excited to train for, and begin competition in, the American Division of the Super Essex Conference (SEC), battling the top teams in Essex County and the state. This year’s team benefited from strong senior leadership and was led by senior captains Monica Sharma and Jadyn Kestenbaum.

The Livingston High School boys’ track and field team ended its regular season and State Sectional Tournament at the Meet of Champions on Thursday, June 15. The Meet was held at Franklin High School in Somerset.

The 4x100-meter relay team was composed of Ethan Wang, Chase Wade, Chase Kaufman, and Luke Petryna. Petryna challenged the Pennsauken team to the finish line for an overall historic third place finish in the meet ending with a second place ranking in New Jersey for the season.

Also competing at the Meet of Champions were Petryna and Kaufman in the 100-meter. Petryna was 12th overall in 11.08 with Kaufman 14th at 11.13. Ray Oji competed in the 110 High Hurdles where he finished 16th in 15.09.

KNIGHTS ADVANCE TO SEMI-FINALS: The 10U Livingston Knights defeated North Caldwell 10-8 on Sunday, June 11, to advance to the semi-finals. Leo Krantz (#20) pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief. Spencer Friedman (#14) had three hits, and Nick Beeney (#23) and Hudson Weisnberg (#22) had two hits each. Livingston trailed 7-1, but battled back with strong defense, great pitching and timely hitting. Above, Kaiden Shah had a base hit in the bottom of the third inning. The semi final game will be against Verona at the Northland Complex in Livingston at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 17.

PIRATES WIN CHAMPIONSHIP. The Pirates defeated the Padres by a score of 2-1 to win the 9/10 Livingston Recreation Baseball League championship on Saturday, June 10. The team secured the win with a walk-off hit. Shown here in front are Brandon Mahoney and Parker Gorelick. In the middle row are George Perline, Michael Hill, Benjamin Abella, Bhavneet Singh, Avik Bodepudi, Aaron Castro, Tyler Roig, Jake Roytman, Dax Wendolowski, and Max Dworkin, In back are coaches Adam Abella, Jason Roytman, and Joe Wendolowski. On the team but not shown is Noah Mathias.

The Livingston High School boys ’ and girls’ track and field teams competed in the North 1 Group IV State Sectional Championships, held June 2 and 3 at Clifton Stadium in Clifton.

Boys Share Title, Breaks Records The Lancer boys’ squad brought home the first State Sectionals title in the history of the program, sharing the title with Ridgewood.

The team produced three individual and two relay sectional champions, including Luke Petryna in the 100 meter dash, with a time of 11.05; Ray Oji in the 110 meter high hurdles at 14.64; and Chase Wade in the 200 meter dash in 22.22.

The 4x100 meter relay squad of Ethan Wang, Chase Wade, Chase Kaufman and Luke Petryna got the meet started by winning the race in 41.82. The time not only broke the group’s own school record, but superseded the meet record of 42.63 held by Mount Olive.

The Livingston High School boys’ varsity tennis team defeated Morristown in the North Jersey Tennis Sectional Quarterfinals on Tuesday, May 30, and then lost to Montclair in the North Jersey Semifinals on Thursday, June 1.

Morristown

Dhruv Anantaraman won first singles 6-1, 7-6 (9-7), Jake Einzig won second singles 6-2, 6-4, and Arjun Bansal won third singles 6-0, 6-1.

The first doubles of Jake Hershkin and Atiksh Kotikalapudi won 6-1, 6-2 and second doubles Holden Baris and Jacob Goldstein won 6-1, 7-5. Livingston won, 5-0.

Montclair

Montclair’s first singles Tylan Ozkuzy defeated Anantaraman 6-4, 4-6, 10-3; Rainen Solomom defeated Einzig 6-2, 7-5 at second singles; and during third singles, Trent Tauber defeated Bansal 6-2, 6-4.

SOFTBALL TEAM DEFEATS RIDGEWOOD: Livingston’s varsity softball team defeated Ridgewood and were defeated by Columbia, closing out an 18 and 7 season. The Lancers shut out Ridgewood, 10-0, in the semi-finals of the state tournament on Wednesday, May 31, at home. According to sports photographer Don Schwartz, Livingston highlights included Olivia Melucci’s three runs scored; Allie Nankivell’s three hits; three RBIs by Caitlin Hernandez; and a shutout thrown by pitcher Sophia Mount, which included eight strikeouts. The Lancers were defeated by Columbia, 7-5, on the Oval during the finals of the NJSIAA North Section 1 Group 4 State Tournament on Saturday, June 3. Highlights included three hits, four RBIs, and a game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh inning by Nankivell. Lancer pitcher Mount had nine strikeouts going the distance against the Cougars. Above, left, the Lancers congratulate Allie Nankivell at home plate after her seventh inning game-tying home run.