Cape May County Sports

ACHS storms back to take title game from Middle

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 01:24:12 +0000

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

GALLOWAY – Midway through the third quarter, the Middle Township High School boys basketball team held an 11-point lead in the Cape-Atlantic League boys championship game Saturday afternoon.

But Atlantic City caught fire over the final 12 minutes, held the Panthers to two field goals over the final 11 minutes of the game and came back to post a 40-37 victory in the game played at Richard Stockton College.

Raider comeback falls short in CAL title game

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 01:09:19 +0000

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

GALLOWAY – Sacred Heart High School’s girls basketball team held off a late comeback attempt by Ocean City to win Saturday afternoon’s Cape-Atlantic League championship game, 44-43, in front of close to 1,000 fans at Richard Stockton College.

Sacred Heart, the top seed in the inaugural six-team tournament, improved to 24-1 for the season and won the CAL title game for the first time in school history. Second-seeded Ocean City, which had previously won the CAL title game three straight times from 2007 through 2009, fell to 22-4.

4 Cape May County players selected for S.J. all-star game

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:52:29 +0000

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

Four players from Cape May County high schools have been selected to participate in the prestigious South Jersey all-star game hosted by the Al Carino Boys Basketball Club of South Jersey.

Zak Barrett of Wildwood, Matt Bosch of Ocean City, T. John Casiello of Wildwood Catholic and Vance Matthews of Lower Cape May have each been selected to play for the East team. Rancocas Valley’s Jay Flanagan, a summer resident of North Wildwood, is the head coach of the East squad.

Sacred Heart dominates Middle in CAL semifinal

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:27:08 +0000

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

RICHLAND – The Sacred Heart High School girls basketball team turned in a dominating performance against a shorthanded and ailing Middle Township team Wednesday evening.

The Lady Lions held Middle to one point in the first quarter and zero in the third en route to a rather convincing 47-24 victory in a Cape-Atlantic League semifinal played at St. Augustine Prep.

Catanoso's shot beats buzzer, sends Middle into CAL final

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:09:25 +0000

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By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

HAMMONTON – When the clock wound down under 10 seconds, it appeared the Middle Township High School boys basketball team would have trouble getting off a good shot.

But then Tom Catanoso got his hands on the ball, drove hard toward the right wing and knocked down a fall-away jump shot from 12 feet away to lift the Panthers to one of their biggest wins of the season.

Catanoso’s shot, which fell through the basket 1.8 seconds before the buzzer sounded, gave Middle a 50-49 win over St. Augustine Prep in a semifinal game in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament Tuesday night.

Warriors use big second half to run past Mainland

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:38:12 +0000

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By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

WILDWOOD – If the Wildwood High School boys basketball team proved anything Monday afternoon, it is this: the Warriors might be a very difficult out when the South Jersey Group I Tournament begins next week.

Playing against a competitive Group IV team in Mainland Regional, the Warriors reeled off a 27-9 second-half run to turn a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter into a commanding 82-65 victory, the team’s 15^th in its last 16 games.

Three Cape May County wrestlers win district titles

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:33:26 +0000

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By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – Three Cape May County high school wrestlers won championships and five others place second or third at the District 32 Tournament held this weekend at Absegami High School.

All eight wrestlers will advance to the Region 8 Tournament at Egg Harbor Township High School.

Rounded effort lifts Lady Panthers in CAL playoff game

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:02:03 +0000

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – On a night when the Middle Township High School girls basketball team’s top players were limited by strong defense from an opponent, the Lady Panthers’ other players showed why the team is one of the most balanced in the Cape-Atlantic League Friday night.

Middle got 12 points from Olivia Schwartz and 11 points, four assists and four steals from Sarah Roberts en route to a 52-44 victory over Cedar Creek in an opening-round game in the inaugural CAL Tournament.

Middle nips Crusaders to advance in CAL Tournament

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:09:18 +0000

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By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

NORTH WILDWOOD – The Middle Township High School basketball drew on its close-game experience to scratch out a victory in a playoff game in the inaugural Cape-Atlantic League Tournament Friday night.

The Panthers, seeded sixth in the tournament, fought back from a three-point deficit at the close of three quarters to top third-seeded Wildwood Catholic, 44-41, to advance to Tuesday’s semifinal round, where they’ll play top-seeded St. Augustine Prep at Hammonton High school at 7 p.m.

CAL finally announces football new alignment

cmcgazettesports@yahoo.com (Brian Cunniff) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:21:59 +0000

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

Staff Writer

After months of debating proposals and counter-proposals, the Cape-Atlantic League has finally decided on a football alignment for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, the league announced earlier this week.

Gone is the three-conference format the league has used over the past two seasons. It will be replaced by the more traditional two-conference format, with nine teams in each.