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Hare propels Warriors rout of Stateliners

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - February 26, 2004

Samantha Hare tickled the twine with a career-high 19 points to fuel Watchung Hills’ 64-39 rout of Phillipsburg in a Skyland Conference – Delaware Division girls’ basketball game. The win clinched fourth place in the division with the Lady Warriors’ finishing with a 7-7 mark. Last year they placed seventh with a 2-12 mark. Jumping out to a 21-11 lead after eight minutes, the Lady Warriors upped their advantage to 35-17 by the halftime break. "Megan (Kopecki) get us off to a quick start when she tossed a three-pointer into the basket. She had four assists and made four steals," said head coach Sandy Whalen. "Samantha took over and made good on five of her six attempts from outside the three-point perimeter, with four of them coming in the first half." Watchung Hills finished with a team-high eight field goals from three-point range. Jackie Sharf fueled the Lady Warriors’ second quarter output when she netted all eight of her points while Michelle Feldman made the game plan click in the third quarter by scoring seven points to keep the pressure on the Stateliners. "Lauren (Caesar) was two for two from the floor, including a three-pointer," continued Whalen. "She also dished off two assists." On Wednesday, Watchung Hills fell to first place Hillsborough by a score of 64-39. Feldman, a senior forward, pumped a team-high 17 points into the hoop. "Michelle played her most consistent game for four quarters," stated Whalen. "She scored in every quarter." Kristen D’Alessandro was runnerup in the scoring column, netting nine points. "Kristen worked hard all game at penetrating the defense and got to the basket for her points," commented Whalen. Watchung Hills (11-11) 64 – Phillipsburg (1-19) 39 Watchung Hills (18-8-4-64): Bonnie Abel 1-0-0-2; Nicole Conley 1-0-0-2; Kristin D’Alessandro 1-0-1-3; Michelle Feldman 4-1-1-12; Jacki Grace 1-0-0-2; Samantha Hare 2-5-0-19; Megan Kopecki 2-1-0-7; Kelli Lane 0-0-0-0; Kaitlyn Muldowney 1-0-0-2; Barbara Sasso 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 3-0-2-8 Watchung Hills 21 14 16 13 64 Phillipsburg 11 6 13 9 39

Hillsborough (18-3) 49 - Watchung Hills (10-11) 34 Watchung Hills (11-2-6-34): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Kristin D’Alessandro 4-0-1-9; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 1-0-0-2; Megan Kopecki 1-0-0-2; Kelli Lane 0-0-2-2; Jackie Scharf 1-0-0-2 Watchung Hills 15 4 5 10 34 Hillsborough 14 10 18 8 49

Lady Warriors ousted from SCT

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - February 19, 2004

Watchung Hills turned in a strong defensive effort but the Lady Warriors could not locate the hoop in the second half as they dropped a 54-23 decision to Rutgers Prep in the quarterfinals of the Somerset County Girls Basketball Tournament on Monday evening in Franklin. The loss was the 10th of season for the Lady Warriors who have experienced the thrill of victory on 10 occasions. Rutgers Prep, which improved to 20-3, edged in front 16-13 after eight minutes and the Argonauts increased their advantage to 31-20 by the halftime break. In the third quarter, Watchung Hills frustrated Rutgers Prep with an effective box-and-one alignment, holding the Argonauts to five points. The major dilemma for head coach Sandy Whalen and her staff was the Lady Warriors’ inability to locate the basket. "Our box-and-one shut down Rutgers Prep and we got 10 shots off before they scored in the third quarter," said Whelan. "We had opportunities because of turnovers and missed shots, but we could not take put the ball in the basket." Kelli Lane topped Watchung Hills in the scoring column, netting nine point, five of which came at the charity stripe. Last Tuesday was Senior Night in Warren. Bridgewater-Raritan handed the Lady Warriors a 46-24 setback after jumping out to a 15-2 lead by the end of the opening quarter. Watchung Hills honored the seven members of the Class of 2004 who are on the squad. They are Bonne Abel, Lauren Caeser, Nicole Conley, Kristine D’Alessandro, Michelle Feldman, Jacki Grace and Samantha Hare, all of whom have played positive roles in resurrecting the program and earning a post-season berth in the NJSIAA playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. On Friday, the Lady Warriors play Phillipsburg and on February 24, they entertain Somerville in the final regular season game. On March 1, the Lady Warriors play Linden in the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group IV tournament. Rutgers Prep 54 – Watchung Hills 23 Watchung Hills (7-0-9-23): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Kristine D’Alessandro 0-0-0-0; Michelle Feldman 2-0-4-8; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 2-0-0-4; Megan Kopecki 1-0-0-2; Kelli Lane 2-0-5-9; Jackie Scharf 0-0-0-0 Watchung Hills 13 7 3 0 23 Rutgers Prep 16 15 5 18 54

North Hunterdon 40 – Watchung Hills 24 Watchung Hills (8-2-2-24): Bonnie Abel 1-0-0-2; Lauren Caeser 0-0-0-0; Nicole Conley 0-0-0-0; Michelle Feldman 2-1-2-8; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 2-0-0-4; Megan Kopecki 0-0-0-0; Kelli Lane 0-0-0-0; Barbara Sasso 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 2-1-0-7 North Hunterdon 18 6 8 8 40 Watchung Hills 0 6 13 5 24

Bridgewater-Raritan 46 - Watchung Hills 24 Watchung Hills (7-2-4-24): Lauren Caesar 0-1-0-3; Kristine D’Alessandro 1-0-1-3; Michelle Feldman 2-0-1-5; Jacki Grace 0-0-2-2; Samantha Hare 1-1-0-5; Megan Kopecki 0-0-0-0; Kelli Lane 0-0-1-1; Barbara Sasso 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 1-0-0-2 Bridgewater-Raritan 15 8 13 10 46 Watchung Hills 2 5 9 8 24

Feldman keys Lady Warriors advance in SCT

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - February 12, 2004

Michelle Feldman dominated the action in the paint as Watchung Hills romped to a 52-29 victory over Bound Brook in the Somerset County Girls Basketball Tournament on Monday evening in Warren. The senior forward popped a game-high 15 points through the iron, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots as the Lady Warriors upped their overall record to 10-7. Samantha Hare contributed 13 points to the victory and picked off four steals while Kristen D'Alessandro scored eight points. Watchung Hills 52 - Bound Brook 29 Watchung Hills (20-2-6-52): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Lauren Caeser 2-0-0-4; Kristen D'Alessandro 4-0-0-8; Michelle Feldman 4-1-4-15; Jacki Grace 1-0-1-3; Samantha Hare 5-1-0-13; Megan Kopecki 1-0-0-2; Kelli Lanes 2-1-1-5; Jackie Scharf 1-0-0-2 Bound Brook 6 16 5 2 29 Watchung Hills 8 13 22 9 52

Lady Warriors advance to post-season for first time in a decade

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - February 12, 2004

Watchung Hills will be going to the NJSIAA post-season tournament for the first time in over a decade. Head coach Sandy Whelan's Lady Warriors locked up a berth the Group IV tourney with back-to-back wins over Franklin and Westfield during the week to improve to 9-7. The only regular season target remaining is to roll up more wins so Watchung Hills gets as good a seed as possible. With the Phillipsburg game postponed due to the inclement weather on Tuesday, the Lady Warriors rallied to topple Franklin 45-39 in Warren on February 5 and guarantee themselves the .500 or better record by February 7 that was necessary to gain entry to the NJSIAA sectional tournament. "It was a team effort in producing the win over Franklin we needed to guarantee a berth in the states," stated Whelan. "We were down 17-10 in the second quarter when Jackie (Scharf) came off the bench to nail a quick three-pointer to get us back in the game. Kelli (Lane) sparked our defense and made our press work." Senior Samantha Hare fueled the win in the "Battle of the Warriors" when she tickled the twine with a career-high 18 points that included a pair of three-pointers. Michelle Feldman was runnerup in the scoring column, netting eight points while Scharf's point total of seven included the trey that ignited the Lady Warriors in the second quarter. "Franklin's coach implemented a game plan that tried to stop Michelle," said Whelan. "Michelle turned in a great game and led our third quarter attack, scoring six points while opening up the court all game for Samantha who came through with the highest scoring game of her career." "Bonnie made two clutch free throws when we were leading 41-39 with five seconds remaining," commented Whelan. "She also excelled defensively as did Jacki (Grace) as they combined to hold Franklin's top scorer to only six points." On Saturday afternoon, the Lady Warriors took a big step on gaining a higher ranking when they routed Westfield 43-19 on the Blue Devils hardwood. Lane and Feldman shared game-high honors, netting nine points apiece. Watchung Hills burst out to a 15-1 lead after eight minutes and upped its advantage to 23-4 by the halftime break. Jackie Sharf chipped in with a seven-point effort, Megan Kopecki netted six and Bonnie Abel finished with five points. Frosh Tara Tielman made her varsity debut an impressive outing. Though she did not score, she hit the boards for five rebounds and handed off three assists. Watchung Hills (9-7) 43 - Westfield (0-17) 19 Watchung Hills (19-0-5-43): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Nicole Conley 2-0-0-4; Kristen D'Alessandro 1-0-0-2; Michelle Feldman 4-0-1-9; Jacki Grace 2-0-1-5; Samantha Hare 2-0-0-4; Megan Kopecki 1-0-1-3; Kelli Lane 4-0-1-9; Kaitlyn Muldowney 0-0-0-0; Jackie Scharf 1-0-1-3; Tara Tielman 0-0-0-0 Watchung Hills 15 8 10 10 43 Westfield 1 3 12 3 19 Watchung Hills (8-7) 45 - Franklin (5-12) 39 Watchung Hills (13-3-10-45): Bonnie Abel 1-0-3-5; Kristen D'Alessandro 1-0-0-2; Michelle Feldman 3-0-2-8; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 5-2-2-18; Megan Kopecki 3-0-0-6; Kelli Lane 0-0-0-0; Jackie Scharf 1-1-2-7 Franklin 8 14 6 11 39 Watchung Hills 7 13 14 11 45

Lady Warriors rally toppples Blue Streaks

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - February 5, 2004

Samantha Hare and Megan Kopecki fueled a second half rally to spur Watchung Hills to a 45-41 victory over Warren Hills in a Skyland Conference girls' basketball game played Thursday, January 29 in Warren. The win improved the Lady Warriors and kept their quest for a berth in the NJSIAA post-season tournament alive. After losing to Warren Hills by 16 the first time around this season, the Lady Warriors outlook was bleak two minutes into the second third quarter when they trailed by 10. "We called a time out and changed our defenses," said head coach Sandy Whalen. "We kept switching between a half-course and full court press and it turned the tide. Our three centers, Audrey Titus, Bonnie Abel and Jackie Grace, turned our game plan into a winner when they got Amber DeHaas to foul out." Hare and Kopecki combined for 20 of their game total 24 points following the halftime break. Kopecki finished with a team-high 13 points while Hare added 11, five of which came at the charity stripe. "Samantha came through with another clutch performance," continued Whalen. "She locked up the win when she made two free throws with one-fifth of a second remaining in overtime. Her defensive play was just as important as she limited Cory Turowski to only eight points." Kopecki, only a freshman, continued to upgrade her level of play. "Megan’s contributions are versatile," added Whalen. "Not only did she score 13 points, she passed off five assists and had seven steals and deflections at the defensive end of the court." Watchung Hills pulled to 37-34 by the end of the third quarter and knotted the score at 36-36 to send the verdict to overtime. "I had to take Audrey out to start the overtime period as she was hurting," stated Whalen. "After a few minutes, I was able to put her back in and she scored a crucial basket at crunch time. When Warren Hills scored to cut the margin to 43-41, we had Michelle Feldman inbound the ball and she came through with a big pass against the press." Watchung Hills had a larger crowd than usual as it was Watchung Hills Basketball Campers Night. "There were a lot of youngsters wearing their camp tee-shirts," commented Whalen. "The enthusiastic fan support helped pull out the victory." Watchung Hills’ game against Hillsborough was postponed until February 18. The Lady Warriors host Franklin on Thursday and travel to Westfield to play the Blue Devils on Saturday with the tip-off set for 1:00 PM. Victories in all three games this week (Phillipsburg on Tuesday) would vault the Lady Warriors to the 10-win plateau for the first time since they went 14-10 in 1993, the last time Watchung Hills qualified for the state tournament, "Our senior captains, Kristen (D’Alessandro), Michelle and Samantha, must continue to provide the outstanding leadership that have produced so far if we are to make an impact in the Somerset County Tournament," said Whalen. Watchung Hills, seeded No. 7, will host the winner of the game between Manville and Bound Brook on Monday in Warren. Watchung Hills (7-7) 45 - Warren Hills (7-7) 41 Watchung Hills Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Kristen D’Alessandro 4-0-0-4; Michelle Feldman 3-0-0-6; Jackie Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 3-0-5-11; Meghan Kopecki 5-1-3-13; Kelli Lane 0-0-2-2; Audrey Titus 2-0-0-4 Warren Hills 8 11 9 8 5 41 Watchung Hills 8 3 14 11 9 45

1st quarter surge powers Lady Warriors to 6th win

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - January 29, 2004

Exploding out to a 23-10 leaD after eight minutes, Watchung Hills cruised to a 54-36 victory over Hunterdon Central in a Skyland Conference girls' basketball game played in Warren on Friday evening, January 23. It was the sixth win in 13 decisions for the Lady Warriors, topping last season's total of five victories. It was the first time ever that Watchung Hills swept the two-game series with the Red Devils as they had defeated Hunterdon Central on opening night for the first time since 1993. Samantha Hare and Megan Kopecki fueled the first quarter outburst, tossing seven points apiece into the basket. Kopecki finished with 11 points and Hare netted nine while Michelle Feldman, who netted five points in the opening quarter, topped all scorers when she tickled the twine with 14 points, including a pair of three-pointers. "Michelle ignited our offense with the first three-pointer of the game," said head coach Sandy Whelan. "This set the tone for the entire as the rest of the team rose to the occasion." "Katie (Muldowney) scored her first varsity points," stated Whelan. "Jacki (Grace) came down with two big offensive rebounds in the first half but got hammered when she tried to score." Three of the starters who deserve mention are Kristen D’Alessando, Hare and Audrey Titus. "Kristen has been our "blue collar" player," stated Whelan. "She is only 5-6 but has become a force at both ends of the court. Samantha has been playing very well and has been reading the other teams’ defense. Audrey has been a force in the paint and gets the other teams’ big players in foul trouble." Despite the comfortable surroundings of the hardwood in Warren on Tuesday evening, Watchung Hills dropped a 39-29 decision to North Hunterdon. Kopecki, a frosh guard, turned in a strong effort for the Lady Warriors, netting a team-high 10 points while dishing off five assists and picking off three steals. "Megan is fast becoming comfortable with her role and has been quickly making the adjustment to the varsity level as a freshman point guard," continued Whelan. "She has been working very hard in practice to improve her offensive production." Watchung Hills will host Warren Hills on Friday evening in Warren. It will be "Watchung Hills Basketball Campers Night" and any boy or girl wearing their camp tee-shirt will be admitted free. The game is crucial to the Lady Warriors’ quest to qualify for a berth in the NJSIAA post-season tournament for the first time in more than a decade so a capacity crowd can play a major role in the Lady Warriors’ reaching the post-season. "We have been picking up our level of play at the right time," added Whelan. "The heart and soul of this team has been the girls who have not been seeing a lot of action but who have been working hard every practice and that has made the team better. This is the most cohesive team I have coached and as long as they remain focused as a team, there is no limit as to how far they can go." Watchung Hills (6-7) 54 - Hunterdon Central (5-6) 36 Watchung Hills (17-4-8-54): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Lauren Caesar 0-0-0-0; Nicole Conley 0-0-0-0; Kristen D'Alesandro 3-0-3-9; Michelle Feldman 4-2-0-14; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 3-1-0-9; Megan Kopecki 4-1-0-11; Kelli Lane 1-0-0-2; Katie Muldowney 1-0-0-2; Barbara Sasso 0-0-0-0; Jackie Scharf 0-0-0-0; Audrey Titus 1-0-5-7 Hunterdon Central 10 5 11 10 36 Watchung Hills (6-7) 23 5 10 16 54 North Hunterdon (9-2) 39 - Watchung Hills (5-7) 26 Watchung Hills (7-3-3-26): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Nicole Conley 0-0-0-0; Kristin D'Alessandro 1-0-1-3; Michelle Feldman 0-1-2-5; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 2-0-0-4; Megan Kopecki 2-2-0-10; Kelli Lane 0-0-0-0; Jackie Scharf 0-0-0-0; Audrey Titus 2-0-0-4 North Hunterdon 12 8 10 9 39 Watchung Hills 9 10 5 2 26

Scharf, Titus key victory over Franklin

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - January 22, 2004

Watchung Hills went on the road twice and broke even in girls' basketball last week as the Lady Warriors defeated Franklin 44-39 on Tuesday but fell to Bridgewater-Raritan by a score of 47-29. Audrey Titus only scored three points but played a major role in the victory over Franklin. Matched against 6-3 senior center Jennifer Nnanna, Titus limited Franklin's premier player to 12 points. "Audrey played a great defensive game," stated Whelan. "She played through tears when she took a shot to the head in the second half of a very physical confrontation, but she would not come out." Michelle Feldman topped the Lady Warriors in the scoring column when she dumped a dozen points into the basket. Samantha Hare contributed 11 points, six of which came at the stripe and Jackie Scharf netted a season-high 10 points. "Jackie has been playing great off the bench the last three games," added Whelan. "She has been a solid contributor, scoring 27 points in those games as well making her presence known on defense." On Friday in Bridgewater, the Lady Warriors could not contain Melanie Gibbons who hit the hoop for 22 points. Hare deposited a team-high nine points into the basket for Watchung Hills with Scharf netting eight points. "Bridgewater throws a lot of looks at you defensively and we did not respond well," stated Whelan. "We made a run in the third quarter but went flat in the last quarter as we could not convert offensively." Bridgewater-Raritan 47 - Watchung Hills 28 Watchhung Hills (8-2-7-29) Kristine D'Alessandro 1-1-1-6; Michelle Feldman 0-1-0-3; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 3-0-3-9; Megan Kopecki 0-0-0-0; Kelli Lane 0-0-0-0; Jackie Scharf 3-0-2-8; Audrey Titus 1-0-1-3 Watchung Hills (5-6) 9 8 9 3 29 Bridgewater-Raritan (5-5) 14 13 8 12 47 Watchung Hills 44 - Franklin 39 Watchung Hills (13-2-12-44): Bonnie Abel 1-0-0-2; Lauren Caesar 0-0-0-0; Nicole Conley 0-0-0-0; Kristine D'Alessandro 1-0-0-2; Michelle Feldman 6-0-0-12; Samantha Hare 1-1-6-11; Megan Kopecki 0-0-2-2; Kelli Lane 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 2-1-3-10; Audrey Titus 1-0-1-3 Watchung Hills (5-5) 14 13 7 10 44 Franklin (3-6) 6 9 12 12 39

Titus, Feldman spur Lady Warriors to rout of Stateliners

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - January 15, 2004

Watchung Hills rebounded strongly from a loss to on Tuesday by routing Phillipsburg 62-26 on Friday evening in Warren. Audrey Titus and Michelle Feldman turned in outstanding efforts to spur the Lady Warriors to their fourth victory of the season in nine outings. Titus, a 5-11 junior forward continued her consistent efforts as she tickled the twine with 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and picked off six steals. Feldman, a 5-11 senior forward, pumped 10 points through the iron and pulled down eight rebounds. "Jackie (Scharf) took over when it Megan (Kopecki) got two quick fouls," said head coach Sandy Whelan. "She took over and scored seven points in the second quarter and played like we knew she could." When Samantha Hare was ill and missed two days of practice, Whelan inserted Nicole Conley in the starting lineup for the first time. "Samantha was too sick with the flu to go the full game so I started Nicole," stated Whelan. "Though Nicole did not score, she played well and passed off six assists." An oddity in the game was that Watchung Hills did not record a successful free throw while the Stateliners accumulated only three points at the charity stripe. "I was shocked when I looked in the score book and saw we had made no oful shots," added Whelan. "It was one of the best officiating crews and no one noticed they were there. They just let the players play." Warren Hills was a game the Lady Warriors had hoped to win but they could not consistently find the range, scoring only 28 points over 32 minutes. "We executed our game plan on defense against their big girl," continued Whelan. "We held her to eight points and got her in foul trouble, but the ball just would not drop for us." Tonight (Thursday, January 15), the Lady Warriors travel to Bridgewater-Raritan to play the Panthers. The tipoff is set for 7:00 PM. Watchung Hills 62 - Phillipsburg 26 Watchung Hills (28-2-0-62): Bonnie Abel 1-0-0-2; Lauren Ceaser 1-0-0-2; Nicole Conley 0-0-0-0; Kristine D'Alessandro 3-0-0-6; Michelle Feldman 5-0-0-10; Jacki Grace 2-0-0-4; Samantha Hare 4-0-0-8; Megan Kopecki 1-1-0-5; Kelli Lane 1-0-0-2; Barbara Sasso 2-0-0-4; Jackie Scharf 3-1-0-9; Audrey Titus 5-0-0-10 Phillipsburg (N/A) 9 7 8 2 26 Watchung Hills (4-5) 12 17 18 15 62 Warren Hills 44 - Watchung Hills 28 Watchung Hills (10-1-5-28): Kristine D'Alessandro 1-0-0-2; Michelle Feldman 3-1-1-10; Jacki Grace 1-0-1-3; Samantha Hare 1-0-0-2; Megan Kopecki 2-0-0-4; Kelli Lane 0-0-0-0; Barbara Sasso 0-0-0-0; Audrey Titus 2-0-3-7 Watchung Hills (3-5) 6 6 8 8 28 Warren Hills (3-3) 11 9 8 16 44

Running in sand

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - January 6, 2004

Watchung Hills enters the 2004 segment of its varsity girls' basketball program following three straight setbacks. The Lady Warriors played their best game of the season in the semifinal round of the Len Sepanak Tournament despite losing to Montgomery 47-42 and then dropped back-to-back decisions to Montclair Kimberley by a score of 40-32 and Morris Knolls by a margin of 53-31. "We turned in our best game so far against Montgomery," commented head coach Sandy Whelan. "Samantha (Hare) played a great all-around game and worked hard to get open." A senior guard, Hare topped the Lady Warriors in scoring with 14 points while frosh Megan Kopecki chipped in with a dozen points. "Michelle (Feldman) was outstanding even though she was limited to four points," added Whelan. "Montgomery put its defender on Michelle so she responded by turning a sound floor game and was a key to getting Samantha and Megan open." In the consolation third place game the next afternoon, the Lady Warriors led 6-4 after eight minutes and were tied 16-16 at the intermission. The Cougars of the Colonial Hills Conference slowly pulled away in the second half. "It was like we were running in sand," said Whelan. "We just never got our game in gear and I know if we played them nine more times, we would all nine." Hare was the top gun with 13 points while Audrey Titus contributed an 11-point that included five successful free throws. On Saturday, the Lady Warriors hosted a strong Morris Knolls team from the Iron Hills Conference and dropped a 53-31 verdict. Feldman hit the hoop for eight points and Hare finished with seven. Morris Knolls 53 - Watchung Hills 31 Watchung Hills (10-0-11-31): Bonnie Abel 0-0-2-2; Nicole Conley 0-0-2-2; Kristine D'Alessandro 0-0-1-1; Michelle Feldman 4-0-0-8; Jacki Grace 1-0-0-2; Samantha Hare 3-0-1-7; Barbara Sasso 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 0-0-2-2; Audrey Titus 1-0-3-5 Morris Knolls (4-1) 9 16 11 17 53 Watchung Hills (3-4) 7 3 7 14 31 Montclair Kimberley 40 - Watchung Hills 32 Watchung Hills (10-1-9-32): Kristine D'Alessandro 0-0-1-1; Michelle Feldman 0-0-3-3; Samantha Hare 5-1-0-13; Megan Kopecki 1-0-0-2; Kelli Lane 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 0-0-0-0; Audrey Titus 3-0-5-11 Montclair Kimberley ( ) 4 12 14 10 40 Watchung Hills (3-3) 6 10 11 5 32 Montgomery 47 - Watchung Hills 42 Watchung Hills (17-1-5-42):Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Nicole Conley 0-0-0-0; Kristen D'Alessandro 3-0-1-7; Michelle Feldman 2-0-0-4; Jacki Grace 0-0-0-0; Samantha Hare 7-0-0-14; Megan Kopecki 3-1-3-12; Jackie Scharf 0-0-0-0; Audrey Titus 2-0-1-5; Katherine Wallace 0-0-0-0 Montgomery (4-0) 7 12 16 12 47 Watchung Hills (3-2) 10 12 15 5 42

Feldman propels Lady Warriors into Sepanak semifinals

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - December 30, 2003

Michelle Feldman powered Watchung Hills to its third "W" of the 2003-2004 girls basketball campaign as the Lady Warriors cruised to a 47-26 victory over North Brunswick in the quarterfinals of the Len Sepanak Tournament contested at Ridge High School on Saturday. Watchung Hills battled Montgomery on Monday evening in the semifinals. The Lady Warriors had suffered their only setback of the season on Tuesday when Hillsborough posted a 50-34 win. "Michelle continued her outstanding play up front against North Brunswick," said head coach Sandy Whelan. "She was on target with her shots and hit the boards for eight rebounds as she came to play and made everyone forget about the Hillsborough game." Watchung Hills jumped out to a 16-8 lead after eight miniutes and the Lady Warriors maintained a 26-17 advantage at intermission. In the third quarter, strong defense by Watchung Hills built the margin to 37-19 entering the final quarter. Samantha Hare cipped in with a nine point effort, including a pair of treys. "We were effective from outside the three-point arc," added Whelan. "Michelle and Samantha both buried a pair of three-pointers and Megan hit one." In the loss to Hillsborough, the charity stripe proved to be the Lady Warriors' downfall as the Raiders converted 14 free throws to only two by Watchung Hills. Feldman, a senior tri-captain, led Watchung Hills with a 15 point effort while Kopecki netted seven points. Hillsborough moved out to a 16-8 lead in the opening quarter and outscored the Lady Warriors in every quarter. Hillsborough 50 - Watchung Hills 34 Watchung Hills (13-2-2-34): Bonnie Abel 0-0-0-0; Jacki Grace 0-0-1-1; Michelle Feldman 6-1-0-15; Samantha Hare 1-0-0-2; Megan Kopecki 2-1-0-7; Kelli Lane 0-0-1-1; Jackie Scharf 2-0-0-4; Audrey Titus 2-0-0-4; Katherine Wallace 0-0-0-0 Hillsborough (2-0) 15 7 12 16 50 Watchung Hills (2-1) 8 8 8 10 34 Watchung Hills 47 - North Brunswick 26 Watchung Hills (12-5-8-47):Bonnie Abel 1-0-0-2; Nicole Conley 0-0-2-2; Kristen D'Alessandro 1-0-0-2; Michelle Feldman 5-2-2-18; Jacki Grace 0-0-1-1; Samantha Hare 1-2-1-9; Megan Kopecki 0-1-0-3; Jackie Scharf 1-0-02; Audrey Titus 2-0-1-5; Katherine Wallace 1-0-1-3 North Brunswick (0-3) 8 9 2 7 26 Watchung Hills (3-1) 16 10 11 10 47

Lady Warriors are for real

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - December 23, 2003

Watchung Hills opened the 2003-2004 girls basketball campaign with back-to-back victories. On Saturday, the Lady Warriors routed Gill Saint Bernards 56-20 in Peapack-Gladstone after rolling to a 47-39 victory over Hunterdon Central in Flemington on Friday evening to open the season. While all the other sports writers called the Lady Warriors' victory over Hunterdon Central an upset, in this column a week earlier the prediction was for a victory by head coach Sandy Whelan's squad over her alma mater. Michelle Feldman, a senior tri-captain, was the top gun on the attack against the Saints in a non-league encounter. With all 13 players etching their names in the scoring column, Feldman dumped a game-high 13 points through the twine. Kristen D'Alessandro, another senior tri-captain, was runnerup in the scoring column, netting eight points while sophomore Jackie Scharf pumped six points into the basket. Whelan has patiently built the foundation of the program over four years, both during the season and during the summer with the Watchung Hills Basketball Camp she runs with Gene McAteer, the boys' head coach. The fruits of her efforts surfaced on Friday evening when the Lady Warriors claimed its first "W" over Hunterdon Central during Whelan's tenure. Megan Kopecki, a freshman point guard, turned in an outstanding performance in making her varsity debut. She tickled the twine with a team-high dozen points and went 7 for 7 at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter when the Lady Warriors converted 11 of 13 free throw opportunities. Feldman was a dominant factor up front as she dumped 10 points into the bucket, five of which came at the charity stripe. She pulled down seven rebounds and picked off three steals. Samantha Hare, the other senior tri-captain, directed the attack and riddled the cords with nine points. Watchung Hills 56 - Gill Saint Bernards 20 Watchung Hills (20-1-13-56): Bonnie Abel 1-0-0-2; Lauren Caeser 1-0-0-2; Nicole Conley 0-0-1-1; Kristen D'Alessandron 3-0-2-8; Michelle Feldman 6-0-1-13; Jacki Grace 1-0-0-2; Samantha Hare 0-0-4-4; Megan Kopecki 1-1-0-5; Kelli Lane 2-0-0-4; Barbara Sasso 2-0-0-4; Jackie Scharf 2-0-2-6; Audrey Titus 0-0-2-2; Katherine Wallace 1-0-1-3 Watchung Hills (2-0) 12 10 20 14 56 Gill Saint Bernards (0-2) 5 4 10 1 20 Watchung Hills 47 - Hunterdon Central 39 Watchung Hills (12-2-17-47): Kristen D'Alessandro 2-0-2-6; Michelle Feldman 1-1-5-10; Jacki Grace 1-0-0-2; Samantha Hare 2-1-2-9; Megan Kopecki 2-0-8-12; Kelli Lane 1-0-0-2; Jackie Scharf 2-0-0-4; Audrey Titus 1-0-0-2 Watchung Hills (1-0) 12 10 10 15 47 Hunterdon Central (0-1) 9 7 12 11 39

Class of 2004 matures to form nucleus of Lady Warriors' court squad

Published in Echoes-Sentinal - December 17, 2003

Coming off a 5-15 season last winter, head coach Sandy Whelan has a veteran squad led by eight returning senior letterwinners prepped to open the 2003-2004 girls' basketball campaign on Friday at Hunterdon Central. The Lady Warriors graduated only one player, Jen Krause, from last year's roster. Whelan, who held the Hunterdon Central career scoring record for 17 years until it was snapped last year, begins her fifth campaign at the helm of the Lady Warriors' program. "Our primary objective this year is to be competitive in the conference and keep ourselves in contention in every game," said Whelan. "The four youth feeder programs are beginning to have a positive impact at the varsity level." Kristen D'Alessandro, Michelle Feldman and Samantha Hare are seniors who have been chosen to serve as tri-captains of the Lady Warriors. D'Alessandro (5-6) will start at a forward slot. She is an aggressive player who hits the boards hard. Feldman (5-11) is a swing guard-forward who was the squad's second leading scorer as a junior. Hare (5-8) led the Lady Warriors in scoring a year ago and can hit the treys. "Michelle is one of several players who can provide us with different looks," stated Whelan. "We can switch her to the back court and create mis-matches when the opportunity presents itself." "Samantha has upped her performances to a higher level in the pre-season scrimmages," added Whelan. "We are looking for her to be a great leader on the floor this year." Bonnie Abel (5-11), Jacki Grace (5-11) and Katherine Wallace (5-10) are all in the mix at the center slot. "Katherine started at times last year and is our most physical center who draws fouls," continued Whelan. " Bonnie and Jacki can play on the floor at the same time when we have a need to go to a bigger lineup." Lauren Caesar (5-7) started her basketball career at Union Catholic before transferring to Watchung Hills last year. She possesses good fundamentals and will come off the bench to supply minutes at the guard positions. Nicole Conley (5-7) is one of the most enthusiastic players who can provide a spark to the defense and is a good passer in moving the ball up the court. A trio of juniors is on the varsity roster. Audrey Titus (5-11) is a power forward who has been sidelined by Achilles' tendentious. The coaching staff is looking for her to make an early return when she will contend for the starting assignment at the power forward slot. Kelli Lane (5-7) is a returning letterwinner at guard. She has the uncanny ability to make everyone look better when she is on the court. Barbara Sasso (5-8) can play power forward or center and is a physical player who hustles and hits the boards for rebounds. Jackie Scharf (5-6) is a sophomore guard who lettered as a frosh. She has been sidelined with a mild concussion suffered in a pre-season game but is very quick and can come off the bench and ignite a run with her ability as a streak scorer. Megan Kopecki has been elevated to the varsity roster as a freshman. "Megan has made the coaching staff look hard at her in preseason practices and scrimmages," added Whelan. "She is a very good and is in contention to earn a starting position. She has come up through the youth programs and can be the foundation for the program over the next four years." While Kopecki and Scharf are on board the program for the future, the present consists of the eight veterans from the Class of 2004 who have matured over four years under the direction of the coaching staff. Look for the Lady Warriors to not only achieve their objective of being competitive every time out but also to substantially increase the number of thrills of victory they experience.

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