Highlanders defeat Vikings

Sarah Benowitz collected 16 points, four assists and three rebounds; Adison Arciniega totaled 10 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals; and Amanda O’Brien had 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks to power the West Milford High School girls basketball team to a 68-31 victory over Vernon at home Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11.

The Highlanders led from the onset of the contest, racing to a 27-12 first-quarter lead before extending to a 47-19 lead at the break.

Senior Laurel Space (nine points, eight rebounds, five steals, four assists, two blocks) added to the win, which was the second in a row and the third in the past four games for West Milford.

Space leads the team in scoring with an average of 10.6 points per game.

The Highlanders (5-2) were set to play at Passaic Valley at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16 before returning home to play host to Passaic Tech at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18.

Here’s how other West Milford teams fared last week:

Boys basketball

Ognjen Ljusic scored a game-high 17 points to lift West Milford to a 51-50 overtime victory over Wayne Hills there Thursday, Jan. 9.

Cole Stillman added nine points, Jonas Paulino had eight points, and Tyler Liguori and Dean Deaver each dropped in seven points for the Highlanders, who outscored Wayne Hills, 4-3, in the extra session.

Deaver then scored a team-high 20 points, with Liguori adding 12 points as West Milford suffered a 69-62 loss to Wallkill Valley there Jan. 11.

Ljusic, a senior forward, is averaging 15 points per game to lead the Highlanders in scoring.

West Milford (4-4) was scheduled to play host to Passaic Valley at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 before playing at Pascack Valley at 10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 19.

Ice hockey

West Milford improved to 5-8-1 this season when it defeated Paramus, 5-1, on Sunday night, Jan. 12 at the Ice Vault Arena in Wayne.

Kyle Gregory (10 goals, 21 assists), Joe Barroquerio (12 goals, 10 assists) and Timmy Riche (11 goals, 10 assists) lead the Highlanders in scoring. Matt Montena has made more than 530 saves, good for a .884 save percentage.

West Milford will play Tenafly at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20 at the Ice Vault Arena.

Wrestling

The Highlanders dropped decisions to Westwood (54-18) and Ridgewood (53-22) in dual meets with each Jan. 11 in Ridgewood.

Iron Pinedo (132 pounds) and Nicholas Carbone (150) each won by decision and Owen Menier (190) and Jeffrey Papienuk (215) each won by fall for West Milford against Westwood.

Tyler Martinez (113 pounds), Justin Burke (126) and Menier (190) all won by fall and Edip Oruli (215) won by major decision for the Highlanders in the Ridgewood setback.

West Milford (1-11) will take part in a quad meet at Butler High School beginning at 9 a.m. Jan. 18.

Bowling

Jaden Foster rolled a high series of 520, including a high game of 189, as West Milford bowed to Don Bosco Prep, 7-0, on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at Montvale Lanes.

Other contributors for the Highlanders included Kyle Frommelt (415 high series), Colton Hardison (365 high series), Glenn Dowson (223 high series) and Ezekiel Pena (94 high series).

West Milford (2-4) will bowl against Dwight-Morrow at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 at Bowler City in Hackensack.