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Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3

WEST MILFORD. The Highlanders ride eight-game winning streak to their first state sectional final.

West Milford /
| 11 Mar 2025 | 10:05
    JL1 The West Milford/Pequannock/Pompton Lakes ice hockey team lost to the Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta team, 8-3, in the final round of the NJSIAA North, Public Co-Op Tournament on Thursday, March 6. (Photos by Jack Lizza)
    JL1 The West Milford/Pequannock/Pompton Lakes ice hockey team lost to the Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta team, 8-3, in the final round of the NJSIAA North, Public Co-Op Tournament on Thursday, March 6. (Photos by Jack Lizza)
    JL2 The Highlanders’ Timmy Riche scored two goals and made one assist. His first goal was in the first minute of the game and his second was near the end of the second period, when KJS led 7-2. He scored 40 goals this season.
    JL2 The Highlanders’ Timmy Riche scored two goals and made one assist. His first goal was in the first minute of the game and his second was near the end of the second period, when KJS led 7-2. He scored 40 goals this season.
    JL3 Kyle Gregory (4) consoles goalie Matthew Montena after the loss. Gregory made one assist in the game.
    JL3 Kyle Gregory (4) consoles goalie Matthew Montena after the loss. Gregory made one assist in the game.
    JL4 The Highlanders’ Joe Barroquerio controls the puck. He made one goal and one assist in the game. His goal came near the beginning of the third period. It was his 30th of the season.
    JL4 The Highlanders’ Joe Barroquerio controls the puck. He made one goal and one assist in the game. His goal came near the beginning of the third period. It was his 30th of the season.
    The game was played at Mennen Arena in Morris Township.
    The game was played at Mennen Arena in Morris Township.
    This is the first time that the Highlanders have reached the sectional final in ice hockey.
    This is the first time that the Highlanders have reached the sectional final in ice hockey.
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    The Highlanders’ Kyle Lappe
    The Highlanders’ Kyle Lappe
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    The Highlanders’ Anthony Weisse, left, and AJ Valero.
    The Highlanders’ Anthony Weisse, left, and AJ Valero.
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3
    Ice hockey team falls in sectional final, 8-3

A remarkable post-season run by the West Milford/Pequannock/Pompton Lakes ice hockey team came to an end in an 8-3 loss to Kinnelon/Jefferson/Sparta in the finals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Public Schools Co-Op Tournament on Thursday, March 6 at Mennen Arena in Morris Township.

It was the first time that the team reached a sectional final.

The loss napped West Milford’s season-high eight-game winning streak as the Highlanders finished with a 14-13-1 record under head coach Christopher Scarpa.

Timmy Riche scored just 49 seconds into the first period to give West Milford a 1-0 lead, but KJS United responded with seven straight goals, including four of Braydon Sisco’s five goals, to take control of the contest.

Riche finished with two goals and an assist, with junior Joe Barroquerio adding a goal and an assist. Goalie Matt Montena finished with 38 saves.

The Highlanders, seeded 11th, had advanced to the final with a 2-1 victory over 15th-seeded Lakeland/Hawthorne/Waldwick on Monday, March 3 at the Ice Vault in Wayne.

Riche scored twice in the second period as the Highlanders took a 2-0 lead into the final stanza. Lakeland avoided the shutout with a goal in the final 1:29 of the third but could not get the equalizer past Montena (28 saves).

West Milford finished 3-1-1 against Lakeland this season, including a 6-5 decision in the championship game of the Big North Silver Cup Tournament on Feb. 13.

Riche finished the season with 40 goals and 22 assists and was followed by Kyle Gregory (29 goals, 51 assists), Barroquerio (30 goals, 32 assists), Max Diee (seven goals, 10 assists), Derek Pizzariello (five goals, 12 assists), Anthony Weisse (one goal, 14 assists) and Kyle Lappe (three goals, four assists).

Montena was sensational in net, halting 1,039 shots this winter, good for a 0.884 save percentage.

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

Wrestling

Junior Jeffrey Papienuk went 2-2 in four matches at 215 pounds as he competed in the NJSIAA state tournament March 6-8 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Papienuk lost in the preliminary round before bouncing back to win by fall twice in the wrestleback bracket. He then suffered a loss by fall in the third round of wrestlebacks to conclude his season with a 32-11 record.

He had qualified for the states by placing fourth in the Region 1 tournament at home March 1.

Girls basketball

West Milford, seeded fourth, bowed to top-seeded Glen Rock, 51-33, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament there Wednesday, March 5.

Senior Laurel Space led the Highlanders with 15 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three rebounds, with Ally Gruber adding nine points.

West Milford (20-6) won the Big North Independence Division title with a perfect 10-0 mark and advanced with a 60-37 victory over Leonia at home March 3.

Senior Adison Arciniega collected a career-high 19 points along with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals; junior Sarah Benowitz netted 14 points; and senior Amanda O’Brien totaled 11 points and four assists to key the decision.

The Highlanders, under the direction of coach Ray LaCroix, were led offensively this winter by Space (11.2 points per game, 8.8 rebounds), Benowitz (9 ppg), Arciniega (8.2 ppg) and O’Brien (6.7 ppg., 9.1 rebounds).

Boys basketball

The ninth-seeded Highlanders had their season come to an end in a 77-44 loss to top-seeded Pascack Valley in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament March 3 in Hillsdale.

West Milford (15-13) was led this season by seniors Ognjen Ljusic (15.2 ppg), Dean Deaver (13.5 ppg), Tyler Liguori (10.8 ppg), Cole Stillman (10.1 ppg) and Jonas Paulino (5.9 ppg).