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Highlanders advance to sectional final

WEST MILFORD. Ice hockey team set to play Kinnelon for title.

West Milford /
| 05 Mar 2025 | 04:42
    West Milford's Laurel Space is on the move in the first half of the game against High Point on Thursday, Feb. 27. The Highlanders won, 42-28, in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
    West Milford's Laurel Space is on the move in the first half of the game against High Point on Thursday, Feb. 27. The Highlanders won, 42-28, in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
    <b>High Point’s Kennedy Shepherd moves the ball in the game against West Milford on Thursday, Feb. 27. The Highlanders won, 42-28, in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament. </b>
    High Point’s Kennedy Shepherd moves the ball in the game against West Milford on Thursday, Feb. 27. The Highlanders won, 42-28, in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament.
    West Milford's Sara Wardlaw at the free throw line. She scored one point and grabbed two rebounds.
    West Milford's Sara Wardlaw at the free throw line. She scored one point and grabbed two rebounds.
    <b>West Milford’s Adison Arciniega scored two points, grabbed one rebound, and was credited with one block and one steal.</b>
    West Milford’s Adison Arciniega scored two points, grabbed one rebound, and was credited with one block and one steal.
    <b>High Point’s Claire Sieminski handles the ball in the third period. She scored 11 points.</b>
    High Point’s Claire Sieminski handles the ball in the third period. She scored 11 points.
    <b>West Milford girls head basketball coach Ray LaCroix, center, gives instructions to players during a break.</b>
    West Milford girls head basketball coach Ray LaCroix, center, gives instructions to players during a break.
    <b>High Point’s Claire Sieminski handles the ball in the third period.</b>
    High Point’s Claire Sieminski handles the ball in the third period.
    <b>High Point’s Ashley Schell at the free throw line. She scored five points in the game.</b>
    High Point’s Ashley Schell at the free throw line. She scored five points in the game.

Joe Barroquerio totaled a career-high six goals and five assists and Timmy Riche added four goals and one assist to power 11th-seeded West Milford/Pequannock/Pompton Lakes to a 12-5 victory over 14th-seeded Nutley/Bloomfield/Columbia in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Public Co-Op Tournament.

With the win Thursday night, Feb. 27 at the Ice Vault in Wayne, the Highlanders advanced to the sectional semifinal against 15th-seeded Lakeland/Hawthorne/Waldwick on Monday night, March 3 at the Ice Vault.

They won, 2-1, and were set to face Kinnelon in the sectional final at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6 at Mennen Arena in Morris Township.

West Milford is 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.

Against Nutley, the Highlanders trailed, 4-3, midway through the second period before Riche closed out the period with three straight goals to give West Milford a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish.

Barroquerio, a junior, then registered three straight goals to open the third period as the lead increased to 9-4. Riche added his fourth goal of the game followed by a tally from Kyle Lappe. Max Diee added a goal and an assist for West Milford, which received 38 saves from Matt Montena.

Riche leads the team with 36 goals and 21 assists, with Kyle Gregory (29 goals, 49 assists) and Barroquerio (29 goals, 31 assists) right behind.

West Milford (13-12-1), which has won a season-high seven straight games, opened post-season play with a 3-2 overtime victory over sixth-seeded Verona/Glen Ridge on Monday, Feb. 24.

Derek Pizzariello scored the game-winning goal in the extra session for the Highlanders, who also received a goal and assist each from Riche and Gregory. Montena anchored the defense with a 31-save effort.

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

Wrestling

Jeffrey Papienuk placed fourth at 215-pounds to lead West Milford in the NJSIAA Region 1 tournament at home Saturday afternoon, March 1.

Papienuk will compete in the sport’s final event of the season: the state tournament March 6-8 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Jesse Araujo (132 pounds) and Edip Oruli (190) also competed at the region tournament but did not place.

The top four place-winners in each weight class in each of the New Jersey’s eight regions qualify for the state tournament.

Girls basketball

Sarah Benowitz totaled 15 points and three rebounds and Amanda O’Brien collected 13 points and 12 rebounds to power fourth-seeded West Milford to a 42-28 victory over 13th-seeded High Point in the opening round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament at home Thursday, Feb. 27.

The Highlanders (19-5) are slated to play host to 12th-seeded Leonia in a sectional quarterfinal March 3. The sectional semifinal round is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, with the championship game set for Saturday, March 8.

Against High Point, West Milford received a standout effort from Laurel Space (nine points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals, two blocks).