Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Playoff opener takes nine innings to find a winner.
Their regular season records were virtually the same, and their playoff seedings were both in the middle of the pack. Neither the Sparta Spartans or River Dell softball teams wanted their seasons to end Tuesday, but only one could win. That's why it took two extra innings of play to find a winner in the North 1, Group 3 playoff opener, where Sparta won 6-5, according to nj.com. Sparta scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning after amassing 10 hits to River Dell's 11, nj.com reported. River Dell scored all its runs in the second inning. Sparta will head to High Point and take on the number 2 seeded team on Thursday, May 23.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Baseball team slugs Wayne Hills, game called after five innings.
Their regular season records were similar and their playoff seedings were close, but there was a large gap in the scoring between Sparta and Wayne Hills on Monday. The Spartans, seeded seventh in the NJSIAA North 1, Group 3 playoff bracket, easily disposed of the No. 10 seed Wayne Hills by a score of 13-3, according to nj.com. The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule. Kevin Foulds pitched a complete game, giving up three unearned runs and striking out seven, nj.com reported. Foulds helped his own cause, going 2-for-4 with two runs batted in. Sparta will host No. 15 Northern Highlands on Friday, May 24. Winner moves on to the group semifinals.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Top 2,000 public schools across nation placed in annual standings, none from Sussex County crack list.
Hopatcong and Sparta High Schools both missed the top-2,000 high schools in the nation as ranked by Newsweek in its annual report released this week. The standings showed 93 schools from New Jersey made the master list, but none from Sussex County could crack the top 2,000. Just nine schools from Morris County made the list. Newsweek prefaced the list by saying the schools were ranked by how effective they were in turning out college-ready graduates. There are six components that factored into the listing methodology: In April, U.S. News & World Report released its top high schools in the nation, with the top-50 making the cut for New Jersey. Neither Hopatcong or Sparta High Schools made that list, either. No Sussex County school made the …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
U.S. News & World Report's annual national rankings released; no Sussex County schools make top 50 spots in the state.
Sparta High School students tested either at or above New Jersey averages, while Hopatcong High School students tested below those numbers, and neither were ranked in the top 50 schools in the state, according to U.S. News & World Report. The magazine’s annual high school rankings were released Tuesday morning and showed a changeup in the top 10 spots, and no Sussex County school made the top 54. The top spot went to Biotechnology High School in Freehold, ousting this year’s number two, High Technology High School. Three main factors are calculated for the rankings, including college readiness, math proficiency and language proficiency. U.S. News & World Report ranked Hopatcong and Sparta High Schools as indicated in the chart: Sparta had …
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Sparta High School senior allegedly had $4,450, drugs and a 13-inch knife on school property.
An 18-year-old Sparta High School student was arrested Thursday for allegedly selling drugs and having a knife on school property, police said. School officials searched a car driven by senior Eric Roberts when he arrived at the school at about 11 a.m. Thursday. He was found to have a 13-inch butterfly knife, $4,450 in cash and marijuana divided in separate Ziploc bags, allegedly for distribution, according to Sgt. John-Paul Beebe. Roberts was charged with distribution of narcotics on school property, possession of marijuana, possession of a weapon on school property and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on his own recognizance later that day and is scheduled to appear in municipal court on Thursday, Jan. 31.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
'This game means so much to our town,' Pope John alum says of crosstown rivalry.
Sparta and Pope John High Schools are only separated by 3.5 miles, but for the fans of either school, they are worlds apart. The rivalry, which spans about five decades, continued on Tuesday night with Pope John winning the season's first encounter against Sparta in front of a capacity crowd. "This is not only an inter-conference team, but it is the only parochial conference team in our division," Sparta basketball coach Brian Brennen. "There is a public-parochial debate in New Jersey and it gives you a chance to through your weight against a parochial program. And they are good team. That is what excites the Sparta kids when they play Pope John. We are generally one and two in the conference and it always has bearing on who is going …
41.021938
-74.685383
Pope John Xxiii Regional High School
28 Andover Rd, Sparta, NJ
/articles/rivalry-remains-intense-between-sparta-pope-john
752706
/locations/8561233
Pope John wins season's first meeting against crosstown foes in front of capacity crowd.
In a rivalry that goes back about 50 years, Sparta High School hosted Pope John XXIII Tuesday night for the latest chapter. The near capacity crowd was treated to an exceptional contest between the two schools separated by only 3.5 miles. For more photos and comments on the rivalry, head here. IN SHORT The game had all the hype it should have: an age old rivalry, an undefeated Sparta team and the NJ.com No. 13 ranked Pope John coming together for their first of two annual contests. And it did not disappoint. The first quarter was a tight match with neither team taking an advantage, but the second quarter saw Pope John take an advantage on the ten points (two 3's and a pair of baskets) scored by Bryce Aiken. The third quarter saw Sparta …
41.021938
-74.685383
Pope John Xxiii Regional High School
28 Andover Rd, Sparta, NJ
/articles/late-surge-not-enough-for-sparta-against-rivals
752706
/locations/8558752
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sierra 'Sissy' Blasone a fierce competitor in male-dominated sport, driven to reach lofty goals.
Don't be surprised by her diminutive 4-foot-10 stature, Sierra "Sissy" Blasone is a fierce competitor for the Sparta High School wrestling team. Influenced by her brother, Blasone began wrestling when she was 6 years old. Now the Sparta sophomore wrestles in the 113-pound weight class at the high school level, has helped the Spartans to a 7-1 start to the season and has aspirations of competing in college and even in the Olympics one day.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Spartans fall to Mount Olive, host Madison on Friday.
The Sparta High School wrestling team opened the 2012-13 season at Mt. Olive Wednesday night. The Spartans made a strong showing but fell 43-32. "This was a very exciting opening match for us," Spartan coach Frank Battaglia said. "We are set to come out and really make a difference this year. We are a relatively young team with more experience and I keep telling the kids we have to start to prove that and turn the corner and bring Sparta back into a competitive mode. I think we accomplished that tonight." "We were tough through the line up," Battaglia said. "We had wrestler get sick and a JV wrestler (Mateo Zapata) stepped up, a first year wrestler, and he gave it his all. He's wrestled for three weeks and he comes in and gives it his …
Saturday, December 8, 2012
After leading by 19 points at halftime, Spartans fall on 48-yard kick with less than 10 seconds left.
The Sparta High School football team was unable to hold onto a 19-point halftime lead, falling to Ramapo on a 48-yard field goal in the final seconds of a 37-34 loss in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 championship Saturday at Kean University. Sparta held a 26-7 halftime advantage, but Ramapo roared back in the second half and tied the score at 34 with 2:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. Ramapo's ensuing kickoff pinned the Spartans deep in their own territory and a midfield interception gave the Franklin Lakes school the ball back just moments later. With six seconds remaining, senior David Bonagura kicked the game-winning 48-yard field goal to propel Ramapo to its second sectional title in four years. "It was all the same plays in …
Class of 96
7:14 pm on Saturday, May 11, 2013
"We not ranked" that's "unpossible" ? Wow! Not sure what else to say! more ›