By Andy Loigu

The Hackettstown High School boys basketball team picked a good time to schedule a couple of games in Florida.

The Tigers won a 54-53 struggle at Canterbury, FL, on January 18 and played air-tight defense in a 56-27 win at Keswick Christian in the Sunshine State the next night, while the Hackettstown area contended with snow, ice, and freezing arctic temperatures.

Coach Mike McDonagh has always been willing to travel far and wide to face the toughest non-conference teams HHS could schedule, because “you don’t learn anything by playing cupcakes.” The successful results for Hackettstown’s teams in recent post-season tournaments show the wisdom of that sort of preparation.

The Tigers have an 8-3 overall record as of Jan. 21 and are 4-0 in the Freedom Division of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference. Ryan Due was the Tigers’ leading scorer in the most recent win with 11 points. Four of his teammates scored six or more. Everybody played air-tight defense.

Now the Tigers return to New Jersey to play in the wintry climes of Wallkill Valley and Jefferson on Jan. 22 and 24. You can open the door to the Wallkill Valley gym in Hardyston and look at the ski trails at nearby Mountain Creek. One travels a long and winding road (just like the Beatles) to get to Jefferson High. It feels like a trip to Alaska. There’s no place like Nome.

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The Warren Hills Blue Streaks are in one of the Garden State’s toughest leagues for wrestling, the Delaware Division of the Skyland Conference.

Head coach K.C. Wanamaker has led the Streaks to a 7-5 overall record halfway through the regular-season dual meets. In the Delaware Division they are 1-4, including losses to highly ranked programs Hunterdon Central, the perennially powerful Phillipsburg Stateliners and the well coached Watchung Hills Warriors, who eked out a 33-32 win in an excellent match.

Warren Hills recently finished a strong fifth place in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex tournament in Flemington. At 120 pounds, Charlie Piccione of Warren Hills finished in second place. His teammate Paul Hamas was second in the 285-pound brackets,

A North Warren wrestler, James Dacunto, was the champion of the 165-pound weight group.

Warren Hills hosts traditional neighborhood rival Hackettstown in a dual meet on Jan. 26.

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The going has been tough for the Mohoha (Mount Olive, Hopatcong, Hackettstown) ice hockey team this season, but they had a most memorable game recently. In a 3-3 tie against powerful Mendham, goalie Talon Muscolino made an astounding 40 saves, as he turned away a barrage of shots. On offense Liam Parr scored three goals, a happening which is called a “hat trick,” which is something special to celebrate as we now find ourselves full swing into 2024.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.