NJSIAA State Tournament Results

Girls Basketball
In the first round of the NJSIAA state tournament on Feb. 29, fifth-ranked host Wildwood defeated twelfth-ranked Salem, 65-15, in Group I. Jillian Freeman led the Warriors with 20 points. Top-ranked Ocean City hosted last-seeded Central Regional and won, 48-36, in Group III. Olivia Briggs led the Red Raiders with 16 points while Grace Sacco added 15 points. In Group II action on March 1, third-ranked Middle Township hosted fourteenth-ranked Audubon and won, 45-13. Bridget Ruskey had 13 points for the Panthers. Eighth-ranked Lower Cape May won 58-45 against ninth-ranked Oakcrest. Olivia Levin led the Caper Tigers with 20 points. Ninth-ranked Wildwood Catholic traveled to eighth-ranked Holy Cross and won, 46-41, in Non-Public South B. Lauren Moretti and Briel Herbert each scored 13 points for the Crusaders.
In the NJSIAA quarterfinals on March 2, top-ranked Ocean City hosted ninth-ranked Absegami and won, 49-34, in Group III. Olivia Briggs scored 13 points for the Red Raiders. Fifth-ranked Wildwood traveled to fourth-ranked Haddonfield and fell in a close game, 60-52, in Group I. Mackenzie McCracken led the Warriors with 20 points. In Group II action on March 3, third-ranked Middle Township defeated sixth-ranked Overbrook, 55-26. Summer Sides led the Panthers with 17 points. Eighth-ranked Lower Cape May fell to top-ranked Cinnaminson on the road, 40-29. Tayanis Torres scored 9 points for the Caper Tigers while Olivia Levin added 8 points. Ninth-ranked Wildwood Catholic fell to top-ranked Rutgers Prep on the road, 86-25, in Non-Public South B.
In the NJSIAA semifinals on March 4, top-ranked host Ocean City held off fourth-ranked Winslow Township, 21-16, in Group III. Nicole Piergross led the Red Raiders with 7 points. On March 5, third-ranked Middle Township fell on the road to second-ranked Sterling, 33-29. Bridget Ruskey scored 9 points for the Panthers.
Top-ranked Ocean City hosted third-ranked Toms River East in the South Group III sectional finals on March 7. The Red Raiders came out victorious with a 37-29 win. Olivia Briggs led Ocean City with 12 points while teammates Grace Sacco and Nicole Piergross added 7 apiece. The girls will play Middletown South in Deptford on March 9 in the NJSIAA Group III Championship.
Boys Basketball
In the first round of the NJSIAA state tournament on Feb. 29, fourth-ranked Ocean City defeated thirteenth-ranked Pinelands, 71-45, in Group III. Luciano Lubrano led the Red Raiders with 18 points. Fourteenth-ranked Wildwood fell to third-ranked Woodbury, 80-44, in Group I. Billy Bolle led the Warriors with 14 points. On March 1, second-ranked Middle Township hosted fifteenth-seeded Barnegat and won, 35-31, in Group II. Will Neill led the Panthers with 10 points. Seventh-ranked Wildwood Catholic hosted tenth-seeded St. Mary’s Elizabeth and won, 69-64, in Non-Public South Group B. Caleb Fields scored 20 points for the Crusaders.
In the NJSIAA quarterfinals on March 2, fourth-ranked Ocean City fell at home to fifth-ranked Winslow Township, 67-59, in Group III. Connor Laverty scored 20 points for the Red Raiders. On March 3, second-ranked Middle Township fell at home to seventh-seeded Medford Tech, 69-49, in Group II. Tim Toney scored 13 points for the Panthers. Seventh-ranked Wildwood Catholic fell on the road to second-ranked Gill St. Bernard’s, 56-40, in Non-Public South B.