Varsity Aces

Stape's Scoop: Shooting for the Stars

Day one of the Major League Baseball draft has passed and former Ramapo standout Shooter Hunt gets selected by the Minnesota Twins with the 31st overall pick, the first compensatory pick sandwiched between the first and second rounds. Click here to read about Shooter's day in a great story by The Record's Tom Gulitti, and what a difference three years make. You can also click here for my column on the friendship between Don Bosco coach Greg Butler and Old Tappan coach Tim Byron, who lead their respective teams into State baseball championship games on Saturday.

Keep reading for more on Hunt -- much congratulations to the Hunt family, and make no mistake, this is a tremendous accomplishment for a kid from North Jersey who gave everything he had in high school, fought through some resistence in college by transferring from Virginia to Tulane before finally realizing his dream.

Stape's Scoop: Bosco-Seton Hall Rewind

The Don Bosco baseball team is going to Disney World ... ahh, well, the Disney World of the spring for high school baseball and softball teams in New Jersey, and that's the well-manicured diamonds of Toms River. I'll explain the Disney World stuff from Bosco's perspective later in the post, but for background, here's my column from today's edition of The Record on Don Bosco's 3-2 victory over Seton Hall Prep.

What a great game between Seton Hall Prep and the Ironmen, and I was lucky enough to be in attendance for Don Bosco's thrilling victory at Harter Road Field in Morris Township for the North Non-Public A championship. I must say, I've seen some exciting games in my 11 years covering high school sports in North Jersey, and this one, considering the stakes, may have topped them all.

Here it is: the Toms River schedule

OK, the NJSIAA has made its decisions regarding where North Jersey's baseball and softball finalists will be playing for State titles Saturday in Toms River. Fresh off the NJSIAA web site, here's the rundown:

Toms River North: Baseball, Don Bosco vs. CBA, 11 a.m.; Old Tappan vs. Wall, 2 p.m.; Softball: Ridgewood vs. Williamstown, 3 p.m.

Toms River East: Baseball, St. Mary vs. St. Rose, 11 a.m.; Mahwah vs. Allentown, 2 p.m.; Softball: IHA vs. Red Bank Catholic, 3 p.m.

Toms River South: Baseball, Lyndhurst vs. Robbinsville, 11 a.m.

UPDATE: Bergen County Baseball Scheduling Plans

Just got off the phone with Bergen baseball tournament director Bob Carcich and there's already a contingency plan in place should the weather cause problems this weekend. For now, the semifinals are set for 12 p.m. (Don Bosco vs. Ramapo) and 2:30 p.m. (St. Joseph vs. Old Tappan) at Demarest High School, but the reports are not too promising.

I get the feeling that if they don't think they can get both games in Saturday, they won't even try starting the first one, but that remains to be seen. Here's what the schedule would look like if the games are not played Saturday:

Sunday

At Demarest

Don Bosco vs. Ramapo, 2:30 p.m.

St. Joseph vs. Old Tappan, 4:30 p.m.

(Note: the planned 50th anniversary celebration will be held between games)

Monday

At Demarest

Championship game, 4:30 p.m.

Stape's Scoop: Ramapo Gets Revenge, Baiunco to UMass

It was a great day for a softball game at Demarest on Monday and Ramapo won the battle of Bergen County quarterfinalists behind a strong pitching performance from junior Julie Shaw and a two-run double in the seventh inning from third baseman Amanda Schellaci en route to a 3-0 victory.

My column for Tuesday's editions of The Record focused on the big picture as Ramapo and Demarest take aim at County and State supremacy, but keep reading for some extra tidbits, including Ramapo ace Brittany Baiunco's decision to head to -- of all places -- my college alma mater.

Stape's Scoop: More on Paramus Catholic Softball

It always comes down to some sort of public/non-public debate, doesn't it? Check out my column in today's editions of The Record on the latest surge for Paramus Catholic on the softball diamond. The Paladins' success is directly linked to the emergence of sophomore pitcher Rachel Cannata, who transferred in just two days after the start of the season.

Of course, there has been a lot of speculation as to whether Cannata's decision to leave Waldwick was based on athletic advantage or whether, as her father Tony told me Monday night, "it was really about her grades."

I'm sure, at this point, it had to do with a little bit of both. Problem is, it's hard to take anything at face value anymore when it comes to student-athletes transferring schools, especially when they go from public to non-public schools.

Stape's Scoop Live: Englewood 72, Pascack Hills 65 - Final

It's all over here in the North 1, Group 2 final, and after some computer problems, here's the wrap on Englewood's thrilling comeback victory for its first sectional crown since 2005. David Mofunanya had 29 points, including 18 in the second half. The Maroon Raiders will play Lincoln in Thursday's State Group 2 semifinal after using a 13-0 run to erase what was a six-point deficit with just over two minutes remaining.

It was a disappointing finish for Pascack Hills, which must have felt like a thoroughbred horse who gave his all for 3/4 of the race, only to have the second-place horse come streaking down the stretch and blow by him with that extra gear. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they could not find that extra gear, while Englewood did and never looked back.

Biggest shot of the night was a three-pointer from Naeem Carter that put Englewood on top by two with a minute left. So much for The Record's Athlete of the Week jinx -- Carter earned the award this week, as you'll read about in Tuesday's editions.

Stape's Scoop: Eastside in control; Wayne Valley in a foul mood

This is Art Stapleton, the Local Sports Columnist of The Record reporting live from the semifinals of the Passaic County boys basketball tournament here at Kennedy High School in Paterson. Make sure you also check the play-by-play updates from my colleague Andy Vasquez, who is also posting on Varsity Aces from here.

Tremendous half of basketball for the sixth-seeded Eastside Ghosts and, with the game being called so closely by the officials, Wayne Valley is certainly at a disadvantage when it comes to depth. Three Valley starters have three fouls, including point guard Jason Rosenberg, who is the most valuable player on the court for the Indians.

Eastside isn't doing anything fancy, but its defense against Nick Siljee has been great.

Stape's Scoop: Paterson C. boys move on

This is Art Stapleton, the Local Sports Columnist of The Record reporting live from the semifinals of the Passaic County boys basketball tournament here at Kennedy High School in Paterson.

Scary good. Paterson Catholic played the best game I've seen from the Cougars in years, at least in the County tournament, and they took Kennedy completely out of this one en route to the 75-45 victory.

Trevor Clemmings has been a monster inside with nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Jordan Theodore had 21 points and six assists as Paterson Catholic moves on to the finals for the fifth time in seven years.

Keep on reading for what you missed ...

Jamboree Live: Don Bosco 58, Elmwood Park 32, Final

The two-time defending champs move onto the quarterfinals with a date against 10th-seeded Englewood next weekend. My updates will end here as I have to write my column for Sunday's edition of The Record, but stay tuned to Varsity Aces for more updates throughout the day.