It was a milestone night before Halloween for the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Class of 2025 at Turf 2 and the new-look John Basilone Memorial Field on campus.
Graduating senior members of the Class of 2025 from two Bridgewater-Raritan High School Panthers Athletics teams were recognized at home prior to their regular-season finale on Wednesday, October 30, in Bridgewater.
First up at John Basilone Memorial Field, the following 10 senior members of the Bridgewater-Raritan field hockey team were honored prior to their game against East Brunswick High School:Ella Daehnke, Emma Ciocon, Allison Prickett, Grace Miller, Destiny Parfitt, Kaitlin Leppert,Ava Lopa, Ava Mobus, Samantha Pock, and Lily Korsun.
The Panthers were then defeated, 3-0, via three first-half goals by East Brunswick and finished the regular season with a 7-10-2 record. East Brunswick improved their record to 18-1 and will begin NJSIAA North New Jersey, Group 4, Field Hockey Tournament play Monday, November 4, as the bracket’s No. 2 seed only behind top-seeded Montclair High School.
Bridgewater-Raritan qualified for the state playoffs as the bracket’s No. 12 seed and will travel to No. 5 seeded Livingston High School (13-3) at 4 p.m. Monday, November 4, in Livingston to begin the state tournament.
Shortly before the conclusion of field hockey at John Basilone Memorial Field, on the adjacent Turf 2, the following 10 senior members of the Bridgewater-Raritan girls’ soccer team were honored prior to their game against Ridge High School:
Audrey Martinho, Gianna Callari, Grace Drumgool, Ashley Straka, Ava Marcella, Kaitlyn Winne, Audra Day, Sophia Rosato, Ashley Smith, and Kate Iovine.
Thanks to the whopping ninth clean sheet of the season by the Panthers’ defense and freshman goalkeeper Brooke Engstrom along with a 66th-minute goal by junior Kayla Davidson, Bridgewater-Raritan edged Ridge 1-0 to finish their regular season with a 13-4-1 record and Skyland Conference Raritan Division champion.
The Panthers were awarded the No. 3 seed in the North New Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 ,behind top-seeded Westfield High School and second-seeded Bayonne High School.
Bridgewater-Raritan will now head into the state tournament with a perfect 9-0 home record, which factors in eight shutout victories and one total goal allowed in these nine games. The Panthers’ bid for its first sectional title since 2018 will begin against No. 14-seeded Watchung Hills Regional High School (3-14-2) at 3:45 p.m. Monday, November 4, in Bridgewater.
This will be a rematch of a regular-season contest won 3-0 by the Panthers at home on September 16.