Three Bridgewater-Raritan High School teams simultaneously competed in their respective state tournaments on Thursday, February 27: both of Bridgewater-Raritan’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams and Bridgewater-Raritan’s ice hockey team, which is ranked No. 16 in all of New Jersey.
Despite fierce fights by all three squads, unfortunately, all of their seasons came to a close.
On the hardwood, Thursday, February 27, marked the first day both the Bridgewater-Raritan High School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams simultaneously competed in their respective state tournaments for the first time since 2021-22.
About 20 minutes after the Bridgewater-Raritan ice hockey team lost by a score of 3-2 in overtime to Monroe High School, the ice hockey game ended in Middlesex County; the Bridgewater-Raritanl girls’ basketball team officially made its postseason debut in Union County for the first time under third-year coach Xavier Brooks, who played scholastically at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.
Eighth-seeded Elizabeth High School erupted for 16 of the second quarter’s 20 points against ninth-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan to build a nine-point halftime lead over the Panthers, who responded by allowing just two third-quarter field goals to make it a one-possession game heading into the fourth quarter.
Elizabeth ultimately stretched its lead back to double digits in the fourth quarter before holding off a late rally by Bridgewater-Raritan en route to a 45-38 victory in the first round of the NJSIAA NorhJersey, Section 2, Group 4 state sectional tournament at Frank J. Cicarell Academy in Elizabeth.
In defeat, freshman Amanda Ciser (10 points) led Bridgewater-Raritan, which had eight different players score as follows: junior Bri Cacchio (seven points), sophomore Maddy Corbitt (seven points), freshman Sarah Hurlbut (four points), senior Gianna Callari (four points), senior Angela Tremarco (two points), freshman Sam Tremarco (two points), and freshman Erin Brocklehurst (two points).
Following its loss, Bridgewater-Raritan concluded its comeback campaign with a 10-15 record after winning just seven total games over the course of the previous two seasons.
The Bridgewater-Raritan boys' basketball team finished the day with a 60-56 loss to host Piscataway High School in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 state tournament.
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