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.
Starting out the busy day for Bridgewater-Raritan High School athletics was Bridgewater-Raritan's top-seeded ice hockey team, which miraculously overcame a late two-goal deficit against eighth-seeded Monroe Township High School with a pair of goals by sophomore Sasha Abolenskiy in the final 2:23 of regulation to force overtime.
However, the visiting Falcons were able to deliver the game-winning goal with 7:52 remaining in sudden death to seal 3-2 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA SouthPublic tournament at Rock Ice Arena in Dunellen.
Seniors Dylan Churpakovich and Sean Fagan each delivered an assist for Bridgewater-Raritan while freshman goalie Justin Madison (33 saves) eclipsed the 600-save milestone in his debut season.
Bridgewater-Raritan concluded its historic year with a 22-4 record, the SkylandConference Delaware Division crown, and its first Skyland Cup title in a decade under fourth-year head coach Vincent Arnone. Bridgewater-Raritan had last won the Skyland Cup in 2015.