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At Denville Medical, your licensed physical therapist's goal is to maximize your body's structure and increase its overall function for long-term health. To accomplish this, our physical therapists combine traditional and innovative techniques focused on increasing muscle strength and improving the body's range of motion. Our goal is to discover the root cause of your pain or mobility problems. That way, we can address the true reason why you need physical therapy, and work towards achieving long-lasting relief.
Of course, we understand that every patient is different. Your doctor can provide expert care in an encouraging environment by creating a customized treatment plan for you using modern, evidence-based research.
Some common reasons why patients need physical therapy at Denville Medical include:
1.
Sports Injuries Whether you are on the varsity team of your high school football team or a professional athlete, sports injuries are serious business. Our doctors and physical therapists will develop a plan to help you heal properly, so you can get back in the game sooner rather than later.
2.
Pre and Post Operation With decades of combined experience, our physical therapy experts know that there is a time for gentle healing and a time for aggressive physical rehab. Whether you are scheduled for surgery or have recently been released from the hospital, our therapists are here to help you recover, one step at a time.
3.
Neurological Issues At Denville Medical, we treat much more than sports-based injuries. Whether you're suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, or a vestibular problem, our therapists are trained and certified to help you regain your body's optimal functionality.
Life has a habit of throwing us curveballs. Sure, some surprises only hurt your bank account, like expenses around the home. But more serious incidents, like car wrecks, can inflict physical injuries causing long-term pain. Injury-related problems like neck and back pain affect many Americans daily. Even worse, many hardworking people turn to addictive pain medication and invasive surgeries for relief, only to find themselves deeper in a hole.
If you're in chronic pain or suffer from range of motion problems, you should know that options are available for safer, more effective pain relief. One of the most commonly used solutions is physical therapy. The main goal of physical therapy is to maximize your body's mobility and increase overall function. In order to accomplish this, physical therapy techniques focus on improving range of motion and building muscle strength.
Physical therapy helps people of all ages with illnesses, medical conditions, or injuries that limit their mobility and body functionality. At Denville Medical and Sports Rehabilitation Center, our doctors and physical therapists create customized physical therapy programs to help patients reclaim their lives.
When combined with diet and exercise, many patients are able to enjoy activities that they only thought possible with youth.
Some of the most common techniques that physical therapists use to help patients include:
From improper ergonomics at your office desk to injuries sustained in car wrecks, neck pain is a widespread problem. Taking the proper preventative steps to deal with pain provides relief and can prevent the need for surgery or medication.
Generally, there are two kinds of neck pain: chronic and acute. Acute pain shouldn't last for more than six weeks, while chronic pain can last months or even years. Physical therapy is one of the most recommended treatments for neck pain. Treatments often involve reducing neck exercise, strength training, and stretching. If you're suffering from acute or chronic neck pain, it's important to have tests done by a physical therapist to determine the extent of your injury.
Neck pain is caused by a wide range of problems, like:
After identifying the underlying cause of your condition, your physical therapist will develop a comprehensive treatment to address your pain and provide long-term relief.
Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability in America. Back pain can start innocuously as a small muscle ache but can quickly become a more serious problem that disrupts daily life. Like neck pain, the best way to address the issue is to understand the root cause so that surgery is avoided.
Also like neck pain, back pain is either chronic (longer than six weeks) or acute (less than six weeks). Back pain can be caused by a number of events, like lifting a heavy item or simply sitting wrong for too long. To determine the extent of your injuries, you will need one or more diagnostic tests, like X-rays or MRI scans. Once the root cause of your condition is revealed, your physical therapist will work with Denville Medical doctors to create a treatment plan tailored to your body.
Common conditions linked to back pain include:
Experiencing a herniated disc is something most people dread, but many have to endure. Luckily, PT plays a significant role in herniated disc recovery. Physical therapy not only provides immediate pain relief, it teaches patients how to condition their bodies to avoid worse injuries.
At Denville Medical, our physical therapists and doctors have years of experience helping patients rehabilitate from herniated discs. Patients benefit from several time-tested techniques to relieve pain.
After diagnostic testing, active and passive treatments can include:
Do your hips feel uneven or misaligned? Do you suffer from hip stiffness or pain when the weather changes? Are you having trouble getting around the house like you used to? Your hips bear most of your weight, so it's no surprise that hip pain is very common among Americans.
Fortunately, physical therapy has been proven to provide relief for people dealing with acute or chronic hip pain. As with other forms of pain, you will need diagnostic testing to determine the extent of your hip problems.
Some common causes of hip pain include:
Once your hip issues are properly diagnosed, it's time to find relief. Denville Medical & Sports Rehabilitation Center offers several custom solutions, including acupuncture, chiropractic care, and personalized physical therapy.
Like hip pain, knee pain is a common condition in the U.S. and affects millions of people every year. Pain in the knee is caused by many things, including strains, injuries, age, and repetitive trauma. Sometimes, there's no apparent reason for knee pain. When it occurs, you may experience limited knee functionality, like difficulty standing, walking, sitting, and walking up and down stairs.
There are many conditions associated with knee pain, including:
If you notice symptoms like clicking or popping sounds, locking, inflammation, or sharp pains in your knee, physical therapy might be your best bet for relief.
Sometimes, surgery is the only option a patient can choose to alleviate pain from injuries and accidents. When this is the case, physical therapy plays a vital role before and after surgery.
To help you get a better sense of the scope of our physical therapy treatments, we're listing some of the most frequently asked questions that we receive at Denville Medical:
Answer : While some physical therapists rely on outdated techniques to treat patients, our team uses a combination of tried-and-true methods and modern strategies, including:
Answer : During your first visit with our physical therapist, we will complete a series of tests and screenings to establish a baseline for your care. You can expect to complete stability screenings, strength tests, and computerized range of motion tests. These tests ensure your doctor understands how your muscles are functioning. Once complete, your therapist will create a custom treatment plan for your physical therapy, so we can move forward with your care. During your time at Denville Medical, you should expect adjustments to your treatment plan as you make progress.
Answer : We get this question a lot, and we can certainly understand why. Unfortunately, we cannot provide you with an exact answer because every patient has different needs relating to their injuries and issues. Your level of stability and functionality depends on your condition, your goals, and your motivation to heal. For acute pain, patients typically experience relief in 2-3 weeks. Patients with forms of chronic pain usually feel optimal results after their first full course of therapy (4-6 weeks). Since our goal is to achieve maximum medical improvement, our doctors continuously monitor your progress and adjust treatment accordingly.
Whether you're dealing with chronic knee pain or acute back pain, relief is in sight. Rather than dangerous medicines and invasive surgeries, we specialize in non-surgical treatments like physical therapy. Our team of physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and primary care doctors have years of experience and work hand-in-hand to give you real pain relief.
If you're sick and tired of living life full of physical pain, now is the time to act. Don't let your body deteriorate – find your new lease on life at Denville Medical and Sports Rehabilitation Center.
973-627-7888
KINNELON – Kinnelon used an old-school formula to get the job done.The Colts ran the ball, burned the clock and kept the opposing offense off the field to defeat rival Pequannock, 19-7, on Friday in a SFC National Blue showdown at Spiros Sports Complex.Running backs Justin Tilton, Liam Parrella and Lex Lucas each scored a touchdown as Kinnelon evened its record at 3-3 to move into a three-way tie in the division standings with two games left in the regular season. Pequannock dipped to 3-3.“Mana...
KINNELON – Kinnelon used an old-school formula to get the job done.
The Colts ran the ball, burned the clock and kept the opposing offense off the field to defeat rival Pequannock, 19-7, on Friday in a SFC National Blue showdown at Spiros Sports Complex.
Running backs Justin Tilton, Liam Parrella and Lex Lucas each scored a touchdown as Kinnelon evened its record at 3-3 to move into a three-way tie in the division standings with two games left in the regular season. Pequannock dipped to 3-3.
“Managing the clock has been our game plan all season. The records really didn’t match up, but this is a rivalry game,” Tilton said. “We brought our best tonight. We executed tonight.
“Morale is really high right now and we feel good about this rivalry win. We have two more games and we have to win out and see what happens.”
Check out the photo gallery, then continue reading.
Kinnelon dominated the time of possession and ran 61 plays compared to Pequannock’s 32 plays.
The Colts went up 6-0 when Tilton raced nine yards to cap a six-play, 68-yard drive on the opening drive with 8:34 left in the first quarter.
Pequannock took a one-point lead in the closing seconds of the first quarter when Dennis Jarensky barreled in from two yards out.
But Kinnelon dominated the clock in the second quarter, running 17 plays and eating up more than 10 minutes before Parrella scored from a yard out to put the Colts up 13-7 with 1:33 left in the first half.
“We’re a power running team,” Kinnelon first-year coach Dustin Grande said. “We’re creating an identity here. We want to pound the rock and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Kinnelon is now tied for first place in the SFC National Blue standings with Pequannock and North Warren. The Colts control their own destiny, having defeated North Warren on Sept. 23 and now Pequannock.
Kinnelon is also .500 for the first time since the 2016 season.
Tilton rushed for 66 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown.
Lucas rushed for 78 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.
Parrella rushed for 74 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
“We preach one team, one family. That goes beyond our football team. We’re trying to incorporate everyone – the band, the fans, the youth program and the student body. We’re changing the culture here. We have an opportunity to do something special here for years to come.” – Grande
“Coach Grande built a scheme to run the ball and that’s what we did. We have a new field, a new coach and a new start. We want to continue to pound the rock and keep winning.” – Lucas
Kinnelon plays at Whippany Park next Friday.
Pequannock hosts Hanover Park next Friday.
Kinnelon 2, Lacey 1Anthony Pandiscia and Anthony Printy each scored to lead ninth-seeded Kinnelon in a 2-1 win over 24th-seeded Lacey in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament, in Skylands Ice World in Stockholm.Complete Box Score »Kinnelon (14-5-1) advanced to Thursday’s first round, where it will face the winner of the prelim round game between eight-seeded Toms River East and 25th-seeded Mount Olive....
Kinnelon 2, Lacey 1
Anthony Pandiscia and Anthony Printy each scored to lead ninth-seeded Kinnelon in a 2-1 win over 24th-seeded Lacey in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament, in Skylands Ice World in Stockholm.
Kinnelon (14-5-1) advanced to Thursday’s first round, where it will face the winner of the prelim round game between eight-seeded Toms River East and 25th-seeded Mount Olive.
Rylan Gibbons made 15 saves in the win.
Colin Costello scored for Lacey (9-12).
Ocean Township-Shore-Monmouth 6, Hopewell Valley 3
Alex Haar registered his 200th career point and Aiden Mumm posted a hat trick and one assist to push 13th-seeded Ocean Township-Shore-Monmouth in a 6-3 win over 20th-seeded Hopewell Valley in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament at Jersey Shore Arena.
Ocean Township (15-4-3) will face fourth-seeded Morris Knolls in the first round of the tournament on Thursday.
Haar, a senior, finished with a goal and four assists in the win, while Owen Mumm and Leo Labush also scored.
Hopewell Valley fell to 13-11-1.
Howell-Matawan 4, Park Regional 0
Nico Calandra recorded two goals and one assists as 12th-seeded Howell-Matawan rolled to a 4-0 win over 21st-seeded Park Regional in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament, at Howell Ice World
Howell (13-5-5) advanced to Thursday’s first round, where it will face the winner of the preliminary round game between fifth-seeded Verona and 28th-seeded High Point.
Matt Gresko posted a goal and two assists in the win while Aidan Garced scored once and Tony Brandl recorded three assists.
Park Regional fell to 9-11-3.
Pascack Valley-Pascack Hills 4, River Dell-Westwood-Emerson 0
tSeventh-seeded Pascack Valley-Pascack Hills rolled to a 4-0 win over 26th-seeded River Dell-Westwood-Emerson in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament, at Sport-o-Rama in Monsey, NY.
Pascack Valley (15-6-1) will face tenth-seeded Manasquan in the first round of the tournament on Thursday.
River Dell fell to 8-13.
Manasquan 6, Nottingham-Hamilton West-Steinert 1
Brendan Shaughnessy scored four goals to lead tenth-seeded Manasquan in a 6-1 win over 23rd-seeded Nottingham-Hamilton West-Steinert in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament, at Jersey Shore Arena in Wall.
Manasquan (9-9-1) will face seventh-seeded Pascack Valley in the first round of the tournament on Thursday.
James Farinacci added on two goals and an assist in the win, while Dylan Vowteras recorded five assists.
Zachary Meseroll scored for Nottingham (10-8-2).
Bernards-Middlesex-Somerville 4, Tenafly-Cresskill 2
Jimmy Hathway scored twice to lead 19th-seeded Bernards-Middlesex-Somerville to a 4-2 win over 14th-seeded Tenafly-Cresskill in the preliminary round of the Public C tournament, at MacKay Ice Rink in Englewood.
Bernards (13-4-2) will face third-seeded Colonia in the first round of the tournament on Thursday.
Tim Jelinek and Dyland Leonard also scored in the win.
Aidan Marom and Caleb Kim scored for Tenafly (10-12-1).
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Wood-Ridge ended an almost 50-year drought by registering its first football playoff win in program history.The Blue Devils’ 44-28 victory over Newark Shabazz in Friday night’s North 2, Group 1 opener represented their first postseason win since the NJSIAA introduced sectional playoffs in 1974.“This community is starving for success in their football program and these kids are giving it to them this year,” coach Joe Cutrona said.Top-seeded Wood-Ridge (8-1) rode three touchdown runs ...
Wood-Ridge ended an almost 50-year drought by registering its first football playoff win in program history.
The Blue Devils’ 44-28 victory over Newark Shabazz in Friday night’s North 2, Group 1 opener represented their first postseason win since the NJSIAA introduced sectional playoffs in 1974.
“This community is starving for success in their football program and these kids are giving it to them this year,” coach Joe Cutrona said.
Top-seeded Wood-Ridge (8-1) rode three touchdown runs by junior Antonio Loyola, and senior Braden Negro ran for 195 yards and a score as the team produced a season-high for points.
“They’re giving them something to cheer for, the games have been packed, and the whole town of Wood-Ridge seems to be coming out to these games,” Cutrona said. “It’s a huge program win, and a weight off the back about the playoffs.”
Interestingly, Wood-Ridge was awarded the North 1, Group 1 title in 1977, because it was the only team in that section to qualify, Cutrona said. The Blue Devils were 0-4 all-time in playoff games before Friday’s victory and they will host defending champion and No. 4 Cedar Grove (8-2).
Kinnelon’s 36-34 victory at Park Ridge in North 1, Group 1 marked a rare accomplishment in which a No. 8 seed knocked off the No. 1 seed. The NJSIAA expanded playoff brackets from four to eight teams in 1998 and years often pass before a No. 8 upsets a No. 1 in a North sectional.
Kinnelon (6-3) ran for more than 300 yards, with junior Lex Lucas rushing for 183 yards and three scores. The Colts took the 36-34 lead in the fourth after Lucas scored on a 44-yard run and junior Justin Tilton ran for his second 2-point conversion and the team’s third overall.
Kinnelon, riding a four-game winning streak, advances to next weekend's Public sectional semifinals and will play at No. 4 Brearley (9-0).
Westwood has North Jersey’s most successful defense, and the 34-0 win over Hanover Park in North 1, Group 2 marked its third consecutive shutout and sixth of the season. The Cardinals (9-0) have only allowed 27 points in 36 quarters.
Sophomore Dario Mathurin was a force on the line, senior Yianni Constantinides has been stellar at middle linebacker and junior Aidan Carranza has been a stalwart in the secondary for a team ranked No. 1 in the North Jersey Public Top 20 and No. 15 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Top 25.
“We knew that we could be explosive on offense,” said coach Dennis Hard, whose Cardinals have scored 333 points and will host No. 6 Jefferson (6-3), “but to put up these numbers on defense is amazing.”
Coming off its win in the NJIC Championship, Rutherford (9-0) forced a running clock for the eighth time with its 42-14 win over Mahwah in North 1, Group 2.
Senior Van Weber threw three TD passes to raise his North Jersey-leading total to 26. Junior Cole Goumas ran for three scores to help the top-seeded Bulldogs open a 42-7 lead and trigger the running clock.
“Offensively, Van has such a good control and understanding of what we do,” said coach Steve Dunn, whose Bulldogs will host No. 4 Dumont. “We try to make it hard on the other team as far as defending the entire width of the field, and we did everything well.”
Passaic Tech’s defense did not allow a score in a 27-7 victory over Morristown in North 1, Group 5. The top-seeded Bulldogs (8-2) have held every opponent to 13 points or less.
“The kids love playing defense,” said coach Matt Demarest, whose team will host rival and No. 4 Clifton (5-4). “There’s no secret sauce. They love running to the ball, they love making plays, they love working hard together. We’ve had kids all year who have fed off it.”
Juniors Trashon Dye and Cashmere Jones had eight tackles apiece, with Dye forcing a fumble. Juniors Kaiden Rex and Travon Dye each had five tackles, with Dye registering two sacks. Senior Quamar Ayscue was a force on the line and had a sack and junior Jovan Tyrell was stellar in coverage.
North Jersey’s top-scoring team kept the points coming, as Ramapo reached 48 points for the fifth time with a 49-18 win over Woodbridge in North 1, Group 4. The No. 2 Green Raiders (7-2) average 40.4 points per game.
All-State senior Jack Grusser threw for 274 yards and five TDs and ran for a score. Senior Ben Robinson caught seven passes for 244 yards and three TDs, and senior Nate Burleson caught two scores. Senior Ethan Moran ran for 77 yards and a TD for the Green Raiders, who will host No. 3 Ridge (7-2).
"Jack, Benny, Ethan, Nate, the offense really clicked very, very well," coach Mike DeFazio said, adding, "They did a very nice job just managing the offense and just being very, very efficient in capitalizing with explosive plays."
Old Tappan forced three turnovers in the first half to set the tone for its 42-8 victory over Lincoln in North 1, Group 3. This marks the sixth time the top-seeded Golden Knights (8-1) have held an opponent to under 10 points.
Sophomore Nick Rossi forced a fumble on a strip sack, junior Evan Brooks made an interception, and junior Christian Greaney had a pickoff late in the second quarter. Senior Jack Diggins made 12 tackles.
“Defensively we did a great job, just able to bottle up some of their top skill kids early on,” said coach Brian Dunn, whose team will host the winner of No. 4 Sparta/No. 5 Mendham. “They had a good drive going to start the game, and we got a fourth-down stop and field position switched to our favor the rest of the game.”
NOTE: This story will be updated throughout the night as games are completed. Check back later for more results.Park Ridge 39, Butler 35Deron McLaughlin went 5-for-8 from the free-throw line, finishing with a team-high 13 points to lead second-seeded Park Ridge to a narrow victory at home over 15-seed Butler, 39-35, in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 tournament.McLaughlin scored what would be the game-winning basket on a putback with 35 seconds left to give Park Ridge a 37-32 ...
NOTE: This story will be updated throughout the night as games are completed. Check back later for more results.
Park Ridge 39, Butler 35
Deron McLaughlin went 5-for-8 from the free-throw line, finishing with a team-high 13 points to lead second-seeded Park Ridge to a narrow victory at home over 15-seed Butler, 39-35, in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 1 tournament.
McLaughlin scored what would be the game-winning basket on a putback with 35 seconds left to give Park Ridge a 37-32 lead as well as a pair of game-sealing free throws with five seconds remaining, with Butler’s Josh Emann hitting a 3-pointer in between to temporarily cut the lead to two.
While a matchup between a 15-seed and a 2-seed doesn’t always produce the most entertaining matchups, the Bulldogs (9-14) refused to see their season end without putting up a fight.
“Butler is incredibly well coached,” said Park Ridge head coach Brian Koch on his first-round opponent. “They play with such discipline and attention to detail. As I told my team, the seeds mean nothing in the state tournament. It is all about survive-and-advance, and we were able to do that today.”
Sam Fasola scored 12 points on four made 3-pointers while Zach Mallis added nine points for Park Ridge (17-7), which will host seventh-seeded Emerson Boro in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday.
Emerson Boro 50, Midland Park 42 (OT)
Jeremy Lachman went 7-for-10 from the free-throw line on the way to a team-high 17 points to lead seventh-seeded Emerson Boro to a hard-fought first-round victory at home over 10-seed Midland Park, 50-42, in overtime.
Jason Ziemba scored 14 points with four made 3-pointers while Michael Dillon hit a pair of 3s and went 3-for-4 from the stripe, tallying nine points for Emerson Boro (13-12), which was outscored by a count of 14-6 in the fourth quarter before swinging the momentum with a dominant 12-4 OT period.
Emerson Boro has lost four of the last five games against quarterfinal-round opponent Park Ridge dating back to Feb. 2021, its only win in that span coming in the form of a dramatic 39-38 come-from-behind victory.
The teams have matched up well recently, with each of the last four contests being decided by a margin of seven or fewer points, including three by three points or fewer.
Midland Park falls to 9-16 with the loss.
Kittatinny 47, Waldwick 44
Mike Zoellner scored a team-high 20 points to lead ninth-seeded Kittatinny to a come-from-behind victory on the road over eighth-seeded Waldwick, 47-44.
Zoellner scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth, including an and-1 to give Kittatinny a 45-42 lead with 1:50 remaining, as the Cougars outscored Waldwick by a count of 19-6 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.
Hunter Thibault tallied 13 points while Caedon Jones chipped in seven for Kittatinny (10-12), which will go on the road to face top-seeded Cresskill in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday night.
Waldwick drops to 11-14 with the loss.
Cresskill 47, Hawthorne 24
Marko Radovich made three 3-pointers on the way to a team-high 16 points to lead top-seeded Cresskill to a one-sided first-round victory at home over 16-seed Hawthorne, 47-24.
Cody Song notched eight points while Jack Hayward chipped in seven for Cresskill (16-9), which will host ninth-seeded Kittatinny in the nightcap of the quarterfinal round, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
The loss moves Hawthorne to 7-15 on the year.
West Caldwell Tech 78, New Milford 43
Joel DeSuze scored a team-high to lead fourth-seeded West Caldwell Tech to a victory at home over 13-seed New Milford, 78-43.
Aziz Sutton-Shorter chipped in 16 points while Jesus Koudou added 14 points for West Caldwell Tech (18-9), which will host fifth-seeded Hasbrouck Heights in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
New Milford falls to 10-14 with the loss.
Hasbrouck Heights 56, Mountain Lakes 49 (OT)
Jack Baker scored a game-high 23 points to lead fifth-seeded Hasbrouck Heights to a come-from-behind first-round victory at home over 12-seed Mountain Lakes, 56-49, in overtime.
Evan Werner, Caden DeRosa and Shane Ike had eight points apiece while Anthony Peterson chipped in seven for Hasbrouck Heights (18-8), which trailed by 13 at halftime before swinging the momentum with a 19-10 third quarter.
Hasbrouck Heights put on the clamps in the late stages of the game, allowing seven points in the fourth quarter and only four points in the overtime period.
Nick Shuhet and Nico Dunn scored 11 points apiece while Ben Miniter added eight points for Mountain Lakes, which falls to 8-18 with the loss.
Hasbrouck Heights will go on the road to face fourth-seeded West Caldwell Tech in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday.
Paterson Charter 72, Boonton 48
Deangelo Hibbert scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead third-seeded Paterson Charter to a victory at home over 14-seed Boonton, 72-48.
Kemar Degroat also recorded a double-double, tallying 20 points and 12 rebounds for Paterson Charter, which led by one at halftime before blowing things open with a 20-4 third quarter.
Ka’Juan Gee added 13 points while Adrian Mouzone scored four points to go along with six assists and five steals for Paterson Charter (15-6), which will host sixth-seeded Kinnelon, fresh off a dramatic 1-point first-round victory in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Ethan Volante scored a team-high 15 points while Charlie Hurd tallied nine points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals for Boonton, which falls to 9-17 with the loss.
Patrick McMaster chipped in eight points and eight boards for Boonton.
Kinnelon 51, Passaic Charter 50
Nick Canariato tallied 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead sixth-seeded Kinnelon to a narrow victory at home over 11-seed Passaic Charter, 51-50.
Point guard Dylan Charles finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Kinnelon, which erased a five-point deficit late in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback and advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinal round, where it will face Paterson Charter on the road.
Cam Roberts scored a team-high 11 points while Alix Siri chipped in nine points for Passaic Charter, which falls to 10-12 with the loss.
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ATLANTIC CITY – Kayla Vazquez is in a league of her own.The Kinnelon junior joined elite company on Saturday when she became just the second Morris County girl to capture a state wrestling title.Vazquez, a three-time state medalist, defeated Maya Hemo of Cherry Hill East, 5-0, in the 132-pound championship match at Boardwalk Hall."This is unreal. I've dreamt about this since I was in fourth grade. The fact that I'm finally here doing it, especially in Atlantic City, is amazing," Vazquez sai...
ATLANTIC CITY – Kayla Vazquez is in a league of her own.
The Kinnelon junior joined elite company on Saturday when she became just the second Morris County girl to capture a state wrestling title.
Vazquez, a three-time state medalist, defeated Maya Hemo of Cherry Hill East, 5-0, in the 132-pound championship match at Boardwalk Hall.
"This is unreal. I've dreamt about this since I was in fourth grade. The fact that I'm finally here doing it, especially in Atlantic City, is amazing," Vazquez said. "This moves my momentum forward. I'm already looking forward to next year and defending my title."
Vazquez (18-0) joins Morris County pioneer Sydney Petzinger, who won back to back state titles in 2019-20, as the only girls in county history to accomplish the feat. She is the second Kinnelon wrestler to capture a NJSIAA crown, joining two-time champion Evan Mougalian, who won in 2020 and 2022.
Vazquez placed third in the state at 120 pounds in 2021 and was third again in 2022 at 126 pounds.
"There's wrestling in Kinnelon. That's what I would say," Kinnelon coach Eric DiColo said. "I don't care what size school you are, if you have a solid recreation program, kids that commit at a young age, and compete in your high school and club, this is what you get.
"Kayla has been active since she was young, similar to Evan [Mougalian]. It just goes to show you if you're dedicated, this is the result and you can do it anywhere."
Vazquez jumped out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first period on a takedown and stretched the lead to 4-0 with another takedown with 34 seconds left in the second. She sealed it with an escape with a minute left in the third.
Her wrestling path started when she was 3 years old and involved in Judo. After moving to Kinnelon in fourth grade, a family friend invited her to a wrestling workout. The rest is history.
"The next thing I knew, I was on a wrestling mat. I fell in love with it," Vazquez said. "I work out almost every day. But when I need a break, I take a day or two. I love the sport, but I don't want to treat it like a job. I make it fun and change it up a little."
DiColo said Vazquez has been an inspiration to the younger girls in the Kinnelon feeder program.
"We've had about 10 to 12 girls join our rec program in the last two years. It's starting to happen and the future is bright because of Kayla," DiColo said. "You have these little girls running around and they want to be just like her [Vazquez]. It's awesome.
"I'd like to see Kayla repeat next year. I think she's now the top pound-for-pound girl wrestler in the state with [Kira] Pipkins moving on."
161 East Main Street, Route 53, Denville, New Jersey 07834
(973) 627-7040
