Amber Bretz -Scotch Plains-Fanwood: In two games last week, Amber totaled six goals, eight ground balls, seven draw controls, and four caused turnovers. She is one of the top goal scorers on the team and a dynamic play maker all over the field. With her consistency, tenacity, and leadership she will continue to have a huge impact this season.
Jake Canavan – Scotch Plains-Fanwood: Jake is 15 for 30 so far this season for a .500 batting average), He has only two strikeouts in 30 at bats and six stolen bases. He has scored 10 runs in nine games and has two doubles. He is among the best outfielders in the league this year and his performance against Elizabeth was a virtual highlight reel of incredible centerfield catches.
Dodley Thermitus – Elizabeth: During the past three and a half years Dodley has been a major contributor to the Minutemen Track Program. Accolades worth noting are his USA All American status, 4th place finish in the New Balance USA All American Triple Jump Championships, NJSIAA Section 2 Group 4 First Team All-State, Union County First Team All-Conference, 2016 Spring Meet of Champions Triple Jump Champion, Personal Bests: Triple Jump (in) – 49-5.25, Triple Jump – 50-3.25. Both jumps are 2nd best in NJ history. Dodley signed a Letter of Intent to attend the University of Houston this Fall, and we look forward to watching him perform during the Spring season!
Ronnie Walraff – Hillside: Ronnie had one hit in three at bats for Hillside last week driving in one.
Dan Hopkins – Union Catholic: The combination of a strong long game and the ability to scramble well have enabled Dan Hopkins to put together another great season on the golf course for Union Catholic this spring. Hopkins, a senior who lives in Scotch Plains, has fired the lowest round in each of his seven matches and is averaging 40 (nine holes) this season to lead the Vikings to a 6-1 record, Hopkins, who has a low score of 38 this season, said his distance has improved this season. Hopkins is the defending champion in the Mountain Division (C Group) and the Vikings are seeking its first major team title in the county since winning the Union County Championships in 1984 and ‘85. Union Catholic finished second to Dayton last year. Dayton dealt UC its only loss this season.
Sydney McLaughlin – Union Catholic: Olympian Sydney McLaughlin has gotten her final high school outdoor track and field season off to a red hot start. The senior at Union Catholic opened her season on April 8 by smashing yet another national record, running 38.90 in the 300-meter hurdles at the Arcadia Invitational in California in her first time ever running the event. That took more than a full second off the previous mark of 39.98 set in 2001 by Lashinda Demus, who would go on to win silver at the 2012 Olympics in the 400 hurdles, and win a world championship and set the American record in the 400 hurdles. McLaughlin now owns four individual national high school records. In addition to the 300 hurdles, she is the high school record holder in the indoor 400, the indoor 300, and the 400 hurdles, and she’s also a multiple national high school champion on both relays and individually. McLaughlin followed up her national record 300 hurdles performance with another remarkable race on April 15 when she ran one of the fastest 400 splits in U.S. high school history at the Morris Hills Relays. Running on Union Catholic’s distance medley relay, McLaughlin split 51.17 for her one lap. Then on April 22 at the Blue Devil Classic in Westfield, McLaughlin ran her first 400 hurdle race since the Olympic Games last summer and ran 56.15, the fastest high school time in the country this season.
