The Week in Sports: a Look Back and a Look Ahead

From basketball to wrestling, and indoor track to bowling, here is the latest news in Fort Lee sports:

• The Bridgemen boys basketball team had back-to-back games this week finishing with one win and one loss. On Tuesday, Fort Lee faced off against River Dell in the Patch Game of the Week. The Bridgemen surged ahead to a 13-4 early lead and held the advantage the rest of the way in a 51-45 victory. The win was the 299th in the career for head coach John Ziemba. Sophomores Anthony Rafes and Nick Gentile teamed up for 29 points as Ziemba stood one game away from an historic milestone. Following a rescheduling, Fort Lee then hosted Dwight Morrow on Wednesday for senior day as opposed to Thursday. The team honored forward George Padin and guard Ryan Ford prior to the contest but would go on to lose 69-45 against the Maroon Raiders. Gentile, Rafes, and freshman guard Josh Ford all finished with double figures in points.  With the regular season now complete, the Bridgemen now enter the state tournament on Monday with a road game at Madison High School beginning at 7 p.m. A win would be the 300th for coach Ziemba and the team would also advance in the tournament. With a loss, the season would come to an end.
• The Fort Lee girl’s basketball team also had a pair of games this week. In a contest on the road, the Bridgemen lost to River Dell 50-25 on Tuesday night. Following a night off, Fort Lee returned on Thursday night for their senior day ceremonies as well. Seniors Bindi Parikh and Brianna Mattessich were named the Fort Lee Patch Athletes of the Week as they pulled themselves from the lineup to allow the other seniors an opportunity to start. With Lindsey Clesmere, Yamel Contreras, Arev Dinkjian, and Genevieve Noel starting, the Lady Bridgemen defeated Hudson Catholic 31-17. Seven players scored in the game for Fort Lee as all 11 players saw time on the floor. Just like the boys team, the girls team has qualified for the state tournament that starts on Monday. The Lady Bridgemen are on the road to play Rutherford High School at 5 p.m.  If the team wins, they will advance to the second round, but a loss would finish the year for the Lady Bridgemen.
• The bowling season ended two weeks ago with the end of the singles sectionals tournament.
• Fort Lee’s co-ed indoor track team concluded their season this week with the running of the Bergen County Indoor Championship Meet on Monday. Racing at the Armory in New York City, there were many noteworthy performances. Junior Nick Gogic competed in five different events in the morning (55 meter hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump and 1000 meter run) and finished sixth in the Boys Pentathlon. Coach Ed Garrison said that Nick provided “a lot of excitement” during the competition. On the girls side, senior Nancie Sophias finished second in the 600 Meter Run (1:43.6) and freshman Melanie Plattner placed fourth in the freshman 800 meter run (2:37.7). Junior Frankie Goris finished fourth in the 55 meter dash (6.8 seconds) for the boys, and the 4 x 400 meter relay team (juniors Jenya  Dyiagiley, Frankie Goris, Alex Chong, and YuYu Fahmy) posted a season best time of 3:40 in the final competition of the indoor track season.
• The wrestling season finished last week.