Sports Shorts

The East Brunswick Dragons, an U8 boys recreation team, ended its fall season last week. The Dragons had a successful season, winning about half of their games. The team was lead by James Fiocco, who had 13 goals. All of the players had a great season, improving and understanding the exciting game of soccer. The team members are Samuel Cheung, Seth D’ver, Charles Huang, Jacob Barry, Cory Lew-Merwin, Brian Nuritdinov, Pedro Perez, Greg Walsh and Joshua Zaltsman.

The East Brunswick/Spotswood Golden Bear Chargers Junior Peewees team put on an offensive show on Sunday in the quarterfinal round in the Garden State Playoffs at South Brunswick. The Central Jersey Champs found themselves coming from behind for the third straight week. Down 6-0, Jake Krantz, Blake Fredricks and Ron Santana opened a hole for fullback Rich Yura to put GBC on top 7-6 with 4:25 to go in the first quarter. On the next possession, quarterback Dean Vitale Jr. raced 75 yards for the second score, and a 13-6 lead. Vitale then hit Troy Zeiger with a 44-yard strike, and the score was 20-6. Zeiger recovered a fumble and scampered 30 yards for the next score, making it 27-6 at the half. In the third quarter, Vitale hit Zeiger with a 15-yarder, set up by catches from Tyler Mataya, Rich Yura and Mark Kukoda. Vitale finished with 261 all-purpose yards. In the third quarter, Frank Granito picked off a pass and ran it down to the Clark 34-yard line.

“Frank has been making plays for us this year — it could be a pick or a QB sack, but he manages to get himself in the right positions,” said head coach Dean Vitale.

Other stand-out performances were made by Cory Weeks, David Lyons, Dan Lagotto, Mike Clemente, Jordan and Max Cartelli. Mark Kukoda took over in the fourth quarter, with runs of 15 and 9 yards

The final score was 46-18. GBC will play Toms River in the semifinals at East Brunswick High School on Saturday. Kickoff is 4 p.m.

The College of New Jersey junior Alissa Kacar, of East Brunswick, was named to the first team New Jersey Athletic Conference All-Conference Soccer Team. It is her first selection to the team. This season, she owns a .31 goals-against average, which ranks her 11th in Division III. Kacar has not allowed a goal in 1,049 minutes and 51 seconds, and has recorded nine solo shutouts in 2004. The last goal she gave up was on Sept. 25 at Richard Stockton College. The Lions’ starter for the past two seasons, Kacar garnered NJAC Defensive Player of the Week honors twice and an ECAC Goaltender of the Week citation this season.