Sparta field hockey opens season with shutout win over Pope John

Cassandra Allara, Caroline Weiss, Caitlin Carmody and Brielle Vera each found the back of the net to lift the Sparta High field hockey team to a 4-0 victory over Pope John in the season-opening game for each squad on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Pope John High in Sparta.

Abigail Wainwright (two saves) and Kaitlyn Rodriguez (one save) combined on the shutout for Sparta.

Sparta (1-0) will be back in action on Thursday, Sept. 10, against Mendham at 4 p.m. before playing at Parsippany Hills on Monday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m.

Pope John Boys Soccer

Ethan Nowak and Teo Fedullo each scored in the second half as Pope John erased a two-goal deficit and earned a 2-2 tie with Newton on Saturday afternoon in Newton Township.

Goalie Matthew Rivera made four saves for the Lions, who played through two scoreless overtime periods to improve to 1-0-1.

In its season opener on Thursday, Sept. 3, Pope John edged Morris Knolls, 1-0, in Rockaway as Nowak converted a feed from Fedullo in the second half.

Rivera earned the shutout with a 12-save performance.

The Lions will play at Dover on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. before playing at Morris Hills on Tuesday, Sept. 15, in Rockaway at 4 p.m.

Pope John Girls Soccer

Skyler Wyatt scored off a pass from Bella Quinn in the second half but Pope John bowed to Montville on Thursday, Sept. 3, in Montville.

Grace Wood made seven stops in net for the Lady Lions (0-1).

Pope John will play at Morristown on Friday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m. before playing host to Morris Hills on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.

Sparta Girls Tennis

Sara Schwarz (third singles), Juliet Shim and Brinnley Moriarty (first doubles) and Julia Schwarz and Brooke Evelyn (second doubles) each won their respective flights to pace Sparta to a 3-2 victory over West Morris on Thursday, Sept. 3 in Sparta.

The Lady Spartans (1-1) will play at Chatham on Thursday, Sept. 10, before playing at Mendham on Monday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m.

Sparta Girls Volleyball

Sparta dropped a hard-fought 25-21, 25-20 decision to West Morris in the season-opening match for each squad on Thursday, Sept. 3, in Sparta.

Kylie Snyder (five assists, two service points, one dig), Maeve Uitdenhowen (five service points, two digs, one kill, one ace), Brooke Meara (two kills, two blocks, one dig, one ace), Avery Munier (five digs, four service points, one ace, one kill), Olivia Stanton (six digs, two kills, two blocks, two service points, two aces), Nakia Mathurin (one kill, one dig), Grace Mathurin (six digs, five kills, one service points), Valerie Kopco (two assists, one dig, one kill), Isabella Van Winkle (four digs, three service points, one ace) and Nikki Sucich (six digs) led the Lady Spartans (0-1)

Sparta will play at Hackettstown on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. before playing at Mount Olive on Monday, Sept. 14, at 4 p.m.