Jake Asbury (18) of Mount Olive pitches the ball against Montville during the baseball game at Mount Olive High School in Mount Olive
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJake Asbury had three RBI
going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored as fourth-seeded Mount Olive defeated 12th-seeded Hanover Park
in the Morris County Tournament quarterfinals in Flanders
Justin Bullock went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for Mount Olive (13-4)
Peter Zoccolillo and David Harmon each added a run and a RBI in the win
Mount Olive’s sixth in the last seven games
Max Wood picked up the win in 1.2 innings of relief
striking out three while allowing an unearned run
Mount Olive plays top-seeded and five-time defending champion Delbarton in the semifinals on Saturday at 3 p.m
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Supervisors Stefan Wentling, Dennis Grubb and Ed Heagy convene Monday. (Emily Bixler)
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The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to advertise an ordinance eliminating traffic impact fees at its monthly meeting April 28
Township manager Erik Harmon communicated to supervisors that the planning commission has been discussing traffic impact fees
and the need to either update or remove them
believes that we should just eliminate the fee instead of update it,” said Harmon
“There’s nothing that would prevent us from
but we’re looking at a good bit of work whether we update it now or update it five years from now.”
If you rely on us for your Lebanon County news
East Hanover’s code of ordinances establishes transportation impact fees for new developments
calculated by taking total cost of road improvements in a Transportation Capital Improvements Plan within an area and dividing by the estimated peak-hour trips generated by new development
The ordinance specifically references the 8th edition of the Trip Generation Manual by the Institute of Transportation Engineers
Supervisors also unanimously agreed to advertise an ordinance increasing supervisor compensation
though the increase would only go into effect for new terms
Compensation has not been increased in over 10 years
and new legislation setting maximum salaries has recently passed
Harmon said the township’s population determines maximum salary
Supervisors will vote on eliminating traffic impact fees fees and increasing salary at their May monthly meeting
The East Hanover Township Board of Supervisors meets the fourth Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m
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Barley Snyder
BlueScope Buildings North America
Brick Property Services
Caring Transitions of Hershey & Lebanon PA
Community Health Council of Lebanon County
Cornwall Manor
Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority
Gretna Music
Henise Tire Service
In The Net
Jono Hardware
Lebanon Area Fair
Lebanon County Bar Association
Lebanon Internal Medicine Associates
Reliable Moving & Storage
Salvation Army Lebanon Corps
Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, Inc.
The Original Mount Gretna Cicada Music Festival
A Hanover Park man is being detained pretrial after being accused of seriously injuring a DuPage County sheriff’s deputy by pepper spraying him
is charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer — great bodily harm
aggravated assault on a peace officer and misdemeanor attempted aggravated assault on a peace officer
deputies were investigating an incident at a home under construction in the 6N600 block of Cloverdale Road near Roselle
The owner reported that she had previously allowed Torres to remove scrap metal and other discarded materials as long as she was there and gave permission
The owner told police that when she went to the property and confronted Torres
he took out a knife with a 6- to 8-inch blade
and stabbed a plastic container repeatedly
Deputies found him by the gasoline pumps at a station on Lake Street in Hanover Park
Torres pulled out a canister of pepper spray and sprayed at the deputy’s face
rupturing the patellar tendons in both knees and dislocating his kneecaps
Torres continued to run away and unsuccessfully discharged pepper spray at two other deputies before being apprehended
He had two canisters of pepper spray when deputies took him into custody
EAST HANOVER − The more things change; the more things stay the same for Hanover Park
The Hornets continued their sectional-title streak by winning their fourth straight on Wednesday
Group 1 final in front of an overflow crowd in East Hanover
The win marked Hanover Park’s 16th sectional title and 11th in the last 14 years
The win pushes Hanover Park (16-6) into a Group 1 semifinal on Friday
The Hornets will host the winner of Thursday’s South Jersey Group 1 sectional final between Paulsboro and Schalick
It’s the second time in school history that we’ve won four straight sectional titles
It’s a hard-working group that’s put in a lot of time and work over the years,” Hanover Park coach Tyler Branham said
What it meansIt is the third straight year Hanover Park defeated Hasbrouck Heights in a sectional final
Last year the Hornets defeated the Aviators
Hanover Park scored a 62-9 win in East Hanover
The Hornets previously won sectional titles from 2012-2015
Hanover Park has failed to reach a Group final in its last six attempts
It won its only Group crown in 2015 when it defeated Lenape Valley
It is the fourth straight year Hasbrouck Heights (20-2) has reached a sectional final
The Aviators are 74-21 combined in the last four years under fourth-year coach Kristopher Freund
The Hornets flexed their muscles up top on Wednesday night and won four of the five matches from 165-285 pounds
Hasbrouck Heights took a quick 6-0 lead when Emil Belyayev pinned at 157 pounds before Nando Ott (165) jumpstarted the Hornets with a 19-4 technical fall over Eoin Maloney
winning 9 of 14 bouts and scored bonus points in as many matches including seven by fall
The Hornets opened a 29-12 lead through seven bouts on four straight pins from 190-106 pounds
Aeden Hamilton (285) and Gabriella Conte (106)
“We put the team in a good spot and it kept us rolling,” Hamilton said
Vin [LaValle] is a great captain and leader and we all work very hard
It’s nice to see the progression over the years.”
Hasbrouck Heights pulled to within 29-19 when Nicolas Carvajal (113) and Mateo Toledo (120) won back-to-back matches
Carvajal scored a 10-7 come-from-behind decision in the final :30 and Toledo won by major decision
Hanover Park won four of the final five bouts
Nick DiFrancescantonio (126) and Santino Danise (132) pinned
Joey Tantawi (144) scored an 18-2 technical fall and Joey Borrello closed it out with a fall in 1:44 at 150 pounds
We’re all supportive of each other and we care for one another.”
Emily Rolph (39) of Morris Knolls connects with the ball during the softball game between Morris Knolls and Jefferson at Morris Knolls High School in Denville
2024.Mile Djordjiovski | For NJ Advance Media
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comEmily Rolph drove in two runs and scored twice while batting 2-for-3 for fourth-seeded Morris Knolls in its 4-1 win against fifth-seeded Hanover Park in the quarterfinal round of the Morris County Tournament in Rockaway
Morris Knolls (11-3) led 4-0 after the third inning
Hanover Park (9-5) answered back with a run in the top of the fourth as Morris Knolls held on to win
Kaylee Rolph was 1-for-3 for Morris Knolls with an RBI
Sofia Cruz and Julia Fox each scored a run
Kayla Doyle went 6 and 2/3 innings for Morris Knolls
two walks and an earned run while fanning three
Fox went 2/3 innings and struck out both batters she faced
Sabrina Casola knocked a solo home run for the lone run for Hanover Park
Jules Piano went the distance for Hanover Park
Morris Knolls will face top-seeded Morris Catholic
in the semifinal round of the Morris County Tournament on Wednesday at Landing Park in Roxbury
Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com
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The three especially long-serving village presidents of Inverness
Hanover Park and Streamwood faced and appeared to overcome challengers in Tuesday’s election
those challengers came from other local government boards in their respective communities
nine-term Streamwood Village President Billie Roth had 1,745 votes
to challenger and Poplar Creek Library Trustee Asad Khan’s 588 votes
Khan said he was concerned about declining population in the village
He also wanted to modernize such services as online bill paying to make it easier to do from a phone
and encourage more open dialogue about what residents want
Roth said she has a proven track record and wants to continue her practice of being both forward-looking and financially responsible
She touts the village’s balanced budget despite pension challenges
as well as managing to forgo a local grocery tax
a 30-year member of the Hanover Park Park District’s board of commissioners and its current president
According to unofficial results at press time
to Elkins’ 369 votes in both Cook and DuPage counties
One of the most timely issues they debated was whether the village should replace the state’s 1% grocery tax with its own 1% tax
Elkins believed that would create a hardship for residents
while its absence could attract shoppers from elsewhere
But Craig said the village needs those revenues to provide necessary services and it would have to be made up elsewhere — probably from property taxes
Craig also touted a decade-long decline in major crimes in the village that included 2024’s crime rate being the lowest since records began being kept 50 years ago
who has led Inverness for the past 28 years as village president
to challenger Benjamin Gottlieb’s 511 votes once all precincts had reported
Gottlieb declined participation in Daily Herald endorsement interviews and did not respond to requests for information on his candidacy
Inverness became a home rule community and later created its first police department in 2009
with its emphasis on what he called neighborhood-focused policing
as one of the greatest achievements of his long tenure
He credited that with enhancing village safety after years of contracting with other communities and saving about $14 million over the years
Tatooles pointed to the village’s AAA bond rating
lack of debt and healthy cash reserves as proof of his board’s financial stewardship
stock market swings and the potential loss of federal grants
after following in his cleats by bringing Hanover Park a sectional football title
Filippone and Hanover Park captured the program's second sectional title - and first since his dad's team won in 1990 - with a 24-3 win over Glen Rock in Friday's North 2
one of three Hornets whose dads were on the 1990 North 2
because my whole life I’ve been thinking about this moment.”
caught an 11-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Joey Borrello late in the third quarter to give Hanover Park (9-2) its 24-3 lead
Filippone's TD came after top-seeded Glen Rock (9-2) cut the deficit to 17-3 on a 34-yard field goal by senior Mike Flaccavento
Borrello threw a 57-yard TD pass to junior Jack Kovacs in the first quarter
and Borrello scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter
Hanover Park parlayed the second-kickoff into a 17-0 lead on a 21-yard field goal by senior Ryan Galioto
It was set up by Filippone's kickoff return to the Glen Rock 34-yard line
“That’s a real good football team over there,” Hanover Park coach Dan Fulton said of Glen Rock
They don’t get held under 30 points very often
so to keep them out of the end zone is pretty impressive.”
What it meansHanover Park will host a Group 2 state semifinal game on Friday against Shabazz
which defeated previously-unbeaten Bernards to capture the North 1
but then we’re going to go nuts next week and hopefully keep it rolling
But we’ve got a lot of work to do to keep it going.”
Senior-led Glen Rock was bidding for its first sectional title since the program's glory days at the turn of the century
when the program won five consecutive sectional crowns from 1998-2002
It was the first time this season the Panthers did not score a TD
“We had a great season and we left it all on the field,” said Glen Rock’s first-year coach
“I’m proud of our team and how far we went this season
By the numbersHanover Park amassed 311 total yards
Borrello completed 14 of 19 passes for 175 yards
The Hornets defense did not allow Glen Rock to cross midfield until the third quarter
with Filippone making one of their two first-half interceptions
Senior quarterback Nick Atme completed 19 of 36 passes for 170 yards
The Panthers’ defense kept them within 14-0 at halftime by deflecting a pass at the line of scrimmage on a fourth-and-2 at their 24-yard line
and forcing a fumble and recovering at their 10-yard line less than a minute before intermission
“We just played loose and had fun out there,” said Filippone
we’ve been talking about this since freshman year,” Borrello said
“And that ‘Senior year is our year and we’re going to come out and get it.’ And
Alex Cheringal (6) of Hanover Park delivers a pitch against Rutherford during the NJSIAA North 2
Group 2 baseball sectional final at Hanover Park High School in East Hanover
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Craig Epstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comAlex Cheringal pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings for 12th-seeded Hanover Park with 10 strikeouts
and one walk as it upset fifth-seeded Morris Knolls 1-0 in the Morris County Tournament first round in Rockaway
Nando Ott led off the fifth inning with a single for Hanover Park (9-6) before scoring the game’s lone run
Hanover Park will face Mount Olive in the quarterfinals tomorrow at 3 p.m
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ATLANTIC CITY – Hanover Park sophomore Gabriella Conte knows all about the pressure that comes with being a state wrestling champion
Since winning a title last year as a freshman
she’s been marked at every competition and knows there’s a target on her back
But that’s what keeps Conte motivated and always ready for a challenge
More: Full list of medalists at 2025 NJ state wrestling tournament
Conte passed another test on Saturday when she captured a second straight state title
defeating Princessstorm Woody of Trenton Central
16-0 in the 107-pound title bout at Boardwalk Hall
I knew everyone was going to be coming after me
I continued to wrestle my pace and I didn’t let last year’s statistics put any pressure on me,” Conte said
“I’ve been working harder this season with my brother and training in the offseason to get better.”
Conte (15-1) raced to a 4-0 lead in the first period and ran away with the match in the second with a takedown and a series of near-falls to register the technical fall
Conte dominated in all three of her matches over the three day tournament with a fall in the quarterfinals and back-to-back technical falls
I knew I was going to have a good match in the finals,” Conte said
“She [Woody] has been dominant all season.”
Conte is the seventh state wrestling champion in school history and the fifth to win at least two titles
Last March Conte won her first state crown when she claimed the 100-pound title as a freshman
She now has the opportunity next year to become the East Hanover school’s third three-time winner
“A lot of our people have been down here and they’ve helped us train and deal with the pressure and all the attention,” Conte said
“That really helped coming into this tournament.”
Hanover Park pitches during the Hanover Park vs
Northern Highlands softball game at The Anthony Larezza Invitational in Washington Township
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaJules Piano allowed two hits and struck out five over four hitless innings and Giovanna Pignataro worked quiet fifth
as Hanover Park brought an emphatic end to Parsippany’s undefeated run
in first-round play of the Morris County Tournament in East Hanover
The fifth-seeded Hornets (9-3) will travel to fourth-seeded Morris Knolls Saturday for a quarterfinal game
Parsippany (9-1) reeled off nine straight wins to start the season
but found itself down four runs after one inning in this one
The Hornets doubled their lead in the second and added five runs in the third
Gabby Carlucci had two hits and three RBIs for Hanover Park
Sabrina Casola and Sofia Bumazhnaya added two hits and drove in two runs each
John Lewis can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com
EAST HANOVER − Shabazz scored on its opening drive
then relied upon outstanding defense to pull out an 8-7 win over Hanover Park in Friday’s Group 2 state semifinals
"It starts with our defensive line," senior safety Omari Gaines said
"They eliminate the run game and force our opponents to try and pass."
is the gem of an outstanding secondary for the Bulldogs that held its sixth different opponent this season to eight points or fewer
Gaines hauled in an interception in the third quarter
one of several drives halted by the Shabazz defense
The Bulldogs struck early with a five-play drive to begin the game
capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Daveion Porter
He then took a handoff on the two-point try
performing a jump pass to Zaiden McDonald in the back of the end zone
That gave Shabazz an 8-0 lead with 9:41 left in the first quarter
Hanover Park responded in the second quarter with a touchdown drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Joey Borrello to Joey Tantawi
The extra point by Ryan Galioto cut the Bulldogs' lead to a single point
Hanover Park had chances with six different drives into Shabazz territory
But Shabazz stopped the Hornets on five of those drives to hold on for the win
"When the offense isn't able to perform well
"If you make a mistake on one side of the ball
the other side is determined to get the ball back and give them another shot."
Key playHanover Park had the ball at the Shabazz 20-yard line when the fourth quarter began
the Hornets decided to try for a go-ahead field goal despite the weather
Galioto lined up for a 33-yard field goal try that would have put Hanover Park up by two points
Hanover Park never got that close to the end zone again
Shabazz, which advanced to the Group 2 state final with the win, is among a handful of programs brought up in discussions about changing the way the NJSIAA classifies public schools
Any student in the city of Newark can attend Shabazz
It's one of several examples of public-school systems that can pull from outside a strict set of borders
Schools are currently classified by enrollment without factoring in the total area they can pull students from
Shabazz was moved from Group 1 to Group 2 this year
though some believe the Bulldogs should have to play in a higher group
Shabazz coach Naz Oliver was outspoken following Friday's win
"A lot of people don't know what these kids go through in the city of Newark on a day-to-day basis," Oliver said
"All of the opposing coaches we play want to talk about the transfers
They never want to give credit to our kids and our community
These kids are out here playing our heart out day in and day out
And look what they are doing on the field: proving everybody wrong."
and is now in a state final after starting the postseason as the No
Oliver discussed their path to the Group 2 championship
naming the three opponents the Bulldogs defeated in their sectional bracket
"It's about instilling hope in the city of Newark
it's an asterisk next to us when we win because we have transfers
None of these coaches will ever even survive coaching an inner-city school."
Shabazz is the first Newark-based football program to play for a public state championship
The Bulldogs (10-2) will play Weequahic (3-6) on Thanksgiving in the annual Soul Bowl
then will face two-time Group 2 runner-up Rumson-Fair Haven in the Group 2 final on Wednesday
Shabazz is not looking past their annual Thanksgiving game with their in-city rival
especially since Weequahic has won the last four editions of the rivalry and won last season's game
"I've been playing football since I was 7 years old and I've never lost like I did last year
I know that was my first year [at Shabazz]
I don't care if we play the Patriots at Rutgers
we are going to be ready for the Soul Bowl game."
Hanover Park finishes the season 10-2 with both losses coming by a single point
And that's what we're going to keep doing." - Oliver
"We're just trying to win every day in practice
we are going to try and make history." - Gaines
PISCATAWAY — Takedowns and cradles are one thing
but the Delaware Valley wrestlers just felt those good spirits
the positive juju before the NJSIAA Group 1 final against Hanover Park
“I loved the vibe from the minute we woke up this morning,” Del Val coach Andy Fitz said
we started at the right weight — everything just went our way today
Del Val defeated Hanover Park 47-16 to capture the program’s 11th overall team state title and the third in the four seasons at Jersey Mike’s Arena at Rutgers
The Terriers (18-3) followed their blueprint to near-perfection by winning the bouts they were favored in — big — with three pins and four technical falls and avoided any upsets
Del Val opened a 27-7 lead at the midway point and clinched with five matches remaining after Brandon Sozanski’s pin at 190 made it 38-7
He held a 5-4 lead before coming up with the fall in 4:20
That summed up the Terriers’ day but they weren’t taking anything for granted
not after falling to Paulsboro in last year’s Group 1 final
Fitz noted on the bus ride back to Hunterdon County last year he already was thinking about this season and how things could be different
they beefed up their schedule and faced five teams that reached the public sectional finals
as well as hitting the road to wrestle in tough environments
a detailed math teacher and former mechanical engineer
The mat-tested Terriers started to click with the upper weights falling into place and Del Val rolled to the program’s 23rd sectional title with the Central Group 1 win
“I think that really just lit a fire under us,” Del Val senior Jaden Perez said
“I think the chemistry of this team is just something I never experienced before
Like it truly is like a family and I know this is probably the best team I’ll ever be a part of it
“I’m a big believer in momentum in this sport
It’s a true sport and obviously one guy at a time for each team out there and we just had it rolling.”
Perez at 126 and the senior state placewinner delivered with a 17-0 win – not a bad tone setter
Luke Sinkewicz (157) and Branden Sozanski (190) each earned falls
Sozanski had a 5-4 lead in a close bout before coming up with the pin in 4:20
The Terriers also lit the team scoreboard with Michael Hasson (138) and Olivier Paul (165) each winning 19-4 and Marcus Gary taking a 16-1 tech fall
The team finished strong with decisions by Luken Alberdi (285)
Tristan Fawthrop (106) and Julian Bednar (120)
“This year was a lot of motivation,” senior Jackson Bush said
We kept improving throughout the whole year and I think that showed out there today
I think we wrestled our best match of the season right there when the pressure was on.”
“I think we showed up exactly how I thought we were going to do
Hanover Park (17-7) was fresh off its 16th sectional title (North 2 Group 1) and then advanced to the state final with a 41-29 win over Paulsboro in the group semifinal
“It was nice to be down here especially for our seniors that haven’t been here the last three years but have won a section title,” Hanover Park coach Tyler Branham said
not the ending we wanted but definitely happy to be here competing for a title.”
Hanover Park’s Joey Tantawi held off a late takedown attempt for a 4-2 win
The Hornets also got a major decision from Santino Danise (132) and a 32-second pin from hammer Vincenzo LaValle
There’s still a lot of wrestling to be done in the next three weeks with the individual postseason
Fitz couldn’t help but wax nostalgic for a moment
126 – Jaden Perez (Delaware Valley Regional) over Nick DiFrancescantonio (Hanover Park Hs) TF 17-0
132 – Santino Danise (Hanover Park Hs) over Tye Falkenstein (Delaware Valley Regional) Maj 9-21
138 – Michael Hasson (Delaware Valley Regional) over Cristian Cesaro (Hanover Park Hs) TF 19-4
144 – Joey Tantawi (Hanover Park Hs) over Sebastian Dobak (Delaware Valley Regional) Dec 4-2
150 – Jackson Bush (Delaware Valley Regional) over Joey Borrello (Hanover Park Hs) Fall 3:40
157 – Luke Sinkewicz (Delaware Valley Regional) over Nando Ott (Hanover Park Hs) Fall 4:50
165 – Olivier Paul (Delaware Valley Regional) over Joe Filippone (Hanover Park Hs) TF 19-4
175 – Marcus Gary (Delaware Valley Regional) over Ronny Madera (Hanover Park Hs) TF 16-1
190 – Branden Sozanski (Delaware Valley Regional) over Luke Stephenson (Hanover Park Hs) Fall 4:20
215 – Vincenzo LaValle (Hanover Park Hs) over Oren Nahum (Delaware Valley Regional) Fall 0:32
285 – Luken Alberdi (Delaware Valley Regional) over Aeden Hamilton (Hanover Park Hs) Dec 2-1
106 – Tristan Fawthrop (Delaware Valley Regional) over Gabriella Conte (Hanover Park Hs) Dec 6-0
113 – Giovanni Conte (Hanover Park Hs) over Tanner Donaruma (Delaware Valley Regional) Dec 4-0
120 – Julian Bednar (Delaware Valley Regional) over Ethan Kaup (Hanover Park Hs) Dec 14-10
EAST HANOVER − The key to success for Hanover Park this season has been its fast-paced approach and ability to strike early and often
the East Hanover school has averaged more than 20 first-half points en route to an 8-1 record
The Hornets kept up that momentum on Friday night
racing to a four-score halftime lead in a 34-6 win over Ramsey in a North 2
advances to its first sectional final since 2021
The Hornets will meet top-seeded Glen Rock next Friday in Bergen County
Quarterback Joey Borrello accounted for four touchdowns and Joey Tantawi scored twice for the Hornets
“We knew we were going to be able to throw and run the ball
we didn’t have to throw the ball much,” Borrello said
“Our run game was working and a few things went our way
Our line was blocking up front and were able to create holes to get into the end zone.”
Borrello scored on runs of two yards and 12 yards and threw touchdown passes from two yards and 13 yards
Hanover Park’s final touchdown came midway through the third quarter when Borrello found receiver Darien Iannacone in the left corner of the end zone
He’s the best I’ve ever had,” coach Dan Fulton said
“In the summer our offensive line was our biggest question mark
They’ve gotten better each week and they’ve become a strength for us.”
Tantawi opened the scoring just 90 seconds into the game when he returned a punt 45 yards down the left sideline
He later scored on a two-yard touchdown reception with 8:53 left in the half to extend the Hornets lead to 21-0
“The punt was a low line drive and it’s normally how I like them
I made a couple of moves and had some nice blocks
It’s everything a punt returner wants,” Tantawi said
We do everything together and we’re all best friends
Hanover Park was able to shut down Ramsey’s efficient passing game and keep pressure on junior quarterback Justus Favata
We trusted ourselves and had a great game plan,” Lopez III said
We now just have to get ready for who’s next.”
What it meansHanover Park will play for a sectional title for the first time in three years and fourth time in program history
The Hornets have won three straight games and nine of their last 10
Ramsey closes out the season with a 7-3 record
“We’ve been talking about this with all the seniors since freshmen year
We’ve been saying we’re going to win it our senior year
We’re focused on what’s ahead.” – Borrello
Everybody who is involved in this program deserves to win
Glen Rock is a really good team and it's a long ride
There’s a lot of work to do before we can be happy
Call today to inquire: 630.634.7400
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Craig Epstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comHanover Park
defeated 21st-seeded Morris Catholic 14-5 in the Morris County Tournament preliminary round in East Hanover
Aiden Insinga recorded a two-run single for Morris Catholic (3-9)
Hanover Park (7-5) will face fifth-seeded Morris Knolls in the first round next Friday at 4 p.m
Craig Epstein may be reached at cepstein@njadvancemedia.com
Firefighters rescued a resident and two dogs from a burning Hanover Park house Tuesday morning
The fire department responded to the 7900 block of Shorewood Circle North at 11:27 a.m
Crews found a large fire in the back of the house that extended into the kitchen
firefighters found a resident on the second floor
They were taken to the hospital; the two dogs were deemed to be in good condition
EAST HANOVER − Brady Phillips ran for a pair of touchdowns as West Essex beat previously-unbeaten Hanover Park
22-21 on Friday night.Hanover Park jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter
Jack Kovacs took a jet sweep and threw to Joey Tantawi for a 69-yard touchdown pass
Hanover Park led 7-0 with only 17 seconds gone
Hanover Park added to the lead with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Joey Borrello to Darren Iannacone
"Some teams would panic and our kids have been there before
not so much this year," said West Essex head coach Chris Benaquista
"We are a resilient team and we knew to stay calm and put our gameplan into action once we settled in."
West Essex responded early in the second quarter with a drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run for Brady Phillips
West Essex took its first lead when Nick Sangillo ran in for a 13 yard touchdown
West Essex went for two as quarterback Jake Long kept it to give the Knights a 15-14 lead
Hanover Park answered back before the half with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Borrello to Kovacs
The extra point gave the Hornets a 21-15 halftime lead
West Essex grabbed the lead for good in the third quarter when Phillips plowed into the end zone from 5 yards out
The important extra point made it a 22-21 lead for the Knights
Hanover Park reached the red zone in the game’s final minutes but settled for a 30-yard field goal attempt that missed to the left with 2:05 to go
"We have had a couple of goal line stands recently," said Benaquista
"We take a lot of pride in our defense so even giving up 21 points is kind of unacceptable to us
Our guys dug in at the end and we got a good result."
What it meansWest Essex wins its sixth straight game following a season opening loss to Old Tappan on August 30
The Knights allowed 19 points in the first quarter and fell 19-7 in their opener
Friday was the first multi-score deficit experienced by West Essex since that night
responding with 15 straight points before exchanging leads later on
Hanover Park snaps a six-game win streak of their own and entered the week ranked No
A top seed in a sectional bracket remains in play for the Hornets
but a trip to Weequahic in the final week of the regular season will determine the playoff fate for the Hornets
Friday's victory also marked Benacquista's 114th career win at West Essex
"I didn't think about it until I turned around and saw the poster," Benaquista said
It's never easy and there's a lot of emotions from games like this."
Key playThe difference in the game resulted from a two-point conversion attempted by West Essex in the second quarter
Following an interception by senior Vin Giaquinto
the Knights scored their second touchdown and were preparing for the tying extra point try
a penalty on the attempt by Hanover Park allowed West Essex to move the ball closer to the goal line and attempt a two-point conversion
Benaquista said that the design of the play was not for Long to run the ball on the quarterback keeper
but the junior saw a hole and kept the ball in what resulted in the difference for the game
"Jake and I have developed a lot of chemistry in practice over the last year," said Drago
"We've gotten to know each other more and see what he likes to see and what I like to see."
Friday night saw the restart of a rivalry game played for the Cosmo D
Cardone was a former guidance counselor at Hanover Park while sending his children to West Essex High School
the trophy was defended in an annual matchup from 1988-2008 and again from 2016-2020
"We had a bye week and Coach Benaquista spent that time teaching us what this game means to both communities," senior Anthony Drago said
"The cup is named for a man that without him
West Essex wouldn't be where it is and neither would Hanover Park."
as well as Hanover Park staff that are alums of that school
to dust off the trophy and present it again during the game
Both Benaquista and Hanover Park head coach Dan Fulton spoke at midfield to both teams after the game with both schools huddling up afterwards
"There are plenty of guys in both communities that believe in that thing," said Benaquista
hopefully we can make this game a big deal again like we did tonight."
Friday night's matchup was the 28th all-time matchup between the teams and the first since the 2020 season
West Essex now owns a 19-9 record in the series and has won five straight meetings dating back to 2017
They said it"I've been in some pretty big games
I wasn't so sure at the end when they were driving
but our defense came through and we kept the faith." - Drago
We are fortunate to play in front of big crowds and it's a playoff atmosphere every week
That's a playoff team in Hanover Park that didn't tire out with us." - Benaquista
West Essex (6-1) hosts Morris Knolls (6-0) on Friday
Hanover Park (6-1) travels to Weequahic (3-4) on Friday
A Hanover Park man has been found guilty of attempted murder after a road rage shooting in the summer of 2022
formerly of the 1800 block of Ontarioville Road
was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder
and two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm
Murry was driving when he pulled up behind the victim at a red light at Lake Street and Ontarioville Road in Hanover Park at about 2:30 a.m
Murry immediately began honking at the victim and tailgating her
After attempting to let him pass and later passing his stopped car
the two vehicles were involved in a minor traffic crash
When the woman stepped out of her car to exchange information
court documents say Murry began yelling at her
pulled out a handgun and fired two shots at her
The victim ran back to her car and drove away with Murry following her
After catching up to her at a red light at the intersection of County Farm Road and Lake Street
he fired four more shots at the woman’s vehicle
The uninjured victim then drove to the Hanover Park Police Department and circled the parking lot with Murry still following her
Murry’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 31
He faces a sentence of 26 to 50 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections
1/31Softball: Hanover Park vs. Northern Highlands, April 13, 2025.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJules Piano threw a three-hit shutout to lead No
14 in the NJ.com Top 20 Hanover Park in a 4-0 win over Northern Highlands at the Anthony LaRezza Invitational
hosted by Immaculate Heart in Washington Township
Piano racked up 10 strikeouts while throwing no walks
The Hornets (3-1) scored two runs in the third inning before adding on two more in the seventh
Gabby Carlucci drove in a pair of runs while Grace Waldrum went 3-for-4 with a double
Ciara Murray tossed eight strikeouts and seven walks while giving up four hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Highlanders (3-3)
A 67-year-old Hanover Park man is facing drunken driving charges after a weekend hit-and-run crash in Bartlett
Bartlett police said Howard Proberts was behind the wheel of a 2014 Toyota 4Runner when it crashed into a parked car near the intersection of Betty Court and Oneida Avenue around 9 p.m
Officers eventually located Proberts about two miles away
on the 1900 block Sycamore Avenue in Hanover Park
All the air bags in the vehicle had been deployed
Proberts is also charged with reckless driving and failure to notify after a property damage crash
He was ticketed for improper lane use and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle
He was granted pretrial release at a court hearing Monday and ordered to return for a Feb
24 court date at the Rolling Meadows courthouse
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comGrace Waldrum went 3-for-5 with two RBI for Hanover Park
in its 12-4 win over Whippany Park in Whippany Park
Tara DeFazio and Sabrina Casola all had multi-hit games in the victory
Jules Piano allowed four earned runs on nine hits with nine strikeouts and three walks in a complete game in the circle
Hanover Park moved to 4-1 while Whippany Park dropped to 3-3
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Both candidates for Hanover Park village president see a different answer to the question of how to address the state’s decision to stop imposing a 1% grocery tax on municipalities’ behalf now that each has the authority to have its own
JB Pritzker signed a bill last August eliminating Illinois’ grocery tax at the end of 2025
The state allowed cities and villages more than a year to consider enacting their own in time to take effect on Jan
Elkins believes a Hanover Park grocery tax creates a hardship for the average resident
“This is a huge opportunity to create relief for people,” he said
we already have a luxury tax on prepared foods and things.”
But Craig said the village’s needed services are so dependent on the grocery tax revenue
that losing it will have to be made up elsewhere
“If we had to make up for $600,000 to $700,000
I’d have to go out and raise taxes on homeowners 7%,” he said
And so the smart thing is to keep things as they are
The board will make that decision this fall.”
Elkins doesn’t dispute the need for revenue
but believes consumers will use the savings to purchase other taxable goods
we’d make up for it in other areas without having to raise property taxes,” he said
argued the course he envisions creates no disruption from the perspective of either the resident or the village
which will still go through the state on the collection part,” he said
“It’s a revenue source we just can’t walk away from.”
Major crimes in Hanover Park declined in 2024 to the lowest levels the village has experienced in at least 50 years
Mayor Rod Craig signed and presented a proclamation Friday congratulating the police department on the achievement
“We support our police department with the best training
equipment and staffing they need to do their jobs and go home to their families at the end of their shifts,” Craig said in a statement
“Our historically low crime is something Hanover Park can be proud of as we strive to be a great place to live
192 Part 1 crimes were recorded in the village while there had been 246 in 2023
The FBI categorizes Part 1 crimes as murder
Among the most significant findings was the number of non-vehicle thefts dropping from 155 to 120
Among the measures implemented to assist prevention and detection were the use of new deployment measures and technology like license plate reader cameras
But the drop was seen in almost every category as well
burglaries from 21 to 18 and motor vehicle thefts from 18 to 17
but there were no human trafficking cases in either 2023 or 2024
The village’s Part 1 crimes have been trending downward over the past decade and are dramatically below the levels of 1974 when such statistics began to be kept
Police Chief Andrew Johnson thanked the members of his department for their collaborative efforts that resulted in the decline
“I also greatly appreciate the support from Village Manager (Juliana) Maller
we would not have the resources needed to achieve our mission.”
Johnson drew particular attention to the department’s commitment to community policing and the strengthening of its community partnerships
“We will remain committed to working with our residents
businesses and community stakeholders to identify and address issues in our village as they occur,” he said
“I encourage everyone to connect with us on social media
participate in our (Area Response Team) meetings and events
and keep working with us to keep Hanover Park safe.”
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJules Piano went the distance for Hanover Park
a walk and four earned runs in a 13-4 victory against Union in Union
Hanover Park (5-3) scored four runs in the top of the second inning to lead
Grace Waldrum led Hanover Park with four RBI and a pair of home runs
collected three RBI and was 3-for-4 with a double
Alessandra Silvestre hit a home run and had two RBI for Union (4-5)
Jenna Wakefield drove in a run and had two doubles
Not even breast cancer has kept Hanover Park soccer coach Erin Shane Fulton off the sideline
Fulton was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ
a form of breast cancer in which the cancerous cells remain confined to the milk ducts
The diagnosis came just before her 40th birthday
Fulton's gynecologist felt a lump on her right side at her annual appointment, and sent her for a mammogram – which is now recommended for women as young as 40
That test turned up "something funky" on Fulton's left side
Fulton got the report on Saturday morning over St
'I know what that is.' It definitely threw us for a loop," said Fulton
a special education history teacher at Hanover Park High School who is in her 13th season as head coach
Fulton and her husband, Hanover Park special education teacher and football coach Dan Fulton
A woman has a 1-in-8 chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime
But women under age 40 are nearly 40% more likely to die, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
there are more than four million breast cancer survivors in the United States right now
More: 2024 Morris/Sussex girls soccer team-by-team preview capsules
She had a double mastectomy two months later
She returned to school in time for the last few days of classes
and was on the field when captains' practices began
"They felt something and sent me early," she said
Would I have scheduled the mammogram when I did if she didn't have concerns
Both Fultons had told their teams at organizational meetings in May
Erin Shane Fulton had wanted to keep the diagnosis more private
but decided to let the players know "because we didn't want them to freak out if we didn't show up in school."
With Erin unable to drive or pick up their daughters
Maddie explains the diagnosis as "a germ" the surgeons had to remove
A sacrifice worth the reward: How moms juggle work, family and coaching
Erin Fulton missed about three weeks of school
The rumor mill would start if we all of a sudden weren't there," Fulton said with a laugh
"The football boys were asking the soccer girls
Fulton's only setback so far was an infection in the expanding skin
She missed a 7-on-7 and one day of summer practice
going back with drains to help remove excess fluid
Though Erin Fulton doesn't carry any of the marker genes for breast cancer
Maddie and Molly will start getting screened when they turn 25
"I think if they were nervous or wanted to freak out
they kept it at bay because they didn't want me to be upset
Downloadable KMZ File with All Tornado Tracks
Downloadable Shapefile with All Tornado Tracks
A tornado developed near the intersection of Illinois Route 47 and Bonnie Lane and quickly moved east-northeast across a residential area of Yorkville. Wind speeds quickly increased to around 80 mph causing the removal of shingles
and some siding from several homes along Kingsmill St
A fence was also heavily damaged. Winds likely then eased somewhat as the tornado continued east-northeast causing some additional shingle damage as well as damaging several trees as it approached Illinois Route 126
The tornado continued across mainly open land along Illinois Route 71 before crossing Hilltop Road and causing additional shingle and trim damage to several homes in another residential subdivision. The tornado then dissipated near or just northeast of Reservation Road with straight line winds continuing downstream
Damage surveys confirmed a brief EF-0 tornado
A brief tornado began near Newport Boulevard and Longford Road in Hanover Park
The tornado moved rapidly northeastward and dissipated a short time later near Lake Street and Ontarioville Road
Most damage was to trees and fences along the track
The most significant damage was near Andover Drive and Andover Court
where at least one tree was uprooted with peak winds estimated near 75 mph
A brief tornado began near Wicker Avenue just south of 136th Place and moved rapidly northeast across Wicker Avenue and through a residential area of Cedar Lake
The tornado then continued north across West 133rd Avenue and along Lindberg Street before ending south of West 129th Avenue
Damage included several large uprooted or snapped trees
The most significant damage occurred east of Osborn Street between West 134th Place and West 133rd Lane
where a portion of a roof of a two story home landed in a neighboring yard
a trampoline was found wrapped around a telephone pole along West 133rd Avenue
4.) Schererville-Merrillville Tornado
A tornado began just north of Rohrman Drive near a small pond between Rohrman Park and Painted Leaf Drive in southeast Schererville
After snapping multiple trees in Memory Lane Memorial Cemetery
the tornado then moved rapidly northeast across US 30 into west Merrillville
passing just east of Miller Elementary School before ending east of US 55 near West 52nd Place in southeast Ross
Damage included multiple uprooted or snapped large trees along with shingle and roof trim damage to homes across multiple residential areas along the five mile path
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
When a tornado is known to have occurred but does not cause damage to any qualified damage indicators
or if the only damage is located in an area that is inaccessible to NWS storm survey personnel
then a tornado may be assigned the EF-Unknown (EF-U) rating
Preliminary National Storm Reports
Interactive Map of Preliminary Storm Reports
A former Glendale Heights man has been found guilty of the 2021 murder of a Hanover Park resident
A jury returned the verdict against Richard Goodwin Friday afternoon after deliberating for about 16 hours following a four-day trial
guilty of one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery
According to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office
Hanover Park police responded to a home on Pebblebeach Drive for a gunshot victim the night of Aug
a second call came for another gunshot victim
Officers found the initial victim outside the home with a gunshot wound to her left thigh
officers found Krywko with a gunshot wound to his left thigh striking his femoral artery
Krywko was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead a short time after
Authorities learned Goodwin and two others were at the home to purchase marijuana from Krywko
When the female victim gave Goodwin a bottle of water
the state’s attorney’s office said in a news release announcing the verdict
Goodwin has remained in custody at the DuPage County jail
He is next due in court for posttrial motions and return of the presentence report on March 4
Hanover Park Park District board President Mark Elkins was cited for assault in violation of a Carol Stream ordinance stemming from a verbal confrontation with a 17-year-old soccer referee in June
According to a partially redacted police report
which cited video footage of a U-14 soccer game between teams from the Hanover Park and Streamwood park districts
Elkins is accused of running onto the field during the second half and yelling at the referee for not giving a foul call
“The video footage showed Mark rush into the field toward (the referee) pointing his finger at (the referee),” the report reads
“A group of individuals run to the field and surround Mark
Mark continued to follow (the referee) on the field as he walked away from Mark.”
The report also cites a conversation between Elkins and a responding officer recorded by the officer’s body camera
“I needed to make a show so that he knows I’m calling him out for not calling the game properly,” Elkins is quoted as saying in the report
after the June 15 game the 17-year-old boy was escorted to his vehicle by adults who witnessed the altercation
The referee reported that he felt scared that Elkins was going to hit him
a member of the park district’s board of commissioners for 30 years
is scheduled to attend a hearing on the alleged ordinance violation Oct
Hanover Park Park District Executive Director Steve Bessette said the case has not impacted Elkins’ role on the board of commissioners or as a soccer coach for the district
Whether that would be changed by an adjudication or plea of guilty would be up to the board
Carol Stream police did not release Elkins’ written statement about the event along with their report Monday
but Elkins gave a copy to the Daily Herald
“During the recent soccer championship game
I had concerns about the fairness of the referee's calls
specifically regarding tackles that I believed were dangerous and illegal against my players,” Elkins stated
I mentioned my concerns to an employee of the Carol Stream Park District
after our star player was hit hard and the referee called a free kick against us rather than the offending player
I stepped onto the field and loudly expressed my concern
not the man!’ The referee then approached me and issued a red card
Elkins stated that he remained in the area of the field and continued to voice his concerns to others around him about the tackles and the referee’s decisions
with the intent of emphasizing the importance of proper enforcement of the rules
“My intent was solely to ensure fair play for the remainder of the game during which I would be absent
I eventually left the field and moved to the stands,” Elkins stated
“I did not engage in any physical confrontation with the referee or anyone else
The situation concluded without further escalation
· Daily Herald staff writer Susan Sarkauskas contributed to this report.