according to the Wallington Police Department "We extend our sincere thanks to the Little Ferry Police Department and all assisting agencies for their swift and effective response," Wallington police stated on social media "We are also grateful to the community for spreading the word and aiding in the search." Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates This article has been removed as the missing girl has been found unharmed 1/32Softball: Tabaka Reaches 1,000 Career Strikeouts, Wallington vs. Mahwah, May 3, 2025.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Kipp | For NJ Advance MediaOur HS sports photos like the ones above put you right up close with the action and the whole experience Check them out by clicking anywhere in the collage above to open the photo gallery Don’t forget to share the gallery with friends and relatives These photos are also available for purchase in a variety of sizes and finishes – just click the “BUY IMAGE” link below any photo to see available options and make a purchase NJ.com subscribers can also get free print-quality digital downloads of any images in this gallery Note: Because we are trying to make these galleries available for viewing as quickly as possible you are probably seeing an early version and more photos will be added later Please return and refresh the page to see additions Mobile device users: For the best experience downloading high-resolution images (available free and to subscribers only) and making photo purchases it’s best to visit this page from your desktop or laptop computer The N.J. 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use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site to improve your browsing experience please read our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Adison Wallington hit a 3 run homer in the top of the 9th inning to give Baylor a 7-4 win over CCS on Tuesday evening at Chattanooga Christian Both teams entered play with unbeaten records in region play Baylor jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Chargers scored four runs in the fourth inning to tie it up Wallington settled the score in extra innings with her three-run blast Wallington senior softball pitcher Delilah Tabaka is now the fourth member of Bergen County’s 1,000-strikeout club Tabaka struck out 17 batters in Saturday's Bergen County Tournament win over Mahwah giving her 1,014 strikeouts for her career Tabaka will likely finish as the all-time record holder in Bergen County There have only been three other pitchers in Bergen County history to surpass 1,000: Sarah Piening is the current leader with 1,060 But Tabaka is also nearing her 100th career hit something that neither Piening (Immaculate Conception) Cathy Kaminski (Ramsey) or Kim Prevedel (Saddle Brook) did Tabaka probably won’t be the only Bergen County pitcher to go over 1,000 strikeouts for her career Rutherford star Giana Yaniero is currently at 929 Wallington remains in the 10-15 range in our rankings The top six remain the same from last week Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff 1/32Softball: Tabaka Reaches 1,000 Career Strikeouts, Wallington vs. Mahwah, May 3, 2025.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jake Aferiat | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comGrowing up on the softball fields in and around Wallington Delilah Tabaka never could’ve imagined her career would amount to this she didn’t even know what she did on Saturday night was possible She had toed the rubber at Dul Field right off Johnson Ave in the 1.05 square mile town in southern Bergen County countless times in her youth playing days slowly but surely she established herself as a formidable pitcher even striking out 200 batters one year at the youth level There’s no guarantee that that level of success will translate to high school Toeing the rubber for the 97th time as a Wallington Panther Tabaka entered Saturday’s preliminary round Bergen County Tournament game against Mahwah needing three strikeouts to become just the 25th pitcher in state history to record 1,000 in their career And as she has so often before at Dul Field and beyond she recorded strikeout after strikeout — 17 of them all told in Wallington’s 2-0 win But it was the one to end the top of the first inning that forever etched Tabaka’s place in state history but I just tried not to think about it all season and just went out there and did my best,” Tabaka said “I didn’t know people got recognized for hitting these 100 So when I started freshman year it wasn’t even a thought in my head I really didn’t know that it was a thing where you could get 1,000 strikeouts in four years.” Tabaka hasn’t been on this journey to state history by herself Morgan Gurdak has caught all of Tabaka’s pitches since the two became battery mates in fourth grade and have been on an upward trajectory ever since Gurdak — who calls all the pitches — turned Tabaka from a hurler who only used speed and tried to blow the ball by hitters to a tried and true pitcher who has an arsenal that features that trademark fastball “I feel like I never realized until we got into high school what an honor it is to be her catcher going through all these accomplishments with her,” Gurdak said Tabaka’s thrown every inning of every game this season and in her career she’s thrown all but 45 1/3 innings over the last four seasons she struck out 184 in 149 2/3 innings and at that moment it was clear — Tabaka had arrived and those youth softball days weren’t a fluke And when Wallington native Andrea Piela took over the program from now current Wallington AD Charlie Vellis she wanted to make sure Tabaka knew where she stood they were kind of the role players their first year,” Piela said you’re our key players this year.’ And they rose to the occasion.” Piela played at Montclair Kimberley for legendary coach Anthony LaRezza and with the state’s all-time hits leader Lauren Stefanchik She then played Division I softball at Siena so she’s been around some of the best of the best Tabaka won’t be playing softball in college and will instead attend Rutgers as a student “I think everyone is always shocked that it stops here for her,” Piela said the ability to stay composed when the world is on her shoulders That mindset has been honed over time and is the place where Tabaka and her teammates feel she’s grown the most She wants that ball in her hand,” Piela said “She wants to be the one to get that strike out if she can She just seems to get stronger as she goes.” It’s not long ago that Delilah Tabaka didn’t know what she was capable of or that people didn’t pay much attention to Wallington softball And it’s not long ago that Tabaka didn’t realize people got recognized for all these pitching milestones Above the entrance to the gym at Wallington is a list of the softball career and single season leaders and Tabaka leads nearly every single pitching category So perhaps it’s fitting that the best pitcher in school history wears No “I went into freshman year and Wallington softball and then we started putting our name out there,” Tabaka said I was walking in there the other day and there were only two things that didn’t have my name next to them Jake Aferiat can be reached at jaferiat@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @Jake_Aferiat The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) An off-duty Wallington firefighter put his life on the line to rescue someone from a house fire Wednesday afternoon was working at Wallington Plumbing Supply when the fire broke out right next door Decker's firefighter instincts kicked in when he noticed the flames from the neighboring building The firefighter found an adult in the building and safely carried the person outside "We're incredibly proud of Firefighter Decker’s bravery and selflessness," Mayor Melissa Dabal said in a Facebook post from the Wallington Fire Department The fire occurred on Wallington Avenue at around 3:18 p.m Heavy smoke and flames were seen coming from the kitchen of an apartment The blaze remains under investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Wallington Police Department and Wallington Fire Prevention Office .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaJordan Kassteen drove in three RBIs as Wallington recorded its fourth straight win Weehawken (5-6) took the early lead with a run in the first inning Wallington (7-5) responded with five unanswered runs to clinch the win Tyler Perry and Dominic Vicente both scored two runs for Wallington Dakota Delapaz recorded seven strikeouts in five innings on the mound Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. 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Delilah Tabaka (1) of Wallington pitches the ball during the NJSIAA North 1 Group 1 semifinal softball game between Wallington and Park Ridge at Dul Field in Wallington 2024.Mile Djordjiovski | For NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaDelilah Tabaka tossed a gem for Wallington against Hasbrouck Heights scattering three hits and one unearned run while striking out 14 and walking none in a complete game to help Wallington earn a walk-off 2-1 victory over Hasbrouck Heights in Wallington Tabaka also helped her own cause at the plate going 1-for-3 while swiping a bag and coming around to score once Hasbrouck Heights scratched across the first run in the top of the third inning before Wallington responded in the bottom of the fourth Morgan Gurdak smacked a solo home run in a 1-for-2 day while Gabrielle Deyne drew a walk and accounted for the other RBI for Wallington (6-3) Hasbrouck Heights saw its five-game winning streak come to an end and fell to 9-2 It will return to action on Wednesday for a home matchup against Cresskill Jack McKenna can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comEddie Tanderis and Alex Syby combined for a one-hitter as Wallington toppled Paterson Charter pitched an inning in relief while striking out three Wallington (5-5) scored 11 runs in the bottom of the first inning against Paterson Charter Jordan Kassteen collected four RBI for Wallington and had two singles Every batter in the Wallington lineup had at least one RBI Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Despite legendary Baylor softball head coach Kelli Smith not being present for her team's archival showdown against GPS the result was still much the same for the Red Raiders who rolled to a 13-2 Division II-AA East Region rout in six innings Tuesday at home for their eighth straight win over the Bruisers After having an appeal denied by the TSSAA for Smith's ejection this past weekend in a tournament where she believed she was just confined to the dugout Our goal is to go out there and play our best no matter what Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor groups together during a mound visit in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Amiya Leach is all smiles after hitting a grand slam in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Xahara Willis hit her eighth home run of the season in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Adi Wallington was stellar in the circle in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Adi Wallington did not allow an earned run in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor celebrates after Mary Blake Reese hit a walk-off single in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Mary Blake Reese celebrates after her game-ending RBI single in Tuesday's 13-2 win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Amiya Leach heads toward home plate after hitting a grand slam in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Olivia Elkhill steals third base in Tuesday's 13-2 home victory over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Olivia Elkhill celebrates after hitting a double in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Amiya Leach is congratulated by third base coach Crosby Huckabay in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Olivia Elkhill sprints to second base on a leadoff double in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Amiya Leach receives a home run chain after hitting a grand slam in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor freshman catcher Xahara Willis celebrates with sophomore pitcher Adi Wallington after striking out the side in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor celebrates a three-run first inning home run by freshman Xahara Willis in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor sophomore pitcher Adi Wallington pitches in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor freshman Amiya Leach rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam in Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS Staff photo by Patrick MacCoon / Baylor's Xahara Willis heads toward home plate after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning of Tuesday's 13-2 home win over GPS A six-run second inning uprising for Baylor (13-7-1 2-0 Division II-AA East Region) came after sophomore starter Adi Wallington struck out the side in the top half of the inning which included a nasty changeup for a swinging punchout Wallington went the distance while allowing just three hits and no earned runs as GPS (15-6 4-2 region) scored its lone two runs on a throwing error in the third senior Mary Blake Reese's third hit of the game dropped in shallow center provided the mercy-rule walk-off victory and the Red Raiders' 12th and final hit as they bounced back from a tough past week in which they lost four of five games "That was a really good team win in a big rivalry game," said acting head coach and longtime assistant Susan Ross. "We are a young team that is getting better every day. We only have one person in the same starting position from last year and that's second baseman Chloe Cunningham She did a great job behind the plate working with Addi Wallington fanned eight in her first start against the Bruisers "We came out here wanting to pull through for Coach Smith," Wallington said I wasn't going to let the little blunder in the third inning phase me I went hard and my catcher helped me through it Everyone contributed today and this was a big win for us." Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com Patrick MacCoon is an avid sports lover who joined the Chattanooga Times Free Press January 2 He covers prep sports along with the Chattanooga Football Club and Chattanooga Lookouts Patrick is a fan of Atlanta professional sports and began reading newspapers at an early age to analyze the MLB box scores He is a graduate from Red Bank High School and the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025 audio and/or video material shall not be published rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use The AP will not be held liable for any delays errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing a high school band makes a huge difference Wallington High School has about 500 students and almost 10% of them are in the marching band The contingent of Wallington students made the trip to Boston to march in America's Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration and to perform at Faneuil Hall in downtown "Our students have been working hard and are excited to represent their school town and state on this trip," said band director Donald Lopuzzo The Wallington High School Marching Band has been around for only six years but dates to the 1950s a former band member and now an instructor Though the program disappeared for a while in the early 2000s it made its way back to school in recent years for the NATO Parade of Nations and to West Point for a football game The Massachusetts trip marked its third getaway Lopuzzo said Wallington's band models itself after college bands like those in the Big Ten Conference The 45 performers practice three times a week With about an hour of rehearsal on those days the band works diligently and can pull off any big show with only five practices Each instrument is a vital part of the band with Wallington’s being a well-balanced one It has a tradition in which the drum majors do a strut out and backbend the band won best drum major in a previous event Lopuzzo said some of his greatest memories were made in the band whether it was on the field performing or at a rehearsal “I like to see them flourish,” he said when asked about his band members Despite the shrinking number of bands these days Wallington remains strong and is ready for its next big event Harrison sophomore Kasandra Rodriguez (#3) and senior Hailey Scocco (#8) stop Wallington quarterback Natalia Poweska for a short gain during a game played in Wallington on Thursday .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Steven Bassin | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comLockdown defense and good offense efficiency have been the key ingredients to propel Harrison 17 ranked team in the NJ.com Top 20 rankings Those two factors paid big dividends again for the Blue Tide in Wallington on Thursday night Six sacks and two interceptions by its defense along with two touchdown passes from Hailey Scocco marched Harrison to 5-0 on the gridiron in a 13-0 win over Wallington and I can see us making it to MetLife Stadium this year,” Harrison sophomore Nada Bana said Bana lit a spark on defense to help Blue Tide take control of the action with five minutes to go in the first half Bana reached up for her second interception of the season to set up Harrison right around midfield After two bad snaps marched Harrison back 10 yards She streaked right down the sideline and Scocco hit her in stride for a 50-yard touchdown Bana then added the one-point conversion on the end-around run to give Harrison a 7-0 lead going into the half “It felt great going back-to-back from an interception to a touchdown,” Bana said “We were definitely feeling that (positive) energy and knew we could win this game.” Scocco helped Harrison add to its lead with 5:31 to play on her seventh touchdown pass of the season Scocco threw a quick pop pass to Serenity Maldonado for a three-yard touchdown to make it a two-score game Hailey Scocco fires home her 2nd TD pass of the night to Serenity Maldonado from 3-yards out. Harrison up 13-0 with 5:31 left to play. #flagfootball 🏈 pic.twitter.com/mc4nmH8kuq Scocco completed five passes for 87 yards in the contest and added an interception on defense She also threw two touchdown passes on Monday in Harrison’s win over North Arlington Scocco said she has seen a lot of growth in herself with now being in her third year as the team’s quarterback PLAYER OF THE GAME: Hailey Scocco threw for 87 yards, had 2 TD passes & also had an interception on defense to help Harrison improve to 5-0 on the season. CC: @NJICathletics #flagfootball 🏈 pic.twitter.com/3BgfMpDKBU “It’s starting to feel like I know my way around the field more and I can read the defense more easily,” Scocco said Scocco’s two touchdowns were more than plenty for Harrison’s defense which allowed only three first downs all game to post its fourth shutout of the season Sophomore Kasandra Rodriguez wreaked havoc in the backfield all game for the Blue Tide with four sacks in the victory Senior Rebecca Sardinha collected two sacks in the win to add to her team-leading sack total of 13 Another sack by the Harrison defense. Rebecca Sardinha with on 3rd down to force a Wallington punt with under 2 minutes to go in the half. Kasandra Rodriguez has 2 sacks to lead the Blue Tide. #flagfootball 🏈 pic.twitter.com/MY9JbqI0WE “We’re fortunate enough to have two good rushers [Kasandra Rodriguez and Rebecca Sardinha],” Harrison head coach Dan Nankivell said The hot start has fueled Harrison’s desire to make a run at playing for a North Jersey championship this spring Nankivell and Harrison will get more of a true sense of where they are as title contenders with games against Leonia “We want to make it to the finish line,” Nankivell said “As long as we keep stacking wins against these tough teams Next Up: Harrison (5-0) will travel to face Leonia on Wednesday Wallington (2-2) is set to host Lyndhurst on Tuesday Steven Bassin can be reached at SBassin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @SBassin_Sports The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here As always, please report scores to njschoolsports.com. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription Hailey Scocco fires home her 2nd TD pass of the night to Serenity Maldonado from 3-yards out. Harrison up 13-0 with 5:31 left to play. #flagfootball 🏈 pic.twitter.com/mc4nmH8kuq PLAYER OF THE GAME: Hailey Scocco threw for 87 yards, had 2 TD passes & also had an interception on defense to help Harrison improve to 5-0 on the season. CC: @NJICathletics #flagfootball 🏈 pic.twitter.com/3BgfMpDKBU Another sack by the Harrison defense. Rebecca Sardinha with on 3rd down to force a Wallington punt with under 2 minutes to go in the half. Kasandra Rodriguez has 2 sacks to lead the Blue Tide. #flagfootball 🏈 pic.twitter.com/MY9JbqI0WE River Dell head coach Brian Calabrese greets Valerie Visconti (22) of River Dell at third base after hitting a triple during the softball game between River Dell and Union City at Midtown Athletic Complex in Union City .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Craig Epstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comValerie Visconti went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead River Dell past Wallington 2-0 in the Believe Tournament in Wallington Erin Hoogstrate pitched a complete game for River Dell (4-5) with five strikeouts Craig Epstein may be reached at cepstein@njadvancemedia.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Whether you’re a new board member or a seasoned veteran there are always new leadership skills to explore NJSBA offers training opportunities to help you reach your full potential as a board member Get insights and guidance on a variety of areas relating to school operations and governance NJSBA's Candidate Kit provides vital resources as well as links to important websites for anyone considering running for their local school board NEW JERSEY EDUCATION NEWS Asbury Park Press Education roundup: School tax increases across Monmouth Ocean With several school districts facing insufficient funding and the state saying local districts should shoulder more of the funding burden NEW JERSEY EDUCATION NEWS Asbury Park Press ‘Not sustainable’: Holmdel School Board looks for cuts after $600 average tax increase About 40 members of the Holmdel school district’s union protested a move to possibly outsource various services by the board.. NEW JERSEY EDUCATION NEWS Asbury Park Press Little Egg board chooses between 50-student class size tax hike The Little Egg Harbor School Board faced a painful choice at its April 29th meeting Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaWallington overcame a deficit after six innings with a three-run rally in the top of the seventh to earn a comeback victory over Becton by a 5-3 margin in East Rutherford Wallington scratched across a run in the top of the fifth to break a 1-1 tie before Becton responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to retake the lead before Wallington’s final rally Alex Syby led the way for Wallington’s lineup knocking in a pair of runs in a 2-for-4 performance while swiping a bag and coming around to score once scored a run and recorded an RBI while going 1-for-4 for Wallington (6-5) Becton falls to 6-5 and will look to rebound on Monday when it visits Belleville Delilah Tabaka (1) of Wallington delivers a pitch against Kinnelon during the softball North 1 Group 1 Sectional Final at Dul Field in Wallington on 5/27/22.Tom Horak | For NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaDelilah Tabaka did everything she could to help Wallington earn a win in Friday striking out 19 Becton batters from the pitcher’s circle while also recording an RBI at the plate to lift her team to a 3-2 road victory in eight innings in East Rutherford Tabaka scattered five hits without walking any Becton batters over the eight-inning performance while ceding two earned runs Wallington’s two runs prior to the eighth inning came in the top of the fifth sandwiched around lone runs from Becton in the fourth and sixth Brooke Goldyn drove in a run and came around to score in a 2-for-4 day at the plate for Wallington (7-4) Becton falls to 5-3-1 and will have an opportunity to rebound quickly in a matchup against Ramsey on Saturday Weehawken's Brooke McHale runs the line before battling Glen Rock in Tuesday's high school softball nail-biter in Glen Rock The Panthers literally squeezed out a 1-0 win over the Indians 04/25/2023 Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance MediaSteve Hockstein | For NJ Advance .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comBrooke McHale tossed a one-hitter for Weehawken with four strikeouts while going 3-for-3 with an RBI in a 2-0 win against Wallington in Weehawken Weehawken (7-2) scored both runs in the bottom of the third inning Envey Duran and Isabella Veras each scored a run for Weehawken Delilah Tabaka recorded the lone hit for Wallington (6-4) Tabaka also went the distance while striking out five allowing four hits and two walks on one earned run An off-duty firefighter working at his day job next door ran into a burning apartment to save a trapped resident in Wallington on Wednesday a 20-year veteran of the Wallington Fire Department was at work at Wallington Plumbing Supply when he saw smoke pouring from a nearby building at 108 Wallington Avenue firefighters and police responded to a 911 call reporting a house fire where they arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the kitchen Despite thick smoke and dangerous conditions Decker located an adult victim inside the apartment Wallington Mayor Melissa Dabal commended Decker for his heroic and selfless actions "We're incredibly proud of Firefighter Decker’s bravery and selflessness," Dabal said The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaThree different players knocked in a pair of runs each for Garfield to help it earn its second divisional win of the season by downing Wallington by a 9-4 margin in Garfield Anthony Haro and Victor Nunez each recorded two RBI for the Boilermakers Esteves went 2-for-2 while coming around to score twice and drawing a walk Haro walked and scored a run in a 1-for-3 performance and Nunez hit a two-run double while going 1-for-4 Stephen Semancik kept Wallington’s lineup off the scoreboard on the mound scattering three walks and one hit over three innings of scoreless ball while striking out four for Garfield (2-9) Jordan Kassteen drove in a pair of runs while stealing a base and scoring a run in a 2-for-4 day for Wallington (3-5) A man was arrested in Wallington on Friday while driving a car with a stolen license plate and giving police false information a license plate reader alerted officers to a blue Hyundai Santa Cruz traveling east on Wallington Avenue displaying a stolen license plate registered out of New York presented a driver’s license belong to an individual who had an active warrant in Virginia Gatson was charged with receiving stolen property exhibiting a false government-issued driver’s license possession of a false government issued ID and hindering apprehension by providing false information He was also found to have several active warrants out of Florida and the City of Passaic New Jersey's longest-running lottery draw game has climbed to an eye-popping $32 million after no player matched all six numbers in the Thursday The ticket was sold at the Food Mart in Wallington matching five of the six winning numbers to win $17,128 The next Pick-6 drawing will take place on Monday .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comDelilah Tabaka tossed her 900th career strikeout during Wallington’s 3-0 shutout win over Wood-Ridge became the first player in Wallington history to reach the feat Tabaka racked up 16 strikeouts with no walks The senior pitcher was second team All-State last year and is just the third player to reach the milestone this season Brooke Goldyn went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored for Wallington .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comDelilah Tabaka allowed one earned run on three hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk for Wallington in its 4-1 win over Leonia in Wallington Wallington scored two runs in the first inning and two more runs in the fifth to extend a 2-1 lead Emily Ignacio finished 2-for-2 with a double and a RBI for Leonia WALLINGTON — A nonprofit with a longstanding commitment to giving back plans to donate gifts to hundreds of needy families and it is raising money this week to ensure that every holiday wish is accounted for Bergen Volunteers, a nearly 60-year-old charity based in Hackensack, will host a wine-tasting benefit Thursday at 7 p.m. at Make Wine With Us The event will feature live music and a silent auction Bergen County: Parent sues school district over alleged bullying complaint against son the chief executive officer of the charity said the event is the first fundraiser that the nonprofit has held specifically for its All Wrapped Up program which matches volunteer donors with an estimated 4,000 individual gift recipients Donors buy gifts for the recipients based on their wish lists and the charity will spend money collected at the fundraiser to make sure no one is overlooked Requests tend to trickle in at the last minute “We are excited to bring the community together to raise funds for a critical program,” she said in a statement “We can bring smiles to people going through difficult times this holiday season.” Gift recipients range from disabled veterans to foster children and homebound senior citizens The charity collaborates with organizations such as Bergen County CASA and Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative Bergen Volunteers offers several more programs throughout the year trains “reading buddies” to tutor students in kindergarten through fourth grade from Hackensack and Teaneck more than $23,500 had been collected for the upcoming benefit The cost to attend the fundraiser is $120 per person. To purchase a ticket, visit the Bergen Volunteers website at bergenvolunteers.org Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: devencentis@northjersey.com Gina Minichiello (5) of Hasbrouck Heights looks to drive to the basket during the girls basketball game between Lyndhurst and Hasbrouck Heights at Lyndhurst High School in Lyndhurst .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comGina Minichiello led Hasbrouck Heights with a game-high 24 points in a 70-15 triumph over Wallington in Hasbrouck Heights Hasbrouck Heights (1-5) earned its first win of the season and limited Wallington to no more than seven points in any quarter Hasbrouck Heights outscored Wallington 30-1 in the first quarter Evelette Broncano had 10 points for Hasbrouck Heights Amanda Concannon led Wallington (1-5) with six points The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Oliver Rosas (10) of Wallington celebrates after scoring a goal against Whippany Park during the boys soccer NJSIAA North 2 Group 1 first round at Wallington High School in Wallington .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comDavid Chudzik and Gustaw Palasz each scored a goal for fourth-seeded Wallington in a 2-1 overtime victory over 12th-seeded Dayton in the North Jersey Alex Lyszczarczyk and Oliver Rosas added an assist apiece for Wallington (13-6) and Samuel Stanko made nine saves Wallington plays top-seeded Glen Ridge in the semifinals on Tuesday Justin Rodriguez tied the game for Dayton (9-8-2) with a second half goal The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) NJ Advance Media File PhotoBrian Bobal | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Tyler Duffy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comDiLynn Jeffries-El pitched a complete game allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out 14 batters to help give Paramus Catholic a 5-2 victory over Wallington in Paramus Jeffries-El added a triple and two RBI for Paramus Catholic (3-0) Gianna Pressuto contributed a solo home run in the victory Paramus Catholic led 2-0 after the fourth inning and added three runs in the fifth inning Vanessa Nazario went 1-for-2 with an RBI for Wallington (2-1) The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) (edited) 1/29Boys Soccer: Wallington vs Whippany Park in North 2, Group 1 first round Nov 4, 2024..st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jake Aferiat | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comThe last time Wallington boys soccer was a high seed on the top half of a bracket It was last year and the Panthers were the No Group 1 but fell in the quarterfinals to eventual section champs and ninth-seeded Mountain Lakes And for several of the upperclassmen on this year’s Wallington team especially those that made a section final in 2022 and know what it takes to get there that early exit was particularly tough to take “We returned several big pieces [this year] and we were very young last year,” Wallington coach Robert Kruk said “We were up 1-0 and then the lack of experience in the layoffs and the big game mentality slowed down.” if the start of the 2024 postseason is any indication the fourth-Panthers may be primed for another deep run after a commanding 3-0 win over 13th-seeded Whippany Park in a new section — North 2 “Last year was a good learning experience for these guys and it‘s going to show in tough moments like these where we’re getting pressed because there’s going to be good teams in the state tournament,” Kruk said For upperclassmen on the team like goalie Sam Stanko or leading scorer David Chudzik that 2022 season was all the proof of concept they needed about what’s possible at Wallington “It was definitely on my mind the whole time and getting to the sectional final our sophomore year Stanko was tested several times in the contest especially as Whippany Park was able to get several shots in close in in the first half that just clanged off the post and were inches from going in The state‘s fourth-active leading goalkeeper in saves Stanko was still nervous coming into Monday night’s game “I‘m always a little nervous when I’m in the game but I think that‘s what makes me good,” Stanko said that little tingly feeling — that’s what keeps you up." The Wallington netminder got some early insurance when with 25 minutes left in the first half Willem Preinfalk netted a big goal on a play in close where Whippany Park goalie Conrad Geraghty made a save but the ball tipped off his hand and into the net That gave Wallington a 1-0 lead and from there “I thought they were attacking a lot before that but I thought there were some shaky moments in the back it released some of the tension,” Preinfalk said The star striker for Wallington broke his ankle just two games into the season last year for Wallington Though Kruk tries to rest Chudzik when he can Chudzik wants to be out there so he can produce in big moments like these “His idea is he wants to win a state championship So it was beautiful for him to get that goal He was frustrated because he was hurting and I‘m trying to restrict his minutes but he wants to play It’s a tough balance because we want him to win but also have a long career and no issues going forward.” The goal was Chudzik’s 15th of the season for Wallington which not even he expected coming back from the injury he sustained his and Stanko‘s and everyone else’s goals are crystal clear “I‘ve been doing everything I could to get back into this and I’m very proud of these guys and since it’s my last year Jake Aferiat can be reached at jaferiat@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @Jake_Aferiat