High School Basketball:
The Olympic-Cape Atlantic Challenge Continues On, Crusaders Defeat Winslow
Sunday, February 19, 2006
By Jerome Michaels
SJSports Special Correspondent
It would be a week later and with no threat of snow in the forecast, the Olympic-Cape Atlantic Challenge got back on schedule but with a few changes. David Catalana, Executive Director of the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation Inc. and the organizer for this boys' basketball tournament, had a difficult time rescheduling the games in order to complete this tournament. One of the originally scheduled games did take place and that would be the Crusaders from Wildwood Catholic taking on the Eagles from Winslow Township. Wildwood Catholic would use a balanced attack and post a 46-42 win over the Eagles.
Both of these teams have secured a position in next month's NJSIAA Boys Basketball tournament. The Crusaders have earned the number one seed in the South B bracket and will face Bishop Eustace in the first round. As for the Eagles, they will represent the eighth seed in the every so crowded Group IV South bracket and will go up against ninth seeded Mainland Regional. The way these two teams started out, it would be a close game up until the second half. Leading by a 27-25 score at the start of the second half, the Crusaders outscored their opponent 13-5 to take a ten point lead into the final quarter. The Wildcats would survive Winslow's late rally to pick up the victory. Tom Solenski and Anthony Raffa both led Wildwood Catholic in scoring with 13 points while Pat Kelly dropped in 10 points. Winslow Township's Josh Askew and Isiah Watkins both finished with 8 points apiece.