Tennis Sweeps LuHi
Bennett in action last year (PC: Bruce Jeffrey)
This afternoon the girls’ tennis team moved to 2-0 in PSAA play with a dominant 5-0 win over Long Island Lutheran on the home courts.
Sadhana Sridhar (6-1, 6-1), Marta Bennett (6-1, 6-0), and Nicolette Carlo (6-0, 6-1) won their singles matches, while Mary Wang and Louise Lin (6-0, 6-0) and Tina Luo and Ali Birgeles (6-0, 6-0) swept both doubles matches without dropping a single game.
The Bears are back in action on Monday with a home match-up against the Knox School.
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Rutgers Offense Looking to Washington in a Number of Ways
Washington vs. Texas State in the season opener
From Bobby Deren of ScarletNation.com, published on Wednesday, Sept. 19.
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Rutgers does not have a wealth of veterans on the offensive side of the football, but coming into the season there was already a lot of experience and production out of fifth-year senior tight end Jerome Washington. He led the team in receiving last year with 28 catches and has added six receptions through the first three games of this season.
In last weekend’s ugly loss to Kansas, Washington was recognized as one of the offensive players who had a strong showing.
“I thought Jerome was the one guy that played really well, they could not handle him,” offensive coordinator John McNulty said this week. “I told Art [Sitkowski] just find [number] 88.”
Day in and day out, Washing has been taking a workmanlike approach to his final season of college football.
“I am building up to being the best player I can be,” Washington told Scarlet Nation after Tuesday’s practice. “Every day, I come out here and just want to continue to get better. I just want to do everything I can to help us get wins.”
Washington is one of the veterans on this Rutgers team and commented on what he is telling the younger players to help move past last weekend’s loss to Kansas.
“Just to continue to try and get better. If you are not, you are only getting worse. That is not going to help the situation. You can’t change what has happened in the past, but you can learn from it and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes. Even if it is hard, we have another opportunity to win a game this week. You have to have the mindset to come out here and get better.”
Washington is playing an abundance of snaps and commented on where he has improved most as a player.
“Definitely blocking and just learning how to read defenses and coverages. I have been watching a lot more film this year. I have been preparing better.”
The McNulty offense is using the tight ends in a variety of ways and that has been embraced by Washington.
“It is a lot of fun because we are used in a lot of different ways,” Washington said. “I have to know a lot of different positions. It is fun in terms of studying and having to watch film and breaking everything down.”
Washington admitted that learning the entirety of McNulty’s offense was not an overnight task.
“It definitely took some time. The terminology might be different and certain things are different, but it is not too bad if you study and watch film and put the work in.”
McNulty was a former tight ends coach in the NFL for the LA Chargers before coming to Rutgers and Washington mentioned how that dynamic has worked to his advantage.
“He knows a lot and has a very good understanding of the position. Everything he tells me in terms of technique and how to do certain blocks is great because there is another eye helping me clean up my fundamentals and just helping me become a better player.”
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Washington on Rutgers’ Offense, Driving Uber, Real Estate
This morning James Kratch of NJ.com profiled Jerome Washington ’12.
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Jerome Washington led Rutgers in receiving last season.
Can he do it again this fall?
The senior tight end hauled in a team-leading 28 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown in 2017. He has six catches for 85 yards so far through three games, and the yardage total is again at the head of the pack as the Elizabeth native looks to position himself as an NFL Draft prospect after the season is over.
NJ Advance Media recently caught up with Washington – who played his high school ball in New York and transferred to Rutgers by way of junior college and Miami – to discuss working with offensive coordinator John McNulty, who was the Los Angeles Chargers’ tight ends coach, his past side jobs, fan allegiances and more.
Here is this week’s Rutgers Q&A:
NJAM: How has the team responded after the loss to Kansas?
JW: “I think everyone came out to get better and hone in on their craft, bring it back to the basics in term of fundamentals. Just try to get better.”
NJAM: Offensive coordinator John McNulty said he thought last week was your best game so far this season. What clicked?
JW: “I just wanted to go out there and give it my all. I always plan on playing my best game every time I go out there. Last game, I just felt I was able to execute.”
NJAM: How do you like the scheme, from a tight end standpoint?
JW: “I really like the scheme a lot. In this offense, we have a lot of different jobs we can do. It’s definitely diverse in terms of that.”
NJAM: Was there a learning curve for you after missing spring practice?
JW: “There’s always an adjustment in terms of learning a new offense. But as long as you’re studying and make sure you’re watching film, really focusing on learning the concepts, you’ll get it.”
NJAM: I heard you have a real estate license? Is that something you want to pursue?
JW: “I don’t anymore, it expired. It’s definitely something I want to do. I just have to go back and take the state test.”
NJAM: You did some work renting places in New York when you were in junior college. What was that like?
JW: “It was really fun. It was more like a summer kind of thing. Rentals, definitely in the summer, are fast money.”
Where in the city?
“Long Island City and Downtown, [Financial District]. I focused on two areas.”
NJAM: And you drive Uber?
JW: “I was in the summer, almost every day. I didn’t have any crazy people, but I had a lot of people from this area going into New York. I just drive there to the city, and as soon as I drop them off, I would turn around and come back. From the city to here, it’s usually $75, $80. That’s pretty good for the day.”
NJAM: Did you get people at Newark Airport? That has to be good money.
JW: “No, the airport is kind of sketchy. There’s an order of people that can get rides, so I didn’t want to sit.”
NJAM: You liked driving?
JW: “It was fun. It was a way to have a job without having a job. Our schedule is so sporadic, it’s good to be able to turn it on and drive for an hour. It’s easy.”
NJAM: What stands out when you are lined up next to Tariq Cole and Kamaal Seymour (Rutgers’ offensive tackles)?
JW: “They’re very big, imposing people. If I have a combo block with them, I know I’m going to have help with it. I know that they’ll be there to help me.”
NJAM: What stands out going against defensive end Kevin Wilkins?
JW: “He’s very big also. With him, you know you have to really use your technique and bring it.”
NJAM: Funniest guy on the team?
JW: “I’ll say (cornerbacks) Damon Hayes or Blessuan Austin.”
NJAM: Favorite place to eat on campus?
JW: “Krispy Pizza, right near The Yard.”
NJAM: What NFL tight ends do you like to watch?
JW: “I’m a Patriots fan, so I watch a lot of Rob Gronkowski. I like (the Chiefs’) Travis Kelce also, (the Eagles’) Zach Ertz. We watch a lot of the Chargers’ film, so I also like to watch Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry.”
NJAM: So what do you think of the Patriots’ Josh Gordon trade?
JW: “I hope it works out, I don’t know.”
NJAM: Wasn’t that tough, growing up a Patriots fan in this area?
JW: “It was, but I don’t really like my teams for the geography.”
NJAM: What other teams are you a fan of?
JW: “The Phoenix Suns and the Yankees.”
The Suns?
“I had a Suns jersey when I was a kid and have always liked them.”
NJAM: You led the team in receiving last year. Do you have a goal to do it again?
JW: “I just want to do whatever I have to do to help us get a lot of wins. If that means I have to catch the ball more, or block, I’ll do whatever I need to do to help the team win.”
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On This Day In History | 1995
The ’95 Bears
On this day 23 years ago, the boys’ soccer team dropped Port Jeff, 6-0, behind a hat trick from Liam Banks. Banks added an assist while Joel Conti scored twice and Robbie Marvin added a goal.
The Bears took a 2-0 lead into the break before a second half cannonade that yielded four more scores. Jeremy Meserole recorded 3 saves for one of his school record 8 shutouts.
The Bears went on to win their second consecutive League Championship and finished 9-2-1, the program’s best record to that point in school history.
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On This Day In History | 2012
Naylor
On this day six years ago, the girls’ tennis team topped Rocky Point, 4-3.
Angel Jiang and Jillian Naylor topped Christina Romano and Jackie Riley (6-0, 6-0) in the deciding second doubles match to power the Bears to the win and a 5-1 record in League VI.
The Bears would go on to win their first League Championship in ten years.
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On This Day In History | 1981
Mark (with sister and future Tar Heel Laura in tow) in 1977
On this day 37 years ago, Mark Whitney ’78, Don Lockerbie ’75, and the University of North Carolina cross country team earned surprise wins over Virginia and NC State in an ACC tri-meet.
The Tar Heels dispatched the Cavaliers, 20-35, and the Wolfpack, 25-34, thanks in part to Whitney’s 4th overall finish in 24:41. Lockerbie, UNC’s head coach, called it “quite a stellar performance this early in the season.” He went on to tell The Daily Tar Heel, “Virginia and State were surprised that we won. We were the same bunch that finished 5th in the ACC last year.”
Whitney, the team captain that year, and Lockerbie went on to lead to team to a 3-0-1 record, a #13 national ranking, and a 2nd place finish in the ACC.
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Volleyball Sweeps Our Savior
Yesterday afternoon the girls’ volleyball team won their inaugural PSAA match, 3-0, over visiting Our Savior to move to 2-0 overall.
The Bears looked sharp out of the gate, racing out to a 6-1 lead behind a Liz Robbins ace and kills from Niamh Scanlon, Bekah Detwiler, and Mercedes Alvarez. A triptych of aces from Alvarez pushed the lead to 14-2 and the Bears hardly looked back on their way to a dominant 25-8 win in game one.
The Bears ran out to a similar lead in game two, winning 6-2 early on, but the Pioneers fought back to take an 10-8 edge. A Shannuel Lamptey block knotted the game at 10-10 and the Bears recaptured the lead on the next point, but Our Savior tied the game at 12-12. The Bears took the lead for good on the next point, another Lamptey block pushed the advantage to 14-12 and more breathing room was provided by a Leslie Kang ace and a Lamptey kill: 16-12. The Pioneers remained within striking distance at 18-14, but consecutive Lamptey aces extended the cushion to 20-14. Detwiler closed the game with an emphatic spike to give the Bears a 25-16 win.
In game three the Brook again nabbed an early edge behind a pair of Robbins aces and a Detwiler rocket. Our Savior closed to within 6-5, but five straight points, powered by two kills and an ace from Detwiler, gave the Bears an 11-5 edge. The lead grew to 13-6, but the Pioneers clawed back within 13-12 on the back of their service game. Unfazed, the Bears responded with six straight points of their own, punctuated by a Lamptey ace, to lead 19-12. The Bears were untested the rest of the way as they closed out the sweep, 25-17.
The Bears are back on the court Friday night in a home match-up with the Knox School.
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