The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 23

Home News Tribune PAGE C5 LOCAL SPORTS SUNSHINE CLASSIC: MERCER COUNTY 14, SKYLAND CONFERENCE 7 Franklin's Wielgosz provides only spark for lackluster offense SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1998 pleted the 66-yard drive on a play-action pass to Branch. Franklin's Emory Peteet was named the Skyland All-Stars' Outstanding Lineman while teammates Marcus Hamilton rushed 11 times for 25 yards and Jamal Kemp caught four passes for 33 yards. Somerville's Eddie Allen was the Skyland's second quarterback, completing 4-of-9 for 29 yards with two interceptions. By PATR1C SANTO PIETRO STAFF WRITER EMNG Except for some late-game action from Franklin quarterback Chris Wielgosz, there wasn't much excitement for Sky-land Conference fans last night at the 1998 Sunshine Football Classic at in front of 3,258 fans at The College of New Jersey's Lions Stadium. Wielgosz the Skyland All-Stars' third quarterback of the night came on to revive his team's offense and rally for a fourth-quarter touchdown, but it wasn't enough as the Mercer County All-Stars scored in each half long passes on two of his first three plays and, even though they fell incomplete, he gave a preview of things to come.

"I found out in practice yesterday that I would be playing third, so I was waiting my turn," Wielgosz said. "We were down by 14 and that's the kind of situation that I like a little pressure." Two possessions later, Wielgosz led the Skyland All-Stars 71 yards in 4:52 to cut the score to 14-7. Two passes for 15 and 12 yards to North Warren's Geoff Schulman started the drive, and two more for 4 and 8 yards to Hunterdon Central's Marc Omelio and Hackettstown's Joe and took advantage of a sputtering Skyland offense to win the second annual senior All-Star game by a 14-7 score. Hamilton West fullback Duriel Branch the Mercer County Outstanding Back scored both touchdowns for the Mercer All-Stars while Wielgosz the Skyland Outstanding Back scored on a quarterback keeper. In the Skyland's three-quarterback scheme, Wielgosz played the last third of the game and created some excitement as soon as he stepped on the field with 2:39 left in the third quarter and Mercer holding a 14-0 lead.

Wielgosz went for Johnson, respectively, put the Skyland on the Mercer 26. Three runs, including an 11-yard burst by Omelio, brought the ball to the 1 before Wielgosz went up the middle for the score. Somerville's Brian Buchanan made the PAT. "It took a while and it felt like I was waiting a long time, but it was worth it," said Wielgosz, who finished 5-for-lO for 50 yards. "I thought I should have given it to the fullback (Omelio) because he was working so hard.

I had the tip of the ball over by about two inches and they called it in." Wielgosz then led his team to the Mercer 35 on its last possession be fore throwing an interception to game MVP Dante McKnight of Trenton. Mercer came up with the only points of the first half courtesy of McKnight, who rushed for 37 yards on a 71-yard second-quarter drive. Two back-to-back 15-yard runs by McKnight highlighted the drive, and Branch ran up the middle to punch the ball into the end zone. Gary Diedloffs extra point furnished the 7-0 halftime score. Lawrence quarterback Mike Az-zara led Mercer to its second touchdown in the third quarter.

Azzara connected for a 26-yard pass to Trenton's Dallas Lacy and com emrSs taveon'fi Beamed! fromm Brevin's younger brother, Bmndin, hears same criticism from analysts ABCD CAMP By JIM CARTY STAFF WRITER HACKENSACK Basketball recruiting gurus are a stubborn sort. Just because pretty much every talent scout and college coach totally underestimated Seton Hall product Brevin Knight, just because Knight went on to an All-America career at Stanford and now plays with the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, doesn't mean his little brother is getting any slack. If anything, it's al most as they're all are looking at Brandin Knight this summer and saying "This time we're right This kid is not a star." No national recruiting analyst at this week's adidas ABCD camp at Fairl-eigh Dickinson University has Knight listed as a major college prospect. "I know the common thing is to draw comparisons between him and his brother, but he's probably more suited to the mid-major level," said Russ Blake, who covers recruiting for both Prep Stars and Insider's Report. "He'd have a chance to step in and play right away.

If he goes too high, he might not get the playing time he wants and it might not be a good situation. I really think he'd be better off at the mid-major level, and there's nothing i know thing draw between his brother, he's suited to have a step in right away. goes too might not playing wants and not be a I he'd be at the level, and nothing that. Russ Blake BASKETBALL ON BRANDIN Sean Axani of Red Bank watches his team finish a game at the ABCD basketball camp at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck on Wednesday. Losing team shouldn't hurtAxani's stock the common is to comparisons him and but probably more the mid-major level.

He'd chance to and play If he high, he get the time he it might good situation. really think better off mid-major there's wrong with WRITER KNIGHT MERCER COUNTY ALL-STARS 0 7 7 0 14 SKVLAND CONFERENCE ALL-STARS 0 0 0 7-7 Branch 4 run (Deidloff tuck) Branch 22 pass from Azzara (Detdloff tack) Wielgosz 1 run (Buchanan ktck) BASEBALL Iselin slips Amboywins STAFF REPORT Matt Marone ripped a pair of doubles and had three RBI, and Mike Albertson added three singles and a RBI as Iselin nipped Father Son 8-7 in a Middlesex County American Legion baseball game last night, Jerry Littgow's run-scoring triple in the fifth inning pulled Father Son within one, but Chris Buglovsky closed the door with two shutout innings of relief. Buglovsky relieved winning pitcher Shawn McGrath, who improved to 6-1. ISELIN (13-1) 212 1200 8 102 -200 230 0 7 9 2 FATHER 4 SON (10-S) 2B t-Marone FS-Brownlie, Miranov, Garcia 3B FS-Llttgow. RBI l-Marone 3, Buglovsky, Albertson; FS-8rownlie, Miranov, Garcia, Littgow, Moscowitz.

WP McGrath (6-1), If Garcia. PERTH AMB0Y 7, SOUTH BRUNSWICK 3: Damon Clark and Jared Boyd combined on a five-hitter to lift Perth Amboy. Boyd, Eric Rosa-rio and Josh Pardo all knocked in runs as South Brunswick lost for only the third time this season. PERTH AMBOY (8-8) SOUTH BRUNSWICK (14-3) -0032200 7 102 -101 1000-3 52 2B PA-Rosario; SB-Domotor. RBI PA-Pardo 2.

Boyd 2, Rosario, Rodriguez; SB-Ahmed, Piza. WP Clark (2-2), LP James. SAYREVILLE 7, MIDDLESEX 3: Winning pitcher Dave Santiago went 2-for-3 with three RBI for Sayre-ville. Todd Casazza helped Sayreville get out to a 4-0 first inning lead with a two-run homer. Manny Vargas slugged a solo homer in the seventh for Middlesex, which fell to 10-6.

MIDDLESEX (10-6) SAYREVILLE -000011 1-362 401 020 0 7 7 2B S-Rubro HR S-Casazza; M-Vargas. RSI S-Santiago 3, Casazza 2. Sas; M-Vargas. WP Santiago (3-1), LP Batista (0-2) THURSDAY SAYREVILLE (13-5) CLARA BARTON (4-1 1) -111 3230-11 11 0 4 31 26 CB-Witmore. RBI CB-Witmore 2.

Happel; S-' Bell. Sas. Hays, Rodrguez, vVrobel, lanonne WP Sas (2-1). LP Dean. Senior League SOUTH AMBOY 12, C0L0NIA 9: Second baseman Chris Garcia went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs and Ryan Novak smashed a two-run triple in the top of the second inning to spark once-beaten South Amboy to its seventh victory.

South Amboy's Jason Cross notched the victory in relief. For Colonia, pitcher Bill Hogan went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI, while Tom Christo -singled, doubled and tripled, drove home two runs and scored twice. EAST BRUNSWICK 11, W00D8RIDGE 1: D.J. Assini pitched a complete game two-" hitter to improve to 3-1 Steve Petersak had two hits and three runs scored, and Matt Szukics and Ryan Stillman each had a pair of hits in the rout. Junior League NORTH BRUNSWICK 14, JAMESBURG 4: Mike Elko, Jason Lee and Ryan Bonuara had two RBI apiece as North Brunswick improved to 4-3.

Nick Cipot and Chris Spedialare each slugged doubles in the -win. PISCATAWAY 17, SP0TSWOOD 11: Winning pitcher Tony Danella, who struck out eight in three innings, went 3-for-4 and drove home two runs to spark once- beaten Piscataway to its seventh victory. Sal Mastrogiovanni, Howie Horowitz, Mike Augustine and Ray Rose each had two of Piscataway's 1 7 hits. METUCHEN 18, MILLTOWN 1: Matt Hale drove in four runs, while Eddie Carco scored four runs to lift Metuchen in a five-inning rout Winning pitcher Justin Harmon yielded one hit in four innings while striking out three. Metuchen improved to 6-4.

Um TANYA BREENStaff photographer Bannon then planned on meeting assistant coach Rob Lanier at the Eastern Invitational in Trenton last night. Today's schedule includes the New Jersey Showdown at Bishop Eustace High School, where fast-rising St. Joseph's guard Jason Williams is expected to make an appearance. QUICK HITS: Add Lionel Chalmers Jr. of Albany, N.Y., to the Rutgers recruiting picture.

Chalmers, who averaged 27 points and 9.3 assists for Bishop Gibbons (N.Y.) last year, says the Knights are in his upper echelon of potential schools. He also likes Virginia, Maryland, Providence and Cincinnati. ABCD often invites some of the best New jersey underclassmen, and this year's crop included Paterson Catholic junior guard Justice Howell, Sterling sophomore guard Ernest Turner, Irvington sophomore guard Rashid Dunbar, Linden junior swingman Jamaal Tate and Seton Hall Prep forward Marcus Toney- El Yesterday featured the only 9 a.m. game session of the camp and few college coaches were in the bleachers for tipoff. The early risers included Rutgers' Lanier, Michigan's Brian Ellerbe, Siena's Paul Hewitt, South Florida's Seth Green-berg, Mississippi Stale's Rick Stan-sbury, Stanford's Mike Montgomery and California's Ben Braun.

missed an opportunity Wednesday. "It rained a little here this morning, but the lake was affected," she said. "It's nice out there. I'm surprised more people aren't fishing." John McKenzie, Lake Hopatcong, weighed an 18V2-inch brown trout at Dow's, and Joe Tekula of Hopatcong came in with an 18-incher. Lou Tarascio of Lake Hopatcong had a 5-pound, 5-ounce pickerel.

"They're catching a lot of small-mouths 2V2 to 3V2 pounds," Murphy said. "It's almost all on live herring." Will Nitschmann, tackle manager at The Sportsman's Center, Borden-town, said smallmouth fishing is picking up in the Delaware River, but he had no outstanding fish of any species weighed in this week. "They're catching largemouths with jigs in Mercer Lake," he said. "That's looking good." I r- Thursday. "We knew at the beginning we were going to have problems.

We had no real big men and no dominant athletes. After the first practice, I knew I was in trouble. We've got two guys hurt and Jn not sure if they're really hurt or they just don't want to play any more." Axani will get a chance to return to a good team as soon as this weekend when his Central Jersey Hawks travel to the New Jersey Showdown at Bishop Eustace High School. The Hawks will follow up with a trip to the Amateur Athletic Union national championships in Orlando, from July 20-26. "Hopefully I didn't hurt myself," said Axani, who called Virginia, Rutgers, South Carolina, Massachusetts and Boston College the leaders for his services.

"Just to come here was the best thing. It was fun, some of the games were fun. Just the experience was the best thing, RUTGERS UPDATE: Rutgers coach Kevin Bannon left the adidas ABCD Camp after Thursday night's session, but he did not head out to Indianapolis for the final day of the Nike Camp. Instead, Bannon spent most of yesterday at the low-profile Atlantic County Camp in Williams-town. The main attraction at ACC is St.

Augustine Prep forward Andrew Sullivan, who attended only two days at the ABCD. Senate floor," he said, "and then contradicted themselves and voted yes for an amendment that puts exactly the same plan into effect for one year. "To allow another year of unrestricted slaughter of the glass eel population is not acceptable." The eel harvesters, though small in number, have wielded surprising clout in Trenton, and Fote expects a concerted effort will be mounted to get the bill passed in the fall. "Nothing will happen this summer," tie said. "The pressure will start building in the fall, and I'm going to keep track of what's going on.

We don't want any surprises." Considerable angling effort has been switched to salt water of late, but Laurie Murphy of Dow's Boat Rental, Lake Hopatcong, said anglers were out on the weekend but fee i teams that have won 56 of their last 61 games. He also led this week's ABCD camp in steals with 2.5 per game, and was ninth in assists at ABCD with 3.0 per game. "I think I'm playing pretty good here," Brandin Knight said yesterday, the final day of ABCD play, adding that he was aware he'd started some buzz for himself by leading the camp in steals. "Some kids have spoken to me about it, players from other teams things like that I'm just playing defense." For all the compari- sons between his game and his older brother's, Brandin Knight has something that might make his story entirely different from Brevin Knight's the ability to play major college football. A speedy: cor-nerback, Brandin Knight is.

drawing football interest from the likes of Iowa, Ohio State, Rutgers and Kansas. In basketball, by comparison, the suitors have been Manhattan, Drexel, Rider and Old Dominion, although Pittsburgh has also recently called. "I'm not leaning to-. ward either," he said. "The only thing I hate about football is the five days of practice for only one game.

My strength is man-to-man coverage and I think I'm a pretty good tackier, too, tackling that big running back out of the backfield." Because of the demands of major college football, Knight does not think he could play two sports at the same time. So for now, he plans on enjoying both of his high school seasons, probably putting his college decision off until the spring signing period, just like his brother did. And since prospects tend to improve with another season of experience and good players are hard to find in the spring, Blake didn't entirely rule out a breakout similar to Brevin's. "That's the thing," Blake said, smiling. "You have to keep an eye on him, because obviously, like his brother, he could develop and mushroom." unrestricted glass eel fishery could be held next year, if the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission fails to JOHN GEISER implement an eel management plan this year.

That is the measure that awaits a vote. Capt. John Connell one of New Jersey's representatives to the ASMFC, said the commission cannot possibly get a plan in place this year, so at its recent meeting it passed a non-binding resolution requesting all states that do not allow a fishery for eels smaller than six 4... wrong with that." No, but after watching Brevin Knight defy every prediction like Blake's and turn his only big-time scholarship offer into magic, Brandin Knight isn't quick to believe critics. "I like when people put me down, because that makes me want to work harder," said the East Orange resident.

The knocks on Brandin are similar to the old knocks on Brevin he's short at 6-feet, hasn't shown much scoring ability in averaging 6 points per game as a high school junior and isn't a dazzling ball-handler, i Still, he's been a major contributor on Seton Hall Prep's back-to-back Parochial A championship By JIM CARTY STAFF WRITER HACKENSACK Some prospects make their reputation at the adidas ABCD Camp, others break it. The vast majority of the 250 or so players on hand, however, end up like Red Bank forward Sean Axani, who played solidly but probably didn't help or hurt his recruiting stock. "He's going to be recruited regardless," said Russ Blake, who covers basketball recruiting for In- sider's Report NOTEBOOK and Prep Stars. MIHBia "Let's face it: If you've got a lot scholarships to work with and you're looking for a guy in the frontcourt he's a no-brainer. He's a kid who's going to work hard and listen to the coach and he's athletic.

Sean Axani is going to be a very good player for somebody." Although the 6-7 forward called ABCD a good experience, his team's 1-5 record going into yesterday's games made it difficult to really enjoy the camp. "The beginning of the week was good, but our team loses every game, so you don't want to play anymore," said Axani, who averaged 5 points and 3.8 rebounds and was the camp's ninth-leading shot-blocker with 1.17 blocks per game through OUTDOORS inches continue their closure. "There probably will be no plan in place until April of 1999," Connell said. "The ASMFC cannot take emergency action on eels, so in the absence of a plan, they are requesting this voluntary action." Maine and Connecticut are the only states that currently allow harvesting of glass eels, and Maine was the only state to vote against the non-binding resolution. Thomas Fote, legislative chairman of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, said that the coalition that opposed S-457 remains poised to flood legislators' offices with mail again when backers of the measure put it up for a vote, but timing is critical.

"We are particularly concerned that many senators publicly told us and the press that they intended to vote no on S-457, if it reached the Legislative battle over juvenile eel fishery hasn't been won yet Freshwater anglers joined with saltwater fishermen and environmentalists to convince the state Senate not to reopen the glass eel fishery earlier this year. The fight is not over. The juvenile eels, which are so important to the environmental balance "of the state's fresh waters, brought harvesters up to $300 a pound last year and generated an intense commercial fishing effort that many persons believe, if continued, could ruin the stocks as happened in Europe, the Orient and New Zealand. The Senate responded to the massive outpouring of sentiment against the reopening by taking no action on the bill, S-457, March 30 when it was scheduled for a vote. Instead the legislators voted May 18, without notice, that they were amending the, bill to provide that an.