March 2017 www.readingtonnews.com
The
Readington News A Community Newspaper
Serving All of Readington Township, NJ
HC Cheer: First in Nation Times Two
Readington Resident to Lead St. Patrick’s Day Parade
The
Readington News
Hunterdon Central Varsity and JV Cheer Teams Take Top Honors in national competition.
A Community Newspaper Serving All of Readington Township, NJ second at the UCA Northeast Championships. This
By Raymond L. Crisci III HCRHS Class of 2017 Hunterdon Central Regional High School’s cheerleading teams earned their way into the most prestigious cheerleading championship in the country, The National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC), held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL, Feb. 11-12, and emerged as National Champs. For cheer, tryouts occur at the end of the prior school year. Selection is announced in May, and the teams are set. Throughout the summer, the teams attend strength and conditioning twice weekly and take private lessons in specialized gymnastics/tumbling. In cheer, as with most sports these days, there is no break. The official season begins with practices in early August, summer camp, football games, charity work, team tumbling lessons, leading to the first competition in mid-October. The teams make their ways through the circuit of local, conference, and regional competitions, with the ultimate goal to place first or
season, that was held on Nov. 13, and Junior Varsity took first place. Varsity took second place. These wins rightfully earned each team their spot at Nationals. The National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC) commenced Feb. 11. Varsity started the day against 38 teams, split into two groups, and three rounds, preliminaries, semis, and finals. In the prelims, Varsity competed directly against 19 teams in Group A. They hit a strong routine and won First Place. This exclusive achievement put them straight through to Finals, skipping the semis. On that same day, Junior Varsity had a full day of all rounds. They had to first compete in the semis, to earn their way to finals. They started against 17 teams to move on to finals against eight teams. As Junior Varsity took to the final mat, they were looking for redemption after last year’s second place. And they brought it. They hit a killer routine, diffi-
16th Annual Shannon Daley Memorial Fund Basketball Game March 8
The Shannon Daley Memorial Fund will host its 16th Annual Charity Basketball Event on March 8 at Hunterdon Central Regional High School Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. The Readington Teachers and Readington Men’s All Star Team will once again take on the world-renowned Harlem Wizards show team. The Shannon Daley Memorial Fund mission is to assist local families facing financial hardship due to a child battling a serious ail-
ment. The first recipient this year is 19-month-old Parker Hoelper from Flemington who has biliary atresia and had a liver transplant. The second recipient is 8-year-old Ray Fantel from Kendall Park who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 which is an incurable, terminal disease. The third recipient has not been identified as of yet. More than a thousand spectators typically attend, and another sellout is anticipated. Tickets for the game are $10 for adults and $5 for
Irishman of Year Robert Junge
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick - Hunterdon County (FSSP) have named Patrick Barrett of Readington Township as 2017 FSSP Parade Grand Marshal and Robert Junge of Lebanon Borough as 2017 FSSP Irishman of the Year. Both men will be honored at the 4th Annual FSSP St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12 at 3 p.m. in the Town of Clinton, and at the FSSP Dinner Dance at The Farmhouse at The Grand Colonial in Hampton on March 4. FSSP Chairman Bernie Gallagher paid tribute to both honorees. “Pat is a founding member and past President of the FSSP and currently Continued on page 4 chairs our all-important FSSP Fund-
children under 12 in advance. All tickets are $10 at the door. Donations can also be made directly to the Shannon Daley Memorial Fund, PO Box 1271, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889. For ticket information call 908534-0692 or go to www.shannonfund.org. If you would like to advertise in the program, call 609282-8513 or email Paul.McGill@ shannonfund.org. Tickets also are available at Darrow’s Sporting Edge and Sneakers Plus.
Grand Marshal Patrick Barrett
ing Committee that is responsible for dispersing over $30,000 annually to needy individuals, families and organizations in Hunterdon County. Our Irishman of the Year Bob Junge, a decorated veteran, is hugely involved in many organizations in Hunterdon County. Both Pat and Bob epitomize our core values of Community, Culture and Camaraderie and have contributed in large amount to the success of our organization to benefit the local community. We are delighted to have such worthy individuals to recognize as part of our 2017 St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrations.” Continued on page 6
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