Bordentown

Larry Carthan has replaced Mark Drew as the boys' basketball coach at Bordentown. Drew, who had coached the Scotties since the 1995-96 season, left the team Thursday. Carthan coached Thursday's 85-59 loss at Burlington City and last night's 78-61 loss to Westampton Tech. Bordentown was 8-12 this season under Drew. The Scotties are 8-14 and will compete in the Central Jersey Group 2 playoffs on Feb. 26. Carthan last night referred all questions regarding Drew's departure to Bordentown athletic director Wendy Weber-O'Neal.

Burlington City moved one step closer to the Burlington County League Freedom Division championship last night with a 77-62 win over Bordentown, and ended the Scotties' 10-game winning streak. With two league games remaining, Burlington (17-3 overall, 14-2 league) holds a one-game lead over Burlington Township. "Give credit to the kids," said Burlington City coach Bob Williams. "We lost those two straight (to Maple Shade and Burlington Township), but they've bounced back to win two big ones.

Firefighters were battling a two-alarm blaze at the Animal Kingdom, a zoo in Bordentown. Firefighters responded to a call at about 8:40 p.m. A building which houses puppies and other domestic animals was reported to be on fire. No exotic animals or endangered species were kept in the building, police said. The animals are being evacuated. The zoo houses animals including monkeys, camels and giraffes, according to the zoo's website. - Kristin Holmes  

Bordentown's strong first quarter paved the way for a 51-40 victory over visiting Palmyra Wednesday night in Burlington County League boys' basketball. The Scotties raced out to a 17-7 lead after the first quarter. They were paced by Myron Gordon's 17 points. In Cape-Atlantic League action, Ocean City's Griffin Grimes scored 16 points to move the Red Raiders past visiting Cape May Tech, 57-37. Girls' Basketball Lauryn Fields was a perfect 9 for 9 from the foul line in overtime en route to scoring a game-high 20 points and lifting Middle Township to a 46-42 win at Our Lady of Mercy in a Cape-Atlantic matchup.

The Rancocas Valley girls' basketball team, ranked No. 1 in South Jersey by The Inquirer, wasted no time putting away visiting Bordentown, 70-43, on Wednesday in a South Jersey Invitational opening-round game. Natalya Lee (21 points), Brianna Logan (20), and Lauren Moses (13) took turns strafing the Scotties. The Red Devils ran out to a 17-2 lead and then ended any suspense with a 25-11 fourth-quarter run. Alex McTamney and Kelly Yanucil combined for 24 points for Bordentown. Rancocas Valley will face Delsea in Saturday's 6:45 p.m. quarterfinal at Kingsway.

After failing to maintain leads in both halves, Bordentown scored the game-winner in overtime to beat visiting Cinnaminson, 3-2, in a girls' soccer match on Tuesday. Alexis McTamney scored twice for Bordentown, which won its first game in the Burlington County League. Bordentown scored in the first minute of both halves, but Cinnaminson responded both times with goals by Alexandria Kane and Lauren McHugh to tie the score and force overtime. Elsewhere in the Burlington County League, host Holy Cross topped Moorestown, 3-2, for the first time in seven years.

Alexis McTamney provided all the offense as top-seeded Bordentown rolled past visiting No. 9 Delran, 4-1, Tuesday in the Central Jersey Group 2 girls' soccer quarterfinals. McTamney, a senior, scored twice in each half, and Allyson Potts secured the win with four saves. Jess Larsen turned away seven shots for Delran, and Lauren Etter added a second-half goal. The Dragons advanced to meet Rumson-Fair Haven on Friday in the Central Jersey Group 2 semifinals. South Jersey Non-Public B. Shannon Metzler's second-half goal wasn't enough to propel sixth-seeded St. Joseph at No. 3 St. Rose-Belmar, as the Wildcats fell, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.

If all goes as planned, the Burlington County League Freedom Division will crown two state champions tonight - on the same soccer field. Bordentown and Delran, which finished one-two, respectively, in the Burlco Freedom race this season, are one win away from delivering a one-two punch of their own. Bordentown can win the first state championship in the soccer program's nine-year history by defeating Chatham Township in the 6 p.m. Group 1...

Alexis McTamney tallied a hat trick Friday as Bordentown defeated Maple Shade, 5-1, a Burlington County League girls' soccer game. McTamney increased her career goals total to 99, and added two assists. She will try for No. 100 at home against Northern Burlington at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Bordentown goaltender Allyson Potts stopped seven of the eight shots she faced. S.J. Coaches Tournament. Four players scored as Shawnee advanced over Washington Township, 4-0. Ariana Gerber, Amanda Hartwell-Miller, Erin Smith, and Dana Spires scored goals.

For the first time in more than a month, Bordentown star striker Alexis McTamney was held without a hat trick. Even so, her two late goals Wednesday paced the Scotties to a 2-0 victory over Cinnaminson in a state Group 2 girls' soccer semifinal at Toms River East. McTamney struck in the 63d and 76th minutes, each time receiving the ball while moving in from the wing, beating two defenders, and sliding the ball past Pirates goalie Jamie Campbell. The senior will look to add to her state-leading 58 goals on Sunday at the College of New Jersey, where Bordentown will face Bergen County's Glen Rock for the Group 2 title.

Johnny Maurer drove in the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning Friday, and Seneca beat Cherry Hill West, 4-3, in an Olympic Conference National Division baseball game. Seneca's Bryce Sonberg cracked a two-run homer in the fourth to tie it, 2-2. Allan Smith went 3 for 4. Matt Giampetro was 3 for 4 for Cherry Hill West, The Inquirer's fourth-ranked team in South Jersey. The Lions have lost two straight after winning nine in a row. Colonial. Pat Jermyn's two-run single capped a four-run sixth, and host Haddon Heights downed seventh-ranked Audubon, 4-0. Justin Ford pitched two innings of relief to earn his first win, and Connor Walsh nailed down his second save with a scoreless seventh as Sterling topped visiting Gateway, 7-3. Tri-County Royal.

The bishop of the Trenton Diocese says he will not reconsider his decision this month to shutter the 150-year-old St. Mary School in Bordentown. But the school's supporters are mobilizing and won't rule out the possibility of an appeal to keep it open. "If we have enough of a groundswell . . . from the community, we're willing to move forward," said David Burden, who heads the Save St. Mary Committee, a coalition of parents, teachers, alumni, and others. He wants supporters to petition the diocese for a reversal of the bishop's decision.

The bishop of the Trenton Diocese says he will not reconsider his decision this month to shutter the 150-year-old St. Mary School in Bordentown. But the school's supporters are mobilizing and won't rule out the possibility of an appeal to keep it open. "If we have enough of a groundswell . . . from the community, we're willing to move forward," said David Burden, who heads the Save St. Mary Committee, a coalition of parents, teachers, alumni, and others. He wants supporters to petition the diocese for a reversal of the bishop's decision.

A Catholic school that has operated in Bordentown, Burlington County, for nearly 150 years will soon be shuttered. The Diocese of Trenton announced Saturday that St. Mary School will be closed at the end of the school year due to declining enrollment and mounting financial difficulties. The school has 112 students, and their families were notified Friday of the decision. The school expected to finish the year in debt $100,000. The diocese will provide its 19 faculty and staff members with undisclosed severance packages.

Boys' Basketball CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 2 Bordentown at Spotswood, 7:30 CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP 4 Sayreville at Rancocas Valley, 7 SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 4 FIRST ROUND Toms River South at Atlantic City, 7 Southern Regional at Williamstown, 6:30 Cherokee at Eastern, 6 Absegami at Toms River North, 6 Cherry Hill West at Shawnee, 7 Egg Harbor at Triton, 7 Washington Township at Lenape, 5 SOUTH JERSEY GROUP 2 FIRST...

It began for Bordentown senior Alexis McTamney just as it had for so many athletes who will have their day in the spotlight on Wednesday. The long climb started at a very young age on fields throughout the area, with the initial goal to run around and have fun. Over the years it got more serious until they are at this point, earning a college athletic scholarship. McTamney, The Inquirer's South Jersey girls' soccer player of the year, will go through a ritual that will be repeated throughout the country.

Behind three wins by Tyler Brake, Cherry Hill West cruised to three victories Saturday afternoon in a quad wrestling match at Lenape. Brake inched out a 2-1 decision at 132 pounds to help the Lions roll over Lenape, 56-11. In West's 62-13 win over Cherry Hill East, Brake needed just 35 seconds to record a fall. He added a 4:51 pin in the opening bout of the team's 52-15 win over Paul VI. Mark Papaneri also secured three wins, including a 27-second pin against Cherry Hill East.

Dennis White hit a layup as time expired on Friday night and host Atlantic City turned away upset-minded St. Augustine Prep, 47-45, in the nightcap of the Battle by the Bay. Atlantic City, The Inquirer's No. 1 team in South Jersey, clinches the top spot in the South Jersey Group 4 playoffs with the win. St. Augustine, ranked No. 3 in South Jersey, led by four points after three quarters before Atlantic City controlled the lane and slowed the...

Dennis White hit a layup as time expired on Friday night and host Atlantic City turned away upset-minded St. Augustine Prep, 47-45, in the nightcap of the Battle by the Bay. Atlantic City, The Inquirer's No. 1 team in South Jersey, clinched the top spot in the South Jersey Group 4 playoffs with the win. St. Augustine, ranked No. 3 in South Jersey, led by four points after three quarters before Atlantic City controlled the lane and slowed the game's...