The fall sports season is coming to an end, which means that winter sports are on the horizon.

Boys Basketball:

The boys ended last year 16 -11 with a first-round win over Hackettstown in the state playoffs. The team will look different this year after losing the Douglass brothers and multiple seniors.

Even though they lost key players, coach Johnson shares, “The biggest adjustment for us isn’t about replacing individuals — it’s about embracing who we are now.” Going into the season, Johnson explained that   “[I am] excited about this group and confident we can surprise some people with how competitive and connected we’ll be.” 

Coach Johnson shares that “I’m extremely confident in the group we have” and that “We’ve got senior leadership with guys like Richie Jobiese and Ricky Giebel who have set the tone all offseason and were big parts of our success last year.” 

The goal from last year remains unchanged, and Johnson said, “If we stay committed to defending, sharing the ball, and playing for each other, we’ll put ourselves in a position to compete in the conference and make a strong postseason push.” This year, the team hopes to show everyone what they are capable of and prove to doubters that they are wrong. 

Senior Captain Zach Marto suffered an ACL injury shortly after the season ended. Marto shares that “[I am] excited to come back from [my] ACL injury and be back to help the team.” According to Marto, as a team, they are hoping to “Win the division and make a run in states.” 

Everyone is excited to see what these boys will accomplish this year and can’t wait to see what they will do. 

Girls Basketball: 

The girls’ basketball team had a record-breaking season last year, posting a 23-6 record and setting the single-season record for wins. 

The girls’ team lost nine seniors, and head Coach Brett Bisconti shares that “The nine seniors last year were a special class to me, and to our program, because they helped solidify the foundational culture I envisioned for our program.” Despite key players graduating, the team is returning other essential players.

Aletha Reynolds ’26, last year’s leading scorer and rebounder, will be back for her senior year, as well as Juniors Jasmine Kelleher ’27 and Maddie Frame ’27, who contributed tremendously to the team’s success last year. Kelleher shares, “One of the goals is to win the Christmas tournament again for the 3rd year in a row.” Kelleher is entering her third varsity season and “is most excited about our schedule and the leveling up of our competition this year.” 

Last year’s team fell one game short of the state sectional finals; they know the expectations and expect to have another big season. Bisconti noted, “My ultimate goal, for our team, is to make sure when we get to the end of the season, we are playing at the highest possible level when we enter the state tournament.” 

Bisconti also mentioned, “I know what this group is capable of and what they can do — simply stated, they can play.” These girls are ready to play, and everyone is excited to see what they can do. 

Swimming:

Going into the swimming season, Coach Voight shares that the team’s goal is “always to get [our] swimmers improving times during the season and peaking in time for states.” 

Last year, the girls’ swim team was 5-7, and they will only lose four seniors. The team enters the season with no seniors on the roster, and Coach Voight predicts, “[I] think the girls’ team will compete for conference championship and a state section title” as he predicts the upcoming season. The girls’ team is in the Raritan division and will compete against Montgomery, Philipsburg, Hunterdon Central, North Hunterdon, and Somerville. 

Last year, the boys’ team was 4-7 and will lose eight seniors. Captain Tanner Pagel shared that “[he] is looking forward to winning meets and having fun with my friends.” he is also excited “to be able to swim with my little sister for a year.” 

The boys will also be competing in the Raritan Division, and coach Voight shares, “the boys team should be able to make a good run in states,” as they start to prepare for the season. 

Hockey:

Last season, Bernards struggled to find success on the rink after moving to a top division in New Jersey. Despite an underwhelming 1-18 record, Bernards gave many teams a run for their money. Their season included a 3-2 win over North Hunterdon and a 1-1 tie against Watchung Hills. 

To help bounce back after a tough season, Bernards will drop down a division and play teams that are closer to their caliber: “This year we move down into a lower division, but by no means an easy division,” said Mr. Spautz. 

In addition to dropping down a division, the hockey team is looking to build off its young talent and improve over the next couple of years, eventually culminating in a playoff push. 

“As a whole, we are still a young team and will look to build throughout the year in hopes of making the division playoffs and the chance to qualify for the state tournament,” said Mr. Spautz. 

As for the players, they are looking forward to the upcoming season and hope to make drastic improvements. “We are hoping to have a winning season, and my friends and I (also known as the furry friends) are hoping to play a role in the team’s success,” said Brynn Burke ’26. 

Good luck to the BSM hockey team in their upcoming season. 

Wrestling:

The wrestling team has remained one of the most consistent teams at BHS over the last decade. Last year, Bernards brought in a brand-new coach, Mike Filiari, following Mr. Brothers’ retirement after 18 illustrious seasons. In his first season as head coach, the Mountaineers went 16-9 and sent multiple players to the playoffs. 

This year, they hope to continue their success and exceed last year’s results. “As a team, we are really hoping to break twenty wins and send as many wrestlers as we can to regionals,” said Jordan Riley ’27. 

While the team will face tough competition this upcoming season, there is no doubt that they will continue their success and put up another excellent record. Good luck to the wrestling team in their 2025-2026 season. 

Fencing: 

Both the girls’ and boys’ fencing teams are coming off very impressive campaigns and hope to continue their success in the 2025-2026 season. Last year, the boys team, led by seniors Oliver Po and Pradnesh Thoppay, went 10-3, and the girls team, led by seniors Stella Macdonald and Fiona Vitali, went 11-2. 

To continue their team’s success, the girls’ team is “hoping to work very hard during the offseason,” said Ella Patel ’26.

For the boys, they are hoping to exceed last year’s record and “Stay vigilant, and not fall to our opponents.” Said Charlie Quinn ’27. 

For the fencing team, it’s not about making a comeback; it’s about continuing their reputation as one of the most dominant sports at the high school. Good luck to both the boys and girls fencing teams as they enter the 2025-2026 season.