Old Tappan High School

Articles of Old Tappan High School

Old Tappan's Caroline Ognibene is only North Jersey athlete with two individual medals

Jun 05, 2025

Soph Caroline Ognibene is only North Jersey athlete with two individual medalsOne could call Caroline Ognibene’s performance at the Group 3 Championships the best in her short but storied career. After all, the Old Tappan soph set personal records in the long jump and pole vault while placing third in the high jump. That’s a complete performance. However, nothing compared to her performance at SMOC, where she set personal records while being in two places simultaneously. Ognibene was the only North Jersey athlete at the State Meet of Champions to place in the top eight in multiple individual events. “The goal was to place at states in both events and doing both of those throughout the entire season helped me get to where I am today,” Ognibene said. Ognibene first placed fourth in the high jump of 5-6 in one end zone and then rushed to the pole vault pit beyond the opposite end zone, where she and her fellow Golden Knights vaulter Jamie Kim, who medaled at SMOC for the fourth straight year, placed sixth and seventh, respectively, with a vault of 11-0. It was at least the fourth time she had raced back and forth during the competition. "She did all that and got her steps in, too'', joked OT boys head coach Pete Dunn.“It was a great send-off and definitely motivating for next year,” Ognibene said.

Amelia Plescia hits a homerun on her way to 100 hits

May 03, 2025

Old Tappan's Amelia Plescia Reaches 100 Career Hits with a Home Run Amelia Plescia, a standout shortstop for Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, recently achieved a significant milestone by recording her 100th career hit—a home run. The accomplishment was celebrated by the school's softball team, highlighting Plescia's impressive feat. Her 100th hit not only marks a personal achievement but also underscores her consistent performance and dedication to the sport. As the season progresses, Plescia's experience and leadership are expected to continue playing a vital role in Old Tappan's pursuit of excellence on the softball field. Congratulations to Amelia Plescia on reaching this remarkable milestone!

Golden Knights Edge Demarest in Tight Rivalry Battle

Apr 19, 2025

Malady’s Four Goals Lead Old Tappan Past Demarest in Tight Battle Old Tappan edged past rival Demarest in a tightly contested boys lacrosse matchup on Saturday, April 19, pulling out a 6-5 win to improve to 5-2 on the season. The Golden Knights held the lead after each quarter, but Demarest never let them get comfortable, matching them goal for goal in a back-and-forth game. Ronan Malady powered the Old Tappan offense with a game-high four goals, while Nick Blanchard contributed a balanced effort with two goals and two assists. Vincent Rossi also added three assists, helping spark the attack. Faceoff specialist Mason Varni was pivotal at the X, winning 9 of 15 faceoffs and giving Old Tappan key possessions. Defensively, the Knights were anchored by goalie Walker Lynch, who made eight saves in the win. Old Tappan held a narrow ground ball advantage (37 to 33), while their efficiency in faceoffs helped them maintain a slight edge throughout the contest. For Demarest, Jackson Dickstein and Tanner Brickman led the scoring with two goals apiece, and goalie Neil Bernhaut kept them within striking distance with an impressive 20 saves. Despite their efforts, Demarest fell to 3-4 on the season. This gritty win gives Old Tappan momentum heading into the heart of the season, while Demarest will look to regroup after another close loss.

Old Tappan Edges Mahwah 3-2 in Big North Tennis Battle

Apr 16, 2025

The Old Tappan boys tennis team secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Mahwah in a Big North Conference matchup. Match Summary 1st Singles: Jack Bogert (Mahwah) edged out Kiran Gurunathan (Old Tappan) in a thrilling three-set match, winning 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (10-5). 2nd Singles: Sammi Gurunathan (Old Tappan) defeated Prem Doshi (Mahwah) in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. 3rd Singles: Albert Wen (Mahwah) overcame William Kwon (Old Tappan) with a 6-2, 6-4 victory. 1st Doubles: The Old Tappan duo of Andonis Vazacopoulos and Ian Oak triumphed over Mahwah's Alex Wong and Arnold Zhang, 6-3, 6-3. 2nd Doubles: In a tightly contested match, Anay Nadgauda and Daniel Winter (Old Tappan) defeated Sam Terdiman and Constantine Hoerauf (Mahwah) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (10-2). This win improved Old Tappan's record to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big North - National division, while Mahwah fell to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big North - Patriot division.

Doubles Clinch the Win for Old Tappan Over Mahwah

Apr 16, 2025

Photo Credit Scott Faytok / NJ Advanced MediaThe Old Tappan boys tennis team edged out Mahwah with a 3–2 victory in a closely contested match. Match Summary 1st Singles: Mahwah’s Jack Bogert triumphed over Kiran Gurunathan of Old Tappan in a thrilling three-set match, winning 6–1, 2–6, 7–6 (10–5). 2nd Singles: Old Tappan’s Sammi Gurunathan secured a straight-sets victory against Prem Doshi of Mahwah, 6–3, 6–3. 3rd Singles: Mahwah’s Albert Wen defeated William Kwon of Old Tappan, 6–2, 6–4. 1st Doubles: The Old Tappan duo of Andonis Vazacopoulos and Ian Oak overcame Mahwah’s Alex Wong and Arnold Zhang with a 6–3, 6–3 win. 2nd Doubles: In a nail-biting match, Old Tappan’s Anay Nadgauda and Daniel Winter edged out Mahwah’s Sam Terdiman and Constantine Hoerauf, 7–5, 3–6, 7–6 (10–2). This victory improved Old Tappan’s record to 2–1 overall and 1–0 in the Big North – National division, while Mahwah fell to 5–3 overall and 4–1 in the Big North – Patriot division.

Golden Knights Keep Rolling Behind Derrico, Lee, and Malady

Apr 15, 2025

The Old Tappan Golden Knights extended their undefeated streak to 4-0 with a commanding 18-7 victory over Mount St. Dominic in a girls lacrosse matchup. The game, held at Mount St. Dominic, saw Old Tappan dominate from the outset, leading 6-3 after the first quarter and steadily increasing their advantage throughout the game. Game Highlights Final Score: Old Tappan 18, Mount St. Dominic 7 Quarter Scores: Q1: Old Tappan 6, Mount St. Dominic 3 Q2: Old Tappan 3, Mount St. Dominic 2 Q3: Old Tappan 4, Mount St. Dominic 1 Q4: Old Tappan 5, Mount St. Dominic 1 Standout Performers Mia Derrico (#7, Old Tappan): Led all scorers with 9 goals and added an assist, totaling 10 points. Charlotte Malady (#17, Old Tappan): Contributed 2 goals and a game-high 4 assists. Annabelle Lee (Old Tappan): Added 5 goals and 1 assist to the team's tally. Jayden DeSilva (Mount St. Dominic): Accounted for 5 of her team's 7 goals, showcasing her offensive prowess. Layla Dyer (Old Tappan): Anchored the defense with a game-high two forced turnovers, demonstrating her ability to disrupt Mount St. Dominic's offensive plays and initiate transitions. Team Statistics Old Tappan (4-0): Goals: 18 Assists: 6 Ground Balls: 9 Draw Controls: 13 Free Position Goals: 6 Mount St. Dominic (0-5): Goals: 7 Assists: 0 Ground Balls: 0 Draw Controls: 0 Free Position Goals: 0SportsRecruits+6Hudl+6Hudl+6SportsRecruits+4Three Rivers Library+4LaxNumbers+4Heartland Conference+4Hudl+4College Sports Communicators+4 Old Tappan's victory underscores their strong start to the season, while Mount St. Dominic continues to seek their first win. The Golden Knights' balanced attack and solid defense were key factors in their decisive win.

Balanced Effort Lifts Old Tappan Over Pequannock

Apr 13, 2025

The Old Tappan Golden Knights softball team secured a 5–1 victory over the Pequannock Golden Panthers, propelled by a standout performance from pitcher Erin Huelster. Huelster delivered a complete game, allowing just five hits and one earned run over seven innings, while striking out eight batters and issuing only one walk. Her efforts were instrumental in keeping Pequannock's offense in check throughout the game. Offensively, Old Tappan was led by Mia Ferraro, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Riley Smith contributed with two hits and an RBI, while Amelia Plescia scored two runs and added a hit. The team tallied eight hits in total, capitalizing on scoring opportunities in the first and seventh innings.Pequannock managed to score a single run in the bottom of the seventh. Savannah Liccardo recorded a hit, and Sofia Erichsen drove in the team's lone RBI. Despite the loss, pitcher Savannah Liccardo threw six innings, allowing five hits and four runs (three earned), with three walks and no strikeouts. This win improved Old Tappan's record to 6-0 overall and 4–0 in the Big North – National division.

Girls Lacrosse: Player of the Week Annabelle Lee of Old Tappan

Apr 10, 2025

Photo Credit thelancenews.comGirls Lacrosse:Player of the Week in Independence Red DivisionLee’s name was a constant in the Old Tappan scorebook this week. In two games she wound up scoring nine goals and added eight draw controls. She put in four goals and had a career-high six draw controls in a 10-6 win over Westwood last Thursday. On Monday she outdid herself with five goals as the Golden Knights defeated Pompton Lakes 15-3.

Boys Tennis: OT sweeps singles

Apr 09, 2025

Photo Credit Ed Murray For Nj Advanced Media The Old Tappan boys tennis team edged out Pascack Valley with a 3–2 victory in a tightly contested match.Match RecapSingles Matches:1st Singles: Kiran Gurunathan (Old Tappan) defeated Suren Makichyan (Pascack Valley) in straight sets, 6–1, 6–4.2nd Singles: Sammi Gurunathan (Old Tappan) secured a win over Evan Hwang (Pascack Valley), 6–3, 6–0.3rd Singles: In a thrilling three-set match, William Kwon (Old Tappan) overcame Mason Herzog (Pascack Valley) with a final score of 4–6, 6–4, 7–6 (10–3).Doubles Matches:1st Doubles: Robbie Wasserman and Evan Starr (Pascack Valley) defeated Christopher Kim and Andonis Vazacopoulos (Old Tappan), 6–4, 6–4.2nd Doubles: Nathan Faber and Nick Tabano (Pascack Valley) won against Ian Oak and Anay Nadgauda (Old Tappan) with scores of 7–6 (8–6), 6–0.