Sports

Members of the Livingston High School baseball and softball teams have combined their love of baseball and softball and desire to support their community to create the first annual seventh and eighth grade Wiffle Ball Tournament.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 23, as part of Livingston YouthAppreciation Week and in support of Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors. All seventh and eighth grade students are welcomed and encouraged to participate in raising money and collecting food for the local food pantry. Participants can donate money directly to the food pantry to register or bring a 66-liter or larger container full of non-perishable food on the day of the event.

For the registration link and to learn more information about the event, email livingstonfieldofdreams@gmail.com.

Olympic gold medalist and former long-time Livingston resident Thomas William Courtney died Tuesday, August 22, at an assisted living facility in Naples, Florida. He was 90 years old.

One of Livingston’s most famous athletes, Courtney was a track star who won two gold medals at the 1956 Summer Olympics and held two world records.

Born in Newark on August 17, 1933, Tom Courtney grew up in Livingston, the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Courtney of 50 Virginia Avenue. He attended high school in Caldwell, as Livingston did not then have its own high school in those years.

From early on, he was well known as a very strong – and extremely fast – runner. At Caldwell, he was the state 880 yard champion in his senior year, clocking in at 2:00.2. His personal best times include 45.8 seconds in the 400 meter; 1:45.8, in the 800 meter; and 1:46.8 in the 880 yard race. He was later inducted into the Caldwell High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

LANCERS FALL TO COLONIALS: The Livingston Lancers varsity football team fell to the Morristown Colonials, 23-0, on Saturday, August 26. Shown above, Lancer running back Sam McNair, #1, carries the ball against the Morristown Colonials. At left, Lancer quarterback Aitlen Healy, #12, sets to complete a pass against Morristown. Below, Lancer Christian Giordano stops the Morristown ball carrier as lineman Joseph Jean Marie, #57, converges on the play. Mordy Photos

Shaun Quirk, a member of Livingston High School’s Class of 2023, earned weightlifting honors at the end of the spring season, etching his name into the Big Three board.

The Big Three board was brought to Livingston High School by former teachers and coaches Ed Purdy and Bob Keenan after attending a strength and conditioning conference at the United States Air Force Academy. To earn a spot on the board, students must complete calculated maxes of four to six reps of the following three exercises: bench press, back squat, and power clean. The sum of these three maxes then gets multiplied by the student’s Schwartz Power Index, a number that reflects their body weight for a measure of pound-for-pound strength. The minimum score needed to be on the board is 500.

LANCERS PREPARE FOR FALLSPORTS: Livingston High School’s student athletes are preparing for a new season of fall sports. Shown above, left, Lancers focus on the ball during offensive and defensive play. Above, right, goalie candidates Sloane Pariser, Zoe Gilberg and Ayla Sherman focus on the ball during the drill. Don Schwartz Photos

LIVINGSTON WINS TWO GAMES: The Livingston U16 Giants baseball team defeated the North Jersey Ghosts, 5-4, and the New Jersey Reds of Edison, 6-3, on Saturday, July 29, at Tevlin Field. Shown here, clockwise from top left: Livingston U16 Giants catcher Max Drechsler blocks the ball against the North Jersey Ghosts; Livingston U16 Giants pitcher John Harrell brings it to the plate; Livingston U16 Giant Jackson Becker steals second base, beating the throw from Ghosts catcher Nicholas Arvanites; and Livingston U16 batter John Harrell singles to left field against Ghosts pitcher Tommy Koren. Home plate umpire Ed Ament and catcher Nicholas Arvanites follow the ball.

U16 GIANTS WIN TWO: The Livingston U16 Giants tied Wladyka of Rutherford on Thursday, July 6 on the Oval. The team next defeated the Franklinville Show, 3-1, and the Toms River Whitecaps, 4-1, on Saturday, July 8, in the USABL Tournament held on Tevlin Field. At left, Livingston U16 Giants pitcher Marco Contorno brings it to the plate against Wladyka of Rutherford. Above, Livingston U16 Giants base runner John Harrell, #37, beats the catcher’s throw to steal second base against the Toms River Whitecaps.

The Livingston High School alumni baseball game was played on the Oval as part of the Township of Livingston Fourth of July Festivities program last week. Thirty-eight Lancer baseball alumni played on the Gold and the Green Teams. Livingston High School sports DJ and announcer Barry Schwartz provided the commentary and introductions. The Alumni Game was organized by coaches Scott Schroeder and Mickey Ennis. The game was followed by a pizza and beverage reception donated by local merchants. Above, Brian Ayers strides into the ball as catcher Chandler Balter follows the play.

OPENING SEASON: The Livingston 16U Giants opened the season against Rutherford Wladyka 16 U on Thursday, June 29, at Tevlin Field. Shown above, Livingston Giants 16U leadoff hitter Joe Meierhofer doubles to left center field against Wladyka pitcher Jimmy Corcoran. Home plate umpire Marty Writt and Wladyka catcher Ben Leeds follow the ball. At left, Livingston 16U Giants pitcher Noah Boxer brings it to the plate against Wladyka. 

Livingston residents and martial artists Derek Wei, eight years old, and Sophia Shen, nine years old, succeeded at the Presidential Wushu Cup in Olney, Maryland. Wei won 5 Gold and Shen won 4 Gold.

As a result both qualified for the U.S. Kung Fu Team, which will represent the United States in the fourth Pan American Kung Fu Championships, which are scheduled to be held August 3 to 7, 2023, in Ontario, Canada.

Wei also won the All-Around Grand Champion title for the “Male 11 and under” age category. Shen was First Runner Up in the All-Around Grand Champion title in the “Female 11 and under” age category. Both are students of the Wushu-Kung Fu Fitness Center in Livingston.