Ava Barker attempts a shot between Caldwell players during a home game on Jan. 4.
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield High School winter teams saw exceptional athletes.
The following are the BHS athletes who received postseason honors, voted by their divisional coaches.
Girls basketball
Super Essex Conference–Colonial Division
First Team: freshman Lia Barker and senior Ava Barker.
Second Team: senior Mia Gonzalez and sophomore Inez Brewster.
Honorable Mention: senior Angelina Sanchez.
Boys wrestling
SEC–Liberty Division
- First Team: senior Gabe McCulloch (285 pounds), senior Alejandro Valencia (at-large) and freshman Aidan Matias (at-large).
- Second Team: sophomore Jimmy Haverick (106), senior Anthony Lizama (126), junior Matt Miller (144) and senior Spencer Crawley (at-large).
- Honorable Mention: seniors Malik Nelson, Thomas Haverick and Joey Testa.
The Bengals, under head coach Ryan Smircich, finished with a stellar 24-9 record this season.
Girls wrestling
NJ.com All-State All-Groups
- Second Team: junior Saharia Quamina.
Essex County Wrestler of the Year: Quamina.
Quamina finished second at the NJSIAA’s state championships in Atlantic City.
Boys swimming
SEC–Liberty Division
- First Team: senior Gabe Del Fierro.
- Second Team: junior Liam Timbie.
- Honorable Mention: junior Brent Batac.
Girls swimming
SEC–Liberty Division
- First Team: senior Lauren Espiritu.
- Second Team: sophomore Summer Harris.
- Honorable Mention: junior Cayla Laviola.
Boys bowling
SEC–American Division
- First Team: senior Jayden Hedgespeth and junior Jayden Padilla. Padilla took second place at the Essex County Individual Championships.
- Second Team: senior Eoin Clifford, junior Eric Japhet and sophomore Jaydon Spencer.
Girls bowling
SEC–American Division
- First Team: senior Isabella Bille. She won the girls title at the Essex County Individual Championships.
- Second Team: Caterino DiGiano, freshman Taylor Murray and senior Leah Velasquez.
- Honorable Mention: senior Teagan Dees.
- Third Team All-Group 4: Bille.
Ice hockey
NJIIHL–Kelly Division
- First team: Alex Benkert. He was a unanimous Most Valuable Player of the Kelly Division. His 137 goals led the state. He was third in assists with 112 and first in points with 249.
- Honorable Mention: senior Cameron Wright.
Girls indoor track and field
SEC–American Division
- First Team: senior Mercedes Cruz-Fletcher.
- Second Team: sophomore Alana Dennis, junior Emily Brodowski and sprint medley.
- Third Team: junior Thalia Bell.
Boys indoor track and field
SEC–American Division
- First Team: senior Victor Carthell and junior Lennox McPherson-Abrams.
- Third Team: senior Alex Travers, junior Jeremy Tejada, sophomore Jo’elle Urdanivia and sprint medley team.
Photos Courtesy of Jerry Simon and Phil Rapavi
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