Montville Township High School wrestler Nick Lizza believes hard work and intense workouts make for success on the mats. When he's not practicing with his Mustang teammates, the 103-pound freshman is  working out with a personal trainer. The result has been a 14-3 record this season, including the 103-pound championship at the Lenape Valley Holiday Tournament over the Christmas/New Year's break. "I'm always practicing to become the best," Lizza said following his victory Wednesday in Montville's match against High Point, the No. 1 team in the state. "If I'm not practicing with the team, I'm …

The Montville High School boys soccer team continued its impressive season with a win over Demarest in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 state tournament on Friday. While the Mustangs played a strong game, pressing Demarest on offense and clearing the ball defensively, senior J.P. Correa proved to be essential for Montville, scoring three goals in the first half in a 3-0 win. The third-seeded Mustangs next face No. 2 Ramapo on Monday.

Montville High School boys varsity soccer has had themselves a pretty good year so far, due largely to the play of senior J.P. Correa. However, the Mustangs have more to offer offensively than Correa. For example, there is senior Austin Okereke, who, besides being a cornerstone of the team's offense all season, was responsible for the goal that lead to the Mustangs winning the Morris County Tournament on Oct. 30. For that goal, and for his strong play all season, Austin is this week's Athlete of the Week.

Despite the team's record (2-11-1), the Montville High School varsity girls soccer team has been improving in its second half, scoring more goals and playing more cohesive defense that it did in its first half. Much of the team's improvement can be credited to improved play of young players, but veteran leadership from players like Mariella Trogani. Trogani, one of the few seniors on the team, notched the Mustang's only goal against powerhouse Pope John on Oct. 20, giving the team an early spark that inspired some of the team's best play of the year, even if it didn't result in a win.

For most high school seniors, especially ones who have already selected their college of choice, keeping focus on something like soccer might be a bit tricky. For most soccer players, having three assists in a blowout game against a county rival would be enough to call it a day and lay off. Neither is true for J.P. Correa. Besides being one of the anchors for Montville's boys soccer team throughout the season, Correa takes pride in his personal scoring streak. The Rutgers-bound midfielder has scored in every game this season, including a late goal in the second half against Morris Hills on …

After a somewhat rocky first half of the season, the Montville volleyball team is staring to turn it around, thanks in no small part to the play of its senior captain, Taylor Strickland. Strickland, a four-year varsity player, set a personal record for kills against Vernon on Wednesday with 16, helping the Mustangs get the win over a team that had beaten the Mustangs earlier in the season. She recorded another nine kills in the team's win on Friday against St. Elizabeth. The two-game run brings the Mustangs' record to 5-9 as they enter the back-half the season.