CALDWELL - The Mount St. Dominic Academy basketball, swimming and winter track teams are off to strong starts.

The basketball team started the season with a 4-2 record, including two victories in its holiday tournament.

In the Mount Holiday Hoops Festival, the Lions defeated Pope John, 64-56, on Sunday, Dec. 26 and St. Elizabeth, 44-33, on Tuesday, Dec. 28. They will take on Immaculate Heart Academy in the tournament on Wednesday, Dec. 29.

“We had an exciting win over Pope John in our holiday tournament,” said head coach Jen Critchley. “Alexa Murphy had 22 points, and Juliet Howell had 19 points. Pope John is a very good team. It was a big win for us.”

Against St. Elizabeth, Howell led the way with 16 points.

“A lot of teams have been shutting down due to Covid, so we are just so happy to be playing right now,” Critchley said.

The Lions opened the season with a 57-48 victory over Livingston on Friday, Dec. 17. Their second victory was over Paramus Catholic, 52-51, on Sunday, Dec. 19.

“We came from behind,” the coach said. “We were down 11 to start the fourth quarter. We won at the buzzer with a rebounded missed foul shot. Junior Gia Bujnowski made the shot, and we won by one point.”

The Lions lost to Governor Livingston, 51-43, on Tuesday, Dec. 21 and to Summit, 48-35, on Thursday, Dec. 23.

Swimming

The swimming team's record is 3-1, and it already has matched the number of victories it had last season.

The Lions defeated Millburn, 86-84, on Dec. 2; Livingston, 51-43, on Dec. 9; and West Orange, 130-39, on Tuesday, Dec. 21. They lost to Montclair, 104-66, on Dec. 7.

“Freshman Sophia Liwanag has been leading the team along with captain Amanda Rohde and freshman Riley Kopp,” said head coach Jane Sungurov. “Madison Gadjewski, freshman sprint specialist; Caitlyn Tagliareni; Elise McGirt, sophomore fly, sprint; and captain Malia Enze, fly, mid-distance, have all been big contributors.”

Winter Track

The winter track team has competed in the Essex Coaches Season Opener and the Super Essex Conference Liberty Division Championships.

“We finished second to Montclair Kimberley Academy at the SEC meet with 66 points,” said head coach Mike Vigil. “MKA fielded a larger-than-usual team as well this year, and we did a reasonably good job of hanging with them. Mount had seven individual medal winners and one relay medal.”

Senior sprinter Gianna Mangili, who has set school records this season in the 55m and 200m dashes; junior Amanda Galasso, who competes in the sprints; junior thrower Keira Carbone; and senior distance runner Juliana Herbst have been leading the team, Vigil said.

“Promising newcomers are sophomores Eliza Haghighi, who won a sixth-place medal in the 400 at the conference meet, and Anna Caccicarne, who finished second in her first high school throwing event, tossing nearly 27 feet,” he added.

The team will compete in the Essex County Relays on Thursday, Dec. 30.