By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

LYNDHURST (Sept. 2, 2010) — The gap between the two most recent conference crowns copped by the boys cross-country contingent from Lyndhurst High School was well over 40 years, as the Golden Bears ran to 2009 Bergen County Scholastic League/National Division after not having garnered a title of any kind since 1965.

Now, the defending champion locals are optimistic that the gap between last year’s crown and the next one will be much, much shorter.

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RUTHERFORD (Aug. 25, 2010, 3:20 p.m.) — The storied history of The Leader Newspaper, South Bergen’s premier weekly publication, has seen a full suite of improvements and enhancements throughout its more than 100 years of publishing. For several years, it has lived up to its motto of being “The Pulse of the Meadowlands” for the local area.

Now, the newspaper, which serves eight communities in southern Bergen County, is ready to take a bold step into the 21st century media marketplace — and it has a few new friends to help it along the way.

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By Ray Smith / Reporter

WALLINGTON (Aug. 26, 2010) — When the New Jersey Devils packed up and departed for Newark, many believed that it signaled the end of professional hockey in Bergen County. While no professional ice hockey team currently competes in the South Bergen area, one roller hockey team is making its own mark in a professional league, playing home games in Wallington.

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By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

WOOD-RIDGE (Aug. 26, 2010) — Following a season in which the Wood-Ridge High School softball squad reeled off eight straight wins and earned the program’s first state section title, as well as it’s first trip to the state finals, four members of the Lady Blue Devils have garnered some level of post-season plaudits, as senior Hailey Bartek, junior Danielle Matoli and sophomores Nicole Fleck and Alyssa McKhann were all elected to the All-BCSL/National Division rosters by that conference’s coaches conclave in the final year of existence of that legendary league.

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By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

RUTHERFORD (Aug. 26, 2010) — When it comes right down to it, championships that are earned via the one-and-done type tournament format frequently go to teams that happened to get hot for a while at just the right time, with those champions not always being the best clubs in their bracket.

Take for instance, the legendary Villanova win over Georgetown in the NCAA title tussle, or the classic Princeton shockers against top-ranked foes.

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By Jennifer Vazquez / Reporter

WALLINGTON (Aug. 19, 2010) — Quad skates? Check. Knee pads? Check. Wrist guards? Check. Helmet? Check. Mouth guard? Check.

This is the list of equipment that many women have decided to implement into their wardrobe selection. These women form a part of an underground sport that is becoming more and more popular with each passing day: flat track roller derby.

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By Ray Smith / Reporter

EAST RUTHERFORD (Aug. 19, 2010) — Though the controversial personal seat licenses and high prices may keep some longtime season ticket holders home this season, there are many in the South Bergen area who will continue to cheer on Big Blue and Gang Green in their new state-of-the-art stadium this fall.

The Leader recently took a trip to see the new stadium in action at the United States vs. Brazil soccer match. Now the newspaper is ready to share with its readers the ins and outs of a trip to the New Meadowlands Stadium.

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By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

LYNDHURST (Aug. 19, 2010) — Following a season in which the baseball battalion from Lyndhurst High School went 20-9 overall, with a 13-5 mark in the league loop and a runner-up finish to only 15-3 Saint Mary’s in the Bergen County Scholastic League/Olympic Division standings, a total of a half-dozen members of the Golden Bears contingent have reaped some level of post-season plaudits.

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Submitted photo

(Aug. 19, 2010) — The Paisano’s men’s softball team won the B division championship recently. They defeated Mama Rosa by a score of 12-8 to win the best-out-of-five series 3-1. It was an all Rutherford final as both teams had Rutherford High School alumni on the field. This is Paisano’s first championship.

(Aug. 19, 2010) — The Leader Newspaper and Haley Chiropractic of Lyndhurst are sponsoring the third-annual “Meadowlands Sports Cup” awards, which will be presented to the top public high school and non-public athletic performances of the year from The Leader’s coverage area (North Arlington, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, East Rutherford, Carlstadt, Wood-Ridge and Teterboro; Wallington will be eligible next year). Student-athlete nominees will be provided for each sports season from the schools’ respective athletic departments. The top five performances of the year in the team and individual categories will be selected by the Meadowlands Sports Cup Committee for the final vote.

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By James Dombrowski / Sports Columnist

(Aug. 12, 2010) — WNBA perennial All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin signed with her fifth WNBA team, the New York Liberty, and sixth overall pro team this spring bringing a winning attitude and much needed experience to the Liberty. The Liberty failed to make the playoffs last season and revamped the team for this season. In photo is the 40-year-old Taj, a mother of three, holding veteran Leader sports writer James Dombrowski's daughter Talia while son Jad takes a pose. Dombrowski has been covering the WNBA since its inception in 1997. Dombrowski, along with Mel Greenberg of the Philadelphia Inquirer, are the only two reporters to cover every All-Star Game ever held in WNBA history.

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By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

EAST RUTHERFORD (Aug. 12, 2010) — Playing without a ‘full deck’ is a term usually used to describe someone who is doing something crazy.

In similar fashion, playing without a full pitching staff is, indeed, doing something crazy in the world of baseball. However, that’s pretty much what the Senior Babe Ruth League team, made up of by players from Becton Regional and Rutherford high schools, did this summer.

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By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

LYNDHURST (Aug. 5, 2010) — High standards.

When a team has very high standards, nothing less than the best is usually good enough and such seems to be the case with the Lyndhurst Post 139 American Legion Baseball League contingent.

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By W. L. Bill Allen, Jr. / New Jersey Sport/Action

LYNDHURST (Aug. 5, 2010) — While Lyndhurst has always been something of a Mecca for baseball at all levels, this summer the town has been even more of a hotbed for diamond doings, with the Post 139 contingent finishing second in the Bergen County Legion League and ending the year in the state’s top 12. Plus, the Lyndhurst-American Little League club earned the State District 5 championship and the Lyndhurst Rebels garnered a berth in the NJABL playoffs.

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Photo by Bill Allen-NJ Sport/Action

LYNDHURST (July 29, 2010) — Above, members of the Lyndhurst American Little League contingent celebrate the Young Summer Bears’ New Jersey District 5 championship. By virtue of that accomplishment, the locals competed in the NJ Section 2 Tournament in Edgewater, where Lyndhurst opened with a 5-2 win over District 6 title-taker Fort Lee American on Monday night, July 19.

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Photo by Bill Allen-NJ Sport/Action

LYNDHURST (July 29, 2010) — The Lyndhurst Post 139 American Legion Baseball League contingent, which includes manager Jeff Radagin and DH Michael Schneider, right, was recently stopped just short of earning a berth in the NJ State Finals Tournament. The Summer Bears were topped, 6-3, by Denville Post 390 in the NJ District 2 runner-up final Wednesday night, July 22, in Union.

The locals had started off with two wins, 8-3, over Randolph and 8-6, over Union Post 35, but then lost to eventual champion Flemington, 14-11, before being eliminated by Denville.

Call Bill at 973-783-9236

Photo, Rutherford Rec

RUTHERFORD (July 22, 2010) — Rutherford Recreation recently crowned the Sharks as the champions of the 5th/6th grade girls softball league. Their parents are extremely proud of their accomplishment.  Pictured in the front row from left to right are Mackenzie Disbrow, Elizabeth Hurlburt, Carisa Fortoul, Gina Fujii, Leigha Goldsack and Eilish Armitage.  In the back row from left to right are Coach Bernie Hurlburt, Lydia Guzman, Sabrina Maestre, Lauren Baumann, Keely Armitage, Kristen Wernicki, Sydney O’Neil and Coach Christine Wernicki.  Missing from the photo is league coordinator, Phil Laporta.

RUTHERFORD (July 22, 2010) — The Rutherford Little League is proud to have been selected to host the 2010 New Jersey 9- and 10-year-old Little League state finals, July 23-27.

The League welcomes players and families from all over the state to its newly renovated field and facility. The renovation was accomplished in large part through the success of a two-year capital campaign that resulted in a new playing surface, replacement fencing and new pitching and batting cages.

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Photo courtesy of team

RUTHERFORD (July 22, 2010) — National League champs Kurgan-Bergen Realtors advanced to the town championship game after defeating PBA Local #300 in the playoffs 1-0.  On June 23, the team, led by Manager Pete Schiro, faced American League champs the Elks and defeated them 12-2 to capture the town championship title. Kurgan-Bergen Realtors posted a league-best regular season record of 15-3.

Photo, World Martial Arts Academy

KEARNY (July 22, 2010) — The 11th annual Tae Kwon Do championships were held June 12 at Boys Town in Kearny. The event was sponsored by World Martial Arts Academy, with locations at 542 New York Ave. in Lyndhurst, plus in Kearny and Harrison. The championship director was Grandmaster S.D. Yoon. Competitors participated in three events during the championships, such as form, board breaking and Olympic-style sparring.

For more information call 201-842-2100.