Purple Roses Recap: Hockey, Basketball Off to Strong Starts

The St. Rose ice hockey team has jumped out to an early lead in the Shore Conference D division, with an impressive 5-1 record through the first three weeks of the season. The Purple Roses, who’ve struggled for the last few years, opened the season with wins over Manalapan, Marlboro, Ocean, Jackson Liberty and Manasquan, before their only loss of the season, Friday night, to Point Pleasant Borough.

In boys basketball, the second-seeded Purple Roses dropped Toms River East in the first round of the WOBM Christmas Classic, 53-22. Mark Kukoda, Connor Leddy and Jim Rockstedt had 13 points apiece as the Purple Roses, as they rolled through the Raiders. Later, Asbury Park got the better of St. Rose, 67-58, outscoring the Purple Roses, 23-13 in the fourth quarter to come from behind. Kukoda led St. Rose with 22, and Leddy and Rockstedt each added 12 points.

In girls basketball, St. Rose opened with wins over Blair and Asbury Park. The Purple Roses beat Blair, 49-34, behind Samantha Clark's 18 points. Later, they beat Asbury Park, 68-10, with Clark finishing with 16 points and Diana Malanga adding 10 to aid St. Rose's effort.

In wrestling, it's been a tough start for the Purple Roses, who who have lost their first two matches of the season. In a 53-21 loss to Keansburg, John Swider at 106 pounds and Sean Hoban at 113 had back-to-back pins. On Wednesday, St. John Vianney beat St. Rose, 72-9. Hoban earned a decision at 106 and Nick Greenquist got a pin at 160.