Robbinsville Advance | March 2019 by Community News Service

Advance Robbinsville

MARCH 2019

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New park planned at border County seeks input on ‘passive’ facility along Line Road By SiDDharth MuChhal The Mercer County Park Commission’s purchase of a small plot of land on Hughes Drive in Hamilton in 2017 opened up a world of possibilities for the commission and—by extension—county residents. The commission has started planning and researching potential park improvements to a 370-acre parcel called Dam Site 21. The park occupies land where the borders of Hamilton, Robbinsville and West Windsor meet, south of Mercer County Park. The rear of the park would abut Line Road in Robbinsville, and would include the popular fishing spot where Line Road—closed to vehicular traffic—crosses Miry Run.

As part of that planning process, the commission is seeking input from county residents to design a passive recreation park with a focus on using a large lake for water sports. The funds for this restoration process are derived from the county’s Open Space Preservation Trust Fund. Dam Site 21 was planned as part of the Assunpink Creek Watershed Water Works Plan in the early 1960’s, the county’s approach to reduce flood damage and develop water resources in the Assunpink Watershed. The land of Dam Site 21 was bought in the 1970’s, and the dam was built in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Soil Conservation Service. Since then, the land has been held and used for permanent recreation and conservation of water resources. The lake in Dam Site 21 is around 55 acres, and the nearby area comprises undeveloped uplands, wetlands, woodlands

and open fields. A portion of the Capital to Coast Trail runs along the northern side of the lake from Line Road in Robbinsville to Old Trenton Road in West Windsor. While the area is used by public for fishing and hiking activities, there is currently limited access and amenities. The purchase of 4.5 acres of land fronting Hughes Drive created, for the first time, the potential of direct access to the site from a major roadway. Around a year ago, the park commission began considering revisions to the site to incorporate new ideas. As a first step, the county released a request for qualifications from landscape architects and engineering firms. After reviewing applications and interviews from 13 submissions, the county chose Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, a “somewhat local firm that has deep experience in park planning projects like See PARK, Page 9

At MCCC, kitchen serves as classroom Township chef leads student-run café By Joe eManSKi

jemanski@communitynews.org

Katie Kratz stands still as Neleus, a statue brought to life, during a dress rehearsal for Pond Road Middle School’s presentation of “Mar y Poppins” Feb. 7, 2018 at the Robbinsville High School performing arts center. For more photos from the show, turn to Page 18. (Photo by Suzette J. Lucas.)

One of the best-kept dining secrets in central New Jersey can be found on Monday nights in room ES111 of the Engineering Systems Building at Mercer County Community College. In that low-slung brick building, for eight weeks a semester, culinary students make and serve three-course dinners to the public. Any hungry person with a reservation can sit down for a starter, main course and

dessert, for as little as $11. The venue is called the Viking Café. By creating a restaurant setting in the classroom, Mercer gives students in its Applied Kitchen Skills class a hands-on opportunity to learn how a restaurant functions. Rising chefs and bakers work under the watchful eye of chef instructor Frank Benowitz, a Robbinsville resident and member of the college’s Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management and Culinary Arts program. The Viking Café also gives diners an opportunity to enjoy a thoughtfully prepared meal at a fraction of what it would cost in a for-profit restaurant. Yet they can expect a meal

worth that price and more. The students may be learning, but that doesn’t mean they are inexperienced. Many work or have worked part time or full time in professional kitchens. And Benowitz always looks to source quality ingredients, locally when possible. For the Café, students work in pairs at various stations in the kitchen. Benowitz assigns them certain food preparation tasks in the hours before service. Between 6:15 and 7 p.m., when guests arrive, one member of each pair stays in the kitchen to take the lead in finishing their assigned dishes. The other goes out into the dining room See CAFE, Page 10

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Cream Ridge $1,299,999 Last chance to live in The Manors at Cream Ridge, an Bordentown $440,000 exquisite 9 lot subdivision set atop a peaceful and secluded bluff for discreet, looking for aplus spe4br, 2.5ba 13 the Acre farm. who Barnare has 9 stalls cial home site. This custom designed home will include been5.5anba office area. Home on with 1 acrean 5had br and all situated on a situated 3.96 ac lot awesome view. Come2400 out and lot, offers almost sq.take ft. a look today!

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Robbinsville $939,000 Stunning 5,314 sq. ft. custom brick estate is like no Cream Ridge $789,900 other in Robbinsville! 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 2 laundry rooms, and,impeccably a 3 car garage, thisand luxury home sits 6 br, 5.5ba clean organized on a 2.44 acre, parklike, wooded lot at the end of a Statelycul-de-sac Sierra Model, private street.w/total Living sp aprox. 6,980sf, and 300,000 in builders MLS#1000243426 Agent:upgrades Jessica durLeale ing constr.

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Hamilton

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This is a great opportunity to get into this very desirable and conChesterfield venient Yardville Heights location! This 3 br, 1.5 ba is$425,000 ready to move back in time andliving viewhere. thisThis lovely in.4br, Come2.5ba take aStep look and imagine yourself beauty won’t last too long! farmhouse style colonial in the quaint village of

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Beautiful Wellington Manor 2 story colonial style home. 3 Burlington $399,900 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2,834 sq ft. in Hopewell Townships 4br, 2.5ba CONSTRUCTION! highly soughtALMOST after adultNEW community. Come take aSeller look says “Let’s Make a Deal!” purchasing this Prestigious today!

Center Hall home w/2-Story Foyer & Open Staircase. MLS#NJME204636 Agent: Gena Garzillo MLS#6612294 Agent: Berge Campbell

Barnegat $340,000 Looking for a wonderful home in a great adult comRobbinsville $310,000 munity? This is it! This 2 br, 2.5 ba home in Heritage Greathas location in desirable Miryis Crossing section Point a full basement which partially finished. The basement offers over 800 sq. ft of additional of Foxmoor in Robbinsville. 3br 2.5ba TH.living Full space. community is close to rm/home shopping, beaches bsmntThe fin as a great recreation office. and many other attractions. MLS#1002117200 Gregory Harvell MLS#6646988 Agent: SusanAgent: Brooks

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Lawrenceville $429,900 Florence $399,999 This historic Circa 1720 farmhouse will amaze you on Hickory II model a5br quiet3.5ba street.Two This 3year br, 2 old ba home has been totally in Oak Mill. Stop Granite counter tops,out In-Ground Pool. renovated. by today to check this historical Finished loft, Energy Eff, Pkg many home with basement, gorgeous modern amenities! upgrades. MLS#NJME203886 Agent: Jan Rutkowski

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$499,900 $319,900

Welcome Home to this& 3enjoy br, 2.5allba,that bi-level with Step back in time thishome delightmany upgrades. Style Located in the section ful Craftsman Home hasScudders to offer.Falls Property of Ewing Township and in the desirable Lore school disfeatures a 1.80 acre lot & separate cottage w/2 br. trict. Come see it today before it is gone! MLS#NJME204056 Agent: Cynthia Duvin MLS#6666748 Agent: Kim Olzewski

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This gorgeous 5br, 3ba colonial in Golden Crest includes Come to extra a 3br 2.5ba built an in-lawHome suite or rooms for custom other uses. Thisranch stone strategically situated on 2 and acres unbelievable front home is loaded with extras upgrades. Better sanctuary of soothing views, a complete privacy! hurry on this unique home!

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How abouthomes living inbeing downtown Pennington Boro inThis an 3 news built in the Yardville. adorable renovated Thiswillgorgeous home largest lot which iscolonial? 2.58 acres have a 3,047 features 3 br and col 1.5 built ba, kitchen withcar s/satt Whirlpool sq. ft. gorgeous on it w/2 gar. appliances including a 5 burner stove, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher. It won’t last, stop MLS#6668506 Agent: Jan Rutkowski by today.

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East Windsor Welcome to Heritage at Chesterfield and this$339,000 energy efMoveRichmond in Stamford model in loaded desirable Riviera ficient Model that is just with upgrades! Development. Two bedroom, two full bathroom It is a beautifully decorated home that exudes charm and home has a as third a den/office sophistication soonroom as youthat entercan the be foyer and the true or a bedroom. meaning of move right in condition!

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Hamilton $419,900 Colonia $549,999 Welcome to luxury living at Enchantment, an active Tucked away in prestigious, tree-lined, Estate secadult community so close to this everything! This 2br, pro2ba tion & mins to Metropark, 3br, 3ba home home has a paver walkway that welcomes you into this vides best of both A must appreciate. well-appointed home.worlds. So much to dosee andtoeverything is so conveniently located. Come see it today, live the MLS#6672412 Agent: Rhonda Golub dream tomorrow!

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glorianilson.com glorianilson.com 2Robbinsville Advance | March 2019

Hopewell HopewellCrossing Crossing 609-737-9100 609-737-9100

Monroe MonroeTownship Township 609-395-6600 609-395-6600

Princeton Princeton 609-921-2600 609-921-2600

Robbinsville 609-259-2711 609-259-2711

South Brunswick 732-398-2600 732-398-2600

Washington Crossing, PA 215-862-2074 215-862-2074

Princeton PrincetonJunction Junction 609-452-2188 609-452-2188

2346 Route 33, SuiteSouth 107 | Robbinsville, NJ 08691 | 609-259-2711 Robbinsville Brunswick Washington Crossing, PA

March 2019 | Robbinsville Advanceď&#x20AC;ź3

Advance Robbinsville

Now ! Open

Editor Rob Anthes (Ext. 124)

Contributing WriterS Justin Feil, Rich Fisher, Siddharth Muchhal, Susan Van Dongen CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS Kathie Foster, Dave Fried CONTRIBUTING Photographer Suzette J. Lucas SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113)

News: news@communitynews.org Events: events@communitynews.org Sports: sports@communitynews.org Letters: ranthes@communitynews.org Phone: (609) 396-1511 Community News Service 15 Princess Road, Suite K Lawrence, NJ 08648 8,000 copies of the Robbinsville Advance are mailed or bulk-distributed to the residences and businesses of Robbinsville 12 times a year.

TO ADVERTISE call (609) 396-1511, ext. 113 or e-mail advertise@communitynews.org

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Robbinsville Advance March 1, 2019 ERA CENTRAL REALTY GROUP SUE KELLY – 609.847.2834 (cell) or KELLY REIN – 609.259.9900 (office)

PUBLICATION PUBLICATION DATE CONTACT

February 14, 2019 AREA Robbinsville Advance PRICE March 1, 2019 ERA CENTRAL REALTY GROUP ADDRESS SUE KELLY – 609.847.2834 (cell) or KELLY REIN – 609.259.9900 (office)

TODAY’S DATE PUBLICATION PUBLICATION DATE CONTACT

AREA PRICE ADDRESS AD MLS#

HAMILTON TWP $459,000 40 Tudor Drive, Hamilton do not print For Photos and More Info, TEXT to 35620 MLS #NJME257560 Elaine Gutowski, RA 609-638-1154 cell

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HAMILTON TWP PUBLICATION PUBLICATION DATE CONTACT

UPPER FREEHOLD TWP

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AD MLS#

For Photos and More Info, TEXT to 35620 MLS #NJME264706 Christine Freeman, RA 908-612-3214 cell

TODAY’S DATE

ROBBINSVILLE TWP February 14, 2019

Robbinsville Advance February 14, 2019 February 14, 2019 PUBLICATION DATE March 1, 2019 PUBLICATION Robbinsville Advance Robbinsville Advance ERA CENTRAL REALTY GROUP PUBLICATION DATE March 1, 2019 CONTACT March 1, 2019 SUE KELLY – 609.847.2834 (cell) or KELLY REIN – 60 ERA CENTRAL REALTY GROUP CONTACT ERA CENTRAL REALTY GROUP SUE KELLY – 609.847.2834 (cell) or KELLY REIN – 609.259.9900 (office) SUE KELLY – 609.847.2834 (cell) or KELLY REIN – 609.259.9900 (office) AREA PUBLICATION

TODAY’S DATE

Upper Freehold Twp PUBLICATION Robbinsville Advance PUBLICATION DATE March 1, 2019 $394,900 ERA CENTRAL REALTY GROUP CONTACT 2 Mayflower Court, Allentown do not print SUE KELLY – 609.847.2834 (cell) or KELLY REIN – 609.259.9900 (office) For Photos and More Info, TEXT 125200 to 35620 AREA ROBBINSVILLE TWP MLS #21834350 PRICE $235,000 ADDRESS 17 Stratton Avenue, Robbinsville do not print Rosemary Pezzano, BA 609-744-4617 cell

AREA Upper Freehold Twp PRICE $625,000 AREA ROBBINSVILLE TWP PRICE $799,900 ADDRESS 94 Shrewsbury Place West, Princeton do not print PRICE $219,900 ADDRESS For photos 60 Yellow Meetinghouse not printFor photos and property details, TEXT 619744 to 35620 For photos and property details, TEXT 624785 to 35620 and property details, TEXTRoad, 125200Cream to 35620Ridge do AD For Photos and More Info, TEXT 619919 to 35620 ADDRESS 144 Tynemouth, Robbinsville do not print AD For Photos and More Info, TEXT 131911 to 35620 Elaine Gutowski, RA Rosemary Pezzano, BA Christine Freeman, RA MLS# MLS #7291832 AD For Photos MLS #21829995 609-638-1154 celland More Info, TEXT to 35620 MLS# 609-744-4617 cell 908-612-3214 cell Jennifer "Jen" Kubick, RA$235,000 609-433-6140 cell $459,000 $394,900 MLS#21834350 MLS#NJME264706 MLS# MLS#NJME257560 MLS #NJME264826 Stefania Fernandes, BA 732-598-5850 cell Jacqueline "Jackie" Aladich RA 609-658-7388 cell

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March 2019 | Robbinsville Advance5

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AROUND TOWN New half marathon hits the streets More than 400 people will head to Community Park on April 7 to run a half marathon across Robbinsville. The inaugural Star of Hope Half Marathon will take runners though 13 miles of rural Robbinsville roads. The course begins and ends at Community Park while taking runners on Sharon, Windsor-Perrineville, Bresnahan and Gordon roads. The half marathon will benefit Thea’s Star of Hope, a Robbinsville-based nonprofit that raises funds for pediatric brain tumor programs and research. After three years of hosting a 5K to benefit Thea’s Star of Hope, president Trisha Danze said registration rates stalled. “There are so many 5Ks around,” Danze said. “Competing against all the other ones is hard. You kind of get lost in the crowd.” As Danze was looking for a new event to replace the 5K, Robbinsville resident Tom Eng was dreaming up another idea—a half marathon held right in his own town. After talking to Eng about his idea for a Robbinsville half marathon, Danze decided that it would be a perfect way to raise money for Thea’s Star of Hope. While there are no shortage of 5Ks in the area, runners often have to travel outside of Mercer County to run distance races. By bringing a half marathon to Robbinsville, Eng and Danze hope they can encourage local runners to come out and support their cause. “I think a lot of runners are happy to do something for a great cause,” Danze said. All proceeds from the race will benefit pediatric brain tumor research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Despite their previous experience with event planning—Danze helps plan the Thea’s Star of Hope gala every year and Eng previously directed the Hightstown Triathlon—the half marathon is their biggest event to date. “From somebody that has never planned an event like this before, the logistics are tough,” Danze said. To ensure that everything runs smoothly on race day, the organizers worked out race details with members of the township recreation and police departments. Eng worked to design a USATRcertified course with Robbinsville Police Sgt. Thomas Egan. They had to design a course that only utilized townshipowned roads to avoid issues that come with getting county or state approval. Another challenge has been recruiting and training enough volunteers to sustain a 13.1-mile course. The course has seven water stations, multiple porta-jons and two medical stations. It seems as though the organizers’ work has paid off. The race, which is capped at 500 runners for the first year, is almost sold out. “I think the community has been really fantastic,” Danze said. “There are a lot of runners from Robbinsville that are participating. Some of them, [the

course] actually runs down their street.” Runners will receive a participation medal after they cross the finish line, which is set up to have a festival-like atmosphere with food trucks, music and vendor/sponsor booths. Registration is $79 for the half marathon and $45 to join a relay team through March 17. If runners fundraise $150 for Thea’s Star of Hope, their registration fee is waived. For more information about the event, including opportunities to volunteer, visit runsignup.com/ starofhopehalfmarathon. –Laura Pollack

8 New Jersey Locations Princeton Lawrenceville Hillsborough Monroe Robbinsville Plainsboro Sewell Voorhees

Boy Scouts earn environmental badges

Boy Scouts from Troop 79 in Robbinsville recently spent the day at the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium in Sandy Hook to work on their environmental science merit badge. Five scouts—AJ Koch, Grant Paulus, Will Blum, Ian Keller and Jake Decker—completed work before attending the class to learn about topics such as the history of environmental science in the United States and the numerous types of pollution on earth. The scouts first spent time learning about the history of the area, including the former military base located on Sandy Hook. Jody Sackett, the merit badge counselor at the NJSGC, reviewed human effects on the local ecology and explained different careers in the field of environmental science. The scouts participated in several outdoor experiments, including using fishing nets to help understand what is found on the bottom of Sandy Hook Bay. Some of the items they found were fish, algae, natural sponges and, unfortunately, trash. They also conducted a vegetation survey of the high salt marsh on the beach. To finish the program, the scouts conducted experiments in the NJSGC’s laboratory to try different methods of cleaning up oil spills, understand how long commonly found trash in waterways takes to decompose, and the affects of pollution on living organisms. To learn more about Troop 79, contact the troop at troop79bsa@yahoo.com.

County library accepting art submissions The Lawrence branch of the Mercer County Library will host its 10th annual TrashedArt Contest in April. The contest celebrates Earth Day by encouraging patrons to turn trash into works of art. Entries will be accepted between March 20 and March 27. The contest is open to all Mercer County residents and is limited to one entry per artist. For more information, call (609) 883-8292 or emailing jcuddahy@mcl.org.

Jenn:

Same day appointments available 609-436-5740

This is December’s adv. I’ll let you know about January later. Same size as usual in both Ham. and Robbsvl. papers,

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Barberpole artwork at top as usual.

If they want to lay it out with a twig of Holly somewhere that would be nice (if possible).

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This is December’s adv. I’ll let you know about January later.

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If they want to lay it out with a twig of Holly somewhere that would be nice (if possible).

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March 2019 | Robbinsville Advance7

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GREAT NEW LISTINGS & A FANTASTIC NEW OFFICE LOCATION JACKSON $1,200,000

ROBBINSVILLE $494,900

Brian A. Smith 732-710-2535

Susan Gross 609-902-7303

ROBBINSVILLE $450,000

David S. Kramer 609-902-0257

EWING $380,000

Peter A. Tempesta 609-356-2546

HAMILTON $335,000

Cheressa DiNatale 609-439-8506

On almost 23 acres, this custom 4 bedroom, 2 ½ bath home has so much to offer! The long winding driveway welcomes you to a private escape with many upgrades.

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CRANBURY $299,000

COLUMBUS $264,900

BORDENTOWN $249,900

HAMILTON $230,000

HAMILTON $225,000

Tony Lee 609-456-8360

Michelle Krzywulak 609-417-9777

Dale Michele Parello 609-571-6644

Maryann Petito 609-405-6609

Rebecca Carl 609-558-0529

Welcome home to Cranbury Manor. This 3 BR, 1 ½ bath home has a little bit of everything! Updated ceramic tile in foyer, beautiful hardwoods, updated bath and more.

Ready and waiting for you is this expanded 2 bedroom 2 bath Framingham Model nestled in the Homestead Community offers over 1800 sq ft of living space.

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EWING $199,000

Mount Holly $195,000

TRENTON $119,500

TRENTON $698,000

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A proposed county park is bordered byRobbinsville, Hamilton and West Windsor. A public meeting on the project will be held March 7, 2019. PARK continued from Page 1 this one,” commissioner Anthony Cucchi said. The county also hired Princeton Hydro, an environmental solutions firm that will be studying the park by analyzing storm weather readiness, water quality, and factors related to the lake, in order to identify opportunities for restoration. The firm will also be delineating wetlands to determine where trails are feasible, and conducting a topographical survey to understand where specific amenities should be placed. “The park commission and county are excited to partake in a planning process to revision the site and consider other ways that it can be utilized beyond flood control,” Cucchi said. One concern in building this park has been the property of residents living adjacent to Dam Site 21. Since this land has been informally used by nearby residents for decades, the formalization and renovation process may cause changes for those that live closeby. Specifically, the county and contracted firms will be conducting a boundary survey to determine where Dam Site 21 ends and private property begins. While Cucchi highlighted the benefits of having a park being built nearby, he acknowledged this concern. “The neighborhood should have a voice in the process,” he said. “We see this as a wonderful opportunity, not only for the Mercer County greater area, but the particular residents nearby.” Toward this goal, the park commission is pursuing four avenues in search of community input. One is advisory committees, consisting of representa-

tives from municipalities and institutional landowners like Mercer County Community College, which will be asked to weigh in on how park renovations could affect nearby communities. The second is focus group interviews, one of which was held on Feb. 19 at the Boathouse at Mercer Lake. Residents and community organizations are invited to provide their input on the renovations. The commission also intends to hold one-on-one interviews with experts and professionals on matters relating to the site, as well as public meetings. The first one is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. March 7 at the conference center at Mercer County Community College. Also, until Oct. 1, residents can voice their opinions of the project on an online survey. These varying levels of input will be collected and compared with the studies done by the contracted firms to decide what measures are feasible, and how the park can provide different amenities than the nearby Mercer County Park. This input process is part of the larger master plan phase, which will be presented to the park commissioners in October for feedback and approval. Actual construction on the park is not likely until after 2019, but Cucchi emphasized the importance of having a longer but more transparent process. “In the long-run, we’ll come up with a much better product if we seek that civic engagement and public input,” he said. “As far as excitement, we’re really excited to hear the ideas and thoughts that people have.” The survey about the Dam Site 21 project is online at surveymonkey.com/r/ mcdamsite21survey.

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CAFE continued from Page 1 to serve the food. Every week, students change roles so that by the end of the semester, they will all have taken a turn at every station. “It’s important to show them what that experience is,” Benowitz said on a Monday night in February, when students were making one of several test runs of the Viking Café. “In the kitchen, but also in the front of house.” *** Engineering Systems, like many buildings on campus, is boxy and functional, with architecture very much of its time (circa 1971). Visitors walking down a hallway lined with lockers and dark computer labs would be forgiven for checking twice to see if they are in the right place. Only once they arrive at ES111 will they see the tables set up for dinner service, and through a wall of windows a large professional kitchen setup beyond. Then they will know that they have arrived. In the hours leading up to service, the mazelike kitchen bustles with activity. At one end of the kitchen, a pot the size of a wash tub sits on a burner, full of 40 pounds of simmering onions. Benowitz says that single pot will provide them with an entire semester’s worth of French onion soup en croute, one of three starters on the menu. Once made it can be frozen and reheated prior to service. “Has anyone stirred these onions?” he calls out. A few burners down, a pan of ratatouille has been recently taken off the heat. “How’s the ratatouille?” Benowitz

Robbinsville resident Frank Benowitz (center), with Mercer County Community College students Agna Simon and Roger Lloyd, shows off a bacon cheeseburger made for the college’s Viking Café. says. “Has someone tasted it?” “It’s pretty good, Chef,” comes a reply. “Pretty good?” Benowitz says. “I hope it’s better than pretty good.” Benowitz tastes the sautéed mixture of eggplant and tomatoes while students observe. He reaches for the salt and sprinkles a little bit over the pan. “This is a pinch of salt at home,” he says. Then he reaches for the salt again and, holding his hand high over the pan, rains down a generous dose. “This is a pinch in a res-

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taurant,” he says. “Why do people go out to eat? Salt. Sugar. Fat.” Benowitz doesn’t mean more salt is always better, but he does want his students to understand the importance of proper seasoning. A few minutes later, a student brings him a tray of appetizers to try: lobster cakes with Pernod cream sauce. Benowitz takes one bite of a lobster cake and puts his fork down. He asks the student if he added salt as well as Old Bay seasoning to the recipe. “Just a bit, Chef,” he says. “There’s salt in Old Bay already. There’s no salt in the recipe, is there? This is why we go with the recipe,” Benowitz says. “This is inedible. With my high blood pressure I’d have to go to the hospital if I ate this.” Benowitz is himself a graduate of Mercer. He went on to get degrees from Thomas Edison State College and Fairleigh Dickinson University, and worked in hospitality, retail and corporate management before settling in at the college in 2003. He is equal parts guiding and chiding as he roams from station to station to check the students’ work. He can look down at a tray of lobster and calculate mentally how much money has just gone to waste—or whether there is a way to rescue those salty cakes—while at the same time challenging his apprentices to do it better next time. The February cooking sessions are designed so that the students have a chance to make mistakes and build confidence before they open to the public come March. Even then, the café serves as a semester-long learning process. “Here, there’s no fear of repercussions,” Benowitz says later. “They won’t lose their job. Tonight, the lobster cakes are too salty. I guarantee next time they won’t be.” Diners have three options for each course. Besides the onion soup and lobster cake starters, there are also meatloaf cupcakes: meatloaf formed in a muffin cup and topped with mashed potato “frosting.” For the main course, this semester’s choices are a half-pound bacon cheeseburger, BBQ-style pulled pork and fried

fish. There are also three choices of sides to go with the main course: ratatouille, confit of potatoes or health salad. Student George Steill is from Hamilton. One of his jobs on this night is to prepare fillets of cod to be battered. Partner Wyatt Rue (also from Hamilton) is making the beer-and-vodka batter. When it comes out too thin, he asks Benowitz to come over and help troubleshoot. At another station, Roger Lloyd preps custom-ground beef patties for the grill while his partner, Agna Simon, tends to the pulled pork, which is made not on the grill or in a smoker but rather in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, to save time. For dessert, guests can choose among a plate of madeleines, milk chocolate crème brulee, or a third option that will change depending on which students are at the dessert station. The dessert team for this session is Lyne Simpson, from West Windsor, and Sean Lynn of Ewing. Simpson is putting decorative flourishes on today’s special, a flourless chocolate cake, while Lynn lights a butane torch to caramelize the top of one of the custards. When the clock hits 6:15, Benowitz announces to the kitchen that it’s time to start service. If this were the real thing, customers would now be arriving for dinner. All at once, activity in the kitchen goes up a gear. Rue and Steill start battering cod and dropping fillets into the fryer. Simon and Lloyd, who are both from Trenton, shred the pork in a food processor while also seasoning the burgers and putting them on the grill. In the dining room, Francesca Lavino, a student from Genoa, Italy by way of Princeton, starts making coffee in a French press. Her partner, Kathalyn Silverman (East Windsor), puts the finishing touches on the health salad at the garde manger station. Student Kathy Marroquin is in the role of class chef. Her partner, Julie Smith, is the dining room manager. One of Marroquin’s jobs as class chef is to devise and prepare an amuse bouche to be served to all customers at the start of their meal. She and Smith are testing two versions of mushrooms stuffed with ratatouille—one where the stuffing is minced, one where it is not—to decide which is better. As each dish is finished and plated, students take them to Benowitz for a critique of the presentation. Generally he suggests small changes, like centering the burger on the plate or seeding the jalapeños for the pulled pork. Simpson and Lynn give Benowitz a crème brulee to try. He samples the whipped cream and asks Simpson how she made it. She tells him and he gives her a fist bump. “Good job,” he says. When he turns away, she and her partner share a grin. *** Many of the students see enrolling in Mercer’s culinary program as a step to possibly owning a restaurant of their own someday. The Viking Café and other restaurant-style courses at Mercer are among the ways the college tries to prepare them for that eventuality. The idea of the Viking Café is that the experience mimics that of working at a restaurant that already exists. The same

can be said for the International Cuisine class, which will be serving lunches from a variety of cultures every Monday from March 4 to May 13. The cuisines of Israel, Mexico, Asia and France will be on the menus for that class. A third class, Food Preparation II, also serves lunches in a restaurant setting on Wednesdays starting in March. But there, the students have to come up with a restaurant concept and menu themselves. A number of students in this class have already taken the other two. For Lyne Simpson, this is the last class she needs to take before she graduates with her degree in pastry. She already has an A.A.S. degree in culinary arts. Like several in the class, Simpson is older than the traditional college student. Not that long ago, she was teaching third graders at Dutch Neck Elementary School, and before that she had worked in finance. She enrolled at Mercer because she has a dream of one day opening a resort in her native Philippines. Having never worked in a restaurant or a bakery, she wanted to train as a chef and baker. “I considered the Culinary Institute of America,” she said. “Then I looked at the numbers, and I looked at the numbers here, and I was like …” she trails off. “There was no comparison.” Sean Lynn is in his second of three years in the program. Some students only need two years, but like Simpson he is getting degrees in both culinary arts and pastry. Also like Simpson, he considered going to CIA. “It costs like 60K a year,” he said. “What I found out is Mercer is as close as you can come to that kind of experience.” He says he fell in love with the art of cooking as a student at Ewing High School. He credits teacher and Culinary Arts Club adviser John Kocubinski with stoking his interest. After he graduates, he wants to move to California to work as a personal chef. “Putting your own twist on everything, that’s what I love about it,” he said. Kathy Marroquin did not know that she wanted to go into the culinary arts after graduating from Steinert High School. She started her collegiate career at Rutgers University, where she had planned to major in criminal justice. It wasn’t long before she realized that she didn’t want to do that for a career. She left Rutgers and took a job at Cracker Barrel in Hamilton Marketplace. She has fond memories of being in the kitchen with her mother, Paula, making various recipes brought from her parents’ homeland of Guatemala. “I was always in the kitchen with my mom, and I came here and I’m loving it,” she said. She has one more semester before she can graduate with a degree in culinary arts and a certificate in pastry. When she is not in school she works at Wegman’s, splitting time between the meal center and the rotisserie chicken station, or wherever else she is needed. Her dream is to one day open her own little place serving “mostly Hispanic food.” Marroquin’s class partner, Julie Smith, is also from Hamilton, having moved there in the past year from West Windsor. She is also pursuing degrees in both culi-

nary arts and pastry. Smith grew up in the restaurant business, in Poughkeepsie, New York, where her family owned and operated a restaurant called the Irish Club. “The way it worked was, only people who could prove their Irish lineage could go there,” she said. “You can imagine that St. Patrick’s Day was a big day for us. Every year we would serve 500 people in house and deliver 250 more meals.” From the time she was 10 she was in the kitchen, doing prep work with her grandfather or helping her mother make the desserts—her favorite task. “With desserts it’s not work for me,” she says. “It’s just something I know.” Her grandfather died in 2006, and the family sold the restaurant. But she had already decided that she had spent enough time in restaurants. She became a preschool teacher, something she did for 15 years. After going through a divorce, she moved to New Jersey with her son Liam, who is now a student at Steinert High School with an interest in veterinary science. Looking for a “career reboot,” she realized she missed being in the kitchen and enrolled at Mercer to get a degree in pastry. She set a goal of someday opening a tea house that would be open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and sell biscuits, scones, biscotti, tea and coffee. She was in the Food Preparation II class when Benowitz asked her why she was not also working toward a culinary arts degree. She told him it was because she didn’t have the money to do both. “Since then, he’s been helping me get scholarship after scholarship to make sure that I can be here,” she said. “I’m a teaching assistant here now, and he’s been super helpful in terms of working my schedule around when I have classes and when I have to be home for my son.” Benowitz said scholarships such as the ones that have helped Smith are a result of a Sponsor Partnership Program he began more than 12 years ago. Over the years, he has raised more than $100,000 for scholarships through the program. The logos of the partners are prominent on the sleeves of the chef whites he wears on campus. “As a MCCC alumnus and employee, I take tremendous pride in working with students to assist however possible with their academic needs and wants,” he said. *** Those interested in eating at The Viking Café, or any of Mercer’s classroom restaurants, must purchase tickets online and in advance at mccc.edu/hrim. Only those with tickets will be admitted, and the window of 6:15 to 7 p.m. is strictly enforced. Parties as large as six can be accommodated. In the weeks before the VIking Café officially opens, since there are no actual customers, the students get to eat and take home the food they have made. Benowitz says it’s important that they get this opportunity to enjoy the results of their hard work, and especially, to share with their families. “In a way, they’re my customers,” he says if the students. “I want them to be happy with what they’ve done. I want them to bring it home to share and be proud of what they make.”

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RHS celebrates Year of the Pig

Robbinsville High School marked the Chinese New Year a bit early, with a celebration Feb. 1, 2019. Top: Students performing the Dragon Dance navigate stairs to the school commons. Mid left: RHS senior Peter Ean. Mid right: RHS senior Adalyn Liao. Bottom: Michael Stamboulian, Matthew Heverin, Rachel Horan, Matthew Giordano and Thomas Horowitz dressed for the Lion Dance. (Photos by Suzette J. Lucas.)

March 2019 | Robbinsville Advanceď&#x20AC;ź13

Common culture unites Mercer’s Irish groups March 2 event to kick off month of celebrations By Philip Sean Curran Mercer County has been home to Irish-Americans for generations, a heritage that they again will celebrate this month. Members of the Irish Community of Greater Mercer County will lead into St. Patrick’s Day by having a Catholic Mass on March 2 starting at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony Church on Olden Avenue in Hamilton followed by raising the Irish flag outside the congregation. It will be the first in a series of events that will include St. Patrick’s Day parades in Hamilton and in Robbinsville on successive Saturdays, March 9 and 16. Among the organizers is Dave Doran, a board member of the Robbinsville Irish Heritage Association. Mercer County is home to 10 IrishAmerican organizations. While there has been friction at times in the past, all of the groups will come together as they have for the past two years to celebrate their shared heritage and Catholic faith. “So we thought it would be a good idea to invite everybody to participate in an annual Mass and a flag raising early in March just to kind of kick off the Saint Patrick’s Day season,” said

Kevin Meara, an organizer of the event. “We wanted to keep that Catholic Mass in with the celebrations that go on for probably two to three weeks depending on the year.” “We hope we get a good crowd,” said former Trenton Fire Chief Dennis Keenan, who still lives in the city. “Every year, I think we get better when it comes to our union and friendship and Christian charity,” said Bob Cottrell, president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 10, in Mercer County. “It becomes better every year.” After the ceremony at the church, they will gather at Tir Na Nog, the Irish pub on Hamilton Avenue at the border of Hamilton and Trenton. Trenton once was home to a large Irish community. More than 100 years ago, many Irish immigrants left their homeland to settle in the Wilbur section of the city, said Meara, who lived in Trenton until he was 10. Streets like Olden and North Clinton avenues helped form the geo-

graphic boundaries of the community, while St. Joe’s Church served as its spiritual center. “A lot of the Irish settled up there, although they were dispersed all throughout Trenton,” Meara said. “But that was a big area of the Irish.” As they assimilated into their new country, many in the Irish community “wanted to leave their Irish roots behind and be American,” Meara said. It was not until 1986 that Trenton again would play host to a St. Patrick’s Day parade, the first since the 1890s. Keenan said he marched in the parade back in March 1986. The weather was “decent,” he said, as he recalled being struck by how large the crowd was that day. Meara shared a photo of the front page of the March 16, 1986 edition of The Trentonian proclaiming how an estimated 45,000 people attended the parade—the first of many to follow. “And that was a catalyst to get interest back in the Irish-American community,” Meara said. “So from the mid-

‘It’s important that we continue to celebrate our heritage. We’re all Americans. But it’s a melting pot.’ –Kevin Meara, organizer of the March 2 kickoff event

(19)80s, for a good decade, you had this resurgence of the Irish-American community.” Keenan recalled the Irish-American community in Trenton had a renaissance starting in the 1980s, thanks to an influx of immigrants from Ireland. He said that lasted into the 1990s, but then it tailed off once the 21st century began. “So there was a big Irish community in the 80s and 90s,” Keenan said. “And then it sort of started to move out.” Over the years, politicians made their way to Mercer County to meet with the Irish-American community, said Meara, a former councilman in Hamilton. The likes of former Gov. Jim McGreevey and Boston Mayor Ray Flynn and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams visited the region, among others. Meara recalled how, when McGreevey became governor in 2002, he and others were there to watch an Irish flag be raised over Drumthwacket, the governor’s official residence located on Stockton Street in Princeton. Today, Mercer County is led by county Executive Brian Hughes, who is of Irish stock. As the years went by, the Irish community left Trenton and attendance at the Trenton parade dwindled. Some within the parade committee pushed to move the parade to Hamilton to increase attendance and get more sponsors.

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For a time, there were dueling parades, in Hamilton and Trenton, and then a third parade in Robbinsville. The dispute over whether to have a parade in Trenton and Hamilton made for headlines, but Meara said he thought “there was more made of it than there really was.” “Obviously, there was some feelings when part of the (parade) committee went off and talked to Hamilton Township to have the parade,” he said. “You had people who felt that…the city of Trenton was so good to us, we shouldn’t walk away from the city of Trenton. But then, mitigating factors are what they are. There’s not as many businesses along Hamilton Avenue that used to support the parade. There was not as many people coming out.” Eventually, the Trenton parade discontinued around three years ago, leaving Hamilton and Robbinsville the remaining parades. But the Trenton parade isn’t lost to history, and the choice of having the

Mass at St. Anthony’s Church is not by accident. That’s where the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1986 stepped off from, and the starting point of the Trenton parade for a generation. In reflecting on those days, Meara said he can remember, as a young man, seeing all the older men with gray hair, standing outside to watch the parade. Now 60, he’s the one with gray hair. Some of the people who helped pull that parade together, people like “Irish” Billy Briggs, have passed on. For the future, Meara said there is a push to get younger members of the Irish-American community involved in the March 2 event, to lay a foundation for them to eventually take over running it. “So it’s important that we continue to celebrate our heritage,” Meara said. “We’re all Americans. But it’s a melting pot. And now to be able to hand this to our kids is even more important.” For more on the Robbinsville St. Patrick’s Parade, go to robbinsvilleirish.org.

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Pipe and drum band prepares for its busy season By Susan Van Dongen Nero may not have fiddled while Rome burned after all—he could have been playing the bagpipes, some form of the instrument, anyway. The bagpipes, so much associated with Scotland and Ireland, are said to have roots in ancient Mesopotamia and North Africa. The pipes made their way to Rome, and it was the Romans who subsequently brought bagpipes to Britain some 2,000 years ago. However, it was the Scots who added the third “drone pipe,” and really amplified the sound. Patricia Downey, president of Greater Trenton Pipes and Drums, could tell you even more about the bagpipes: for example, the bag is made of a synthetic fabric, not animal pelts or a sheep’s stomach anymore; there are four reeds that need to be in proper condition and place for the instrument to function. And, there are only nine notes available through the chanter or “blow-pipe” of the instrument, so any elaboration or Greater Trenton Pipes and Drums will march in the Robbinsville Saint articulation has to be done with a series Patrick’s Day parade Saturday, March 16, 2019 at noon. of complex grace notes. People used to learn the pipes only by ear, not by the notated manuscripts music educator, is a font of information off over the winter holidays, but now the modern band and classical musicians about traditional Scottish music, the members of the GTPD are preparing are familiar with. The GTPD’s oldest pipes themselves, and her fellow partici- for the busy Saint Patrick’s Day season, member, 86-year old Gordon Fraser, was pants in the group, many of whom she’s which will launch the group into some nine months of activity. recruited. taught this way in his native Scotland. The group will march in the Hamilton She says the group had a little time Downey, a musician and longtime Saint Patrick’s Day parade Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. (Parade starts at the Nottingham Fire House.) The actual weekend of Saint Paddy’s, the GTPD will be part of the festivities in Robbinsville, Saturday, March 16, noon. (Parade starts at the Foxmoor Shopping Center.) All the parades are free. A recent frigid night visit to the GTPD at the Carslake Community Center in The Health Studies Institute at Rider University presents: Bordentown, where the group has been practicing every Thursday for 15 years, opens the door to the behind the scenes of a group usually on public display. “We started out rehearsing at a school in Springfield Township, but we really needed a larger space. So we started looking around for a rental hall,” Downey says. “Bordentown is a somewhat central location for most of our members so we decided to call it ‘home.’” The extreme cold wreaked havoc on the intonation of the bagpipes, and delayed the arrival of whoever had the key to the equipment room where the drums are kept. So, the drummers sat around a table and warmed up on practice pads, coached by GTPD member Gordon Bell, one of the area’s top percussion instructors. Among those drummers was George Zienowicz, Trenton’s venerable sign Sundays at 11 a.m. exclusively on 107.7 The Bronc. maker, musician, and arts supporter, who first joined the GTPD as a bagpiper, having played the instrument for Listen on-air at 107.7 FM, online at 107.7TheBronc.com, decades. or via The Bronc’s Google Play and Apple iTunes apps. Influenced by his Scottish-born Search and download: WRRC1. mother, Zienowicz was just one member of the extended family that played

16Robbinsville Advance | March 2019

the bagpipes. He also played the fiddle and spent some 15 years in a Celtic rock band. Before the GTPD, Zienowicz was in the Tir Na Nog Pipe Band based in Hamilton, and in fact became pipe sergeant, second in command of the pipe corps. Downey met him in Tir Na Nog and found him to be a patient teacher. “I was just a novice player, but George was always very kind, encouraging, and supportive of me in those early days,” she says. “He’s still that way with beginners in this band. Even though he wasn’t a founding member of the GTPD, he is an integral part of the unit.” Meanwhile at the rehearsal, GTPD’s current pipe major Tom Fortis led a sectional at another table, walking the players through “Men of the West,” a familiar march tune. This is the quieter part of the rehearsal, before the pipers attach their chanters to the bag and drone pipes. Once the instruments are all put together and the drummers have their actual drums, the action moves to the Carslake Center’s gymnasium, and it gets loud. (Full disclosure: years ago, this reporter first heard the GTPD practicing while sitting at a traffic light, blocks away on Route 130.) It makes sense that they’re loud, since the bagpipes were originally used to scare off enemies on the battlefield, and it is the only Western musical instrument that is/was deemed a weapon of war. Marking its 16th year, Greater Trenton Pipes and Drums was formed in the early summer of 2003, by a small group of experienced pipers and drummers, including Downey. The band debuted at the 2003 Anchor House Ride for Runaways ceremony at the former Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton. A nonprofit pipe band, the group has a mission to preserve the music and culture of the Great Highland Bagpipes. (Incidentally, there are many other kinds of pipes, including the traditional Irish Uilleann pipes, but the GTPD plays Highland bagpipes.) In the last 16 years, the group has grown to perform at more than 25 parades, charitable events and private functions each year. Current personnel total is 25, ranging in age from 15 to 86 years old, divided between nine women and 14 men, many of whom are retired. The GTPD is family oriented and inclusive in several different ways, Downey says. “We even like to have kids in the band,” she says. They are fixtures in area Memorial Day and Fourth of July parades, as well as 9/11 memorial ceremonies, Halloween celebrations, and Civil War reenactments at Camp Olden and the Abbott House in Hamilton Township. They have played for The College of New Jersey’s alumni veteran festivities, Trenton Titans’ hockey games and Princeton University’s P-rade. Downey says that the GTPD has also helped welcome home numerous

returning veterans from overseas, and that she and other solo players perform at weddings, private parties, senior events, and funerals. The group’s fee for an appearance at a parade or public event runs from $1,000 to $1,200, but they also make many charitable appearances. Charity events include the Relay for Life at Mercer County Park, Princeton University Ivy League Mental Health Conference and the ARC Walkathon. The band has played at fundraisers for the Hamilton Police K9 unit, including one that raised money to buy bulletproof vests for the dogs. “We’re a non-profit, we only want to maintain the group, maintain our needs,” she adds. “We take care of everything for our members, instruments, music, kilts, etc.” “We’re happy to be part of the community, in fact, that’s part of our by-laws—to give back anytime we’re able, especially when police and fire (individuals) pass away,” she says. “Our mission as a band

is to provide musical performances to the public and superior instruction to our members.” Reflecting on what drew her to the bagpipes, Downey says it was hearing them at local parades when her high school band was also participating. Since she is half-Irish in ethnicity, there might have been some Celtic spirit stoking her interest as well. “Playing the bagpipes seemed like a challenge and I was interested in seeing what it was all about,” she says. “I received a practice chanter (the first step in the learning process) as a Christmas gift in 1989, and after trying unsuccessfully to learn on my own, decided to get serious and

seek out lessons.” One of her brothers worked with someone who was taking bagpipe lessons at the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Msgr. Crean Division 1 on Kuser Road in Hamilton, and he invited Downey to join in on Monday evening rehearsals of that group’s band. Sitting alongside Downey at the rehearsal, you could hear that she is one of the musical leaders in the group. Her skills in playing the flute certainly have given her a jump on the tricky technique of the bagpipes. Musical instruction is a cornerstone of the GTPD’s mission, and the group is known for mentoring inexperienced

‘I like to think that everyone has the right to play the bagpipes.’ –Patricia Downey, president of Greater Trenton Pipes and Drums

players, like Downey once was. Trenton’s Wills Kinsley—bicycle artisan, bass player and arts supporter— is one of those newbies, having only recently joined the group. Zienowicz is not only coaching him in drumming, Kinsley is working alongside Zienowicz in his Trenton sign shop. “Wills just joined the band, and will be marching in his first parade with us in March,” Downey says. “Our membership could be higher, and we have a few folks in their 70s, so we’d love some ‘new blood,’” Downey says. “Pipe and drum bands ebb and flow, and we’re always recruiting. The band is always looking for new members, and all ages and ability levels are welcome. I like to think that everyone has the right to play the bagpipes.” Greater Trenton Pipes and Drums rehearse at the Carslake Community Center, 207 Crosswicks Street, Bordentown, Thursday nights at 7 p.m. For more information, call (609) 6357458 or go online at gtpipeband.com.

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SPORTS

Madhu helps transformation of RHS swimming program By Justin Feil Sanjana Madhu was swimming at the age of 4, and it wasn’t long before she discovered that it was a sport that wanted to pursue. “At first, it was a fun sport to play around in the pool,” Madhu recalled. “Then I realized I liked the competition aspect of it and racing was fun. I started swimming on Scarlet and then I moved to Peddie.” Madhu remains a competitive club swimmer with Peddie Aquatics, and is in her fourth year of swimming on the Robbinsville High School girls’ swim team. A senior captain for the Ravens, Madhu has seen a transformation in the team since her arrival. “Our team has immensely grown since my freshman year,” Madhu said. “We’ve gotten so many more swimmers interested in swimming in high school and we’ve gotten great coaches who Robbinsville High senior Sanjana Madhu provided versatility and helped work so hard in practice. You can tell change the expectations for the Ravens swimming team. they really care about the team.” Robbinsville jumped out to a 6-1 start Madhu won her usual events against “We’ve won a lot of meets against to the season, one of the best starts in program history. The Ravens took a teams that we’d lose to before,” Madhu Princeton, the 200 individual medley 95-75 win over Princeton, perennial said. “Princeton, we were able to beat and 100 butterfly, and helping the 200 Colonial Valley Conference powerhouse. them this year which was really great.” medley relay and 400 free relays both

win as well. The Ravens have always had a couple of strong year-round swimmers, but the difference this year is the number of committed swimmers that are on the team. “In previous years we had a lot of strong, standout swimmers,” Madhu said. “This year we have more depth. We have a range of swimmers who can do a lot of different strokes.” The Ravens look like they could be good for years to come. Madhu’s usual 200 medley relay included her and three freshmen: Brielle Peerboom (backstroke), Mackenzie Moran (breaststroke) and Lea Emanuel (freestyle). “We have a good medley relay that we’re happy about,” said Robbinsville head coach Morgan Sawin. “We don’t have a lot of weak spots, which is nice.” The third-year head coach saw the promise early as the team was assembling. “We didn’t lose a ton of seniors,” Sawin said. “We lost a few swimmers to club swimming, but that happens every year and every team had that this year. What we lost, we gained back with freshmen. We have some pretty good freshmen from both Robbinsville and

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Allentown. All three of our best breaststrokers are freshmen, our sprint freestyler is a freshman, and our best backstroker is a freshman. They rounded out the team nicely.” The Ravens’ opponents have taken notice of the more formidable team. They are getting more respect from the CVC after following up last year’s fourth-place finish at the Mercer County Tournament with another good group. “With our placing last year in MCTs, I think other teams thought we were a better team so they were putting up better lineups against us,” Madhu said. “We were expected to bring back a strong team.” This year’s county meet took place Jan. 26 at West Windsor-Plainsboro North, where RHS finished eighth as a team. Madhu helped the Ravens win their heat in the 200-meter medley relay. The Ravens went on to qualify for the Central Jersey Group “A” tournament, where they dropped a close meet in the opening round, 88-82, to South Brunswick Feb. 4. Expectations are changing for the Ravens. Robbinsville has the potential to be among the top teams for years to come if it continues its upward trend. The Ravens have stabilized under Sawin, who has every intention of staying to build the program. “Our first year, a lot of teams didn’t expect us to be as good as we were,” Sawin said. “We had some surprise wins because teams weren’t ready for

us. Now they’re ready for us. We can tell going into some of these dual meets that they’re putting up their best lineups for us. Even if they beat us, we’re happy they have to put their best lineup in there to win. Any time we can give a team a run for their money, we’re happy about it.” Robbinsville was more capable of pushing opponents this year thanks to an influx of talent. It’s changed how the Ravens viewed meets as well. “We have a lot of depth this year,” Sawin said. “Sometimes it’s hard to write a lineup because we have a lot of girls that are versatile and they could go anywhere. It’s a good problem to have.” Madhu has been a big part of that, and Robbinsville has come to count on her. “She’s been swimming her whole life,” Sawin said. “She swims for Peddie. She’s got that natural leadership thing where she can tell people what to do in a good way. She can tell them and it’s not bossy sounding. It’s a good quality to have. Her swimming backs it up. She’s great to have on the team.” Madhu has enjoyed being a captain this year, leading the team in building camaraderie and getting her teammates psyched up for races with cheers. Now that her final high school races are over, she is contemplating possibly competing in college. “I’m so proud and happy for our team with that what they did,” Madhu said. “As the years go on I think it’ll keep getting better for our team.”

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Johnson steadies young Ravens basketball team By Rich Fisher It would have been so easy for Maya Johnson to leave. Everybody else did. But Johnson refused to jump ship, and the Robbinsville High girls’ basketball program could have a nice future because of it. Following an 11-15 campaign in 201718, the Ravens were hit by defections as a plethora of upperclassmen either transferred or decided not to return to the team. That left coach Joe Washington with seven freshmen, a few sophomores and Johnson—the lone junior on a roster with no seniors. The result was a 5-17 record entering the season finale with Willingboro, including five losses by six points or less. There were some who felt the Ravens would be lucky to win two games this year. With the entire team returning next year, hope

reigns supreme at Robbinsville. “To be able to have an off-season together in the spring, summer and fall is something we’re all looking forward to,” Washington said. “We didn’t have that last year.” Much of that optimism centers around Johnson, who did an outstanding job of keeping a young unit together, rather than running helter-skelter on the floor without some sort of veteran presence. “I was a little surprised when everybody left,” she said. “But I thought, ‘You know what, this is gonna be a good time for me to put my leadership skills into action.’ A few years before I could shy away from being the aggressor. But now it was my job to go and get us pumped and get us on the board. I knew we’d have our work cut out for us but I knew it would make us work so much harder and make us better in the long run.”

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It certainly was a new experience for Johnson, a quality player with a hefty AAU resume. “It’s one thing to win with people who were 16, 17, 18 and played with that level of physicality in a varsity game,” she said. “It’s another thing to play with someone who’s never seen high school varsity basketball. Even though these girls are really, really talented, until you experience some level of varsity basketball you can’t really picture what it’s like.” Johnson has been a presence in the RHS lineup since she started high school, having either started varsity or played regularly all three years. She brought a wealth of experience to the program. Johnson began playing rec ball at age 4 and joined the Philly Freedom Stars in 7th grade, right after her family moved to Robbinsville from Burlington City. She has also played AAU with the Mavericks, Sure Shots, Jersey Warriors and her current team, the Jersey Panthers. She also played with good players who were her own age, which was also the case her first two years of high school. Allowed to learn and grow, Johnson averaged 6.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists as a freshman, and 7.5 points, 5.1 points and 2.7 assists as a sophomore. This year was a whole new deal. If a teammate’s observation means anything, Johnson handled it in outstanding fashion. “When I walked in the first day, Maya was giving me tips,” talented freshman Vanessa Sabol said. “She’s probably the best teammate I ever had. I’ve learned so much from her. I love her, she’s the best. You have to figure, everything is new to her too. She’s probably not used to playing with girls that don’t’ have much experience. She’s leading us, telling us what to do. She’s really helped mold us.” She has been a godsend for Washington, whom Johnson calls “one of the best coaches I ever had.” “He sees the game and how it works for us personally,” she said. “He knows what we’re feeling. He’s not trying to force something on us.” Washington has similar praise for his leader. “You really can’t say enough about her,” he said. “She’s a one-of-a-kind kid. It’s a different role for her than I’ve asked her to play in the past. She’s learning how to be a leader, she’s always leading by example. She’s learning to step into that communication role. She did a great job with the younger girls. Her patience was unbelievable. I never heard her get into it with somebody. She helps them out along the way. She’s constantly a positive role model.” The added responsibility of looking out for others could wear on a player and take away from their game, but Johnson has continued to put up solid stats. She averaged 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while being asked to do pretty much everything. And yet, her biggest contribution may have been the intangible of leadership. “She learned that new role and she did a great job with the younger girls,”

Junior Maya Johnson is the lone upperclassman on the Robbinsville High girls’ basketball team. (Photo by Rich Fisher.) Washington said. “We talked every day. We were really honest with our situation with everybody. Not having a senior, we were able to set goals not only for this year but next year as well. It’s not like we told somebody your season doesn’t matter. This season mattered. We played hard every day, there was no fear in any of them.” Johnson set that fearless tone, starting on the defensive end. Her theory is that defense comes first because it demonstrates just how much hustle a player has. “There aren’t a lot stats you’ll get for defense, but I feel the way to hone your game is to work hard, and defense is the best place to work hard,” she said. As for wearing practically every hat a player can wear, Johnson welcomes the chance to be versatile. And she is going to do it at a breakneck pace. “I will fight tooth and nail,” she said. “If somebody wants to get a lay-up they have to go through my block first.” As rugged as she is on the court, Johnson is just as intelligent off it. She has a weighted grade point average of 4.513, has been her class president for three straight years and belongs to several school organizations. “I just try to make sure I get my hand in a little bit of everything,” Johnson said. “I feel like I’m gonna play basketball in college, but if I can experience different things; I’ll become a better person because I’ll know how to interact with all different kind of people.” Those skills certainly came into play this winter, when Johnson improved as a player and a leader, Through it all, she has gained a further self-awareness. “Every day I learned something new about somebody or learned something new about myself,” she said. “It’s been little things we do that are so new that I’ve never had before on a team. It brings a smile to my face every day. I’m smiling when I walk into the gym. I want to be here.”