Chiropractor in Perth Amboy, NJ

PERTH AMBOY — Since taking over the Perth Amboy boys basketball program in the fall of 2022, coach Donald Reid has consistently maintained his desire to return the program back to its glory days.

The Panthers achieved a major milestone toward that end by winning their 20th game of the campaign Thursday night, breezing to a 74-50 triumph over a red-hot Middlesex squad on Feb. 5.

The Panthers (20-4) have already claimed their first division title in more than 30 years and it’s been even longer since the program had a 20-win campaign.

“It means a lot,” Reid offered. “I grew up in town and this is like my dream job. We started off a little rocky but each year we’re getting better, we’re building the program and the chemistry and we knew that we had a chance to do something this year.”

Ricky Reyes led the way for Perth Amboy by scoring 23 points, 11 in a decisive 21-4 second quarter that gave the Panthers a comfortable 37-16 advantage at the break, while also distributing seven assists.

“I’ve known Ricky since middle school,” said Reid, who coached him in AAU as well. “I knew that once he came back we were going to be a little bit different offensively. His court vision is unbelievable, he gets everyone involved.”

Reyes, a transfer from Woodbridge, became eligible on Jan. 3 and the Panthers have won 15 of 16 since then. In each of their last two losses, which occurred over the last 38 days, Perth Amboy has been done in by a 15-1 quarter.

Such was not the case on Thursday as the Panthers scored the first seven points and never trailed in the contest, breaking the game open with a 19-2 second-quarter run to close out the half, forging a 29-point lead at its apex.

Perth Amboy was 5-3 after squandering a late, double-digit advantage in losing to Roselle on Dec. 30.

“I feel like that loss in that Christmas tournament opened our eyes and made us a little vulnerable and we know that we had to play our game,” Reid said. “We’re just playing great basketball.”

The arrival of Reyes is not the only factor in the team’s 15-1 ledger since, but it is the most tangible.

“I feel like us getting our point guard, Ricky, he’s helping out a lot giving a lot of passes,” noted captain Yandel Susana, who contributed 19 points to the victory. “Everybody’s getting points because of him.”

Middlesex (14-7) was on a tear of its own, having won seven of eight coming in with a 5-1 record in crossover games against the tougher GMC White-American division. The Blue Jays pulled within one at 8-7 and trailed 16-12 after the opening period. But this time, it was Perth Amboy’s opponent that fell apart offensively as the Blue Jays hit just 1 of 11 shots in the second quarter.

The Panthers had little time to prepare, having blasted another hot team, Spotswood, by a 74-43 margin just 24 hours earlier.

“One thing that I stressed, even yesterday, we jumped to a 29-14 first quarter, then we scored another 20 points in the second quarter and we just kept rolling,” Reid pointed out. “I told them (Middlesex) plays similar to Spotswood. We have to go out there and do the same thing, play hard, play fast and if our foot’s on their neck, keep it on their neck. No letting up and slowing down because that’s when we get inconsistent and let the other team back in.”

Susanna, who endured the squad’s 23-28 record over the last two seasons, is proud of the program’s rise.

“It means a lot, it hasn’t been done in a long time,” Susanna said of the 20th victory. “Where we are right now, we’re doing good but we could win all of these other games, too. Keep winning.”

“I’m just happy,” echoed Reid. “They bought in and they deserve this."

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — A 16-year-old girl from Old Bridge High School suffered a critical injury to her neck in a wrestling match Saturday, according to the school district.

The injury happened during a routine girls' quad wrestling match, where teams from four high schools compete against each other in an all-day tournament. The tournament was held at Old Bridge High School, according to Old Bridge school superintendent Vincent Sasso.

"It was the last match of the day. She was pinned by a (female) opponent from Perth Amboy High School," said Sasso. "She was unable to get up off the mat."

He said the athletic trainer responded immediately and EMS arrived. The girl was taken out of the gym on a backboard and transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The girl, a high school junior, has since undergone multiple surgeries.

The wrestler from Perth Amboy was not issued any penalties, in what witnesses described as a routine wrestling move.

Sasso said he cannot reveal more information about her medical condition at this time, as the girl's family asks for privacy and "prayers."

"At this time the entire Old Bridge community is praying for her and her family, and a speedy recovery," said Sasso.

A GoFundMe that was launched for the girl, and the school superintendent said he was authorized to share it with the media: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sup...

The injured girl is described as a "vibrant, athletic and high-energy 16-year-old who pours her heart into everything she does — especially wrestling, a sport she truly loves."

Youth wrestling in New Jersey has exploded in recent years, and there has been an expansion of girls' wrestling. Sasso said girls' wrestling and girls' flag football are now two of the most popular sports in the Old Bridge school district, with interest in both surging.

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — The 16-year-old Old Bridge girl who was critically injured in a wrestling match Saturday currently cannot walk because multiple vertebrae in her spinal cord in her neck were displaced, according to Old Bridge High School wrestling head coach John Post.

The teen, pictured here, can only slightly move her arms. She's had two surgeries to try to restore movement, but as of Monday afternoon, she cannot move her legs, said her coach.

The injury occurred during a regular wrestling match, when the Old Bridge teen was pinned by a Perth Amboy High School wrestler, also a teenage girl. The Perth Amboy wrestler pinned her and at the end of the match, the Old Bridge teen said she was unable to move or get off the mat. She reported extreme pain in her neck.

The Perth Amboy wrestler was not issued any penalties, and witnesses say she used all routine wrestling moves during the match.

"At approximately 12:00 p.m. this past Saturday, (the teen/name redacted) competed in the final match of the day," Post wrote Monday in this public Facebook post. "During the match, she was taken down and pinned by an opponent from Perth Amboy. Following the conclusion of the match, (she) did not get up. Our athletic trainer responded immediately to evaluate her condition. (She) reported severe neck pain and indicated that she was unable to move her arms or legs. Emergency Medical Services were contacted immediately."

The injury happened during a girls' quad wrestling match, where girls' teams from four high schools compete against each other in an all-day tournament, held at Old Bridge High School.

The injured girl, a junior at Old Bridge High School, was taken out of the Old Bridge HS gym on a backboard and rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Since Saturday, she has undergone two surgeries to her spinal cord, with the most recent surgery on Monday.

She has gained limited movement back to her arms, but is unable to move her legs, said her coach.

"Since the incident, (she) has undergone neck surgery," he continued. "Medical evaluation revealed that her spinal cord at the C4, C5 and C6 levels was displaced and compressing the nerves, resulting in loss of movement ... Following surgery, (she) regained some movement in her arms; however, she currently does not have movement in her legs. (She) is scheduled to undergo a second surgery today, February 2nd, to further stabilize her neck and, hopefully, provide additional relief. Doctors remain hopeful that as inflammation decreases over time and with continued treatment, Adriana may regain additional movement in her arms and legs."

The head coach said he and others have been by her side in the hospital since Saturday. Old Bridge school officials also visited the girl in the hospital. All doctors can do right now is hope the swelling and inflammation goes down, said the coach.

Here is the GoFundMe that was created for the injured teen: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sup...

Several New Jersey counties got slammed with 14 to 17 inches of snow during the weekend winter storm that caused widespread travel disruptions and school closures.

And another winter storm may be brewing this upcoming weekend.

Branchville and Stockholm in Sussex County both reported 17 inches of snow from Sunday’s big storm, the highest totals in the updated the National Weather Service list.

Bergen, Morris and Passaic counties all had towns that reported at least 16 inches of snow.

Trenton-Mercer Airport has already gotten 24.4 inches of snow this winter, more than double the normal 11.3 inches by this time in January.

The snow isn’t expected to melt anytime soon, with potentially record cold temperatures and wind chills below zero at night this week.

School districts announced closures across the state on Monday and some have already announced delayed openings for Tuesday.

The weather service warned drivers about dangerous black ice on roads and bridges from sleet and refreezing overnight.

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(as of Monday morning)

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The Perth Amboy Planning Board has approved a $200 million plan to transform a blighted brownfield site along the Arthur Kill into a waterfront neighborhood with more than 600 housing units.

Kushner Companies received approval to build 602 market-rate rental units across five buildings in a development called Sea Gate. The project spans 15.75 acres and will include parcels on Front, Commerce, Rector, Broad, High, and Fayette streets.

“We have been working closely with the redeveloper to create the type of plan that can benefit the entire Perth Amboy community, not just the residents of Sea Gate,” Mayor Helmin Caba said in a written statement. “We are directly addressing unused, under-taxed waterfront property and creating the type of development that will benefit Perth Amboy for years to come.”

The developer will fund multiple public amenities, including a tree-lined esplanade stretching from Front Street to the bulkhead at Washington Street, along with a playground, landscaped plazas, and a dog park. The project will also include 909 parking spaces, landscaping, streetscape improvements and lighting.

Under the agreement, Kushner Companies will pay Perth Amboy about $1.2 million annually through a long-term payment in lieu of taxes agreement, officials said.

The redevelopment area currently generates only about $113,000 annually in net revenue, according to city officials.

The developer is purchasing properties from the city for $4.6 million and will contribute an additional $1 million for the construction or rehabilitation of affordable residential units elsewhere in Perth Amboy, said Tashi Vazquez, executive director of the Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency.

The plan includes a memorial to Thomas Mundy Peterson, a Perth Amboy resident who became the first African American to vote in an election following ratification of the 15th Amendment. Peterson cast his vote on March 31, 1870.

“This site has long presented environmental conditions that limited its use,” Vazquez said. “Through the redevelopment process, the city is addressing those challenges and expanding public access to the waterfront.”

An archaeological review is planned as part of the state-mandated redevelopment process to determine if any property needs preservation for historical significance. The review will involve state and city historians along with the redeveloper’s consultants.

The project, featuring one- and two-bedroom units, is expected to be built over three years.