One quarter of the girls basketball season in and the Johnson Crusaders are proving worthy of the senior experience they returned from last year's 15-11 success.
All five starters are back, they are all seniors, and they are on their way to a special 2025-2026 campaign.
Johnson begins the second full week of January perfect at 7-0 and leading the Mountain Division of the Union County Conference at 4-0. The Crusaders, who are scheduled to host Dayton Tuesday, Jan. 13 in their next Mountain Division clash, captured their first seven games all by double-digits and won them by an average margin of 25 points. The closest win was a 16-point decision against the Summit Hilltoppers to capture the Pete Tierney Memorial Holiday Tournament at Summit.
"We were planning on having this kind of success this year," said 10th-year head coach Joe Marino. "It's what we bring to the table that day. We have an eight-girl rotation that doesn't skip a beat with the players we have coming off the bench."
Johnson's convincing 53-27 Mountain Division triumph at Gov. Livingston on Thursday, Jan. 8 was the 100th win for Marino at Johnson, a tenure that began with the 2016-2017 season. That first season Marino led the Crusaders to the Mountain Division championship with an 8-2 league mark.
Marino has now won 254 games, including 154 during his tenure at Westfield which included the 2008 Union County Tournament championship.
Johnson seniors include guard-forwards Alisia Hamm and Jordanna Tarentino, guards Elizabeth Fitzharris and Avery Forfa and forward Julia Lettini.
"We're focusing a lot on our defense," Marino said. "It's based on our athleticism and ability to show multiple looks."
Johnson is averagjng 48 points a game and has been held under that average just once and only by a field goal.
"Our offense is based on what the opponents are giving us," Marino said.
For the first time Marino has all five of his starters returning.
Through the team's first seven games here's what the production looked like:
Hamm was leading the Crusaders in scoring with 120 points.
"Alisia is a leader for us and she sees the floor well and is a heck of a shooter," Marino said. "She also doesn't shy away from getting in there and going up to grab a rebound."
Tarentino was leading in rebounds with 64 and was second in scoring with 77 points.
"Jordanna is very quick and is a sparkplug for us on offense and defense," Marino said. "She's fast to move up to stop someone. She's one of our toughest rebounders."
Lettini was leading in blocked shots with 15, was third in rebounds with 37 and third in scoring with 51 points.
"Julia can score from the outside and inside and with her size has length," Marino said. "She's a great rebounder as well."
Fitzharris was leading in assists with 38 and steals with 30 and had 40 points.
"Elizabeth is our quarterback," Marino said. "She's respected for her heart and motivation."
Forfa had 22 points, 16 rebounds, 14 assists and nine steals.
"Avery is a speedster and our first player to shut down the opponent's top scorer," Marino said. "She's a real leader on defense."
Junior guard Clara Brighouse was second in rebounds with 39 and second in assists with 26 and had 38 points.
Sophomore forward Audrey Humphries was fourth in rebounds with 33 and had 18 points.
"The girls have been around awhile and can adjust on a button," Marino said. "What's best is that they all get along so well and take care of each other. They've been friends since they were little.
"The No.1 goal is to reach the lower levels in Clark and begin building there. These girls have been playing since the third grade and now these are the results of all of their time playing together.
"That's the secret. It has to start at the lower levels."
JOHNSON CRUSADERS
GIRLS BASKETBALL
2025-2026:
SENIORS (5):
Elizabeth Fitzharris
Avery Forfa
Alisia Hamm
Jordanna Tarentino
Julia Lettini
JUNIORS (2):
Clara Brighouse
Hailey DeChellis
SOPHOMORES (4):
Audrey Humphries
Sophia Brower
Giuliana Hamm
Payton Wray
FRESHMAN (1):
Jillian McMahon
JOHNSON CRUSADERS
GIRLS BASKETBALL
2025-2026 schedule-results:
Dec. 18 (H) Johnson 53, Elizabeth 30 - Mountain Division
Dec. 20 (H) Johnson, 51, Oak Knoll 31 - Mountain Division
Dec. 23 (H) Johnson 51, Summit 32 - Mountain Division
Dec. 29 (N) Johnson 61, Morris Knolls 19 - Pete Tierney HT at Summit
Dec. 30 (A) Johnson 46, Summit 30 - Pete Tierney HT at Summit
Jan. 6 (H) Johnson 70, Roselle Park 44
Jan. 8 (A) Johnson 53, Gov. Livingston 27 - Mountain Division
Jan. 13 Dayton, 5:30 p.m. - Mountain Division
Jan. 15 Linden, TBA - Mountain Division
Jan. 20 at Elizabeth, 4:15 p.m. - Mountain Division
Jan. 22 at Oak Knoll, 5 p.m. - Mountain Division
Jan. 23 at Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 4 p.m.
Jan. 27 at Summit, 6 p.m. - Mountain Division
Jan. 29 at Caldwell, 4 p.m.
Jan. 31 Union Catholic, noon
Feb. 3 Gov. Livingston, 5:30 p.m. - Mountain Division
Feb. 5 at Dayton, 5:30 p.m. - Mountain Division
Feb. 7 at Linden, 1 p.m. - Mountain Division
Feb. 10 Hillsborough, 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 19 Kent Place, 5:30 p.m.
JOE MARINO, ROSELLE CLASS OF 1977,
COACHING RECORD AT JOHNSON:
2016-2017: (10-13) - UCC-Mountain Division champions
2017-2018: (8-18)
2018-2019: (13-13)
2019-2020: (10-14)
2020-2021: (5-6)
2021-2022: (12-12)
2022-2023: (8-14)
2023-2024: (12-11)
2024-2025: (15-11) - 1-1 in UCT and CJG2
2025-2026 so far: (7-0)
Totals: (100-112)
Follow JR Parachini on 'X' @parachini_jr
