The Personal Injury Attorney in Ramsey, NJ, You Can Trust

RAMSEY – It was déjà vu on the diamond for the Jefferson softball team.

But this time, Kama Skrek made sure her team's trip to Ramsey ended with hardware instead of heartbreak.

The senior ace threw a complete game shutout for the third straight round and the Falcons completed their redemption tour by beating Ramsey, 7-0, in the North 1, Group 2 final on Friday. The win at Tisdale Elementary School came in the same place as last year's championship, when Ramsey stunned Jefferson in walk-off fashion.

Seemingly all that slowed down the Falcons' return to the top was a half-hour thunder delay in the top of the third inning.

"That was literally the theme, redemption," coach Amy Pearce said. "They saw what it was like to win it and they saw what it was like to lose it and really get the title taken from us last year. So they were not going to let that happen again. There was no doubt in my mind."

Skrek left no doubt either, overpowering a lineup that scored more runs than any team in the Big North Conference. She struck out eight and held Ramsey to two hits.

The game nearly took a different turn in the first inning when Ramsey’s Brooke Donofrio launched what looked like a go-ahead two-run home run down the left field line. The umpires convened and ultimately ruled it a foul ball.

"I had a great view," Ramsey coach Chris Caserta said. "It was a home run. It's not where it lands. It's where it goes over and it went over so far that they missed it. It shouldn't be an excuse but even the home plate umpire said he missed it."

What it means

With the win, Jefferson (24-5) has captured its second sectional title in three seasons and solidified its reputation as one of New Jersey's most dominant programs. The Falcons advance to face Hanover Park in the Group 2 semifinals on June 10.

In four playoff wins, the Falcons outscored their opponents by a 25-2 margin. That surge came after winning the NJAC Freedom division title earlier this spring.

"We've been playing together since we were 10 years old," Skrek said. "All of us. We all went our separate ways and then high school brought us back together."

"I think Morris County softball is some of the best in the state, as proven with all the state sectionals that it's winning right now," Pearce said. "So even as the three-seed, I knew we were a solid team that had a chance to win the title again. I think we definitely showed that today."

Waiting it out

Jefferson put pressure on Ramsey from the start and never backed off with everyone in the lineup reaching base at least once.

The Falcons loaded the bases in the first inning and scored a run in the second on a two-out, single from freshman Maya Weber.

Jefferson broke things open with four more runs in the third thanks to a bases-loaded walk from Gianna Licursi, a two-run single from Kylie Plunkett and Skrek's RBI basehit. With two outs in the inning, thunder forced Jefferson to retreat indoors.

"We're such close friends that we just kept our energy up," Plunkett said. "We came back with the mentality that it was 0-0 again, so we needed more runs. I really think that helped us."

Skrek took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Mackenzie D'Elia broke it up with a leadoff, pinch-hit single. At the plate, Skrek helped her own cause by going 3-for-4 with a walk.

"She's an exceptional person," Pearce said. "Not only an athlete. I will brag about her all day because she will never brag about herself."

Pat O’Neill scored four goals and Quinn O’Neill added three goals and two assists as second-seeded Ramsey rolled past 15th-seeded Waldwick, 16-4, in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Group 1 tournament in Ramsey.

Complete Box Score »

Ramsey (13-3) wasted no time establishing control, erupting for 10 goals in the first quarter. The Rams built a 13-1 lead by halftime.

Max Rosen contributed one goal and three assists for Ramsey, while Owen Crowley added two goals and two assists. Cullen Gorman chipped in with two goals and one assist as the Rams displayed its offensive firepower throughout the contest.

Noah Magnus was dominant on face-offs for Ramsey, winning nine of 15 attempts, while Christian Fojon won three of four face-offs as the Rams controlled possession for much of the game.

The Rams finished with a 28-13 advantage in ground balls, with Magnus collecting a team-high five.

Ryan Tarrant led Waldwick (10-5) with two goals, while Luke Feltman contributed one goal and one assist.

Ramsey goalkeepers Brian Pierpont and Quinn Hassan combined for five saves, with Pierpont allowing one goal and Hassan surrendering three.

The Rams advance to the quarterfinals where they will face 10th-seeded Lenape Valley, which upset seventh-seeded Mahwah, 10-9.

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Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.

s a college student, Adrienne Brizzi was an English writing major. But after realizing working in an office didn’t suit her, she moved to NYC to work in the restaurant industry. Today, she owns The Little Kitchen in Ramsey, a restaurant with a focus on seasonal home cooking.

It all started around 2017. One day, she answered a Facebook post in a Bergen County moms group asking for an in-home personal chef. “That’s when I realized that cooking is what I am meant to do,” Adrienne says. “I love the feeling of feeding people and making special events delicious. It’s the most rewarding career I can imagine and I’m so lucky to get to do it every day.”

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At The Little Kitchen, Chef Adrienne cooks fresh, healthy takes on classic cuisines. Everything is made from scratch to the extent possible. Her soups, for instance, do not contain nisin, carrageenan, or any additives. “We make food the way you’d make it, if you had the time,” Adrienne says.

The core menu features items like chicken cutlets, roasted veggies, and vodka and marinara sauces. Popular items include the Almost Famous Chicken Salad, Peruvian chicken with green sauce, and Adrienne’s “incredible” vodka sauce. Her favorite menu item is the Middle Eastern shawarma chicken with white sauce. She also loves her special Rice Krispies treats.

The Little Kitchen boasts an ever-changing daily menu guided by the seasons and what’s best in produce. Daily, they offer a choose-your-meal option, where patrons can pick a protein and two sides. There are always freshly prepared soups available as well.

Many gluten-free items are available daily. While The Little Kitchen is not a gluten-free restaurant, Adrienne has extensive experience in preparing custom meals. During her eight years as an in-home chef, she cooked for clients with many food allergies. If given a day’s notice, she can make almost anything gluten free for a customer, including breaded chicken cutlets. She is hyper-aware of allergies, so all precautions are taken to keep food safe.

The restaurant also specializes in thoughtful catering. This means going above and beyond having a customer just order a party package off a menu. Each catering menu is personalized based on the customer’s food preferences and budget.

Chef Adrienne is a Ramsey resident, and has been a personal chef in the area for years. She also delivered soups throughout Ramsey, Mahwah, and Upper Saddle River for seven years. “I hope to become a part of the fabric of the area. I love getting to know the families and watching their kids go from toddlers to teens,” she says.

Visit The Little Kitchen at 875 Route 17 in Ramsey. Look for them online to learn more.

See the Latest Restaurants Open in New Jersey.

All Photos: © Nate Weidner ProductionsLogo: © The Little Kitchen