Sparta High School’s HOSA Qualifies for States

Sparta High School’s HOSA Qualifies for States

by Zainab Mashal

February 25, 2026

On February 3rd, Sparta High School’s HOSA Club–88 students exploring various health occupations–tested at the regional level within the New Jersey chapter. HOSA, standing for Health Occupations Students of America, allows students across high school and collegiate levels to explore the various specialties healthcare has to offer, and provides students with the opportunity to embody leadership roles.

Of the 88 students, eight placed within the top five in their respective events, and six of those placed within the top three, qualifying them for States. Valentina Guri placed 1st in Nursing Assistant. Grace Melnichuk and Ryan Grycuk placed 2nd in EMT. Patrick Mcintrye placed 2nd in Sports Medicine. Adrian Appelbaum placed 3rd in Dental Science. Ali Monessar placed 3rd in Sports Medicine. Hailee Balon and Brielle Norris placed 4th in CPR. 

HOSA States will take place on Sunday, April 12th at an in-person conference, where those who qualified will proceed and test at the intermediate level, both in the form of written and hands-on exams.

Milestones and Momentum for Sparta Hoops

Milestones and Momentum for Sparta Hoops

by Alyssa Ciaburri

This winter has been an exciting one for Sparta basketball, with both the boys and girls teams reaching big milestones and having strong seasons on the court.

The Sparta girls basketball team, coached by Patrick McCarney, is having a great year with a 12–5 record so far. Coach McCarney recently earned his 100th career win during a game against Mount Olive, which is a huge accomplishment, especially since he is only in his second year at Sparta. His leadership has made a big difference for the team, helping players grow not just as athletes, but as teammates and leaders.

The girls will next play Kittatinny in the second round of the HWS County Tournament on Tuesday, February 3. They are currently tied with Roxbury for first place in their conference and are hoping to finish the season strong and bring home a banner.

On the boys side, senior guard Le-Shem Little also reached an impressive milestone this season. In January, he scored his 1,000th career point during a game against Chatham, hitting the mark in the second quarter. This puts him in a special group of Sparta players who have reached 1,000 points and makes his senior season even more memorable.

The boys team has faced a tough schedule but has continued to fight hard, with Little leading the way and teammates like Shane Hoover and Eric McCall stepping up in important moments. They will now face their rival, Pope John, in the first round of the HWS Tournament. The game is expected to be intense, especially after Sparta lost to Pope John by just one point last week.

With Coach McCarney’s 100th win and Le-Shem Little’s 1,000th point, this has already been a season to remember for Sparta basketball. Both teams are heading into the county tournament with confidence and the chance to make their seasons even more special.