CAL QUARTERFINALS: Middle boys need second-half rally to clip Vineland, girls use strong start to 3Q to pull past AC

Posted: February 14th 2026

By DAVID WEINBERG 

For CapeAtlanticLive.com

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - Middle Township High School boys basketball coach LaMarr Greer scheduled a bunch of tough opponents early in the season in hopes it would prepare his team for the postseason tournaments.

His strategy paid off Friday.

The Panthers staged a thrilling, fourth-quarter rally to earn a 60-55 victory over Vineland in the quarterfinals of the Cape-Atlantic League tournament.

”This was a new group of players and they needed those types of games to get experience in tough situations,” said Greer, who earned his 100th career win in his fifth season. “Now when we get in those types of games, we don’t blink.”

The top-seeded Panthers (14-9) didn’t bat an eye in the pivotal fourth quarter, using a 12-2 run to stave off an upset bid by the eighth-seeded Fighting Clan (19-4).

Mason Murawski and Kanye Perkins led the comeback, combining for 18 points down the stretch.

Murawski scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter while a Perkins added eight, including a pair of three-pointers.

It was the second straight strong fourth quarter for Middle, which also put together a terrific final period in its Round of 16 win over Wildwood Catholic. 

“We were ready for this moment because we’ve been behind in other games this year,” Murawski said. “We knew Vineland was going to come after us hard. We just had to relax and trust in each other.

Middle trailed for most of the game. It took its first lead since the opening two minutes at 44-43 when a Perkins soared above the rim and threw down a one-handed dunk with 6:48 left in regulation that drew a roar from the near-capacity crowd.

Murawski then scored eight straight points to push the lead to 52-43, then Perkins nailed a three to extend it to 55-45.

”I’ve been working hard on all parts of my game,” Perkins said. “But it seems like the dunks really fire up the crowd and my teammates.”

Middle’s girls team, the top seed and defending champion, had an easier time in advancing to Wednesday’s semifinals  with a 50-34 win over eighth-seeded Atlantic City earlier Friday.

But the Panthers still faced a few challenges from the Vikings.

Seedings don’t necessarily matter in the CAL tournament. The league is so well-balanced that there usually is no prohibitive favorite.

”People underestimate our league,” Middle girls coach John Leahy said. “It’s very hard to win this tournament because there are so many tough teams. You always want to play well, but the bottom line is you just want to find a way to win and advance.”

The Panthers (20-4) found a way by relying on Reagan Powell and Ainsley Frederick.

Powell scored a game-high 22 points while Frederick hit three consecutive three-pointers to start the second half against the Vikings (15-8) and also played terrific defense.

”As I’ve said in the past, these games are a great test for the (state) playoffs,” Leahy said. “When you get to this time of year, it’s all about winning and advancing.”