The Marlboro Firecrackers Blue, a U15 girls travel team, won the Monmouth-Ocean Soccer Association Premier Division championship. The girls were 8-1-1 and outscored their opponents 20-8. It’s the best finish for the Firecrackers, who have been playing together under coach Bob Ville since U9. The Firecrackers Blue are: Brittany Bernstein, Tracey Ville, Stephanie McAlary, Sukhdeep Grewal, Nicole Pecora, Brittany Pietrosh, Lauren Pietrosh, Ashleigh Boyce, Audrea Rehr, Brielle Buttacavoli, Melanie Scaccio, Jaclyn Diamond, Alexa Messinger, Kristin Ambrosino and Chelsea Buttacavoli. Ville’s coaching staff includes assistants Al Pigliacelli and Frank Buttacavoli.
Lindsey Gallo enjoyed her finest result at a national championship Saturday when the ex-Howell High School and University of Michigan star, was second in the women’s 1,500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held in Indianapolis, Ind. Gallo used a closing surge in the final 100 meters Saturday to take second behind Trenieri Clement, 4:10.44 to 4:10.72.
Freehold Township’s Rich Hansen, the head football coach and athletic director at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, was chosen by the New Jersey Football Coaches Association and the Bill Tierney Foundation as the New Jersey Football Coach of the Year for 2005. Hansen, guided St. Peter’s to a perfect 12-0 record and the NJSIAA Non-Public Group IV state championship. The team was tabbed by the National Football Foundation and Madison Square Garden Network as the No. 1 team in the Metro area. Hansen will be entering his 19th year as the Marauders’ head coach this fall.
The Atlantic City Surf, of the Independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, will be holding fireworks at the July 3 and 4 games when the Surf play the Camden Riversharks. To encourage fans to purchase tickets early, all walk-up tickets on the July 3 and 4 are $10. Tickets purchased prior to those games are the regular prices of $10, $8, $6 and $5. For more information, call (609) 344-7873 or log on to www.acsurf.com.