The South Brunswick U-13 Riptide girls soccer team started its season with an exciting victory, 3-2 against the Flight 1 Randolph team. Scoring in the win was Jackie Marciniak, Kylie Plummer and Amber Brantley.
Offensive attack was provided by Michelle Spataro, Jade Gonzalez, Gabriella Mercado, Jennetta Dellapa and Monet Hall. Goalie Casey Armstrong made several outstanding stops in goal. Stellar defense by Julia Bossert, Julie Curcio, Becky Himmel and Shannon Vercammen sealed the win. The Riptide players are Casey Armstrong, Julie Curcio, Amber Brantley, Julia Bossert, Jennetta Dellapa, Jade Gonzalez, Becky Himmel, Jackie Marciniak, Gabriella Mercado, Kylie Plummer, Michelle Spataro, Shannon Vercammen and Monet Hall. The head coach is Carl Spataro, who is assisted by Ken Vercammen and Mike Armstrong.
The North Brunswick Tides 15/16 boys baseball team won the USABL championship in their age bracket, defeating 12 other teams to finish with a 10-1 record (three rainouts). They won the title on their home field at Renaissance Park by defeating the Toms River Black Knights, 4-3. The players are Henry Hennessy, Kevin Nielsen, Elijah Yarborough, Chris Rosenberg, Jeff Peragallo, Anthony Rosa, Tim Miller, Chris Moreschi, Jacob Baron, David Michalski, Michael McDonald, Jake Rosenberg and Jose Charneco. The coaches are David Rosenberg, Wayne Baron and Jerome Yarborough. Joe Nielsen is the manager. The Tides have been playing together since they were 9 and 10 years old. This is the first championship they have won in the South Jersey League.
The Dayton Titans youth baseball team captured the Cal Ripken Pennant Fever Tournament Championship this past weekend with an exciting 6-2 eight-inning victory over the Hopewell Valley Bulldogs.
The Dayton Titans fell behind early, trailing 2-0 after one full inning, but quickly came back to tie the game in the top of the second. Chucky LaSala led off the inning with a bunt single, stole second, and was sacrificed to third by Mark Bobko. Jack Spillane walked, and Kyle Adams then rocketed a ball to the outfield to score both runners. The teams then turned the game into a pitchers’ duel, with Titan starter Jimmy Matt keeping HoVal off the board in the second and third innings. Adams came on in relief of Matt in the bottom of fourth, and turned in an outstanding relief performance, combining with the Titans’ stellar defense to allow no more HoVal runs. Kyle Klemas, Colby Redfield and LaSala all turned in outstanding defensive plays to keep the Bulldogs from scoring.
The Titans put the winning run on the board in the top of the eighth when Matt Von Roemer boomed a triple to score Janton Shorter, who had reached base on a fielder’s choice.
The Titans added three more insurance runs in the inning when Matt knocked in Von Roemer with a double, Redfield walked, and Klemas scored both Redfield and Matt with a double. The Titans’ rock-solid defense held in the bottom of the eighth, giving the Titans their second Cal Ripken Tournament championship of 2006.
The Titans secured a berth in the championship game by surrendering only one run in pool play, thanks to outstanding pitching efforts by Ethan Collins and Shorter. Alex Matt, playing with a stitched-up foot, helped the Titans put men on base with several walks, and added defensive support in the outfield.