Sports Shorts

Marlboro’s Ravi Gill made his first career start in goal for the Rutgers University’s men’s soccer team a memorable one. The sophomore registered a shutout in Rutgers’ 2-0 win over the University of Pennsylvania last Wednesday. Gill stopped five shots as the Scarlet Knights, playing at home, improved to 6-7-1.

“Ravi was fantastic,” said Rutgers head coach Bob Reasso. “He plays his first collegiate game, shows no nerves, makes great saves and gets on his line quickly. I thought he was exceptional, he looked like he played their all season.”

Gill, a Marlboro High School graduate, led the Mustangs to two Central Jersey Group IV championship finals during his high school career.

Gill was playing against a former Marlboro High School teammate in Jason Gorskie, who is a freshman at the UPenn. Gorskie is a forward/midfielder for the Quakers, who are 4-6-2.

There are two other Freehold area athletes playing for Rutgers, Howell’s Paul Calafiore and Freehold Township’s Kevin O’Connor.

O’Connor, a senior midfielder, has one goal and one assist this year. His goal was a big one, the game-winner against NJIT.

Calafiore, who is a freshman, has played his way into the Scarlet Knights starting lineup and plays back and midfield.

A recently formed U8 travel baseball team out of Manalapan is looking for competitive 7- and 8-year-old players (can’t turn 9 before April 30) to fill out its roster. For information, call (732) 740-9252.

Freehold Raceway will host a New Owners Seminar tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. The Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey is conducting the seminar that will tackle such topics as cost, risks and rewards as well as how to select a trainer and horse. Nancy Webster Peck, director of the SBOA-NJ New Owners Program will run the seminar. She will take fledgling horse owners through the process of ownership and provide a tour of Freehold including the paddock, the track’s television production facilities and an up-close view of track announcer Larry Lederman calling a race.

Tuition is free but, preregistration is required. To register or for more information, call Peck at (866) 417-4644 or send an e-mail to newowners@ sboanj.com. Information can also be found on the SBOA of NJ’s Web site www.sboanj.com.

Southwind Lynx and Tivoli Hanover won the split $275,000 Jasmes B. Dancer

Memorial for 3-year-old pacers held at Freehold on Oct. 13. In the first division, Tim Tetrick was in the bike when Southwind Lynx won in 1:52.3. George Brennan drove Tivoli Hanover to the victory in the second division.

The Dancer Memorial, named after the patriarch of the famous harness racing family from New Egypt, was first held in 1976 and has become one of the top races for sophomores in the country. All-time harness greats like Niatross,, Artplace and Cam’s Card Shark have won the Dancer.