So the weather report for the remainder of this week, into the weekend and even early next week features seasonable conditions, with sun expected to shine a good majority of the time. Well, then get outside and spend these upcoming pleasant spring days watching scholastic athletes excel on our local fields.
Here are some games and events that we strongly recommend that you pay a visit to.
Enjoy the outside and these matchups, too.
Raritan High School will serve as the host to the seventh annual Stephanie Coonan Don’t Stop Believen’ Softball Classic on April 23 in Hazlet.
Local teams Middletown South, Howell, Manalapan, Jackson Liberty, Ocean Township and Raritan will be joined in the field by out-of-area schools such as Immaculata, Bernards, Morris Knolls, Livingston and Nutley.
The first game starts at 9 a.m.
The Classic commemorates the life of Coonan, who played softball for Raritan and died of stomach cancer at the young age of 24. The Classic is a fundraiser for the Coonan Memorial Scholarship.
In Holmdel, Shore Conference softball fans can see two of the state’s best teams, St. John Vianney and Middletown North, play April 23 in a non-division game in Holmdel.
East Brunswick High School’s unbeaten baseball team (9-0-1) will look to remain perfect in Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division play when it plays back-to-back home-and home games on April 21 and 22 against South Brunswick.
The Vikings, who will be the host on April 21 in Monmouth Junction, are 6-3 in Red Division and 7-4 overall, and present a threat to the Bears, who are 9-0 in division play and just one game up on Old Bridge (7-1). A South Brunswick sweep would shake the division up while a split would bring the Bears, who will be the home team n April 22, back to the pack.
Monroe, the GMC White Division leader which is 7-1 overall and 6-0 in the division, steps out of Middlesex County and heads north to tackle a state baseball power, Seton Hall Prep, on April 23 in West Orange. Seton Hall comes into this high-profile showdown at 9-0 and is No. 5 in the state rankings. Monroe stands one ranking ahead of Seton Hall at No. 4.
Something has to give on April 21 when Monroe and St. Joseph’s of Metuchen boy’s lacrosse teams face-off at St. Joe’s. Both teams are undefeated in GMC play and the winner will likely captured the regular season title.
The last time these two met it was in last year’s GMC Tournament final won by the Falcons of St. Joe’s.
Greater Middlesex Conference tennis champions will be decided on April 25 at Thomas Edison Park in Edison when the Greater Middlesex Conference Boys Tennis Tournament finals are contested.
For track and field fans, with the Penn Relays coming up April 28-30, the April 23 Colts Neck Relays could be the last opportunity for high school relay teams to attain Penn Relays qualifying times. Colts Neck High School is holding the meet.
On April 25 Christian Brothers Academy honors its legendary cross-country and distance running head coach Tom Heath in ceremonies before the Colts first home track and field meet of the year against Middletown South and Freehold Township.
Heath retired following the 2015 cross-country season, his 45th with the program, after he led the Colts to their record 21st NJSIAA Meet of Champions title. In 2001 CBA won the Nike Cross Nationals championship.
His most remarkable achievement, may be the on-going national-record 343 consecutive dual meets won by the CBA harriers. The streak dates to 1974.
The Shore Conference golf champion will be crowned on April 26 at the Shore Conference Tournament set for the Charleston Springs Golf Course in Millstone.