Author: Claire Reed, Managing Editor

  • Cocchi-Gorman to be Ranney’s new athletic director

    Cocchi-Gorman to be Ranney’s new athletic director

    By Warren Rappleyea Former Red Bank Catholic (RBC) High School soccer standout and current Louisville University assistant women’s soccer coach Natalie Cocchi-Gorman will become the athletic director at the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, effective July 1. Cocchi-Gorman, who grew up in nearby Ocean Township, takes over from Bobby Malone, who will be leaving Ranney…

  • Spartans’ Benner captures state 138-pound title in Atlantic City

    Spartans’ Benner captures state 138-pound title in Atlantic City

    By Matthew Rocco Ocean Township High School’s Jake Benner is a New Jersey state wrestling champion. The junior brought home a gold medal from Atlantic City March 5 for his first career state title. In the NJSIAA individual tournament, the third-seeded Benner took first place at 138 pounds with a 7-6 upset decision over Gerard Angelo,…

  • Devine leads Warriors to semifinals of sectional boys’ hoops tournament

    Devine leads Warriors to semifinals of sectional boys’ hoops tournament

    By Wayne Witkowski Ryan Devine of New Egypt High School’s boys’ basketball team did not want the season to end until the Warriors reached the NJSIAA Group I championship game. Devine seemed intent on that mission when he scored 32 points, including seven 3-point shots, for the sixth-seeded Warriors in beating third-seeded Middlesex County Vocational…

  • Howell’s Keosseian captures state 220-pound title in Atlantic City

    Howell’s Keosseian captures state 220-pound title in Atlantic City

    By Wayne Witkowski Howell Howell High School’s wrestling team had its share of trips to the podium at the NJSIAA championships March 5 at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, as three were state place-winners in 40-win seasons, led by 220-pound champion Eric Keosseian. Keosseian, who struck first with a takedown early, pinned Don Bosco Preparatory High…

  • Redbirds close winter sports seasons in state playoff action

    Redbirds close winter sports seasons in state playoff action

    By Wayne Witkowski Allentown High School’s winter sports scene came to an end last weekend with the girls’ basketball team suffering a gritty 69-61 loss to Neptune High School March 4 in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group III tournament and wrestlers Joe Lamparelli and Liam McDermott came short of placing in the state championships at…

  • Patriots advance to state boys’ basketball championship game

    Patriots advance to state boys’ basketball championship game

    By Jeff Appelblatt The second half of the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV semifinals against Sayreville War Memorial High School could have only been reminding the players on Freehold Township High School’s boys’ basketball team of its previous game. In the prior round — a quarterfinals match with Trenton Central High School — the Patriots were…

  • Howell’s Keosseian and Ocean’s Benner win state wrestling championships

    Howell’s Keosseian and Ocean’s Benner win state wrestling championships

    Eric Keosseian of Howell High School claimed the 220-pound championship and Jake Benner of Ocean Township High School captured the 138-pound division on March 5 when the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s state wrestling tournament championships were staged before a crowd of 10,087 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Keosseian pinned Peter Acciardi of…

  • Young filmmaker’s comedic film to premiere at Cannes Film Festival

    Young filmmaker’s comedic film to premiere at Cannes Film Festival

          By VASHTI HARRIS Staff Writer EAST BRUNSWICK — A local resident’s short comedic film will be making its international debut at the Cannes Film Festival‘s Short Film Corner this May. “My film [is] a short comedy about two twin artists who make bad, man-hating art in the name of feminism. The film’s purpose…

  • Message of togetherness fostered at Black History Month event

    Message of togetherness fostered at Black History Month event

    BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer MONROE — Middlesex County Freeholder Kenneth Armwood, who is African American, looked out into the audience of mostly Asian Indian descent as they came together to celebrate Black History Month. “This is what makes America great,” he said as he addressed the people who attended a Black History Month event that…