Author: Jeff Appelblatt
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Manalapan searching for wins as girls learn new system
By Jeff Appelblatt First-year head coach Jenna Anderson knew things would start off tough for the girls’ basketball team at Manalapan High School. The team had a rough season last year (6-15), and Anderson knew the girls would struggle getting used to her approach early even though the majority of her lineup has played basketball…
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Freehold boys’ basketball team seeking constant improvement
By Jeff Appelblatt Jesse Ryan, the boys’ basketball coach at Freehold High School, wasn’t too bothered when his team lost Jan. 6, sinking his squad’s record to a dismal 1-8 record. There was much more he wanted to take away from the game aside from the final score. For instance, there were the multiple double-figure…
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Zucker hopeful to return to court soon for Manalapan
By Jeff Appelblatt When Manalapan High School prepared to start the boys’ basketball season, coach Rick Garretson knew his team was going to rely heavily on junior Matan Zucker. That proved to be true in the first game of the season. Zucker drained a team-high 23 points Dec. 16 against Christian Brothers Academy (CBA). But…
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Wins piling up for Patriots’ boys’ basketball team
By Jeff Appelblatt While Freehold Township High School’s boys’ basketball team has all intentions of getting back to the finals of the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV playoffs, the team’s coach, Brian Golub, insists his team isn’t playing this year with last season on its mind. That season ended after a loss in the Group…
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Freehold Township girls off to strong start in the pool
By Jeff Appelblatt Coach Brittany Bott was sure her swim teams at Freehold Township High School would be competitive this year, and she was certain she had at least a few girls that would have seasons to brag about. However, the performances the girls put up to start the season has left the coach stunned.…
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Freehold Township on track for winning ice hockey campaign
By Jeff Appelblatt There’s one thing Freehold Township High School ice hockey coach Mike Celano hopes for from his team this year, and so far, so good. “The number in the win column is larger than in the other,” the coach said. “That’s a good thing.” Last year’s team went 10-12-1, so the losses outnumbered…
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Marlboro sinks clutch free throws for big win in Colts Neck
By Jeff Appelblatt A free throw is meant to be a simple. It’s an uncontested shot earned after a basketball player is fouled. It’s sometimes referred to as shooting from the charity stripe because it’s a free shot. The only challenges are the sounds of the arena. Two players who find relative ease in making…
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Rebuilding Colonials pick up come-from-behind win over Braves
By Jeff Appelblatt Before the season began, coach Jen Brzucki said it would be a rebuilding year for her girls’ basketball team at Freehold High School. So when she saw her team fall behind by double digits in its second game of the season, she couldn’t have thought of it as anything significant. The team…
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Rebels’ wrestlers up for challenge of continuing winning tradition
By Jeff Appelblatt The graduation of a bunch of athletes could intimidate plenty of coaches, no matter the sport. Add in a change to the district his team competes in, and there seems plenty to worry about. However, Howell High School wrestling coach John Gagliano wasn’t worried entering this campaign. “We lost a lot of…
