Author: Jeff Appelblatt
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Rutkowski continues to be Barrons’ leader on mound, at plate
By Jeff Appelblatt Year after year, Woodbridge High School could only guarantee a victory when ace pitcher Harry Rutkowski was on the hill. But he was never throwing more than once every five days, so the Barrons never knew what was in store the other games. Even early this season, head coach Lou Urbano wasn’t…
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Patriots playing above their seed in conference tournament
By Jeff Appelblatt Freehold Township High School’s baseball team prepared for the second round of the Shore Conference Tournament (SCT) knowing it was an underdog. But that didn’t matter for the lower-ranked No. 18 seed. In the game May 20, Ryan Ford gave up only one hit to Monmouth Regional High School, and the Patriots…
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Patriots’ girls’ lacrosse team looks for strong finish in states
By Jeff Appelblatt The girls’ lacrosse squad at Freehold Township High School has had a fantastic year. For the most part, it hasn’t surprised head coach Patra Acquaviva. “The coaching staff knew from our first scrimmage that we had something special,” she said after her team beat local rival Howell High School in the second…
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Rebuilding year becomes season of contention for Patriots
By Jeff Appelblatt When the softball season began in April, Freehold Township High School coach Mike Stoia wasn’t sure what to expect. He just hoped his young team would try its hardest to compete. More than a month and 16 victories later, Stoia was ecstatic not only to watch his team compete, but also to…
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District athletes shine at Shore Conference Championships
By Jeff Appelblatt When Stephen Staklinski threw down a dunk in one of Freehold Township High School’s final basketball games, coach Brian Golub shrugged. He knew about the senior’s jumping ability. He was certain the student-athlete would show off his elevation when the track and field campaign began in the spring. In the most recent…
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Woodbridge boys’ volleyball team ends season in state loss
By Jeff Appelblatt The boys’ volleyball team at Woodbridge High School saw its season come to an end when Northern Burlington County Regional High School won the final two of three sets against the Barrons. Despite the 2-1 (25-23, 10-25, 20-25) loss in the state play-in match, Woodbridge’s final record (10-10) stayed at the .500-mark…
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Cougars hope recent losses prepare them for tournaments
By Jeff Appelblatt No one ever wants to lose, but following a recent defeat to John P. Stevens High School, Colts Neck High School volleyball coach Greg Hope refused to put his head down. “It’s not fun. I don’t like losing,” the first-year head coach said after the match in Colts Neck. “There are no…
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Manalapan swings itself back into win column
By Jeff Appelblatt Manalapan High School’s baseball team was slumping. The six-game losing streak was only about half as long as the 11-game winning streak that preceded it, but the feeling of losing lingers. However, no one was going to feel bad for the Braves. When the Cougars hosted them at Colts Neck High School…
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Marlboro, Manalapan playing strong in tennis tournaments
By Jeff Appelblatt The Manalapan High School and Marlboro High School boys’ tennis teams each took part in the Monmouth County Tournament (MCT), but Christian Brothers Academy (CBA), a rival of each, ran away with the competition, taking away the title previously held by Holmdel High School, which was this year’s runner-up. Marlboro’s Jordan Paul…
