High School baseball notebook for 4/28
BY TONY
GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
One reason the Shore
Challenge has become such a
success, according to director
Bart McInerney, is the respect
coaches have state-wide for lo
cal high school baseball.
""I just think the original idea
was for this to be a showcase
for players and it's grown to
the point where Shore Confer
ence baseball is that good, that
out of area teams are lining up
to play in the Shore Chal
lenge,'' said McInerney.
The brain child of McInerney,
coach at St. Rose, the fourth
annual event begins Saturday
with six games, two at the
Shore Christian Academy and
four at FirstEnergy Park, the
home of the Lakewood Blue
Claws. It continues Sunday and
next weekend and concludes
May 12.
NJSIAA scheduling limitations
preclude turning the event into
a formal tournament but that
hasn't stopped the Challenge
from growing every year.
Some 24 Shore Conference
teams will play generally at
least one or two games, facing
usually highly regarded oppo
nents from around New Jersey.
At least three local teams, St.
Rose, CBA and St. John Vian
ney, are scheduled to play
three.
""We started with 14 teams and
now we have 52,'' said McIner
ney. ""The problem with it is
that we have a limited amount
of Shore teams. Right now I
have seven or more teams that
want to play but there aren't
enough Shore teams.''
That being said, McInerney en
visions the field swelling to
over 60 teams for 2008.
Games are played at some of
the Shore's finest facilities
which also include the Wall
Municipal Complex, Raider Ra
vine at Toms River East, and
Christian Brothers Academy.
McInerney concedes almost ev
ery team wants to take the field
at FirstEnergy Park but it can
only host so many games.
""We're playing 16 games at the
BlueClaws and they've been
nothing but gracious hosts,''
said McInerney. ""This is not a
profit-making thing.''
McInerney said each team receives 20 Shore Challenge
T-shirts and a most valuable
player is selected from each
game.
McInerney said Shore teams
went 16-12 last season, 10-8 in
2005, and 8-4 the first year.
Commotion in Ocean
Keith Weinkofsky's two
home runs Thursday may be
the additional spark for the ex
pected Ocean long-ball barrage.
Ocean had not gone deep this
spring until Eric Hinkle con
nected Tuesday and as a team
has now homered in three
games in a row.
Weinkofsky did not hit his
first home run in 2006 until
April 30 and went on to hit 11
between then and the June 10
Group III final with Morris
town. His 21 career home runs
are six behind the Shore
Conference career record 27
slugged by Jackson's Marc
Fink (1994).
Weinkofsky is batting .343
with five doubles, and five of
his eight walks have been in
tentional.
A Howell of a week
""I guess this was the most
emotionally draining week of
my life coaching baseball,'' said
Howell coach Bill Gallacher.
Tuesday Howell scored 10
runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to shock Middletown South, 18-17.
Thursday Howell took a 9-5
lead into the last of the seventh
at Manalapan and lost 11-9 on
sophomore Ryan Harvey's first
varsity home run, a three-run
shot.
""I felt like we had a steam
train going (against Middletown South),'' said Gallacher.
""That's how I felt Thursday but
from the other side.''
In its erratic season, on April
13 Howell defeated CBA for the
first time since 1999. The next
day it was defeated 16-5 by
Colts Neck.
Said Gallacher, ""I told (Colts
Neck coach) Mike Yorke, "I was
on Cloud Nine for 12 hours and
for six of those hours I was
sleeping.' ''
Tales of the Titans
""I feel we have the most inconsistant club at the Shore,'' said Brian Kmak, coach
of Keansburg (5-6).
""We play a great game against St. Rose, have a chance to win in the bototm of the
severth, and the next day make eight errors against Shore and get 10-run ruled.
""We have the same team that lost in the (NJSIAA) CJ I final last year and we've been
struggling. It's a puzzler.''
News 'n Notes
Jackson had been averaging
10.4 runs per game over five
games before Wednesday when
it was halted 5-1 by Chad Geran
of Toms River North. That win
has seemed to place Toms Riv
er North in position to win its
first outright Shore Conference
Class A South championship
since 1991 when it went 22-7,
13-1 in the division. That year
Toms River South finished one
game back. .‚.‚. According to
Asbury Park Press records, un
til Neptune defeated Monmouth
5-0 Thursday it had not defeated the Golden Falcons since
since 1998 when it prevailed
10-7. .‚.‚. Monday Joe Talerico
of Toms River South boomed
his school career-record 12th
triple. The old mark set in 2004
belonged to Rutgers All-Ameri
ca Todd Frazier...Henry
Hudson's four-game winning
streak, which ended Wednesday, was its longest since 2003.
.‚.‚. In Red Bank Catholic's 16-7
win over Red Bank Thursday
night, eight of the nine players
in the Caseys' starting lineup
had a double.
E-mail tonygsports@aol.com
GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
One reason the Shore
Challenge has become such a
success, according to director
Bart McInerney, is the respect
coaches have state-wide for lo
cal high school baseball.
""I just think the original idea
was for this to be a showcase
for players and it's grown to
the point where Shore Confer
ence baseball is that good, that
out of area teams are lining up
to play in the Shore Chal
lenge,'' said McInerney.
The brain child of McInerney,
coach at St. Rose, the fourth
annual event begins Saturday
with six games, two at the
Shore Christian Academy and
four at FirstEnergy Park, the
home of the Lakewood Blue
Claws. It continues Sunday and
next weekend and concludes
May 12.
NJSIAA scheduling limitations
preclude turning the event into
a formal tournament but that
hasn't stopped the Challenge
from growing every year.
Some 24 Shore Conference
teams will play generally at
least one or two games, facing
usually highly regarded oppo
nents from around New Jersey.
At least three local teams, St.
Rose, CBA and St. John Vian
ney, are scheduled to play
three.
""We started with 14 teams and
now we have 52,'' said McIner
ney. ""The problem with it is
that we have a limited amount
of Shore teams. Right now I
have seven or more teams that
want to play but there aren't
enough Shore teams.''
That being said, McInerney en
visions the field swelling to
over 60 teams for 2008.
Games are played at some of
the Shore's finest facilities
which also include the Wall
Municipal Complex, Raider Ra
vine at Toms River East, and
Christian Brothers Academy.
McInerney concedes almost ev
ery team wants to take the field
at FirstEnergy Park but it can
only host so many games.
""We're playing 16 games at the
BlueClaws and they've been
nothing but gracious hosts,''
said McInerney. ""This is not a
profit-making thing.''
McInerney said each team receives 20 Shore Challenge
T-shirts and a most valuable
player is selected from each
game.
McInerney said Shore teams
went 16-12 last season, 10-8 in
2005, and 8-4 the first year.
Commotion in Ocean
Keith Weinkofsky's two
home runs Thursday may be
the additional spark for the ex
pected Ocean long-ball barrage.
Ocean had not gone deep this
spring until Eric Hinkle con
nected Tuesday and as a team
has now homered in three
games in a row.
Weinkofsky did not hit his
first home run in 2006 until
April 30 and went on to hit 11
between then and the June 10
Group III final with Morris
town. His 21 career home runs
are six behind the Shore
Conference career record 27
slugged by Jackson's Marc
Fink (1994).
Weinkofsky is batting .343
with five doubles, and five of
his eight walks have been in
tentional.
A Howell of a week
""I guess this was the most
emotionally draining week of
my life coaching baseball,'' said
Howell coach Bill Gallacher.
Tuesday Howell scored 10
runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to shock Middletown South, 18-17.
Thursday Howell took a 9-5
lead into the last of the seventh
at Manalapan and lost 11-9 on
sophomore Ryan Harvey's first
varsity home run, a three-run
shot.
""I felt like we had a steam
train going (against Middletown South),'' said Gallacher.
""That's how I felt Thursday but
from the other side.''
In its erratic season, on April
13 Howell defeated CBA for the
first time since 1999. The next
day it was defeated 16-5 by
Colts Neck.
Said Gallacher, ""I told (Colts
Neck coach) Mike Yorke, "I was
on Cloud Nine for 12 hours and
for six of those hours I was
sleeping.' ''
Tales of the Titans
""I feel we have the most inconsistant club at the Shore,'' said Brian Kmak, coach
of Keansburg (5-6).
""We play a great game against St. Rose, have a chance to win in the bototm of the
severth, and the next day make eight errors against Shore and get 10-run ruled.
""We have the same team that lost in the (NJSIAA) CJ I final last year and we've been
struggling. It's a puzzler.''
News 'n Notes
Jackson had been averaging
10.4 runs per game over five
games before Wednesday when
it was halted 5-1 by Chad Geran
of Toms River North. That win
has seemed to place Toms Riv
er North in position to win its
first outright Shore Conference
Class A South championship
since 1991 when it went 22-7,
13-1 in the division. That year
Toms River South finished one
game back. .‚.‚. According to
Asbury Park Press records, un
til Neptune defeated Monmouth
5-0 Thursday it had not defeated the Golden Falcons since
since 1998 when it prevailed
10-7. .‚.‚. Monday Joe Talerico
of Toms River South boomed
his school career-record 12th
triple. The old mark set in 2004
belonged to Rutgers All-Ameri
ca Todd Frazier...Henry
Hudson's four-game winning
streak, which ended Wednesday, was its longest since 2003.
.‚.‚. In Red Bank Catholic's 16-7
win over Red Bank Thursday
night, eight of the nine players
in the Caseys' starting lineup
had a double.
E-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 4:09 PM
5 Comments:
Biserta is getting the same treatment, 12 walks,6 intentional
Pat is having an "under the radar year" for him what with the team sitting at 4-6.
Very surprising that Pt. Boro is struggling so much this year. Maybe their win against Barnegat will get them heading in the right direction. Looks like Ocean Twp is getting back on track... and It wouldnt surprise me to see either TRS or TRE go on one of their traditional late season runs.
Biserta has certainly flown under the radar so far , although it would be tough to match what he did last season.
What about Talerico from TRS... Batting near .700 if I'm not mistaken... gotta be near the top in the Shore for batting average, triples, stolen bases and RBI's and run scored.
Its great to see the Shore Challenge explode to a such popular event... especially in the last two years. Its nice to see some of the North and South Jersey powers come up to play a game against the Shore Conference. Of course, the team that everybody would love to see in this tournament, Seton Hall Prep isnt involved this year.
I was always curious on why the Shore Challenge wasnt turned in an "invite only" tournament but I guess that was explained in the article.
speaking of Biserta its not how ya start, its how ya finish. When they do pitch to him, he'll get his numbers.
I guess batting almost 500, with 2 hr's, and half the at bats everyone else has, is under the radar for Biserta, thats the the respect they give you when your all state, but like the last blog said its early.
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