Rain Delays – Hometown View

Yesterday’s rain forced the postponement of several local sporting events, including the championship game of the Ocean County Baseball Tournament.  Top-seeded Jackson Memorial was to face #6 Brick Memorial under the lights at FirstEnergy Park but that game has now been re-scheduled for Thursday night and has been moved to Toms River High School North.  That’s because FirstEnergy Park is hosting games in the NCAA Division 3 Baseball Tournament beginning today.

Both the Jaguars and Mustangs are seeking their first Ocean County Tournament titles in a long time.  Jackson won the inaugural event in 1972 but has come up empty since, including championship game losses the last two years.  The Mustangs, who knocked off #2 seed Toms River South to reach the final, have not won the OCT since 1996.

The Shore Conference Boys Lacrosse Tournament Final between top-seed Rumson and #2 Jackson Memorial has been pushed back to tonight at Holmdel.  It’s a rematch of last year’s championship match which the Bulldogs won 12-3.

The wet weather also claimed the St. Joseph/Monsignor Donovan High School Alumni Golf Outing at Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Lakewood.  The annual event run by the Griffin Football Association has been re-scheduled for Tuesday, June 19^th at Eagle Ridge.  Last year’s outing raised $10,000 to assist with school scholarships as well as the football program.

Here’s a sure sign that summer is almost here.  Stewart’s Root Beer on Route 37 East in Toms River is open for the season.  Nothing like an ice cold root beer in one of those frosty glass mugs on a hot day…of course with a couple of hot dogs.

The announcement Tuesday that Georgian Court University in Lakewood will become a full co-ed school beginning this fall has another side to it.  Beginning in the fall of 2013 Georgian Court will offer NCAA Division II men’s programs in four sports….basketball, soccer, cross country and track & field.  That has to be a positive for shore athletes looking for options to allow them to compete in sports and stay close to home.

The university will soon begin a national search for men’s basketball and soccer coaches while women’s cross country and track coach Brett Harvey will take over the men’s programs as well.