Thoughts Before a Long Weekend

I’m going to be away for a couple of days for the New Jersey Broadcasters Association Conference in Atlantic City so before departing let me throw out a few shore sports notes.

• Soon-to-be 40-year old Christie Rampone became the oldest player to appear in a women’s World Cup soccer game last night when she played the final 15 minutes or so in the U.S.’s 1-0 win over Nigeria.  That victory allowed the Americans to clinch their group and advance to the round of 16 on Monday when they will likely face Columbia.  Rampone, who was Christie Pearce when she played at Point Boro High School and Monmouth University, is playing in her fifth World Cup and is the only player left from the 1999 team that won it all.  The captain of the U.S. team, Rampone is the mother of two daughters (ages 9 & 5) and lives in Manasquan with her husband Chris.
• The good times continue for Toms River’s Todd Frazier who belted his 19^th and 20^th home runs of the season in Cincinnati’s win over Detroit Tuesday. Frazier’s batting average is up to .293 and he appears a lock to earn his second straight trip to the All-Star game and home run derby next month at his home, Great American Ballpark.

• The defending champion Jersey Shore team begins play today in the 30^th annual Phillies Carpenter Cup Classic.  The event features 16 teams of high school players from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware and culminates next week with the semifinals and finals at Citizens Bank Park.  The Jersey Shore squad includes pitchers Ryan Larsen of Toms River North, Chris Murphy of Colts Neck and Tommy Sheehan of Manasquan along with Jackson Memorial infielder Kyle Johnson, Wall catcher Dan Wondrack and Toms River South outfielder Jake Ryan.  Ocean Township’s Cip Apicelli will serve as head coach of the Jersey Shore team who will face Burlington County today (4pm) at FDR Park in Philadelphia.
• Caught a little BlueClaws baseball last night as they dropped both ends of a doubleheader to visiting Delmarva at FirstEnergy Park.  In the opener Shorebirds first baseman Derek Peterson slugged his first professional homer. He’s a St. Rose High School graduate and the son of former New York Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson.