Random Thoughts After Escaping the Snow

One of the nice things about living at the Jersey Shore, especially in Ocean County is we often escape those borderline winter storms when the big question is will it be cold enough to snow or will it be rain.

That’s the case today as most of us only got rain from this latest system while those in parts of Monmouth County and north are dealing with snow.  Turns out you didn’t have to make that trip to the store yesterday for bread and milk. You’ll be just fine.

A little of this and a little of that on this first Monday of March:

The luck of the Irish certainly came into play Sunday with the annual Belmar Lake Como St. Patrick’s Day Parade as any bad weather held off until after the marchers were done.  Here’s hoping for the same Saturday when Seaside Heights hosts the annual Ocean County St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

I don’t pay much attention to spring training baseball but I like to watch the highlights because you get to see sunshine, palm trees and the like.  Unfortunately for those who play high school baseball in New Jersey it’s a bit different.

They and the other spring sports like lacrosse and softball officially began practice last Friday and it appears will spend much of their first week or so indoors with temperatures mainly in the 30s and even the 20s.

The winter sports season is not officially over with a handful of Shore Conference basketball teams still very much alive in the NJSIAA Playoffs.  The Manchester Township girls are the only Ocean County hoops team still playing and they will host Middle Township tomorrow night seeking their third straight South Jersey Group 2 title.

A Hawks win would likely set the stage for them to face Manasquan for the third consecutive year in the State Group 2 Semifinals and this time Manchester would be considered the favorite.  Manasquan will host Rumson Tuesday night in the Central Jersey sectional final.

Kudos to Rutgers men’s basketball coach Steve Pikiell who has done a really good job in his third season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights.  Rutgers went 3-15 in the Big Ten in each of Pikiell’s first two seasons but this winter has improved to 7-11 and is coming off an upset at nationally ranked Iowa over the weekend.

RU fans are filling the RAC for home games and the future has clearly brightened.