Sports Shorts

The Howell-Jackson Knights of ColumbusCouncil 6201will be holding its 24th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Monday,May 19th at the Pine Barrens Golf Club in Jackson. This year's event is being held in memory of Brother Brian Sweeney, an activemember of the council who passed away last year. The cost is $175 per player, which includes breakfast before an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start, greens fees and cart, buffet dinner, beverages, gifts and prizes. There will be a number of activities throughout the day, both on and off the course, including a hole in one for a new Chevrolet Malibu, as well as Gift and Sports Memorabilia Auctions and a putting contest for $10,000. In addition to golfers, the knights are looking for sponsors at various levels. All proceeds fromthe eventwill be donated toRonaldMc- Donald House, Deborah Heart & Lung Foundation and various local charities. If you are interested in playing or would like to be a sponsor, call Chairman Steve Stazko at (732) 901-1954.

The Jersey Shore Boca men's open teamsplit a pair of games this pastweek as they topped Scotch Plains United 1-0 in NJ State Cup Quarter-finals Thursday evening at the Berkeley Soccer Complex but fell to SoccerPost.comon Sunday afternoon in a 2- 1 heartbreaker at the same venue in their final league game of Garden State Soccer League regular season.

In a hard-fought State Cup quarter-final match, Boca tallied the only goal of the evening as Stevens Tech graduate Christian Pontier (Forked River) found Tomas Banionis (Berkeley Township) inside the 18-yard boxwho buried his shot to the near post past the out-stretched Scotch Plains keeper.

Jim Keady (Belmar), a former professional player in theUSLwith theNorth Jersey Imperials and former assistant coach at St. John's University, picked up the shutout in goal for Boca.

The Bocamenwill face the Spring Street Strikers of North Jersey, a 2-1 quarter-final winner over the Hibernians SC in the NJ State-Cup semi-final round next month.

During their first three State Cup games this season,Boca has tallied 8 goalswhile allowing only 3.

In their final regular season Garden State Soccer League game, the Boca men dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to division leader SoccerPost.com on a cold, blustery Sunday morning in Berkeley.

Justin Fuccello (Brick), a former Brick Memorial standout and Rutgers University graduate, tallied the lone Boca goal, his fifth of the season,mid-way through the first half after a Banionis cross found him all alone about 10 yards out on the left side.

After allowing the tying goal 15 minutes into the second half, SoccerPost's Tom Poznanski, a former Monmouth University standout, tallied the game winner with less than 10minutes to play as he beat Keady at the far post from 20 yards out.

The Bocamen finished the regularGSSL season in third place in the Semi-Pro Elite Southern Division with 29 points and a record of ninewins, two ties and three losses.

In regular season league play, Boca scored 40 goals while allowing 17 in 14 games played.

In addition to their State-Cup semi-final match, Boca will now await their draw for the 2008 GSSL League Cup, which also begins inMay.

Former Shore area players Ryan Applegate of Central Regional and Rowan University and Christian Treney of Toms River East and Methodist College are playercoaches of the team.

Jersey Shore Boca has been a fixture in the soccer community since 1978.