Sports Shorts The Manalapan Soccer Club will hold open tryouts for the U-9-U-16 travel teams through June 16. The club's 40+ teams play in MOSA, Jersey Coast and JAGS and include A, B and some C teams in various age groups. For complete tryout dates and times schedule, go to www.ManalapanSoccerClub.com and visit the travel section. The No. 1 nationally ranked Under 11 Celtic Boys soccer team successfully defended their New Jersey Youth Soccer State Championship at the recent New Jersey Cup, sanctioned by U.S. Club Soccer. The N.J. Cup is single elimination, and the Celtics put together a string of consecutive wins before defeating the Den of Lions Fury (3-1) in the finals held at Mercer County Park. The Celtics are part of the New Jersey Soccer Academy (NJSA 04), an elite club that trains year-round using indoor facilities at the Tab Ramos Sports Center in Aberdeen. The team plays in leagues and competes in local and regional tournaments. The Freehold-area boys on the team include Jake Aremon (Freehold), Dan Asoli (Morganville), Kevin Politz (Morganville), Brandon Tetro (Marlboro) and Brian Winderman (Marlboro). This summer, the Celtics will be playing in their first nationally recognized tournament, the prestigious 27th annual Premier Elite San Diego Surf Cup. If anyone is interested in sponsoring the Celtic Boys for this exciting event, please contact assistant coach Joe Tetro at (732) 677-8280. Freehold's Richard Pultar, a freshman at Rowan College, was named to the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association's All-Rookie Team. Pultar, a pitcher, had a 3.24 earned run average in sixth relief appearances for the Profs and struck out five batters. Rowan finished the season with a 23-17 record and advanced to the fourth round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament. Pultar is a graduate of Freehold Borough High School. Last spring, he helped the Colonials win the Shore Conference B North Division championship. Michael DiVita, a senior, received the Muhlenberg College Player's Player Award for men's tennis in 2007. The award goes to each athletic team's MVP and is voted on by the team. In addition to athletic performance, the spirit of the award encompasses qualities of leadership, loyalty and support of teammates. DiVita, a graduate of Freehold Township High School, was the team's co-captain in 2007 and the best singles record (5-1). DiVita, who played mostly at sixth singles, provided the winning point in a 5-4 victory over McDaniel. The Manalapan Knights, a successful U-13 boys team that plays in the Monmouth-Ocean Soccer Association, is looking for dedicated players, goalie and field players, to round out their roster for the upcoming season. Tryouts will be held on Tuesday on Field C at the Manalapan Recreation Center from 6:30-9 p.m. For additional information, e-mail Stingchop@aol.com.