Sports Shorts

Howell's Maggie Taverna is a starting defenseman for the Boston College women's ice hockey team. The junior had two goals and 17 assists for the Eagles as they went 24-10-2 and qualified for the NCAA tournament. Taverna earned Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week recognition in 2006-07 and was named to the Hockey East All-Star Team Second Team for the second straight year. Postseason, she participated in the 2007 Women's National Festival in Lake Placid and was one of 22 players named to the 2007 U.S. Women's Under-22 Select Team that hosted Canada for a three-game series.

For her career, Taverna has nine goals and 28 assists and is plus 42.

Taverna played three seasons for the Princeton Tiger Lillies prior to coming to Boston College. She is a graduate of Monsignor Donovan High School.

Howell High School's Cody Fobes signed his national letter of intent to Newberry College in South Carolina, where he received a wrestling scholarship.

The Rebel senior was the NJSIAA runner up at 125 pounds last year and has a 90-12 career record heading into the 2007- 08 season. He's won two NJSIAA District 21 titles. Fobes will begin the year ranked second in the state and 21st in the country.

Howell is the defending Shore Conference A North Division champion.

Marlboro's Chakhia Cole, a senior at West Virginia University (WVU), was named to the All-Tournament Team at the University of Rhode Island Invitational. The Mountaineers beat host Rhode Island in the final, 80-47, to improve to 5-1 overall.

Cole, a 5-10 forward who starred at Marlboro High School, is averaging 10.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game for WVU this year. She leads the team in steals with 15 (2.5 a game).

Cole is one of just two Big East players to have 300-point, 200-rebound and 100- assist seasons that lasted two years. She could reach the 1,000-career point milestone this year,

At Marlboro, Cole led the Mustangs to the State Group IV championship her junior year and to the Tournament of Champions final. The Mustangs won three NJSIAA Central Jersey titles during her four years. She scored 1,825 points in her scholastic career and pulled down 1,212 rebounds.

The Freehold Township fifth-grade boys traveling basketball team won the West Long Branch Thanksgiving Basketball Tournament. The boys went 4-0 edging Howell, 37-36, in the final.

Freehold Township beat Manalapan (29-18), St. Jerome (34-16) and Hazlet (38- 14) en route to the final in the 12-team tournament.

Playing for Freehold Township were: Evan Bothmann, Dante Cuzzolino, Jason Czajkowski, Kyle Czajkowski, Daniel Gewirtz, Dominic Izzo, Joshua Jubilee, Shane Laricy, Derek Leohner, Matt Pine and Andrew Zimms. The coaches were John Czajlkowski, Bart Leohner and Greg Gewirtz.

Next up for the Freehold Township team is the Mid-Monmouth Basketball League season. Back in the summer, they won the Middletown Summer Basketball League championship.

The Freehold Area Running Club (FARC) is hosting the Toys for Tots 5K Race on Sunday at 10 a.m. in Michael Tighe Park, Georgia Road, Freehold Township. The race benefits the annual Marine Corps toy drive.

Preregistration (postmarked today) is $5, plus a new unwrapped toy (valued between $10-$15) to the race. Postregistration is $20 or $10 plus a toy. All runners receive a sweatshirt.

Applications are available online at www.farcnj.com or by calling the FARC hot line at (732) 431-2627.