Sports Shorts

Freehold's Ryan Cuneo, who has extended his hitting streak to 19 games for Delaware University, was named the Colonial Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Week. During the week of May 5, the sophomore batted .476 with 10 hits, 11 RBIs and an .857 slugging percentage. He belted three home runs including a pair against Rutgers University.

Cuneo's 19-game hitting streak is the 12th longest in school history.

It was the first time the Freehold Borough graduate won the CAC Player of the Week. He shared the honor with UNC Wilmington's Mark Carver.

Manalapan's Chris Ranieri is playing for the River City Rascals of the Independent Northern League of professional baseball. He was traded by the New Jersey Jackals to the Rascals in the offseason.

R

anieri, a graduate of St. John Vianney

High Scool, starred collegiately at Alvernia College where he had an impressive .383 career batting average. The shortstop earned All-Pennsylvania Athletic Conference recognition.

The Rascals from O'Fallon, Mont., begin their 2008 Northern League season on May 21 at Rockford, Ill.

The Battle of Monmouth Bulldogs U8 (U9 in the fall) will hold tryouts on June 2 (rain date June 9) at the Justice Complex in Jackson from 5:30-7 p.m. The team is looking for players born between Aug. 1, 1999, and July 31, 2000.

For additional information or to preregister, call (732) 600-5299 or e-mail bombulldogs@aol.com.

The Manalapan Bulldogs (U12 fall 2008), a well-established regionally ranked Western Monmouth-based boys MAPS travel soccer team, seeks dedicated players to expand its roster for fall 2008. There will be training sessions prior to tryouts. It is a good way for potential members to see what the team is like and meet the players and coaches. The team has the opportunity to hone its skills by competing in MAPS, high-level regional tournaments and the State Cup. Its player development program provides quality training and a highly competitive environment within a well-established organizational structure, which is designed to help skilled players achieve their maximum soccer potential. The team is professionally coached and its soccer complex has lit full-sided fields, and a soon-to-beadded turf field, that it trains at. Cost per player is well below half of the academy teams. Players born betweenAug. 1, 1996, and July 31, 1997, are eligible. Tryouts will be held on Friday, May 16, at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, May 29, 6:30 p.m. at the Manalapan Recreation Center (field D). For more information on the tryout schedule or training sessions, contact Coach Mike at (732) 887-2430 or Bulldogsocr@ gmail.com

Battle of Monmouth U11 (fall) Dolphins girls travel soccer team will hold tryouts on Tuesday,May 20, Tuesday, May 27 and Tuesday, June 3, from 6-8 p.m. at Park Avenue School in Freehold. Any girl born after Aug. 1, 1997, is eligible to try out. There are no residency requirements. The Dolphins currently play in MOSA, enter multiple tournaments in the fall and spring, are coach by a National D-Licensed coach, and are dedicated to developing the girls to play a high level of soccer without it being the only thing the girls do.

For more information, contact Paul Romano, (732) 577-1475, promano@monmouth. com.

The U10 Girls - Manalapan Flames team will be holding open practice/ tryout sessions for the entire spring season. They are a small-sided team that will turn full-sided come next fall. They train Wednesday and Saturday with two professional trainers and have a conditioning practice on Thursdays. Goalie training is also available free of charge. They are a competitive team that works on player development and awareness of the game as well as having a fun time.

For more information, e-mail Manalapanflames@ aol.com

The Manalapan Flamethrowers U11 travel baseball team defeated the Spring Lake Hurricanes, 6-2, on April 20 in Manalapan. Zach Koenig, the winning pitcher, hurled three innings, struck out two and gave up both runs in the contest. Thomas Malik, of Millstone Township, went the final three innings to register his first save as a Flamethrower. Thomas struck out five hitters and allowed only one hit and no walks.

The Flamethrowers offense was powered by shortstop Jordan Gonzalez, who ripped two hits, including a double, and outfielder Steven Knable, also belted a double and stole three bases. The Flamethrowers registered six hits, seven walks, and swiped 11 bases in the victory. The Flamethrowers also defeated the Sayreville River Dawgs, 3-1 inManalapan on May 11 as Malik went six innings, striking out six batters, issuing no walks and only giving up one run..

Malik helped his cause by delivering a double in the second inning to key the Flamethrowers three-run inning in the second frame. Catcher William Meany, started the inning by walking, stealing second and third before scoring on center fielder Kyle Glickson's fielders' choice. Second baseman Kevin Tress walked and stole second and scored on Malik's double. Then, first baseman Steven Knable drove Malik home with a single to center field to cap the Flamethrowers scoring.

The first Blue Jay 5K run/walk, held by the Clifton T. Barkalow PTO, Freehold Township, will be Saturday,May 31, starting at 10 a.m. at the township's Turkey Swamp Park.

This run is being managed by the Freehold Area Running Club (FARC), according to race director Jan Caputo.

The race is designed to encourage physical fitness and to appeal to all ages and levels: the competitive racer, the firsttime runner and the fitness walker.

The race will feature T-shirts designed by a Barkalow student (a contest was held in the beginning ofApril); refreshments; a scenic, flat course in Turkey Swamp Park; prizes (with extra awards for young runners); and a raffle for all participants. One of the race sponsors, Sportcraft, of Mount Olive in Morris County, has donated 11 of its products - treadmills, elliptical machines, foosball and air hockey tables, and bocce sets - as prizes for the post-race raffle.

Entry fee is $20 before May 21, and $15 for students 18 and under. After May 21, the registration fee is $25 and T-shirts are not guaranteed. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. on race day.

For more information and an application, go to the Web site http://cliftontbarkalow. freeholdtwp.nj.k12us.com/ JCaputo.

Marlboro's Earl Gray is having a big season with the University of Maryland men's track and field team. The senior recently finished sixth in the 100-meter dash at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships (ACCC), running a 10.75. Earlier in the season his 10.60 at the Duke Invitational was the 10th fastest ever in school history. He has run the three fastest century times by a Terrapin this spring.

Gray was 13th in the 200 meters (21.46) at the ACCC meet and own the three fastest times in that event as well.

Gray and his teammates Jeremy Samuels, Dominic Berger and Adam Durham were fourth in the 4x100 at the ACCC, turning in a 40.45, which qualifies them for the NCAARegional and the IC4A championships.

At the Penn Relays, Gray ran the 200 meters on the sprint medley relay team that ran a fast 3:25.99.

Gray is a graduate of Marlboro High School where he excelled in the 100- 200- 400-meter dashes, winning state sectional championships.

Another ex-Mustang, Kristen Batts, is having a strong debut season with the Terps. Batts finished second behind her teammate Jillian Anwah in the women's discus at the George Mason Invitational with a throw of 144-1. Batts' best mark of the season is 145-6 at the Shamrock Invitational, where she finished first. She has qualified for the ECAC.

At the ACCC, Batts was 11th in the discus (141-5) and 12th in the hammer (155- 4). She is just off the ECAC qualifying mark of 157-6 for the hammer.

AtMarlboro, Batts dominated the shot put and discus, setting a District record for the platter. She was an All-American her senior year.