Sports Shorts

Marlboro High School grad Sarah Mergenthaler participated in the Summer Olympics in Beijing as a member of the United States Sailing Team. She competed in the 470 Women Class with teammate Amanda Clark. Mergenthaler and Clark won the U.S. Olympic Trials. At the Olympics, the duo finished 12th. They were 11th at the 470 World Championships earlier this year. They have been ranked No. 1 in the United States the last four years.

At Marlboro, Mergenthaler starred in soccer and was a kicker on the football team. She was the first girl in state football history to convert a varsity field goal. She went on to play soccer at the University of Richmond, Va., where she graduated in 2001.

The YMCA of Western Monmouth County and the Colonial Basketball League will be holding registration for the 2008-09 season. The dates are Sept. 17 from 6-8 p.m. and Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Freehold Borough YMCA Community Center, 41 Center St., Suite 2, Freehold Township. The Colonial Basketball League is for children in grades kindergarten to eighth grade. For additional information, call 732-845-5273 or stop by the YMCA Community Center.

The Thursday Night Men's Bowling League at Brunswick Country Lane, Route 33, Manalapan, has openings for three-man teams and individuals looking to bowl for a team. Competition starts Sept. 4. For more information, call Andy at 609-490-9542 or Ralph at 732-462-7377.

The Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth County will be starting its Youth Basketball Program in mid-November. Games will be played Sundays at the Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School. The league is for players in graders three through 12. The schedule will run through March.

Interested players should call 732- 683-9303 or log on to www.jccwm.com.

The Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey named Michael E. Desjardins and Kelly Finnigan as winners of its 2008-2009 SBOANJ Scholarships. Each will receive $4,000 toward their studies.

The scholarships, which are offered in partnership with the Backstretch Advisory Program, are open to sons and daughters of New Jersey horsemen.

Desjardins, of East Brunswick, is majoring in communications and broadcast journalism at Quinnipiac College in Hamden, Conn.

Finnigan, of Wall, will be attending Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, and plans to transfer to a fouryear college and major in molecular biology.