Professional services firm VHB has expanded its reach in New Jersey with the acquisition of Manasquan-based Hammer Land Engineering Hammer’s portfolio in the land development industry includes projects in the industrial network and business pipeline in the state and the region allowing it to tap into a practice that has operated for 15 years “Integrating Hammer’s extensive experience and strong client relationships into VHB will enhance our land development capabilities and broaden our impact in New Jersey,” said Joe Pizzurro combined with our multidisciplinary approach more efficient solutions that support sustainable and resilient communities.” will transition to VHB’s leadership team as the New Jersey director of land development He will collaborate closely with Courtney Riley to strengthen the practice across the Northeast region “Joining forces with VHB provides our team with access to a broader range of resources enhancing our ability to deliver high-quality services to our clients,” Hanrahan said “We are excited about the growth opportunities this partnership brings and the positive impacts we can make together.” Veteran engineer Perry joins VHB as New Jersey managing director has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State Greek Real Estate Partners has gained a seal of approval for one of its key divisions thanks to a new accreditation from the Institute of Real Estate Management All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy The first bluefish are starting to hit the beaches but their arrival hasn't been marked by any high octane blitzes as of yet as anyone with a little time fishing for them knows Fisherman's Headquarters in Beach Haven reported Tom Zaborowski Jr landed a 23-inch bluefish while fishing in the American Angler surf tournament on Saturday according to Jingle's Bait & Tackle in Beach Haven Jingle's also had reports of blues hitting the sand at Brigantine there was some chatter coming from Manasquan Inlet where Greg Bogan at Brielle Bait & Tackle said a few blues were caught this weekend but the bite didn't materialize into anything more He said it was quiet at the inlet on Monday morning The striped bass spring run has picked up a lot of steam on the beaches as the tackle shops from Sea Bright down to the southern end of LBI have reported landings of bass Grumpy's Bait & Tackle in Seaside Park had several reports and weigh in of bass caught mainly on fresh clams More: Season's first surf striped bass start to hit, Raritan Bay fishery breaks open Anglers are also in on a drum bite in Barnegat Bay Stockton University biology professor Adam Aguilar sent in word of one of his students Grant Johnson catching a couple sizable drum in the bay on clams has been fishing Delaware River for striped bass with success The Raritan Bay fishery has been chugging along with some fits and starts The for-hire boats had a pretty good week last week but ran into some poor conditions on Saturday with the wind and rain and then some captains reported lockjaw on Sunday despite readings Scott Hilliard on the Prowler 5 said the boat was back on the bay on Monday and reported five keeper fish by 11 a.m to go with throwbacks so it appears the fish are chewing again Steve Meserve at Lewis Fishery in Lambertville had two excellent hauls last week that netted over 200 shad this weekend the shad did not show up for their own festival Meserve had to fish though the wind and wet day on Saturday for demonstration hauls for the annual Shad Festival on the river The spring blackfish season will end on Wednesday A patron on the Paramount party boat landed a 9 pounder on Friday's trip and anglers are still pulling some out of the Point Pleasant Canal and the inlets When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor PISCATAWAY — Madison basketball coaches Lisa DiTuro and Joe Reel had a lot in common on Sunday Both had led their teams to Group 2 finals at Rutgers And both Dodgers basketball squads lost to Manasquan The Madison girls fell to Manasquan for the second straight season The Manasquan girls (25-5) have won three of the last four Group 2 titles and move into fourth place overall with their 10th NJSIAA crown The Warriors boys (25-4) have won three total This was the Madison boys' first sectional title and first time in a Group final The Dodgers girls (25-6) have now advanced to Rutgers in back to back seasons But instead of lamenting the way their seasons ended both coaches celebrated their four seniors it's saying goodbye to the seniors," DiTuro said More: Morris Catholic girls basketball caps perfect season with third straight state title Also a member of the Dodgers' state finalist soccer team Mariani has signed with Rutgers for lacrosse and classmates Devon Johnson and Mallory Dineen who spent the last month sidelined by an injured collarbone "To have that kind of dedication and leadership has been so important to our program." but Reel repeatedly praised Madison's effort closing a 21-point deficit to nine with 5:22 to play Junior point guard Gavin Randall led Madison (24-8) with 17 points – one of three scorers in double digits – two rebounds and four assists More: Chatham falls to Cherry Hill West in Group 3 girls basketball final We worked incredibly hard out there," Reel said and these guys are playing like it's a one-point game with a minute left Manasquan senior point guard Griffin Linstra had 21 points and 16 rebounds Junior forward Jack O'Reilly added six points and 10 boards the same total as the entire Dodgers roster "It's a really special group of kids.," Reel said it felt like Week One: the focus and intensity and these kids a great time with each other." Camden and Manasquan playing to the very limits of every player on the floor in an NJSIAA Group 2 semifinal Manasquan senior Griffin Linstra made a contested layup with 2.7 seconds left to play to give the Warriors a 44-43 lead missed his free throw attempt and Camden's last-gasp shot was wide of the mark to end another chapter in a two-year drama between the teams Manasquan will advance to Sunday's state championship game "We knew it was going to be a hard game," Camden senior David Munro said I don't think there was anyone on that court that wasn't fighting at the end of the fourth and the third Camden advanced to the Group 3 after an apparent go-ahead shot was ruled to have come after time expired There was little doubt that a similar result would play out I guess it's a rivalry at this point," Camden coach Maalik Wayns said Everyone is going to remember these two years for the rest of their lives I think both of the teams did a great job." Camden entered the game knowing that it had a large hill to climb Junior point guard Torrey Brooks would not be able to play due to injury "It was next man up," Camden senior Emmanuel Joe-Samuel said Joe-Samuel scored 10 including a huge 3-pointer that put Camden up 43-42 with 43.5 seconds to play the rematch more than lived up to the hype "We lost but we are some dogs," Munro said We just kept fighting and fighting and fighting their final on-court memory was of a last-second loss it was so much more — playing for the Purple and Gold "This is the greatest thing in high school basketball," Joe-Samuel said They all love us regardless of the outcome Tom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996 He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes Email him with story ideas at tomrimback@gmail.com and support local journalism with a subscription to the Courier-Post PISCATAWAY – Four days after a storybook result a year in the making Manasquan produced an historic win for the record books It would have been impossible to top the drama of Manasquan’s Griffin Linstra’s game-winner in the final seconds to beat Camden in Wednesday’s NJSIAA Group 2 semifinal some 12 months after Linstra’s apparent winning score in the final second against Camden was incorrectly called off by game officials The next challenge was avoiding a letdown at Jersey Mike’s Arena Sunday And Manasquan was determined to continue the program’s historic rise to win its second Group 2 title in three seasons “There was only one ending to that story and it was apropos,” Manasquan head coach Andrew Bilodeau said The reality is that it likely would be three straight state championships for the Big Blue were it not for the egregious error a year ago with Camden going on to win the state title easily in the final And that would have made Manasquan the first area team to win three straight state titles in more than 50 years More: Manasquan basketball turns tables on Camden with late Linstra shot: 'Ready for the moment' Manasquan (25-4) closes the season having lost three times to Shore Conference foe St which lost in the Non-Public B final to Roselle Catholic Friday The Warriors have also won six straight Central Jersey sectional titles Once again it was Linstra leading the way with a double-double while Brandon Kunz finished with 15 points and some solid defensive work 10 seniors and we get to send them off with a win in their final game “I feel like that as a member of the Class of 2025 I wanted to raise the standard of Manasquan basketball I think the new standard should be you never lose your last game as a senior we played a great game of Manasquan basketball and it was really fun.” It capped an incredible afternoon for Manasquan High School with the girls team winning a Group 2 championship its second straight and third in four seasons “”The Irish Riviera – it will be bumping there tonight as they say," Bilodeau said "It’s a great situation and to see how many fans we get on a Tuesday night let alone when the big games come along They have pasta parties and all that stuff together They’re very close friends a lot of them and they hang out together Not only did Linstra turn in an incredible performance against Camden as he has been so many times over the past two seasons while playing all four seasons at Manasquan then (Ryan) Frauenheim gets hurt a year ago and Griff becomes our leading scorer And this year we moved him to the point and he’s just done it all During one stretch late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter allowing Manasquan to maintain a comfortable lead "God had a purpose for that to happen and maybe it was this in the future but it’s an awesome feeling right now and I’m really enjoying it," Linstra said "I was fortunate to be around this program for four years." It was a totally different feeling a year ago when the Manasquan boys team was in the stands at Jersey Mike's Arena first cheering Camden as it won a state title before supporting the Manasquan girls team as it secured a state championship You’ve got to find the rainbow there somewhere." It looked like it was going to be a similar outcome to the Group 2 final in 2023 But Madison (25-6) was able to stay close throughout the second half Manasquan was able to get off to a lead and keep Madison at arm’s length much of the game holding off several Madison comeback attempts with some clutch shooting After building a 15-6 lead after the first quarter capped by a beautiful assist from Linstra on a fast break hitting Matteo Chiarella for a layup to close out the quarter A 3-pointer by Kunz and with five minutes left in the first half put Manasquan up 23-12 stretching it to 30-14 on a score off an offensive rebound by sophomore forward Logan Cleveland Madison was able to cut it 30-18 at halftime but Linstra and Kunz took charge in the third quarter Linstra’s score on a short jumper gave Manasquan a 20-point lead at 43-23 Linstra scored the final two baskets of the quarter to send Manasquan into the fourth quarter up 50-31 but just a great all around effort," Bilodeau said “My confidence has grown since the beginning of the season,” Kunz said. “My teammates finding me and getting me open MANASQUAN -- Growing up in an artistic family in Freehold and Howell, Tym Roth loved to draw and appreciated the particular brand of creativity involved in tattooing — so much so that as an adult, he left the security of a successful corporate career in order to combine those two passions and launch The Dark Matter Tattoo Co this Manasquan tattoo shop specializes in a range of “permanent tattoos for your temporary vessel” and prides itself on celebrating each client’s individuality “My mother loves to remind me that I used to draw on the walls as a kid,” said Roth “Art was one of the few subjects in school that I took seriously.” But while Roth had an affinity for drawing he opted for a more formal career after high school when he accepted a position at Procter & Gamble’s manufacturing facility in Rahway Rock 'n' roll haircuts: Get a haircut from a Gaslight Anthem rock star at Idle Hand Barber Shop in Bradley Beach I became their union secretary and traveled the world with the company negotiating union contracts and dealing with arbitration,” he said When it was then announced in 2018 that his facility would be relocating to another state he found himself at a professional crossroads “I was offered a separation package and officially accepted a transfer to California but I ultimately elected not to go because I didn’t want to leave my home at the Jersey Shore,” he said “I saw the moment as an opportunity to do something else and decided that I’d either open a tattoo shop or a food truck.” The appeal of being a tattoo artist won out “I got into tattooing at age 31 and had no formal training prior to that,” said Roth who began pursuing a path to the required 2,000 hours of training under a mentor that he needed to get his state license “I called a couple of tattoo shops and set up an appointment with a local tattoo artist named Lauren who I knew from growing up and she agreed to meet with me about becoming an apprentice," Roth said and my years of professional experience in the corporate arena and was lucky and grateful to get an apprenticeship with her who at that point had been a tattoo artist for 16 years and I completed my hours and got my license in just under a year because I was so motivated,” said Roth who accepted a job working at her shop full-time 'Like a magic trick': Toms River craftsmen turn 'forbidden' art into astounding murals While he enjoyed being his beloved mentor’s right-hand man for the next several years the need for greater flexibility soon became paramount “I became a father during that time," he explained "and I decided that I wanted to go into business for myself." Roth opened a Sola salon suite in Wall under the name Kno Good Art “but I soon outgrew the space and missed the walk-in shop experience and camaraderie of a town,” he said and Manasquan was one of the few towns that didn’t have a tattoo shop,” he said of the space he eventually found on Curtis Avenue but I’m known for a lot of black and gray and geometric work felt like a good name and embodies who I am,” he said More tattoo shops: Point Pleasant tattoo shop BlxckRose Ink shows TikTok, Instagram fame isn't just skin deep Tattoos for teenagers to senior citizensThree years later in his 900-square-foot shop with a “gothic tropical” vibe “what sets me apart from other shops is my structure and the respect I have for tattooing and for my clients for whom tattoos are an important reflection of their individuality,” Roth said “Clients can share random words with me regarding the tattoo they want and what I design and draw is exactly what they envision “I understand what a big deal tattoos are to people and I’ve talked some clients out of getting a tattoo if I felt it wasn’t right for them,” Roth said “What you get from me is a responsible tattooist who’s going to be honest with you and set realistic expectations.” “I do everything from simpler lettering pieces which involve handwriting all the way up to complex sleeve and back tattoo sessions that take hours,” Roth said “Walk-in lettering pieces typically take under 90 minutes and start at $100 while hand or palm-size tattoos take two to four hours depending on their level of detail and placement and generally range from $300 to $700 For bigger jobs involving multiple sessions I charge an hourly rate of $150 per hour,” he said of tattoo jobs that can take up to 10 or 12 hours But regardless of the ease or complexity of the client’s tattoo and my dark geometry holds up over time,” he said “My youngest client is a 16-year-old and my oldest is a woman in her eighties,” he said “I have clients who have been coming to me since I was an apprentice giving free tattoos And I have many local clients through word of mouth because I’ve become ingrained in this community.” Roth said that much has changed in the tattoo industry even within the eight years he’s been in the profession “It used to be that people walked into tattoo shops and picked a design off a wall people know exactly what they want and direct message me with images,” he said “There’s still strong demand for geometry and traditional tattoos — religious images skulls and roses are still very popular themes — and there’s also a big trend towards more delicate work such as ornamental finger and hand tattoos.” With data showing that some 40% of people ages 18 to 34 possess at least one tattoo “I also think that tattoos have become more socially acceptable over time,” he said “Tattoos used to be associated with gangsters and criminals More tattoo shops: How rocker Bret Michaels helped an Atlantic Highlands tattoo artist turn his life around “it’s amazing to see how fast the boundaries of this field get pushed,” Roth said of the competitive and saturated tattoo industry “You have to keep up or you’ll get left behind which is why I don’t focus on fads but rather on the foundation and art.” And while his busy season (spring through Christmas) often keeps him tattooing from 9 a.m “I see tattooing as a privilege and am grateful that business is so strong and growing.” he hopes to move to a more customer-facing location on Main Street in downtown Manasquan “I want to keep the tradition of tattooing alive and give it to the next generation,” said Roth who himself sports over 24 tattoos and currently mentors an apprentice in his shop and I want to protect and care for it and give that experience to someone else “And I hope to open my own taco truck one day too!” Roth said he never expected all of the blessings he’s enjoying today and many people don’t know that previous version of myself,” said Roth who credits his success in the tattoo field to “effort “I love seeing a client’s face when we do their ‘big reveal’ — it’s very fulfilling to see how much clients feel like themselves with a great tattoo and I love making someone feel more comfortable in their own skin in whatever way they define it,” he said “I’ve tattooed people all over the world and multiple generations within the same family and I appreciate the beauty in all of it,” Roth confirmed “I love creating images that outlive me and knowing that these tattoos will be walking the earth long after I’m gone.” Instagram: www.instagram.com/thedmtcompany In a 2024-25 basketball postseason that has paralleled last year's in a variety of ways the Manasquan boys basketball team is aiming to break precedent after a 48-36 victory over Rumson-Fair Haven in the Central Group 2 sectional final on Saturday the Warriors will face Camden in the state semifinal on Wednesday at Monroe High School And it's no secret that the team is determined to right the wrong of last year's controversial "loss" at the buzzer "It's going to be fun," Manasquan senior Griffin Linstra said "I think the whole state of New Jersey wants to see that there was hardly a mention of the potential rematch as Camden had yet to cement its eventual 85-50 victory over Middle Township in South Group 2 section title And the jubilant mood of Manasquan faithful was such that no observer would think this is the program's sixth consecutive section title The excitement was amplified by the Manasquan girls basketball squad's sectional championship that directly preceded the boys game "It's the greatest town on Earth," Linstra said "It's awesome that the community comes out for us and we get to do this for them." It's still a kid's game," said Manasquan coach Andrew Bilodeau The magnitude of that rematch surely overshadows the impressive showing as Manasquan set the pace from start to finish against a Rumson squad that had taken the Warriors to the brink in the past two games 'Squan left no doubt after seizing a lead late in the first quarter and never relinquishing it until the final buzzer but his impact on defense was even more palpable He guarded Rumson's star 6-foot-8 junior Luke Cruz for the majority of the game and Manasquan held Cruz scoreless in the first half as they built a pivotal 23-8 lead it better have been Manasquan basketball," said Linstra of his team's renowned defensive prowess They wanted it for the kids who haven't won a state championship before." a big part of it is mental," Weinseimer said "She tore her meniscus recently and had a rough start to Harvard she was an Ivy League Rookie of the Week her first week back (from injury) and just seeing her overcome those obstacles mentally And that's just made me tougher mentally." It's that type of family continuity that makes athletic success at Manasquan uniquely special This year's basketball team is comprised entirely of local products another boon to the energy that has driven the program to yet another title there's five kids that play different sports," Linstra said "Three of them aren't really basketball players but they compete for their school and they want to win for Manasquan And I just think that's just part of the community After the opening five minutes of basketball the two teams combined to score five total points Manasquan had set the tone at home with defensive grit And that made the team's pedestrian offense look revelatory Manasquan inched ahead of Rumson-Fair Haven to close out the first quarter with a 10-6 lead But the real defensive clinic was exhibited in the second as the Warriors conceded a bucket to the Bulldogs in the opening minute of the quarter and then proceeded to hold them scoreless for the next seven minutes while going on a 13-0 run Rumson's offense awakened in the second half but every moment of blossoming momentum was snuffed out by a Manasquan answer at the other end The Warriors lead hovered at 10 points throughout the third quarter Manasquan led 30-18 heading into the fourth quarter For all their spirited attempts at a comeback Rumson never cut the Manasquan lead to less than seven points And the errors of turnovers and botched defensive rotations undermined the Bulldogs' chance at a comeback A flurry of late free throws artificially inflated the score down the stretch after the game was mostly decided at 39-31 with two minutes remaining Credit to the Bulldogs for competitive efforts down the stretch to stay within striking distance but it was never enough to put the game in doubt as Manasquan sealed the 48-36 win It's another heartbreaking finish in the section final for a Rumson squad that had the composition of a team ready to win this year The Bulldogs had nine seniors and the remainder of the varsity roster was juniors giving the squad an experience group dead set on finishing this season with a title They were clearly among the Shore's elite tier of teams all winter but all the while it was known that only one team could come out of the Central Group 2 section that was filled with many of the best basketball programs in the Shore Conference any conversation about this year's high school basketball postseason would circle back to the tantalizing possibility that is now reality Manasquan (23-4) will face Camden (22-8) in a game that was initially scheduled to be played at Central Regional on Wednesday but will instead be relocated further north to Monroe High School Camden's immense athleticism that is a program staple is ever-present but the team's national profile is relatively tame compared to past years That senior duo has combined for nearly 1,000 points this season That prolific offense is a divergent contrast to the group of local Manasquan products that mostly shine brightest in other sports and grind out victories with impeccable defense and superb offensive execution Losses to Lenape and Bishop Eustace demonstrate that this is a more vulnerable iteration of the team than past year's these types of games are often decided by a single score down the stretch or even at the buzzer just as long as a third team in black and white stripes doesn't intervene PISCATAWAY – For Manasquan girls’ basketball it was the cementing of a legacy for a team and another shining moment for a New Jersey small-school powerhouse program With a 47-34 victory over Madison in Sunday’s NJSIAA Group 2 final at Jersey Mike’s Arena Manasquan (25-5) made it two straight state championships three in the last four years and eight state titles in all under head coach Lisa Kukoda "We had our sights set on this game honestly since the start of the season," Kukoda said "A lot of the decisions we make during the season are to get us to this point We picked up tough games against New Jersey non-publics." with a balanced scoring attack led by Shea Donnelly (12 points) Olivia Shaughnessy (10 points) and Grace Love (10 points) It has to be the group that pulls it out." Kukoda said "And that is what we have tried to emphasize all season They are all about the team first and that group of seniors have truly epitomized that over the course of their careers." Madison (25-5) was led by 6-1 senior Charlotte Tuhy a force in the paint who finished with 25 points including eight of their nine points in the opening quarter Manasquan closes the season winning five straight games with its lonely loss to a Shore Conference foe this season coming in a 60-41 defeat at the hands of Red Bank Catholic in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals I’m really blessed I get to experience it," Donnelly said "This has been the best four years and I had the best coach." the Big Blue went on a 9-3 run that included a steal and score by Donnelly The lead went to double digits on a Donnelly drive midway through the final quarter "We just couldn’t get into a flow on the offensive side today But we made plays when we needed to," Kukoda said "I think at this point in the season you know everybody is coming out with their best you’re playing someone who has been through it. they have gotten to this game just like us before." MONROE -- Every great story deserves a sequel and the new chapter Manasquan boys basketball wrote Wednesday night rivals the iconic storytelling of alumni Jack Nicholson But even he might soon be surpassed in school lore by the legend of Griffin Linstra It was his game-winning shot at the buzzer that had been erroneously waived off a year ago resulting in a gut-wrenching 46-45 loss to Camden the four-year starter ensured there would be no room for doubt As Manasquan trailed Camden 43-42 with 6.1 seconds left Linstra received the ball at the top of the key and wasted no time making his move to the basket As the star senior drew contact and elevated he delivered a plush shot into the nylon that righted last year's wrong This time there was no buzzer to be debated just a whistle to signify that Linstra would have another shot at the free throw line He missed it and left no time for a Camden rebuttal as Manasquan won 44-43 to advance to the Group 2 state championship at Rutgers on Sunday "These moments are what you play for," Linstra said I was really just trying to enjoy the moment and I was really happy And yeah I think we're ready for the moment The Warriors were certainly ready after coach Andrew Bilodeau saved his timeouts until using three of them in the final 17 seconds One after the team's initial inbounds play failed to generate the right look They took a third pause before the free throw to be sure there would be no answer from Camden "I thought Griff started every single game of his career "He's done everything we've asked him and he's a great leader He's an example to all the other kids of what it means to be a student-athlete." And both of the architects of the magical finish were aligned on the most meaningful aspect of the victory "I'm truly grateful to live in the greatest town on Earth," said Linstra Bilodeau echoed that sentiment while adding his own signature twist of dry humor I was looking at the kids and looked past them and I'm like for Christ's sake the whole town's here," said Bilodeau "So there's probably some robberies going on back in Manasquan And I just told the kids in one of the last timeouts: Look at this — they didn't come here to watch Camden." They got what they came for as a group of local players delivered a game for the ages And while the program is only two years removed from its first-ever state championship in 2023 the contributions of two players who weren't on that team made the difference as he overcame a frustrating first half offensively to produce a critical burst of offense to start the second half and finished with 10 points The unsung hero was fellow class of 2027 standout Logan Cleveland who had to serve as the team's lone big after Jack O'Reilly was out with intermittent foul trouble Cleveland was sublime battling against a Camden squad with superior size and athleticism on the interior There wouldn't have been enough room for them anyway in a game that was razor-close for 32 minutes There's room for yet another chapter to this story as the team heads to Rutgers to play in the Group 2 state championship against Madison on Sunday afternoon that is the dénouement in the grand scheme The story was a team of local players achieving something beyond their collective ability because they played for something bigger than themselves The atmosphere that was behind us," said Linstra he's just looking back into all the Manasquan people on the left side of the court It was just mobbed and that's just the Manasquan way This is the best town on Earth and I'm so happy to be a part of it." While the strength of the collective propelled Manasquan to victory there was no doubt as to who was the best player on the hardwood at Monroe Township High School Shore hoops fans might be familiar with Camden's David Munro from his key contributions on last year's College Achieve team that won the Group 1 title and he reminded them of his presence in the opening minutes Manasquan set the stage with strong defense on Camden's first few possessions laying the foundation for an 8-2 run to start the game scoring all of his team's first quarter field goals to finish with 10 of Camden's 12 points in the opening eight minutes Camden had inched ahead to take a 12-10 lead The entire second was back-and-forth as every score in the first seven minutes of the quarter was a lead change And when Cleveland finally broke that trend to extend Manasquan's lead to 21-18 Sitafa Hall answered with an incredible three-pointer at the buzzer But the momentum from that shot didn't carry over into the opening minutes of the second half for Camden Manasquan pieced together an 8-0 run that was punctuated by Weinseimer's three-pointer after securing an offensive rebound after a missed free throw Camden cut the 'Squan lead to three before the Warriors answered with a pivotal three-pointer by Brandon Kunz to go up 42-36 with 5:17 remaining the team navigated a five-minute scoring drought and only mustered an eventual answer after Emmanuel Joe-Samuel drilled a three to put Camden up 43-42 with 1:25 remaining The final minute was loaded with twists that weren't encapsulated by the stat sheet Camden used its last timeout with 45.3 seconds left and Munro subsequently missed two pivotal free throws with 43.1 seconds remaining to provide a window for Manasquan The Warriors initially squandered their possession but the lack of timeouts haunted the Panthers as a loose ball eventually resulted in a jump ball with the arrow favoring 'Squan Manasquan wouldn't make that mistake again as Linstra delivered an iconic finish in the ultimate form of redemption Linstra finished with eight points behind Cleveland's 14 and Weinseimer's 10 but was largely stifled with only six second half points Hall and Joe-Samuel were also in double figures for Camden with 12 and 10 points After overcoming their exercising last year's demons to reach the state championship Manasquan (24-4) will face a Madison (24-7) team that had their own fortuitous path to the state final Group 2 section as a three-seed while playing all of those playoff games at home Their path to a sectional title was finished with a dramatic one-point victory over Hoboken in the final Madison dominated Glen Rock in the opposite state semifinal There is only one common opponent between the two teams: Shore Non-Public power CBA Flynn holiday tournament while Manasquan beat CBA 34-31 at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase a few weeks later Those results foreshadow a close game in the Group 2 state championship at Rutgers University's Jersey Mike's Arena on Sunday at 2 p.m But if Manasquan has proven anything with the victory over Camden it's that the Warriors are prepared to win in the clutch A dry lake bed along the edge of the Manasquan Reservoir points to how months of sunny skies and dry weather have drained the drinking water supply for much of southern Monmouth County It also serves as a harbinger of things to come in the short term the reservoir was holding less than 61% of its nearly 4.7 billion gallon capacity according to the New Jersey Water Supply Authority The reservoir is capable is supplying 30 million gallons of water a day to homes and businesses around southern Monmouth County is also at lower-than-normal levels for October and… that reservoir is filled by pumping from the Manasquan River," Brooks said "We are pumping as much as we are allowed from the river." Late summer into autumn is typically when the reservoir supply dips to its lowest level with the supply replenishing between late autumn and spring there is little chance the water body will be replenished anytime soon "This fall doesn’t look promising," Brooks said Monmouth County is considered "abnormally dry" while Ocean County is in "moderate drought" conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor New Jersey has received below-average amounts of rainfall over the past 90 days Atlantic and Ocean counties are particularly dry and have received less than half of their usual rainfall amounts over this period Monmouth County has only received 8.3 inches of rain over the past 90 days the National Weather Service issued an alert and warned of elevated fire danger throughout the state due to dry weather and only outdoor fires in an elevated fireplace made of steel brick or concrete and at least one foot off the ground are permitted Elevated charcoal and gas grills were still allowed for use Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment She has worked for the Press for more than 16 years View Box Score Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices TOMS RIVER - Red Bank Catholic girls basketball waited a year for this game and got the result it wanted Tuesday night  – a convincing 60-41 win over No 1 seed Manasquan in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals at RWJ Barnabas Health Arena RBC’s 17th straight win was a little payback after Manasquan won when the teams met in the SCT semis a year ago The Caseys rode a stifling second-half defense and double-digit scoring efforts from Tessa Carman Lola Giordano and Addy Nyemchek to advance to Friday’s SCT final game against St John Vianney 51-46 in the earlier semifinal More: St. Rose girls basketball heading back to Shore tournament final for first time since 2017 “That’s a tough team to play and all credit to them they came to play,” said Red Bank Catholic coach Joe Montano “Our defense did a great job in the second half and we got a great spark early from Lola off the bench.” Turning point in Red Bank Catholic's winRBC put the game out of reach with an 18-5 run across the third quarter until just more than five minutes left in the game The Caseys defensive pressure keyed the run and provided time to get on track offensively In the end the Caseys’ balance and depth proved too much for the Warriors with senior Carman posting a team-high 15 points and Giordano and Nyemchek adding 14 and 13 apiece on the offensive end Carman and Nyemchek pulled down eight rebounds apiece as well “We came out really strong on defense and played even harder in the second half,” said Carman who’s just 22 points away from hitting 1,000 points for her career “That helped our offense get it together after the sloppy start Lola Giordano helps right the ship for RBCGiordano scored 12 of her 14 to right the ship for RBC in a scrappy first half in which the teams combined for 14 turnovers The Caseys picked up seven points apiece from sisters Tessa and Christina Liggio and four points from junior Daniela Maletsky who was a menace on the defensive end blocking three shots along to go with four rebounds It was sloppy for a bit and we were not playing like us,” said Maletsky The teams traded baskets and turnovers throughout the first quarter until RBC put together an 11-2 run with Giordano scoring seven to grab an 18-12 lead after one Giordano then drained a three to open the second quarter and the Caseys never looked back View Box Score Nick Hayden (6) of Colts Neck pitches during the Shore Conference Tournament Round of 16 baseball game between Colts Neck and Donovsn Catholic at Colts Neck High School in Colts Neck NJ on 5/13/24.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJoe Pignatelli went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to power third-seeded Colts Neck to an 11-0 victory over sixth-seeded Manasquan in the Monmouth County Tournament quarterfinals in Colts Neck RJ Conover was 3-for-3 with three runs and a stolen base for Colts Neck (8-3) which jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead and never looked back Will Perski scored two runs and Dan Annunziata went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI Winning pitcher Nick Hayden tossed a four-hit shutout Colts Neck played the Red Bank Catholic-Ocean Township winner in the semifinals next Saturday Connor Voelkson and Matt Antonucci both went 1-for-2 with a walk for Manasquan (9-3) The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) As incredible as the 2024 NJSIAA Boys Basketball Tournament was for the Shore Conference The defining moment turned out to be Griffin Linstra’s put-back in the final second for what appeared to be the game-winning bucket in a Manasquan upset of Camden in a Group 2 semifinal at Central Regional in Bayville At least that's the way it was ruled as time expired But that decision was reversed by the on-court officials a minute later saying the shot came after time had expired With strong video evidence to the contrary the play went viral and became a national story ending up in court before the state Department of Education backed Camden as the winner Complete first-round NJSIAA matchups: 2025 NJ boys basketball state tournament brackets The NJSIAA released the official brackets for the 2025 field Tuesday That means both schools have homecourt advantage through the sectional finals with a potential Group 2 semifinal showdown looming on March 12 at Central Manasquan has a lot of work to do before that happens which lost a heartbreaker at Manasquan in last year’s final It’s one of a host of compelling storylines with play scheduled to begin next Monday around the state Rose celebrated a Non-Public B championship at center court at Jersey Mike’s Arena giving the Shore Conference its second state champion in as many years after Manasquan won the 2023 Group 2 title And upstart Freehold Borough winning Central Group 3 for its first sectional championship in 51 years and playing for its first state title falling to defending champion Ramapo in the final Here are some takeaways from this year’s brackets: Last year it was College Achieve Asbury Park a first-year charter school basketball program winning six tournament games by an average of 39.8 points Their presence in the Central 1 bracket dashed any dreams school like Point Beach Shore and Henry Hudson had of winning a championship this year it’s Thrive Charter Academy in Hamilton showing up for the first time and grabbing the top seed with the program a heavy favorite to win the title In terms of Shore Conference contenders in the section only Shore Regional could potentially face Thrive Charter outside of the sectional championship On the other side of the bracket are Point Pleasant Beach CBA always gets a difficult bracket in South Non-Public A And this year it gets exponentially tougher with St Peter’s Prep parachuting in from its traditional home in North Non-Public A Peter’s comes in with a 19-4 record against a tough schedule More: Why the Shore boys basketball tournament setup turned out to be a disaster: Edelson After reigning league and state champion St Rose was seeded fourth in the Shore Conference Tournament the team's subsequent emphatic victories over Jackson Memorial and Central Regional in the SCT helped secure the team the top spot in South Non-Public B The Purple Roses get a bye in the opening round and could potentially face Ranney in the second round in a matchup of Shore teams One of the more curious slights was Central Regional being the third-seeded team in the South Group 4 section While top-seeded Cherry Hill East came as no surprise after the team's impressive 23-2 campaign the selection of Lenape as the second seed is difficult to grasp Central beat Lenape by double digits in the season opener The Golden Eagles put together a record of 21-3 with the worst loss being a one-point road loss to Cinnaminson Lenape is 16-7 and lost by 18 against Manasaquan whereas Central only lost by two points to 'Squan on a last second buzzer beater the devil is in the details of the power point system The seeding comes on the heels of the Central's 22-point loss to St That most recent result seemed to seal the team's fate they may have the chance to correct the bracket themselves in a section semifinal — although they would have to do so on the road Four of the top five seeds in the Central Group 2 section hail from the Shore as the road to a section title will be a familiar one for several local powers Top-seed Manasquan and two-seed Rumson-Fair Haven will be in action in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals on Wednesday and could potentially face off in the final on Friday The two contenders faced off in last year's section final and a rematch is very much a possibility Three-seed Holmdel and five-seed Wall will look to play the role of spoiler Best opening round matchups of Shore teamsThe state playoffs will feature several duels between conference foes in the opening round of games but two matchups stood out as must-see battles of Shore teams The highlight is in Central Group 3 as eight-seed Freehold Boro The Colonials' imposing trio of seniors in Aidan Hamlin-Woolfolk Brian Tassey and Qua'Mir Everett will be tested by the Lions' range of outside scoring options surrounding Eddie Lopez and Joe Grasso is a player capable of battling on the interior In a matchup of teams in the Freehold Regional School District seven-seed Marlboro hosts 10-seed Freehold Township in Central Group 4 The Patriots made the quarterfinals of the Coaches Cup while the Mustangs have had time to rest up after falling in the second round of the SCT This matchup of local rivals in a playoff battle will be electric MANASQUAN -- It was clear coming into the Thanksgiving rivalry battle that Manasquan's offensive star would be a catalyst for the team to pull off an upset against Wall Manasquan did get a thrilling 13-7 victory Thursday but before the Warriors ran over for a celebratory postgame dip in nearby Judas Creek they had to overcome the nightmare football scenario that occurred in the first quarter standout junior running back Ace Etienne was hit low on a run near the sideline causing a serious lower body injury "There's a lot more to this game," said senior lineman Adam Murphy Etienne was central to Manasquan's success as the heart and soul of the team His teammates never lost those two factors as they grinded out a victory in the rain and mud The result of the Shore Conference Class C North game allowed Manasquan (6-5 1-4) to finish its season with a third straight victory and it was impactful on the divison standings 4-2) failing to wrap up a co-championship opportunity While Lu filled in with several key runs at running back his biggest play came on the defensive side shortly after the injury stoppage After a Wall interception gave the Knights possession inside their own 5-yard line an errant swing pass was ruled a lateral and Lu sprinted through to recover the ball for the game's first touchdown "I've been thinking about beating them all season," said Lu Lu and Murphy ensured that the Warriors avenged last year's dramatic loss to Wall Their stout defense effort stifled the Wall offense as they didn't concede a point through the first 46 minutes of the game The messy weather elements tilted in Manasquan's favor as they were able to mostly limit mistakes and seize on their opponent's errors "The weather was obviously in our favor," Murphy said "This is Manasquan football in this weather We knew our DBs strapped them up and we could just beat .. The tough work in the trenches and hard-nosed running of Lu and Dax Klein was enough to get the win as 'Squan narrowed the scope of their play calling to limit the negative effect of the rain and mud which caused more than a dozen fumbles between the two teams over the course of the game Wall made it interesting with a late touchdown and a fumble recovery in the final two minutes But the 'Squan defense was determined as they promptly forced a turnover on downs to seal the victory the team's most important player was front of mind in the aftermath of the victory "I need to call (Ace) when I get back in the locker room," said Murphy And it was clear early on that the game would not be won by the team that made the most plays but by the squad that made the fewest amount of errors The first play from scrimmage was an incredible pass from Wall quarterback Franny Scaramellino to Derrick Boss for a 30-yard gain The second play was fumble recovered by Manasquan The Warriors' first drive was derailed by the injury and subsequent prolonged stoppage but once again the difference was the ability of 'Squan to seize on mistakes as Lu recovered the fumble for a touchdown More important than the lone touchdown that the Warrior offense produced was the ability of the team to control possession and work the clock Manasquan's third drive lasted nearly the entire second quarter as Lu had several big first down runs before quarterback Matt Antonucci punched in a QB sneak for a 1-yard touchdown on fourth down with 1:47 left in the half Wall fumbled on the very first play of its next possession another key mistake in the brutal elements The Knights' first drive of the third quarter suffered a similar fate as the team fumbled the hold on a field goal attempt and the offense remained scoreless The game continued to grind on with little substantial progress for either team until the final five minutes The result appeared inevitable after Wall punted with 4:39 remaining in the game but the Knights promptly forced a three-and-out found Heath Reinhardt for a 40-yard touchdown that gave the Knights a glimmer of hope Manasquan was able to hold on and win the game for their fallen star Manasquan: Dylan Lu fumble recovery (Joey Dettlinger kick) Manasquan: Matt Antonucci 1 run (Kick failed) Wall: Heath Reinhardt 40 pass from Brian McKenna (Reinhardt kick) It's been a year since that game and the rematch is today at 7 p.m Tickets: $5 plus a processing fee per ticket, available online only at http://njsiaa.org/tickets Streaming: highschoolsports.nj.com/watch it took until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter for No 2 Manasquan before the Purple Roses eventually close out the victory the Roses didn't wait to assert themselves The Purple Roses started strong out of the gates and tightened their grip on the lead every time the Warriors had a wave of momentum Rose led after each quarter before running away with it in the fourth and star junior Jayden Hodge putting an exclamation point on the 61-48 win with a transition slam dunk for the game's final score "We started our last couple of games with bad starts The Roses traded buckets with the Warriors in the first quarter and still held a 15-11 after the opening eight minutes And while Hodge once again dazzled with his elite level of skill Hodge finished with 16 points while sophomore Avery Lynch took the scoring lead with 17 points "(Manasquan) is not as big as Patrick School but I think they play harder than the Patrick School," said Lynch Playing in front of the zoo — all the fans It's not at their place where they've got a lot of fans Rose student body gestured behind him to express their enthusiasm for the win The win improves the Roses' record to 10-4 on the season while the loss drops rival Manasquan to 11-2 with both defeats coming at the hands of its arch rival from Belmar It was a testament to the strength of the local Non-Public power that balances their national program profile and accompanying schedule of elite opponents with classic local rivalries They matched the grit and grind identity of Manasquan with their own superb level of defensive intensity They're just — I think they're one of the best-coached teams in the state." Manasquan impressed with its shot-making ability in traffic The guard duo of Linstra and Weinseimer tried to keep the Warriors afloat as they scored 17 and 14 points Rose team that appeared to be hitting its stride at the right time was too much to overcome The Roses had experienced upset scares in back-to-back weekends against Gill St winning both games with a defensive stop on the final possession Prevailing in those hard-fought games seemed to buoy St Rose as it prepares to close out a regular season schedule that still has the Roses facing several top-flight powerhouses including La Lumiere (Indiana) the national program headlined by former Manasquan star Darius Adams the Roses appear primed for a run at back-to-back Shore titles Although the team is aware that a third rematch against Manasquan could be looming in the Shore Conference Tournament We've got to be ready to maybe face them again in the playoffs," said Hodge It's never easy to beat a team three times." In a hard-fought rivalry boys basketball matchup with Manasquan Rose was always a step aheadWith fans lucky enough to gain entry packed to the edge of the floor at the MAAC The early basketball action matched the level of intensity Rose always found an answer as Manasquan threatened to take the lead the Warriors cut the Purple Roses' lead to just one point the Roses responded with scores to extend their lead The back-and-forth continued into the second quarter and Manasquan momentarily took a 20-19 lead midway through the period with two consecutive forced turnovers that turned into transition scores Rose to call a timeout with 4:26 remaining It would be the last time that the Warriors held a lead The Roses responded with a 10-2 run that propelled them into a 32-24 advantage at halftime Linstra was held scoreless in the second quarter but embraced his role as a leader and elite scorer in the third as he made tough shot after tough shot for Manasquan His effort was highlighted by an and-one score early in the quarter that cut the deficit to six ppints Rose team that was operating on all cylinders the Warriors tried to leverage the lack of a shot clock in New Jersey and had possessions that lasted more than a minute - but without resulting in a score The resilience of the Roses' defense deserves plenty of credit for stifling those off-beat attempts at seizing momentum Linstra tried to spark a comeback with another impressive make to open up scoring in the final eight minutes the Purple Roses responded with an 8-1 run that just about sealed the end result The final dagger was a tremendous pass by freshman Izayah Cooper to Lynch for a layup that put them up by 13 points The anti-climactic finale was a series of free throws by St The loss is a bitter one for a Manasquan squad that has impressed with wins the Warriors have not been able to get over the hump against their rival They'll have a chance to get right on Friday against Jackson Memorial before another big matchup against reigning section champ Lenape on Saturday The Roses will be back in action against some of the best competition in New Jersey this weekend They'll face 10-4 Point Pleasant Borough in a divisional game on Friday before facing off against 9-3 Union Catholic on Saturday And that's the only thing that matters to the Warriors "It's definitely really exciting to play a really good team like this in their home gym," said senior Griffin Linstra "These are the games we want; a good Shore Conference opponent and I think we played a good brand of Manasquan basketball It's that lethal efficiency that almost always produces the desired results for Manasquan It's also another notch in the belt for a contender that is more mauler than gunslinger as the Warriors improved to 16-2 and boast wins over Rutgers Prep The two blemishes are losses against rival St potentially setting up a major collision course in the Shore Conference Tournament "It's why you stay home and come to 'Squan We're going to play a great schedule,"said Manasquan coach Andrew Bilodeau "You've got to play people so you're always ready — when you get in these battles No team in the Shore has prevailed more regularly against such a challenging schedule But the Warriors aren't taking any of these victories so we did a good job defensively and this group's done a real good job all year and trying to keep him from getting his feet in the lane Manasquan was able to hone in on Dean as Red Bank was without leading scorer Ryan Fisher and his absence in the backcourt seemed to further jumble the Bucs' offense as they tried to piece together scores against the lockdown defense of the Warriors there was one player who maintained his offensive rhythm amidst a playing style designed to disrupt it "We're always interconnected," said sophomore Rey Weinseimer "No one's worrying about themselves and I know that I have all my teammates supporting me and they have my back as Weinseimer finished with a game-high 17 points for Manasquan that included several back-breaking three-pointers at the end of prolonged possessions including several tough shots in the mid-range that were similarly deflating for a Red Bank team that battled courageously on the defensive end But both players agreed the defensive foundation paved the way for the win "Brandon (Kunz) and Rey are the head of the snake for us," said Linstra I mean Zayier Dean is a really crafty player and it was a big thing to keep us in front of him so he couldn't draw extra attention And I think we did a really good job with that." That type of chemistry is the underlying factor for a team that has subtly improved across the past two months even as the Warriors' impressive consistency reflects a team that has been dominant from start to finish "This is the time of year when we really get close," said Linstra "We have a nice February break when we don't have school and it's kind of like a basketball break for us we just hang out with each other every day and play basketball Every day we we need to get better to reach our final goal." Manasquan muddies the waters and leaves the Bucs strandedAs is frequently the case with Manasquan's grit-and-grind approach the opening minutes foreshadowed the eventual outcome Weinseimer drilled a corner three to spark a 9-4 start for Manasquan That slim advantage was all the Warriors needed but also rarely could shrink the deficit to a one-score game The Bucs responded well when Manasquan's lead reached 13-6 in the first as Dean hit a deep three out of a timeout and stifled the Warriors' attempt hold for final possession with a steal-and-score The senior's efforts cut the 'Squan lead to 15-11 heading into the second And it was in that quarter that the game devolved into a true rock fight The two sides traded scores in the opening minutes and that would be the last time that the Bucs would score in the second Manasquan eked out another score to extend the lead to 19-13 and neither side's defense flinched for the subsequent four-and-half minutes Logan Cleveland had a put-back score in the closing seconds for the Warriors to give them a 21-13 lead at halftime That theme continued in the second half as both teams were scoreless through the first two minutes an astonishing stretch of nearly seven minutes with only two total points being scored The stalling offenses found the ignition midway through the third quarter as a Trey Moore had a big and-one for Red Bank But Manasquan always had a more than adequate answer and the Warriors surged with a 10-3 run that gave them a cushiony 31-23 lead heading into the fourth An early three-point shot was ultimately the last gasp for Red Bank as they couldn't cut into the Warriors' double-digit lead Prolonged possessions and three Linstra free throws down the stretch helped put the game on ice for Manasquan The loss drops Red Bank to 16-3 on the year after two consecutive Saturday losses against elite teams that will surely be vying for the Shore Conference title But the Bucs also haven't quite broken through against that tier of opponent as their three losses have come against Central Regional in December Two big divisional matchups loom for Red Bank next week as they'll host Rumson-Fair Haven on Tuesday and will head over to Holmdel on Thursday The good news is star senior Ryan Fisher should be back in action for those games They've now dispatched all of the Shore's premier contenders with the exception of St Rose and will likely enter the Shore Conference Tournament as the top-seeded team There is a big matchup still looming next week as the Warriors will go on the road against Howell on Tuesday before facing Gill St Page not foundWe’re sorry, the page you requested could not be found. the identity of Rumson-Fair Haven basketball is inextricably linked to a star player - Luke Cruz But in the final stretch of a do-or-die playoff bout against Holmdel the Bulldogs chose the ultimate counter move - taking Cruz off the floor altogether "They were just attacking him every time he got it," Rumson coach Chris Champeau said "I told the guys - Luke Cruz has carried us so many games let's have someone else handle it this time." This matchup was not a battle to be won by Rambo Champeau considered leaving Cruz on the floor in a defensive zone while continuing to leverage his size on offense but instead he deployed the team's "SQAT" unit of small quick and tough players that could run a full-court press with great switchability The audacious coaching decision worked to perfection Rumson held Holmdel to just six fourth quarter points while their speedy passing offense found the open man against the scrambling Hornet defense Riley Gill drilled a crucial corner three to make it a two-score game Carson Memmott delivered the finishing blow with two tough shots in traffic and Rumson closed out the 54-48 victory "(Cruz) is 6-foot-7 and he's got good hands But every time they would send two guys on him and every time we'd throw it inside and someone would pick it off from behind," Memmott said So I can get in the post and I can get it done." More: Shore boys basketball state tournament tracker: Schedule, times, results Memmott delivered the key buckets as a versatile wing adept inside and outside And even a contained Cruz was second on the team with 12 points and several blocks the Bulldogs impressed as they closed the game out while missing the mark in the key element of finishing games: free throws The team missed their final four free throws but compensated for that with stifling defense in the final minute we weren't closing them out," Memmott said We've got a lot of seniors that play and no one wanted it to be our last game the game was a masterclass in coaching and execution by both teams that were aptly prepared for the matchup Holmdel telegraphed the opening possession and turned it to a steal-and-score at the other end The Hornets shot out to a double digit lead in the first quarter and appeared destined to pull off the playoff upset after losing two regular season matchups to Rumson Champeau was effusive in his praise of his counterpart "He's the best coach in the Shore every year Holmdel is gonna be down?' You saw that: he doesn't have one big guy I think he's the best coach in the Shore." It was a game that exemplified the core tenets of great basketball The selflessness of both teams was a recurring theme and the biggest shot was delivered by a player with a nuanced game that has earned the respect of opponents across the Shore "One of my favorite words is perseverance," Champeau said Gill had endured several misses in the final minutes before delivering a make that outweighed them all The clutch three-pointer was his only score of the fourth quarter reiterating the instruction from his coach "That gives us the confidence to take those shots and make them And that's really what helped me make that shot there because I knew I had my coach and my whole team behind me even if I missed." It was the second straight year the Bulldogs beat the Hornets in the section semifinal and once again it is powerhouse Manasquan that awaits in the final Memmott was a key part of the Rumson football team that faltered two straight years in the state final before finally breaking through with a championship this past fall He aims to bring that recent experience to the hardwood on Saturday "We went and lost both years at Rutgers," said Memmott We were winning almost the entire game in both games and lost at the end So we're gonna go up against Manasquan and we're not gonna let them come back." But after three makes from beyond the arc in the opening quarter helped Holmdel go up 19-8 but then the Hornets' outside shooting went cold and Rumson chipped away at the lead After a Holmdel's Joe Currieri hit a three-pointer to open the second half Rumson answered with a 6-0 run to tie the game at 31-31 A three-point play by Gill gave Rumson a shot of momentum to end the third quarter as the Hornets clung to a 42-41 lead Rumson's defensive intensity set the tone in the fourth as neither team hit a field goal in the first two minutes of the quarter Two free throws gave the Bulldogs a 43-42 lead and they never relinquished it Holmdel senior Daxx Corneiro delivered his own impressive effort as he scored all six of his team's points in the quarter and twice cut the Rumson lead to just one point with his scores But Gill's three-pointer with two-and-half minutes left was the first dagger and Memmott produced the final deep cuts with two tough layups to seal the 54-48 victory In addition to Memmott's 16 points and Cruz's 12 point guard David Carr was also in double figures with 10 Joe Currieri and Ireoluwa Adesina were tremendous in their final game in white and blue Corneiro led the way with 14 points while Adesina had 11 and Currieri had 10 Holmdel vastly exceeded expectations as they gave Rumson-Fair Haven all they could handle for four quarters it was a stunning season from a team that was not expected to be a contender after losing their top three scorers from last season and also lacking a true a post presence no team in the Shore was a bigger surprise contender than the Hornets the anticipation is palpable for another edition Rumson-Fair Haven and Manasquan in the postseason The Warriors have put together an astonishing streak of six consecutive section titles but none of those finals were as close as last year's 36-30 victory over the Bulldogs It took a fourth quarter comeback for 'Squan to come out on top after the trailed 22-16 at the end of the third Manasquan beat rival Wall 53-36 on Wednesday to secure its spot in the section final and the 17-point margin of victory was the perennial power's smallest of the state playoffs Rumson and 'Squan met in the regular season back in December There is no shortage of possible outcomes for this championship game There are stellar playmakers that could win the day coaches that are master tacticians able to craft a result and role players capable of playing like stars in big moments Kieran Schneider (14) of Manasquan is fired up after scoring a goal against Ridge during the boys lacrosse game at Manasquan High School in Manasquan .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Craig Epstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comKieran Schneider recorded two goals and six assists to lead Manasquan Manasquan (2-0) came out of the gates strong and took a 12-0 lead in the first quarter before tacking on three more goals in the second while Brandon Kunz had a goal and four assists Joe Egan scored all three goals for Red Bank Catholic (0-3) The N.J. 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Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Army Corps of Engineers' dredge boat Murden has vacuumed up about 20,000 cubic yards of sand out of the Manasquan Inlet so far as it works to dig out the dangerous shoal that formed this summer That converts to about 64 million pounds of wet sand removed from the inlet since the work began in earnest this past weekend so the final total figures to be higher once the shoal is completely removed which is a 156-foot split hull hopper dredge said Army Corps' Philadelphia District spokesperson Stephen Rochette they're only filling it up with 400 cubic yards of sand per cycle The sand is being deposited just offshore of Manasquan's Riddle Way beach Rochette said they chose that spot because it’s relatively close to the inlet for quick transport and secondly because the sand drifts north from there so it supports Manasquan beaches without going back into the inlet it is within the ‘depth of closure,’ meaning it’s within the zone that will eventually migrate toward the beach How we got here: Army Corps will stay and complete dredging Manasquan Inlet's dangerous shoal Rochette said if they place the sand outside the 'depth of closure," it basically won't reach the beach Fishing boat captains who use the inlet daily to leave the Manasquan River and enter the Atlantic Ocean said the shoal was the worst it has ever been What's taking so long? Ortley Beach, other Ocean County towns badly need new beach sand of the Dauntless party boat described the shoal as a "beach" that reached out to about one third of the mouth of the inlet presenting a navigational hazard to boaters The Army Corps and locally elected leaders are also warning people to stay off the shoal The likely cause of the shoal has been the persistent south wind and swells this summer It was the same dynamic that likely caused the shoaling in 2022 "(In) time periods with persistent southerlies the sand can move quickly into the inlet," Rochette told the press in a previous story Critics of beach replenishment say those projects have resulted in excess sand drifting north The Army Corps last completed beach replenishment south of Manasquan Inlet on the Barnegat Peninsula in 2019 That project ended one mile south of Manasquan Inlet He said the majority of the sand was placed south of what the Corps called the "nodal zone," where the dominant transport of sand shifts the natural inlet completely sanded in after the Point Pleasant Canal was dug forcing the Corps to stabilize the waterway and construct the present inlet Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.