STAFFORD – The beauty of high school track & field is there are so many events taking place you just never know when an amazing story is going to emerge There were two of them at the Ocean County Relays senior Jordan Muraglia capped a remarkable personal comeback story – there was a time when she was unsure if she would ever walk again – to lead Point Pleasant Borough’s girls to the team title Toms River North broke a Shore Conference record that stood since 1979 and matched the New Jersey state schoolboy record in the event Then came calamity during a floor exercise routine “I landed on my neck and the compression of the injury caused a mass to form on my spinal cord It was just a mess – I didn’t know if I was going to be able to walk again She underwent spinal surgery on her 13th birthday and then doctors broke the bad news: “I could not go back to gymnastics and I thought my world was over," Muraglia said "I didn’t have any idea I was going to be a runner As a high school freshman Muraglia joined Point Boro’s powerhouse girls track program she led the Panthers to the team title by posting a meet-best distance in the long jump (18 feet) anchoring the winning 4x100 (a total time of 49.01 seconds) and running on the second-place shuttle hurdles relay that broke the program record with a 1:05 who also set a program record in the 4x200 with a 1:43.04 clocking piled up 97 points to easily capture the team title outscoring schools twice their size like runner-up Toms River North (70 points) and host Southern Regional (69 points) Their 4x100 and 4x200 times are the fastest in the Shore Conference so far this season “Our team is so big for a small school,” Muraglia said “We have such great coaches who really care and they push us assistant coach Kyle Roos gave her a memorable pep talk that opened her eyes to her potential “But Coach Roos saw something in me and said but you have to dedicate yourself to it.’ So I thought I’m going to give my all to this,’ and it worked out.” as she recovered from spinal surgery at Jersey Shore Medical Center Muraglia could see the Neptune High School track from her hospital-room window It was a foreshadowing of a comeback story she never would have imagined “Everything happens for a reason – I truly believe that,” she said and now I’m going to college for it at Bucknell more history for Toms River North boysAfter breaking the Shore Conference records in the 4x100 and 4x400 at the Penn Relays Toms River North’s boys took down two more at the Ocean County Relays The Mariners matched the New Jersey state record in the shuttle hurdles as Camryn Thomas Mordecai Ford and Mamadi Diawara clocked 56.58 seconds That equaled the statewide schoolboy record set by East Orange Campus in 2017 and shattered a Shore Conference standard that stood for 46 years – a 57.7 by Neptune way back in 1979 Neptune's mark was the Shore Conference’s longest-standing track & field record along with the boys high jump (7-foot-2 by Monmouth Regional’s Milton Goode not counting events that have been modified or retired “That it’s 40-something years old means a lot – we broke a record that happened when my dad was born,” Ford said I would love to meet with those guys (from Neptune) to let them know they ran a really good time and we’ve got these new kids in town.” Shuttle hurdles records tend to be durable because the event is not contested very often and even then Thomas already had posted a state-best time in the 400-meter hurdles (52.06) Ford and Diawara had run on the 4x200 that shaved nearly a second off the Mariners’ own Shore Conference record (set last spring) with a 1:26.45 clocking “It means a lot going into the state record book knowing we can go much faster than we ran today,” Thomas said “We were all on tired legs – once we’re on fresh legs I think we can drop something hot the Mariners easily defended their boys team title But the picture is bigger than that for this special group as they continue to make a case for being the Shore Conference's best boys track team ever The senior posted a state-best time of 52.06 in the 400 hurdles just a hair off of the Shore Conference record and ran on the shuttle hurdles crew that tied the state record (56.58) He also recorded the meet’s third-farthest long jump (21-7) Central RegionalThe seniors were the meet’s top two long jumpers in impression fashion with Amaechina leaping 23-0.5 and Riley 22-10.5 They also ran on the second-place 4x100 (44.13) and Amaechina also posted the meet’s best triple jump (44-9) The senior posted the meet’s top high jump (6-2) and ran on the state-record shuttle hurdles (56.58) and Shore Conference-record 4x200 (1:26.45) The senior anchored the state-record shuttle hurdles (56.58) and Shore Conference-record 4x200 (1:26.45) and also cleared 6-0 in the high jump The seniors registered the meet’s top two pole vault heights Toms River NorthThe senior matched her personal best in the high jump at 5-7 a whopping seven inches higher than anyone else in the field She also ran on the victorious shuttle hurdles (1:04.94) and picked up a third-place medal in the long jump after a 15-6 leap The senior posted the meet’s top mark in the long jump (18-0) and ran on the first-place 4x100 (49.01) and second-place shuttle hurdles (1:05.14) The junior anchored the winning 4x800 with a 2:16 split anchored the second-place distance medley with a 5:03 1600 and ran a 1:01.2 leg on the second-place 4x200 The senior recorded the meet’s farthest throws in the shot put (42-1) and discus (113-6) The senior posted the meet’s top triple jump (34-9) and second-best long jump (16-5) contributed to a gold-medal high jump relay (5-0) and ran on the winning shuttle hurdles (1:04.94) Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Point Pleasant continues the accreditation of floodgatesby GILBERT McCLANAHAN (WCHS) — Many cities in our region rest along rivers making floodgates and flood walls important to prevent flooding This weekend Point Pleasant is testing one of its floodgates Point Pleasant has nine flood gates and crews will be working this weekend on preventative maintenance Workers are slowly chipping away the black top at one of the flood gates on Route 2 as part of the accreditation of the flood gates by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers and we want to keep the accreditation on the flood wall in order to not have flood insurance in the City of Point Pleasant," said Mason County Emergency Management Director Jeremy Bryant Bryant said the only cost is perhaps overtime hours for city employees working on the flood gate The flood gates are supposed to be inspected and exercised once every three years but Bryant said they try and do it every year or two to keep up with the equipment make sure it is working properly and ensure staff know how things operate "It's good practice for employees because if something happens and we do get a flood and we have to shut it it's good that annually they get the opportunity to practice," said Bryant Both lanes of Route 2 will be closed Saturday morning for work but work is expected to be finished and the road reopened sometime Saturday afternoon restaurant opening at the old Point Pleasant firehouse28 PHOTOSBoo's Brewing Co and Firehouse Grill in Point Pleasant embraces the firefighting history of its building with memorabilia displayed around the bar and restaurant including these original photos from the Point Pleasant Fire Co set inside the old Point Pleasant firehouse along River Road is to feature a menu centered around craft beers Brewmaster Karen Giordano partnered with local builder and designer Glen Stephan to bring their vision of a brewery and restaurant to life inside the old Point Pleasant Firehouse along River Road The building's old ambulance bay was transformed into The 1776 Room a lounge space featuring Colonial-inspired decor at Boo's Brewing Co A dining areas inside Boo's Brewing Co and Firehouse Grill showcases some of the natural beauty and outdoor recreation found within Point Pleasant set inside the old Point Pleasant firehouse along River Road is to feature a menu centered around craft beers and Firehouse Grill in Point Pleasant embraces the firefighting history of its building with equipment photos and other memorabilia displayed around the bar and restaurant is set inside the one of the building's old firetruck bays and Firehouse Grill in Point Pleasant open up the bar and restaurant to the outside on warmer days embraces the firefighting history of its building with equipment Vintage firefighting nozzles and hose couplings are part of the decor at Boo's Brewing Co and Firehouse Grill in Point Pleasant is opening inside the old Point Pleasant Firehouse along River Road the 1938 building was home to Kinsman Garden Co which has been a part of the property since it belonged to Kinsman Garden Co. is to continue sit out front of Boo's Brewing Co and Firehouse Grill in Point Pleasant is to open inside the old Point Pleasant Firehouse along River Road 2025 at 8:10 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Point Pleasant has rescheduled its Easter Egg Hunt for 2025 NJ — The Point Pleasant Easter Egg Hunt that was scheduled for this weekend has been postponed due to the forecast which will be held at Community Park at the corner of Beaver Dam Road and Bridge Avenue There are four timeslots for children to participate Families should bring baskets to collect the eggs and people should check the eggs for prizes before leaving the park The Easter Bunny will be on hand to get photos so be sure to remember to bring your camera Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comAddison Tupper went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a double to lead Toms River South to a 15-12 win over Point Pleasant Beach Point Beach (2-10) led 11-10 after the fifth inning but Toms River South (7-8) rallied for five runs in the sixth inning Minerie Sanchez and Charlotte Supino each drove in a pair of runs for TRS Olivia D’Erasmo went 4-for-4 with three RBI for Point Beach 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) 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 2025 at 10:37 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Residents in Point Pleasant Beach will see drones flying around the borough on Wednesday while police officers are training on how to fly them (Jonah Meadows/Patch)POINT PLEASANT BEACH NJ — The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department will have officers training on drone piloting on Wednesday "You will start seeing our drone more and more as it is utilized for search techniques and other law enforcement matters," the police department said Wednesday's training session will be in the area of the G Harold Antrim Elementary School fields and will be happening all day A new onsite EMS workspace at UBCTS will provide critical training opportunities for students The Upper Bucks County Technical School and Point Pleasant EMS are working together to enhance campus safety quicken emergency response and cultivate the next generation of first responders through an onsite EMS workspace at the school "We are thrilled to have recently signed this agreement with Point Pleasant-Plumsteadville EMS which will significantly improve our campus safety protocols and provide our students with lifesaving skills they can use both within and beyond the school setting," said Michael Herrera "This partnership exemplifies UBCTS's commitment to ensuring our students and staff are well-prepared in an emergency." The workspace will be staffed periodically during and after school hours and students and staff will be able to take advantage of opportunities to learn CPR Stop the Bleed and tactical medic techniques from EMS personnel Students can also take part in job shadowing and co-op experiences to give them a taste of careers in health care "We are proud to play a role in shaping the future of emergency medical services and supporting the next generation of first responders," said Point Pleasant-Plumsteadville EMS Chief Mike Tuttle commended both the school and the EMS organization for partnering with each other "UBCTS has undoubtedly been a leader in educational innovation," Coleman said in a written announcement "I hope this model will inspire other schools and businesses to consider ways to work together effectively to benefit our students and our communities."  Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today. The Bucks County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame welcomed the Class of 2025 on Thursday at Brookside Manor in Feasterville. The Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company’s Super 21 Truck will be returning for the very special 25th anniversary Kiwanis-Herald Sesame Place Classic on Sunday, May 18 at the fun park in Middletown. Central Bucks South posted a 4-0 lead in the first inning en route to a 7-0 shutout of visiting Central Bucks East in Tuesday’s Suburban One League Colonial Division game. On Sunday, April 27, the Doylestown Rugby Academy high school girls team traveled to Downingtown to play the Downingtown girls team. Doylestown was victorious by a score of 43-26. The Archbishop Wood baseball team guaranteed itself a winning Philadelphia Catholic League season with Monday’s 7-0 victory over Cardinal O’Hara. 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Toms River North broke a Shore Conference record that stood since 1979 and matched the New Jersey… A fan We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy 2025 at 12:55 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}After the kids have collected their Easter eggs head over to the boardwalk for the annual Easter parade NJ — If part of your Easter celebration involves dressing up in your finest clothes head over to the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach and take part in the annual Easter Parade sponsored by the Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce in front of Joey Tomato’s on the boardwalk and awards are handed out in the following categories: Prizes from the boardwalk and local businesses will be awarded In addition, Jenkinson's has its Easter sale going on ride tickets, game passes, miniature golf and more. See the options here .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaFrancesca Skowronski scored six goals and dished out three assists as Point Pleasant Boro claimed a 19-6 home victory over Toms River North Kayden Cilento added four goals and four assists for Point Pleasant Boro (6-2) Reagan Catalano provided most of the offense for Toms River North (0-9) Point Pleasant Boro is now 6-1 in its last seven games It will face Central Regional on the road next Tuesday Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com POINT PLEASANT - Point Pleasant Beach High School was probably the toughest Shore Conference baseball program to get a read on the last several seasons There was no doubt the Garnet Gulls were a good team but nobody was sure how good they were because the Group 1 school was placed in the Group 1-dominated Class B Central Division They simply were too good for most of the overmatched teams in that division in recent seasons except when Ranney was in that division in the early part of this decade and when St Rose was placed back in that division two seasons ago Nobody will have to guess how good Point Pleasant Beach is now Under the Shore Conference's realignment for this season the three-time defending Central Group 1 champion Garnet Gulls are in Class B South with Group 4 Toms River North and Central; Group 2 Manasquan Jackson Liberty and crosstown rival Point Pleasant Borough and Non-Public B school St after its 7-3 win over Point Borough on a cold windy and blustery Wednesday afternoon at Point Borough It is 5-0 with two convincing divisional wins over Jackson Liberty its first win over Point Borough since 2009 and nondivisional wins over Donovan Catholic and Group 3 Brick Township 6 in the Asbury Park Press Shore Conference Top 20 "Our record (at the end of the season) will reflect who we are,'' Point Beach head coach Angelo Fiore said "Corey Hamann (Donovan Catholic's head coach) said 'All I want to do is play competitive baseball' Evaluating Point Beach players for post-season honors was always hard.Another area where moving to a new division should help Point Beach's players besides the ability to show off their talents against tougher competition is when it comes to post-season all-star teams like the Asbury Park Press All-Shore teams Fiore and Garnet Gulls' assistant head coach Joe Mazza would always have to break down how their players stats against non-Class B Central opponents in order for them to get full consideration "I want to be able to walk into an All-Shore meeting (Fiore was the Class B Central represenative for the Asbury Park Press All-Shore meeting in recent seasons) and when I say this guy is my best player you guys can say you're absolutely right,'' Fiore said The same was true when it came to the Shore Conference Tournament seeding committee trying to figure out where to place Point Beach because it was so much better than most of its divisional opponents "You couldn't get a read on us,'' Fiore said The new division will present challengesPoint Beach will know it is in a competitive game most days in Class B South Manasquan is off to a 4-1 start and has solid pitching is off to a 5-0 start and has already surpassed its win total from last season Toms River North is another program with a rich history which is in its final season by itself before it merges with Jackson Memorial to become one Jackson High School has been a solid program more often than not since it began play in 2008 Point Borough always puts out a competitive team and had the streak of wins over the Garnet Gulls that ended Wednesday Rose and Point Beach have had a very competitive rivalry through the years There does not figure to be many games where Point Beach knows going into the game but there was always that asterisk next to it,'' Fiore said we're here in a division where we want to prove we're a legitimate program I think we're built good enough to play with anybody in the conference right now.'' The Garnet Gulls return most of the team that advanced to the Group 1 championship game last season That was Point Beach's first appearance in the Group 1 final Several of those players contributed Wednesday who Fiore said was only supposed to serve as an opener on the mound pitched six effective innings and got out of a base-loaded one-out jam in the bottom of the first unscathed Junior catcher Daniel Lubach had a two-run single in a four-run third inning and junior first baseman Noah Banick had a run-scoring single in the fourth "We have a great academic program here at Point Beach but we're also a tuition school,'' Fiore said "With the winning comes the attractions from outside the district "We have had a couple of impact players come into the program who have really been instrumental like Danny Lubach who struck out the side around a walk and a single in the seventh in relief Wednesday) are all tuition kids who have come into the program.'' The pitching aspect will also be different for the Garnet Gulls when it faced teams outside Class B Central would be able to line up its best pitchers to face those teams while facing pitchers who were not at the top of the rotation from those teams Point Beach was able to conserve its pitching in the Class B Central it will have to stretch its pitchers out in games "We have to be radically creative with what we have in our pitching staff,'' Fiore said (WCHS) — The historic Lowe Hotel in Point Pleasant now has new owners An attorney from Point Pleasant who wishes to remain anonymous paid nearly $2 million for the building and the hope is that move will drive economic development downtown The hotel has been a fixture in Point Pleasant since it was built in 1901 Now the building is getting a new lease on life with ownership who plan to keep the historic look of the building intact "This isn't going to be a Hampton Inn It's not going to be a Holiday Inn Express This is going to be a showpiece where people come and they feel like they are in another time really has some charm to it," said Chris Rizer executive director of Main Street Point Pleasant "There's going to be some creative retail opportunities with the store fronts because the building has six storefronts besides the lobby bars and really cool special retail spaces," Rizer said owner of Siders' Jewelers hopes the sale will boost business in the downtown area "They will come in our stores and see what we have to offer," Siders said "The streets used to be busy and hopefully they will be again because of the renovation of the hotel." The cost of the building is nearly $2 million and Rizer estimates renovation and restoration costs to top $6 million All of the money for this project is a private investment "This is the culmination of everything Point Pleasant and Mason County have worked for for so long," Rizer said Details of the restoration are still being worked out but efforts to revitalize the building are expected to start be the end of 2025 and take 18 months to complete .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comEilanna Meola pitched a four-hit shutout striking out six and walking two to lift fifth-seeded Pinelands to a 4-0 victory over top-seeded Point Pleasant Boro in the Ocean County Tournament semifinals in Point Pleasant Meola also went 3-for-4 with a RBI for Pinelands (7-0) which struck for three runs in the top of the second inning Hannah Theuret went 2-for-4 and Cali Peterka had a run and a RBI Pinelands will play the Jackson Memorial-New Egypt winner in the final Dakota Palmieri allowed one earned run on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts for Point Pleasant Boro (6-2) The N.J. 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Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) 2025 at 5:52 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The bicycle safety event hosted by the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department is held in the Silver Lake parking lot and is for borough children (Point Pleasant Beach Police Department)POINT PLEASANT BEACH NJ — The Point Pleasant Beach Bike Bash bicycle safety rodeo is set for Saturday The event is hosted by the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department and is for Point Beach children in kindergarten through eighth grade Children need permission slips signed by parents or guardians to participate Those registered in advance will be eligible for prizes including a free bike There will be a BMX stunt show presented by Dialed Action Permission slips and registration forms have been handed out to K-8 students in the Point Pleasant Beach school district; they also are available at the Police Department on New Jersey Avenue They must be returned to the police department by Friday Children also can participate in the event on the day itself Email cbradley@pointbeach.org or call 732-892-0500 140 to get registered for gifts and prizes 2025 at 9:16 pm ETFirefighters inspect a motel room at Shore Points Motel in Point Pleasant Beach after extinguishing a fire early Sunday (Ocean Fire Company)Firefighters inspect a motel room at Shore Points Motel in Point Pleasant Beach after extinguishing a fire early Sunday (Ocean FIre Company )Firefighters inspect a motel room at Shore Points Motel in Point Pleasant Beach after extinguishing a fire early Sunday NJ — One person was injured and several were displaced by an early morning fire at the Shore Points Motel in Point Pleasant Beach Three off-duty Point Pleasant Beach officers who were passing by the motel on Broadway saw smoke and fire and began evacuating motel rooms getting the occupants out and moving them to safety On-duty police who arrived tried to extinguish the fire while the rest of the motel was evacuated but made little progress in halting the flames One person was treated by the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad for minor injuries and taken to the hospital as a precaution Ocean Fire Company and Point Pleasant Beach Fire Company 2 arrived and put out the fire The fire companies said firefighters pulled a hose to focus water on the motel room involved in the fire and assisted with searching for victims and ventilating the motel and Laurelton Fire Company 1 provided mutual aid The fire is under investigation by the Point Pleasant Beach Fire Official’s Office Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified the motel .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comConor Trapenese scored twice to lead Point Pleasant Boro in a 6-3 win over Donovan Catholic an assist and three ground balls while Blake Engelken had the same stat line while also winning 6-of-12 faceoffs Andrew Michigan and Connor Michigan each finished with a goal and an assist .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaJayden Devino and Vincent Meehan had five-point nights Mike Kelly also scored three goals for the Rebels Adam Baker made seven saves to get the win in the net for the Rebels John Lewis can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Tim McClain | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comKeegan Dunn pumped in nine goals and contributed two assists when Barnegat rolled to a 22-11 victory over Point Pleasant Boro in Barnegat Luke Tortorici added six goals and three assists for Barnegat (7-1) which built a 7-2 lead in the first quarter and extended the advantage to 19-10 heading into fourth Jakob Jason had three goals and four assists in the victory while Stephen Griffin had two goals and two assists Brady Kirk led Point Pleasant Boro (5-2) with six goals and three assists Jason Piemonte had two goals and a team-high six ground balls and Blake Engelken scored once and won 22 of 30 face-offs .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comGia Gates recorded a hit and two RBI to help Point Pleasant Beach take a 4-2 road win over Manchester Township The Garnet Gulls took a 3-1 lead by scoring a pair of runs in the fourth Lucia Robinson gave up six hits in the circle Kassandra O’Neill drove in a pair of runs for the Hawks (2-6) 2025 at 10:45 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Juan M Santiago Rojas was a fugitive for 16 months before he was arrested in December 2023 and extradited to New Jersey in January 2024 (Ocean County Corrections website)TOMS RIVER NJ — A Point Pleasant man who strangled a woman and left her for dead in 2022 has been indicted on an attempted murder charge was indicted Thursday in the attack that happened in Point Pleasant on Aug Point Pleasant police answering a 911 call for an unconscious woman at a Butler Avenue home found the victim unconscious and with serious injuries to her head and neck She was taken to Ocean University Medical Center in Brick but transferred to the trauma unit at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune because of the nature and extent of her injuries She was treated and eventually released from the hospital Investigators determined the woman had been assaulted by Santiago-Rojas on Aug charged him with aggravated assault and issued a warrant for his arrest Santiago-Rojas’ name was entered in the National Crime Information Center database and he was a fugitive for 16 months before he was arrested Dec Authorities have not said what led to his arrest in North Carolina and has been held in the Ocean County Jail since then There also are two detainers on Santiago-Rojas by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency Investigation after his arrest determined Santiago-Rojas had assaulted the victim and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness and he was additionally charged with attempted murder on Jan Thursday's grand jury indictment charges him with attempted murder possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose CAMDEN – As Slade Samaritano was being taken to the ambulance after sustaining a serious leg injury he had one message for the Point Pleasant Borough High School football team “Get me that ring,” the senior two-way lineman said His team responded with a championship effort and the result was a 15-7 victory over Camden High and the South Jersey Group 2 title on Friday night at Farnham Park Head coach Brian Staub told his players it was the “most impressive most gutsy win in Point Boro school history,” and then added “it was the greatest defensive performance in Point Boro history.” Senior Nick Albanese couldn’t agree more with his coach This is what we’ve been playing for and I’ve been waiting 13 years for this It’s what I’ve dreamt about since I was a little kid.” Point Pleasant Boro (10-2) will play for the opportunity to advance to the state championship game when it travels to Rumson-Fair Haven (11-0) for a state semifinal game on Friday Rumson-Fair Haven knocked off Wall 38-14 for the Central Jersey title Camden (8-3) had blistered many of its opponents this season with a high-octane offense that produced over 4,000 total yards More: Football 2024: Check out all of our content for the South Jersey high school season the Purple and Gold never got into a rhythm on offense and PPB’s defense was the big reason The visiting Panthers put constant pressure on Camden quarterback Mahki Brunson and held the host Panthers' ground game to under 50 yards “Our game plan was to just buckle down,” sophomore defensive back Nick Spanola said The D-line put pressure on the quarterback and he made mistakes.” Albanese provided the bulk of the defensive pressure Boro finished with two takeaways with a Jake Clayton pick to end the first half and a fumble recovery by James Bradley late in the fourth quarter it could have sapped the energy from the Boro sideline Albanese said he’s been friends with Samaritano since they were 5 years old ‘Get me that ring,’ and that’s what we did,” Albanese said Junior Declan Miles replaced Albanese at left guard and got a rave review from Albanese “He came out and put his head right in their chest He played the best football I’ve ever seen him play,” Albanese said Point Pleasant Boro’s offense was certainly not in a rush and the strategy worked as Camden’s postseason run simply ran out of time Boro took its time and often ran the play clock down to the final seconds before snapping the ball “It all started against Spotswood last season that was their game plan and we realized on our sideline it was really frustrating for us,” Albanese said We take our time and play hard-nosed football.” Camden started the game with three straight three-and-outs and only had two offensive possessions in the second half “We just couldn’t get going,” Camden head coach Rob Hinson said normally we have (more) possessions and things begin to click “I think we finally got into a rhythm in the fourth quarter but just didn’t have enough (time) … Our mantra all year has been ‘Our best is enough.’ We didn’t play our best.” finished its season at 8-3 and can clinch the West Jersey Football League Colonial Conference outright title with a win over crosstown rival Eastside on Thanksgiving It was Point Pleasant Boro's fifth sectional title in its history and first since 2021 Camden was a two-time defending sectional titlist which averaged 36.9 points per game going into Friday The Purple and Gold also produced three takeaways After turning the ball over on its first possession culminating with touchdowns runs of 30 and 4 yards by Spanola and Dylan Reitmeyer Camden cut the deficit to 13-7 in the second quarter when Ibn Muhammad hauled in a 33-yard pass from Brunson After a huge goal-line stand that including four stops inside the Camden 2 the Purple and Gold surrendered a safety when its receiver caught the ball at the 5 broke out of the tackle but was pushed back into the end zone where he was tackled for a safety “I’ll take an effort play all the time,” Brunson said about the safety ‘Coach I was just trying to make something happen.’’’ Azir Lee had a clutch third-down tackle while Will Crisdon delivered the big hit on the fourth-down stop Camden would enter Boro territory two more times Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 35 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him by email tmcgurk@gannett.com Help support local journalism with a digital subscription a hidden gem in the small river town of Point Pleasant “We appreciate the recognition as ‘Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion’,” said Fiona Trachtenberg the famed beat poet and author who penned the novel for which the restaurant is named after How many have you been to? Check out USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year. Bucks spots to check out: 10 Bucks County standouts we wish made USA TODAY's Restaurants of the Year list Fiona and her husband, Steven Trachtenberg, started Dharma Bums in 2022 after leaving their careers in manufacturing and product design to create a space centered around food is a reflection of their desire to slow down and find happiness in the simple things And now I feel like we’re doing something more meaningful “And that goes into the departure of corporate life,” added Steven “And being a part of something that is more tangible Dharma Bums’ menu — artfully executed by chef Mike Jackson the visionary chef and owner behind the former Blue Sage in Southampton — features bold plant-based comfort food dishes elevated with Asian-inspired flavors and ingredients impressing even the most stubborn nonvegetarians its drink menu includes curated craft beers non-alcoholic beverages and unique craft cocktails such as the Toki Smash made with Japanese whiskey an intentionally unfinished flex space and outdoor courtyard the Point Pleasant bar and restaurant hosts local music as well as an eclectic mix of unconventional events vintage flea markets and kid-friendly activities How did we do it? Inside look at how USA TODAY chose its Restaurants of the Year for 2025 Dharma Bums transforms into a coffeehouse serving specialty coffee tea and lattes alongside a rotating selection of vegan treats from Philadelphia's Crust Vegan Bakery the coffeehouse hosts a kids open mic afternoon for young performers to share their music Dharma Bums hosts charitable events and features a monthly Cocktail for a Cause through which 20% of the proceeds are donated towards a local nonprofit organization Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center we’re built on the back of a vegetarian restaurant There’s really something to be said when people sit down and share a meal together That’s kind of the start of it all and it really pushes out to all the other pieces of it,” Steven said See last year's list: Check out USA TODAY's 2024 Restaurants of the Year. Perfect for sharing or pairing with drinks once you start eating these hand-cut fries topped with cilantro From the crispy fried cauliflower and spicy Gochujang honey to the fluffy savory herbed waffle and the black miso garlic butter to top it off this vegetarian take on a classic delights in both texture and flavor porcini "ramen" velouté in a biscuit crust Can be made vegan or gluten-free by request See the full menu Did you know?Dharma Bums’ three-story building dates back to 1887 when it was an inn serving travelers moving between Philadelphia and New York. More recently, it was home to Apple Jack bar including the infamous political activist Abbie Hoffman Details: 4935 River Road, Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania; 215-663-2867; dbums.com art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comElla Tortorici scored twice to help Barnegat edge out a 5-4 win over Point Pleasant Boro Sadie Guiro and Molly Carroll also scored once for Barnegat (6-2) Allie Soden made six saves in the cage for the Bengals Aubrey Gilbert posted a hat trick for Point Boro (5-2) while Aubree Piemonte scored once The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. 2025 at 4:24 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The OB Diner has closed for renovations and to hire staff March 6: This article has been updated with comment from the realtor representing the owners of the OB Diner has closed down for renovations and because of staffing issues The diner's closure set off rumors over the weekend and on social media about the future of the diner which has been a fixture on Richmond Avenue since the early 1960s Jon Coletta with Coletta Commercial Properties said the primary issue is the diner has lost three cooks due to health reasons and the owners are searching for staff to replace them "In order to re-group they are closing to make some changes and hire more help," Coletta said Coletta said the property is being marketed for sale on commercial sites and said if a new operator was interested in the diner while they work to hire more staff A sign (see it below) posted on the doors of the diner said it is undergoing renovations and is anticipated to reopen in the summer of 2025 "We can't wait to welcome you back," the sign reads "Thank you for your patience and understanding The property is listed for sale on the commercial real estate website LoopNet but the real estate company listed as the broker did not respond to a message seeking information and the property did not appear on the Coletta website In trying to get to the bottom of the rumors Patch reached out to Coletta Commercial Properties through a contact form on the company's website Patch also tried to call the phone number listed for OB Diner but after 10 rings the call went to a fax machine A search for a current phone number for the owners could not be located Patch also checked land records to see if there was any evidence that a sale of the property was imminent but found no notice of settlement posted in Ocean County land records Patch contacted Point Pleasant Borough regarding permits to again see if there was any information that could confirm or debunk rumors that had circulated on social media The diner has been through renovations and rebuilding previously. A fire significantly damaged the building in 1989, and the diner was shut down after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, but reopened two years later after renovations A Point Pleasant man who authorities say strangled a woman in a borough home in 2022 and then became a fugitive was indicted Thursday was charged in the indictment with attempted murder Point Pleasant police were called to an assault in a Butler Avenue home where they found an unconscious woman with injuries to her head and neck The victim was taken to Ocean Medical Center in Brick and then to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where she was treated and eventually released.Investigators from the prosecutor's office Point Pleasant and the Ocean County Sheriff's Office identified Santiago-Rojas as the attacker was charged in the assault and declared a fugitive More: Hidden domestic violence: Monmouth medics, police seek subtle strangulation signs Further investigation by the Special Victims Unit of the prosecutor's office showed that Santiago-Rojas "strangled (the victim) to the point of unconsciousness," leading to the attempted murder charge Attorney information was not available for Santiago-Rojas Ken Serrano covers crime Reach him at 732-643-4029 or kserrano@gannettnj.com.