Go Mariners!

Since the high school sports year is coming to a close today’s segment is devoted to those few teams who have not put their uniforms away and are still competing for state championships, the ultimate goal of high school athletes and coaches.

The Toms River North baseball team was expected to be pretty good this season but the Mariners have certainly exceeded expectations and earned a spot in the South Jersey Group 4 Championship game with a gut-wrenching 1-0 win Tuesday over arch-rival Toms River South in the fourth meeting of the season between the teams. Mariner junior Zach Brebner tossed a no-hitter as for the second time in a couple of weeks he hooked up with the Indians Marc Potter in a memorable pitchers duel. Brebner has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings against the Indians and he needed all of them. North scored the games only run when Paul DeMartino singled to lead off the bottom of the 6th and came home following a double error.

The Mariners 24-4 record is the best in school history and with the Class A South championship under their belt they will now host Washington Township Friday with a chance to win their first state sectional title in 10 years. Coach Ted Schelmay’s team is also alive in the Shore Conference Tournament and hosts Colts Neck this afternoon in the quarterfinals. Lots of laundry for the Mariner Moms but I’m sure they don’t mind.

Also playing for State Sectional titles will be the softball teams from Toms River East and Central. The Raiders earned a South Jersey Group 4 title game appearance with a 7-0 win over Vineland Tuesday as the seemingly always-brilliant Lyndsey PeQueen tossed a two-hitter and freshman Holly Luciano blasted a three-run homer. PeQueen struck out 6, giving her 379 for the season which is just four shy of the Shore Conference record. The sophomore will probably go into the record books tomorrow when the 28-1 Raiders host Absegami.

Central’s Golden Eagles punched their ticket to the South Jersey Group 3 Finals with a 6-4 win over Highland behind pitcher Jenn Pepper and clutch hitting from Christa Shea and Alexis Majury. Central will host Hammonton tomorrow with a chance to claim a state sectional championship.

Not to be forgotten is the Southern Regional Boys Volleyball team, which has a quarterfinal round game today in the state tournament.