Weekend Preview

Toms River South makes its first-ever appearance in a boys soccer group final tonight when the Indians take on Clifton in the Group 4 Championship game at The College of New Jersey. Coach Ed Liebe’s squad has become the “cardiac kids” of soccer with last-second and overtime wins highlighting their state tournament run. In tonight’s 5:30 match-up they meet a Clifton team that has not allowed a goal in it’s five tournament victories and has reached the Group 4 final for a third straight year.

On the subject of soccer how can you not be impressed with what’s been taking place at Monmouth University. The Hawks outlasted Big East champion Connecticut in a shootout Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before more than a thousand fans on The Great Lawn in West Long Branch. Monmouth next faces Ivy League champion Harvard Sunday in Cambridge, Massachusetts where a win would propel them into the final 16 teams left playing in the nation. By the way, the Hawks will lose only one senior to graduation so there should be more good times in the future.

The NJSIAA Football Semifinals are set for this weekend with Lacey, Toms River East and Brick Memorial the only Ocean County teams among the 12 from the Shore Conference still alive for sectional titles. Lacey takes a 7-game winning streak to Timber Creek tonight in a South Jersey Group 3 matchup while the undefeated Raiders battle Egg Harbor Saturday afternoon in a SJ Group 4 game that will be played on the turf at St. Augustine Prep. Defending champion Brick Memorial looks to turn the tables on Howell when the teams meet Saturday night in a Central Jersey Group 4 semifinal…the Rebels winning a regular season duel 37-27 four weeks ago.

Our Shore Sports Network will broadcast tonight’s Central Jersey Group 2 battle between Manasquan and Rumson-Fair Haven. Kickoff is 7pm and you can hear the game on 105.7FM, 1160AM or at shoresportsnetwork.com.

The Cross Country season concludes tomorrow with the running of the Meet of Champions at Holmdel Park. Among the local runners to watch is Toms River North’s Joe Kotran, who won the Group 4 championship last weekend.