Sports Shorts

The Hazlet United S.A. Crush U9 boys travel soccer team placed fourth overall of the 10 teams participating in the Tab Ramos 5 v 5 Winter 2007 Indoor league. In their 10 games, the Crush went 7-3-0, scoring 45 goals with 20 scored against them. Hazlet was in second place (6-1-0) going into the playoffs but missed their chance of advancing to the final.

Hazlet scored several impressive wins against Marlboro S.A. Thunder White 6-2, Sayreville S.A. Bombers 3-1, Metuchen S.C. Rockets White 4-0, Hazlet United S.A. Sting 4-0 and 4-1, Marlboro S.A. Thunder Blue 4-1 and Marlboro S.A. Thunder Gold 11-1. The Crush losses were at the hands of the Middletown S.C. Express, 3-1 (who went undefeated at 10-0-0 to win the U9 division), Holmdel Hammerheads, 6-4 (6-2-2), and Marlboro S.A. Thunder Blue, 5-4; 3-2 in penalty kicks at the end of regulation time of their consolation match (5-4-1).

The Crush took part in the 2007 Red Bull Cup Tournament on March 17 at the Soccer Coliseum in Teaneck. Teams from the tristate area competed in the hope of advancing to the U9 finals, which will be played at Giant Stadium in April.

Hazlet's preseason warm-up continues and will match the Crush in friendly scrimmages against several high-ranked MOSA and MNJYSA teams to include Middletown S.C. Express, Sayreville S.A. Bombers and PDA Pele¿ (Player Development Academy).

The Hazlet Crush resumed MNJYSA league action when they open their 2007 spring season March 18 as a Flight 3 team. In their home opener, they matched skills with the South Brunswick S.A. Flames at the Hazlet Soccer Complex. The Crush look forward to the higher level of competition that lies ahead of them.

The Hazlet United U9 Crush are: Brandon "Bo" Bentley, Alec Fortune, Johnny Helmus, Joey Koempel, Joseph "Junior" Koempel, Andres Medina, Barry O'Sullivan, Jordan Robinson, Philip Walsh and Jake Wosleger.

The Crush are coached by Vito Koempel and Carlos Mejia. Their trainers include Sal Liguori III (U15 Red Bull Academy and Olympic Development Program player).

Husky 3v3 Outdoor Spring Soccer is accepting registration for this season in Matawan/Aberdeen. Games are played on Sundays.

For additional information and registration forms, check the Web site at www.leaguelineup.com/huskysport.

In their first year together as a team, the fifth-grade boys basketball team at St. Benedict School in Holmdel went undefeated (16-0) in the regular season to take first place in the Northern Monmouth Parochial Basketball League. The team was led by coach Charlie Groves and Coach Vinny Facchino. They advanced to the playoffs for a best-of-three game series. In the final game, St. Benedict won the championship when Ryan Bott nailed a three-point shot with only six seconds left in the game to put St. Benedict School ahead 41-40. This team also went undefeated and took first place in the St. Rose Holiday Hoop-It-Up Tournament played earlier in the year.

The team is comprised of 11 players including Ryan Bott, Vinny Facchino, Nick Festa, Brandon Furrer, Michael Groves, Paul Marinello, Greg Ruby, Garrett Sargent, Bryan Tulshi, Dan Turturea and T.J. Verdiglione.