Tourney time leaves teams scrambling for wins
BY DOUG McKENZIE
Staff Writer

JEFFGRANIT staff Ocean Township's Amanda Klein (l) and Freehold Township's Marissa Devine (r) look up as they try to catch the ball during a game on May 3 in Freehold Township. The Patriots locked up the A North title with the win, but Ocean still has plenty to play for, having qualified for both the Shore Conference and state tournaments.

Welcome to bubble week, the spring edition.This is the week that the middle-of-the-road high school sports teams fight to lengthen their seasons as the NJSIAA state playoff deadlines approach this weekend.

While many of the local teams in various spring sports have long ago wrapped up their postseason berths, there are still a handful of baseball, softball and lacrosse teams that have some work to do this week.

It can make for some tension-filled moments for local athletes, but as a fan, it only adds to the excitement as the schedule heads toward championship season.

Here's a rundown of teams that have locked up their playoff berths, and those whose fate will be decided this week.

Baseball

There's not a whole lot of drama this week for the majority of the local teams, but there is one team that needs a strong showing over the next few days.

It seems strange to think of Monmouth Regional as a bubble team. The Falcons, under legendary head coach Ted Jarmusz, are a perennial powerhouse, who in recent years have been among the very best Group III teams in the state.

This year, however, they've struggled a bit. Following an 18-9 season a year ago, the Falcons were considered a bit of a work in progress, but Jarmusz has always found ways to get his team into the postseason regardless.

However, heading into yesterday's game with Red Bank Regional (4-11) the Falcons were 7-8 on the year and in danger of missing the state playoffs - a place they've thrived in over the past few seasons.

Monmouth also has a game today against RBC on the schedule in what looks like another must-win affair.

While the Falcons' fate remains to be seen, there are several teams that are locks for both the state and Shore Conference tournaments. They include Rumson-Fair Haven (12-3), Ocean Township (14-3), B Central Public Schools champion Shore Regional (14-3), and Red Bank Catholic (12-6).

Softball

The local area is home to some of the very best softball teams in the Shore Conference.

As a result, there will be four representatives in the upcoming tournaments, and all four should be high seeds.

Red Bank Catholic strengthened its case for a high seed in both the Parochial A South and the SCT with a 2-0 win over the state's top-ranked team, Toms River East, on Monday, behind Brittany O'Donnell's fifth no-hitter of the season. The Caseys, like they usually do, are peaking at the perfect time once again.

B Central champion Shore Regional (13-3) is another solid team looking to make some postseason noise, while Ocean Township (12-4) is another talented team that will be a tough out.

Monmouth Regional (11-6) has thrived despite a tough B North schedule and is another battle-tested team that can surprise some people in either of its upcoming tournaments.

Girls lacrosse

With Shore Regional (13-1), RBC (10-3), Ocean Township (10-4) and Rumson-Fair Haven (12-2) among the top teams in the Shore, they all launched their pursuits of tournament titles yesterday, with the start of the Shore Conference Tournament.

Shore Regional is the top seed in the SCT and took on 16th-seeded Central yesterday. Rumson-Fair Haven got the No. 2 seed and a first-round match-up with Monmouth Regional (6-6), the fifth seed.

For Monmouth, yesterday's game came at a tough time as the Falcons are hoping to stay at the .500 mark with the state tournament cutoff looming on Tuesday. With a loss yesterday to the Bulldogs, the Golden Falcons would need to beat both Long Branch (0-10) on Saturday and Holmdel (4-5-1) on Monday to be at .500 for Tuesday's state playoff deadline.

RBC is the third seed in the SCT, and opened yesterday against No. 13 Toms River East. Ocean got the seventh seed and faced 10th-seeded St. John Vianney yesterday in a tough first-round match-up.

That leaves Red Bank Regional, the 11th seed, who took on No. 6 Manasquan yesterday.

Like Monmouth, RBR really could have used a win yesterday, as the Bucs were hovering around the .500 mark at 6-5 heading into Tuesday's game with St. John Vianney.

With losses in both games earlier this week, the Bucs would face a must-win game on Monday, once again against Manasquan.

The second round of the girls SCT is scheduled for Friday.

Boys lacrosse

Rumson-Fair Haven gave top-ranked CBA a tough game on Monday before falling 10-8. That showing should give the Bulldogs confidence as they look to make a run at the SCT title over the next two weeks.

RFH (8-3) enters tomorrow's first round as the fourth seed and will take on No. 5 St. Rose. Red Bank Regional (7-3) is the sixth seed and takes on No. 3 Colts Neck. Both RFH and RBR will qualify for the state tournament when the deadline hits on Monday.

Red Bank Catholic, however, still has some work to do. The Caseys entered Tuesday's match with Toms River North at 6-5 on the year.

They will be back in action tomorrow when they take on Monsignor Donovan in the 8-9 game of the SCT's first round.