A Big Commitment

A little of this and a little of that on a very fall-like day:

Point Pleasant Beach basketball standout Matt Farrell is the first shore player to receive a scholarship to a school in the highly-regarded Atlantic Coast Conference in quite some time.  The senior point guard announced Tuesday that he has made a verbal commitment to Boston College as he chose the Eagles over Monmouth University and Dartmouth.  Farrell was a first-team All Shore player last winter when he led the Garnett Gulls to their first-ever state group championship.

You can read the full story of Farrell’s announcement on shoresportsnetwork.com.  By the way his high school coach Nick Catania is recovering well from a heart arrhythmia last week and is expected to be released from the hospital this week.

Farrell was not the only Point Beach athlete to make some news yesterday as Noah Yates was selected as our Shore Sports Network football player of the week on our web site.  More than 46,000 votes were cast in a 48-hour period with Yates getting the nod after intercepting four passes in a win over Keansburg last Saturday.  Brick Memorial’s Dwayne Gudge was a close second in the voting.

The month of October is filled with events designed to raise awareness of Breast Cancer, support for its victims and survivors as well as the research which hopefully one day will lead to a cure.  Rutgers University will use its Homecoming football game on Saturday against the University of Houston to raise money for research and support services.  $10 from each $30 ticket purchased goes to the Mama Mare Breast Cancer Foundation.  For more information visit mamamare.org

On Sunday the Baker League will host a semi-pro basketball game featuring some former shore area high school and college greats against a team from Brooklyn to benefit the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure.  The game will be played in the 500-seat arena at Saint Barbara Church on Church Road in Toms River.

Admission is free but funds will be raised through various raffles and auctions, including a Michele watch from Roman Jewelers and restaurant gift certificates from Chef Mike’s ABG in South Seaside Park.  Doors open at 3 with the game to be played at 4pm.  Among the players suiting it up for the local squad will be Randall Stallworth, Blake Hamilton, Jeff Warner and Mike Konopka.