Sports Shorts
The Holmdel Pop Warner Pee Wee Cheerleading team placed second in the national competition this past Wednesday in Disney World’s “Wide World of Sports” complex. These girls went further than any other Holmdel Pop Warner team today. The cheerleaders are Samira Anifowoshe, Lizzie Apicella, Brittany Balzofiore, Gianna Casola, Julie Clarke, Tiffany Coscia, Michelle Curran, Brianna DePalma, Laura DePinho, Devon Diamond, Nicole Diamond, Taylor DiBella, Diana Dixon, Courtney Ericksen, Ariana Evaristo, Michelle Fernandez, Candace Fok, Jennifer Graw, Jillian Haslett, Tiffany Johnson, Ashley Leng, Kim Lonie, Noelle Magrino, Delanie McCabe, Shannon McDermott, Talia Miceli, Alana Misiura, Allyson Mnich, Kimmi Pizzo, Katharine Scott, Murphy Sieg, Chelsea Soliman, Jessica Tages, Jenna Wetmore and Robyn Wolkovitz. The coaches are Annie Balzofiore, Kathy Lonie, Kristeen Misiura, Karen Mnich and Scottie Scott. The demonstrators are Danielle Clarke, Amy Corrado, Maggie Dronne and Ashley Mowery. ISA of New Jersey is looking for individuals for its softball umpiring program. Clinics will be offered in both central and northern New Jersey beginning in January of 2005. You will be trained in all styles of softball, tested and ready to work ISA league or tournament games beginning in April. ASA, NSA and Federation members welcome. Call state U-I-C Mike Pero at (201) 864-8679 or the state office at (732) 906-8263 for more information. The Matawan-Aberdeeen Babe Ruth League will be holding its annual baseball registration for ages 5-15 during the month of January. Registration will be held at the Toomer Field Clubhouse on Middlesex Road on Jan. 8 and 15 from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration will also be held on Jan. 12 and 19 from 7-9 p.m. All first-time players need to submit a copy of their birth certificate. There will also be a late registration scheduled for Jan. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon. Kaylee Bythell, a seventh-grader at the Hazlet Middle School, finished 110th at the AAU National cross-country meet held in Kingsport, Tenn., Dec. 4. She competed in the Midget girls division for athletes born in the years 1992 and 1993. There were over 250 girls competing in this race. Her time was 13:21 on the muddy 3k (1.8 mile) course. Mater Dei High School’s Stephanie Kinnick has signed a Letter of Intent to play softball at Holy Family University, Philadelphia, Pa., a Division II school. Kinnick is the starting third baseman for the Seraphs, and hopes to continue to man the hot corner for the Tigers, who finished the 2004 season with a record of 27-14. The Lady Tigers Conference record of 16-4 was good enough for them to finish in second place in the tough CACC Conference standings. Mick McGroarty is preparing for his 12th year as head coach. His teams have compiled an overall record of 281-155-3. A youth travel basketball league is looking for any boys 9U travel team interested participating in a winter league, running from mid-January through March. Players must be born after Sept. 1, 1994. For more information contact Bobbie Pirro at (732) 530-7305 or e-mail bepirro@yahoo.com.
Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round results on Thursday July 31:Omonia 3Metalurg Skopje 0Young Boys 1Ermis Aradippou 0AS Trencin 0Hull 0
By Andreas VouWhile APOEL claimed Cyprus Cup glory over AEL in Wednesday night’s final with a convincing 4-2 win, the focus was very much on the violence which took place midway through the second half as supporters of the Limassol side threw flares and rocks onto the pitch.AEL took a surprise early lead but Tomas De Vincenti levelled the game with a cross-come-shot from a 40-yard free-kick.Goalkeeper Karim Fegrouch misjudged the flight of the ball which looped over the 33-year-old and into the net but De Vincenti insisted it was an intentional shot on goal. “Yes, I meant to do that. I saw the goalkeeper off his line and so I went for it,” he said.“It’s an amazing feeling,” said an exhausted John Arne Riise who put the game beyond any reasonable doubt with a long-range thunderbolt of a free-kick to make it 4-1.“I think we deserve the trophy. We started badly but after we were better and we managed to win the Cup.”It was almost immediately after Riise’s strike that the violence from the AEL section erupted and the veteran full-back believes that the unsavoury scenes are a letdown.“It’s a shame for Cyprus football what took place and all of Europe will see it. We were in danger because they (AEL fans) were throwing rocks at us. The Football Association must review it.”The head of the Cyprus Football Association, Costakis Koutsokoumnis, was on hand to give his view on both what took place on the pitch and off it.“Congratulations to APOEL and congratulations for AEL’s demonstration of ‘fair play’ for staying on the field. I would also like to thank the police because, without their guidance, the final would have ended in the courthouses.“Now we will let the APOEL enjoy their victory and we will, with calmness, sit down and see what happened,” said Koutsokoumnis, before some kind words for AEL manager Christakis Christoforou. “My congratulations to AEL, to their board and to their manager who again showed his character. He could have taken his players away and left but he stayed here to congratulate APOEL,” he concluded.Christoforou was more concerned about the game itself and was left lamenting his side’s failure to seize their opportunities when they came their way.“We were very good in the first half but in the second we lost our heads. Someone who did not see the game and heard of the 4-2 scoreline would say that it was a simple win, however, it was not like that.Despite feeling his side’s efforts merited more, he was in no mood for excuses and insisted that it was vital that the core of the team remained at the club next season after a disappointing campaign.“The Americans say that if you are first you are first and if you are second you are nothing. For AEL to be strong next year, everybody must stay at the club.”For AEL, who sit seventh in the table, defeat in the final saw their last chance of claiming a Europa League spot go begging. APOEL, on the other hand, need just one point from their final match of the season on Sunday away to Ermis to earn a second successive league and Cup double.
By Mike CollettFOUR months after quitting Liverpool for Manchester City, Raheem Sterling will have the first opportunity to justify the move by getting one over his former employers when the teams meet at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday (7.30pm).Sterling joined City in the close season in a deal worth up to £49 million, but the circumstances surrounding the transfer left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Liverpool fans.Sterling’s relationship with Liverpool had soured in the lead up to the transfer after he gave an unauthorised interview to the BBC.His agent Aidy Ward also angered the club by saying the England winger would not sign a new deal at Anfield – even for £900,000 a week.Sterling has since said he has no regrets over quitting Liverpool and the Premier League table already offers some justification for the move.Manuel Pellegrini’s City side are top of the league, level on points with Arsenal. Liverpool, on the other hand, are still settling down under new boss Jurgen Klopp and are 10th.City, who stalled with a goalless draw against bottom side Aston Villa last time out, could welcome back Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Pablo Zabaleta and Samir Nasri from injury.Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six league games but visit West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (5pm) looking to mend the defensive frailties that nearly cost them defeat by local rivals Tottenham Hotspur before substitute Kieran Gibbs rescued a point.Manchester United, who trail third-placed Leicester City by a point, face 11th-placed Watford (2.45pm) with an attacking injury crisis. They will be without skipper Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Anthony Martial.Rooney, who scored his 51st goal for England when they beat France 2-0 on Tuesday, has not trained since because of illness, while Martial, who also played in Tuesday’s international at Wembley, left the stadium on crutches after taking a heavy blow to the top of his foot.Carrick suffered an ankle injury when England played Spain last Friday while Fellaini will miss his second successive league match after picking up a leg injury.High-flying Leicester sit one point behind the leaders and visit Newcastle (5pm), who are one place and two points outside the relegation zone.Pressure is mounting on Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho after a torrid start to the season for the champions.The Blues, who host Norwich City (5pm), have lost seven of their 12 league games, including the last three, and are languishing in 16th place.Midfielder Cesc Fabregas told Spanish paper Marca this week: “The results aren’t doing our performances justice. We’re playing better but we aren’t having any luck.”Spurs and West Ham United at White Hart Lane on Sunday (6pm) in a London derby with both sides locked on 21 points in fifth and sixth place respectively.Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham side have lost once in the league this season – to Manchester United in their August opener – while the Hammers have lost once in their last nine games.The French national anthem will be played before all of England’s top-flight matches this weekend, the Premier League said.‘La Marseillaise’ will ring out after the coin toss in tribute to those who lost their lives in the Paris attacks of last Friday.The anthem was played before England’s friendly against France on Tuesday with the words in French displayed on big screens.More than 70 Frenchmen play in the Premier League, making France the second-most represented nation after England.“Given how close we are as well as the long-standing relationship that exists between the Premier League and France, playing ‘La Marseillaise’ as an act of solidarity and remembrance is the right thing to do,” the Premier League’s chief executive Richard Scudamore said in a statement.
The Premier League table has returned to familiar type after last season’s delightful anomaly featuring Leicester City, with Manchester City and Chelsea now setting the pace and Manchester United back in the top four.Between them, those three teams have won the title in 11 out of the past 12 campaigns and are already marked out as favourites to contest the title this time round too.Antonio Conte’s Chelsea have an early chance to set the weekend pace with the Friday night visit of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who return to London for the third time in five games after winning at Arsenal and drawing with Tottenham Hotspur.Stamford Bridge will be the backdrop to an intriguing subplot involving two of the most excitable managers in the league and goals should trigger wild celebrations on the touchline.On their day, Klopp’s side are a match for the ‘big three’ and arrive on the back of the 4-1 demolition of last season’s champions, Leicester. Although he did not score at Anfield, Daniel Sturridge looked back to his best and produced a stunning assist to set up Sadio Mane.Not surprisingly, Klopp is looking for more of the same. Asked on Wednesday how they would reach the same high pitch, the German said it was a case of “staying greedy”.“The movements were brilliant. Daniel was involved in three or four goals. For the first one, it was a brilliant run,” he added.Liverpool know they must nullify the threat of Diego Costa, who has scored four goals in as many Premier League games, but the Brazilian Oscar has been almost as influential in Chelsea’s strong start.Statistics released this week by oulala.com show that since being handed a more deep-lying role by Conte, Oscar has made more successful passes and tackles and created more chances than in any of his four previous seasons with the Londoners.Victory would only put Chelsea top for less than 24 hours should Manchester City, still defending a 100 per cent record since Pep Guardiola took the reins, then defeat Bournemouth, a team they have never lost to, at the Etihad on Saturday.Everton sit just behind Chelsea in third place and will be favourites to pick up another three points against Middlesbrough, particularly now that Romelu Lukaku, who scored a hat-trick against Sunderland on Monday, is back among the goals.At 35, Everton’s Gareth Barry is expected to become only the third player to play 600 Premier League games, with only Frank Lampard (609) and Ryan Giggs (632) ahead of him.Leicester will hope their debut Champions League victory in Brugges in midweek will give them impetus to push their way back up the table after a poor start to their title defence as they entertain promoted Burnley.Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will be looking for an early response from his players, whom he felt lacked the right mentality to win last week’s Manchester derby.A Sunday trip to Watford, who were buoyed by last week’s stirring comeback win at West Ham United, will test their mettle.Stoke City’s Mark Hughes and West Bromwich Albion’s Tony Pulis are the managers most in need of wins, against Crystal Palace and West Ham respectively, as early-season pressure begins to build.
Sky Sources understand Martial’s long-term United future is in doubt with Mourinho unhappy with the forward’s performance against Liverpool.The United boss subsequently dropped Martial for last weekend’s draw with Stoke and the EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Hull on Thursday.Mourinho has warned he has an abundance of options in wide areas and has challenged Martial to prove himself against competition from Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan when he starts this weekend’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Wigan.Asked how Martial had reacted to being left out at Hull, Mourinho said: “I don’t know. I don’t speak with the players about how they take it.”He will play Sunday and if Sunday he plays magnificent, he will play against Hull City the next match. It’s simple.”Mourinho will line up against former United reserves manager Warren Joyce on the touchline this weekend, who took over at Wigan in November.Martial, second-choice goalkeeper Sergio Romero and left-back Luke Shaw will all start against Wigan – who are battling to avoid relegation from the Sky Bet Championship, but Mourinho is expecting a tough challenge against his former colleague.”I worked at the club with him (Joyce) just a few months, but it was enough to know a very nice man, a very passionate football man,” Mourinho said after Thursday’s match at Hull.”He took the risk, he accepted the challenge, he left a good situation in the club to try to go to what we call ‘men’s football’.”For sure he’ll come with a very aggressive team, very well organised defensively. Also emotional, like the manager is also emotional.”We know the difficulty to play against Championship teams. We’ve played already Wigan in pre-season. Now they are with Warren.”He knows us well. He will obviously come with special motivation to play against his old club. They will bring lots of fans too.”So the match is going to be difficult and we obviously have to play with a very good team.”United host Hull in Premier League action two days after facing Wigan as they begin a congested month culminating in the EFL Cup final against Southampton on February 26.The Wembley final means United’s derby match at Manchester City, scheduled for the same weekend, will have to be rearranged.Mourinho is conscious of the fixture pile-up approaching but believes it is testament to his side’s success.”It’s very difficult. Now we have a problem already, which is the fact that we don’t play Manchester City when we should,” he said.”And then we play Europa League. It’s not like the Champions League, with four fixtures for two matches. In the Europa League’s case, if you progress, there are four fixtures for four matches.”The week before the (League Cup) final, Southampton, we will play at Saint-Etienne the second leg of the Europa League. If we progress in the FA Cup, another round will come.”It’s really difficult for us. But if it’s difficult, it’s for good reasons and the good reasons are we progress in competitions.”
Players including men’s No. 1 Andy Murray, seven-time grand slam winner Venus Williams, twice grand slam winner Angelique Kerber and former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki have all weighed in on whether the five-time grand slam winner and one of the world’s most recognizable athletes should benefit from wildcards as she tries to rebuild her tennis career. The latter duo have also questioned whether the 29-year-old should be allowed to make her much anticipated comeback at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix — Wozniacki said the rules were “twisted and turned” for Sharapova — which may have led to the women’s WTA tour clarifying the rules Monday.’Eligible’Sharapova is allowed to compete on April 26 following a 15-month suspension for testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open. That day falls on a Wednesday, three days into the clay-court event in Stuttgart where Sharapova did receive a wildcard. “In compliance with WTA and the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme rules, Sharapova can participate in a tournament in the week that her suspension ends, providing that the first match that she is scheduled to contest takes place on or after the day on which she is eligible to return to competition,” the WTA stated on its website. “First round action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix commonly takes place over three days, therefore the former world No. 1 is eligible to accept the wildcard she has been offered and begin play on Wednesday, April 26th.”Sharapova is prohibited from the tournament grounds until the Wednesday, however, which prompted Germany’s Kerber — who will regain the No. 1 ranking next Monday in place of the injured Serena Williams — to tell reporters last week in Indian Wells: “It’s a little bit strange also for the players that she can walk on site on Wednesday and she can play on Wednesday.”‘Twisted and turned’Wozniacki added to reporters in a separate briefing: “I think it’s very questionable allowing — no matter who it is — a player that is still banned to play a tournament that week. From the tournament side, I think it’s disrespectful to the other players and the WTA. “But it is what it is. “Obviously the rules are twisted and turned in favor of who wants to do what.”Wozniacki echoed the sentiments of Murray — who told The Times players “should have to work your way back” — when she added that Sharapova shouldn’t be handed wildcards. ‘Nice to have her back’Sharapova has additionally been granted wildcards for Madrid and Rome, which along with Stuttgart comprise the three biggest clay-court events ahead of the French Open, the year’s second grand slam. Sharapova needs wildcards to compete at tournaments at the highest level because she has no ranking. head of the French tennis federation, Bernard Giudicelli, hinted that Sharapova may not get a wildcard for Roland Garros. “We can’t decide on one hand to increase the funds dedicated to fighting anti-doping and on the other (invite her),” he was quoted as saying by French sports daily L’Equipe this month. Venus Williams, though, took a softer stance. “I think the bodies have made their decision, and she has an opportunity to come back and continue her career,” she told reporters. “I think she should be allowed to continue that. If people want to give her wildcards, I guess that’s the tournaments’ decision as they weigh other wildcards. “It will be nice to have her back in the game.”
Four months removed from her 2017 Mini Games performances and a move back to PNG later; Toea Wisil has returned to the track during this Japanese tour.The Jiwakan twice placed third place, and topped the medal stand, running bests of 11.65 and 24.02 – bettering her Vaunatu performances.Her competitors were ready and presented a big challenge for Wisil as many of them are preparing for their Japanese National Championships in June.With Papua New Guinea’s National Championships in August, the coaching staff is emphasizing patience during Wisil’s progress this year.Following this competition, Wisil will return back to training and FODE study at the National Sports Institute.Meantime, the University of Goroka has a newly formed athletics association and will soon be holding competitions at the Institute.This will help Wisil as she has been invited to compete in Ireland during the month of July and is looking forward to preparing and improving her times for better results.
The visitors will be travelling to Port Moresby to compete in the series which will comprise of a T20 and a 50 Over Series.The T20 Series will take place from 1-7th October, featuring the Hebou PNG Barramundis, Hong Kong and the CPNG Academy XI. Each team will play each other twice with the top two (2) teams playing off in the final on Sunday 7th October, 2018.The three (3) match 50 Over Series will take place straight after the T20 Series between the Hebou PNG Barramundis and Hong Kong on the 9th, 10th and 12th October. National Coach Jow Dawes said in the twenty-twenty matches they are looking to consolidate on the progress made in Fiji in terms of structuring their game. Dawes added the Barramunids have struggled in the 50 over series format in recent times and the series will be an opportunity to review and improve their game plan.Hebou PNG Barramundis and Hong Kong have had a friendly rivalry over the years and the series will be an exciting fixture to see who has the upper hand.
The trials conducted in Port Moresby last week featured PNGRFL affiliated leagues and players from across the Central Province. In total, 300 players participated in the trials, with teams from Kairuku, Hiri West and East, Goilala, Koiari through to Rigo, Aroma and Abau.Central Dabaris Technical Director Chris Enara said: “The turn out from the leagues was overwhelming and made selection quite difficult as all the players played to their best.”The 62-man squad will assemble in Port Moresby today (December 18th) and Wednesday to go through a pre testing medical and physical examination before training schedules are given out.The squad will then reassemble on January 15th to participate in the final selection process made up of three selected sides to take on a select PRL squad, including a select Koiari RL team.No Palani Ovo Position Aroma Coast POM Souths Solomon Kapa 13 Junior Hoki Jnr Chris E Forward Hiri West Murphy Eddie Hooker Teddy Tom Christopher Ian 19 Hiri East Backs Rigo Centre 47 POM Souths Francis Aihi Tekila Kini 6 Eggie Kila Steve Madi Aroma Coast 7 POM Souths Goilala Hiri West Tauruba Hura Gairo Allan Temu Tom Aima Wing Backrow Aroma Coast 37 Goilala 51 Kari Baiyau 54 Fullback/wing Hiri East Hiri West Aroma Coast Forward Forward Wing POM Souths Aroma Coast Half Prop 58 Centre Rigo 31 Legu Oala Centre Backs 21 40 16 Centre Half Tau Tau Moga Saka Mairi Koiari POM Souths Peter J Solien Forward Backs Marshall Lagoon Centre Goilala Clinton Tube Utility Hiri East Cloudy Bay 29 27 Michael George 52 Manau Rilo Hero Morea Hiri East POM Souths Hiri West Tauruba Forward Junior Dinda 4 Iruna Manu Aroma Coast 26 Five-eighth Forward Half 25 32 Rigo Hiri East Centre Forward Hiri East 53 Hiri East 46 Boas Buka Galama 12 2 Jonathan Pepena Aiden Arusa Centre 49 Wing 18 22 Timo Watti Tauruba Fullback/wing Utility Isamani Matuka Fullback/wing John Miki
Forward Forward Tauruba Forward Tauruba Rigo Aroma Coast Forward Tauruba Goasa Iamuia Papa Otto Utility Prop 35 Rigo Vai Verumu Dogana Vali Sere Loi Garb Kume Hiri West Rigo Prop Arthur Steve Thomas Aroma Coast Hiri West Backs Amon Leslie Kori Tau 33 55 10 Forward POM Souths Fullback/wing 30 14 Ako Boge Pio Allan 43 Lock 36 42 Backs Joseph Ray Pinu Forward Eddie Guise 17 3 Eddie Avae Heniga Lapanda Forward Koiari Lock Nathan Russel Rigo Forward 28 56 38 Aroma Coast 5 Kazuma Hidaka Cloudy Bay Wing Allan Copland Backs Half/five-eighth 24 Malcolm Pota 1 Koiari Mari Joe 50 34 Mega Pali 61 44 POM Souths Backs 57 Five-eighth Backrow 9 Tauruba Marshall Lagoon Team 45 Marshall Lagoon 48 Rigo 15 Kini Mana Vewari Geno Names Sebastian Gaudi Centre 60 Masi Gelai Utility Tauruba Hooker Ravu Otto 41 23 Hiri West 8 Buli Henao Centre 59 Aroma Coast Ase Gima 20 Centre Ishmael Boge 39 Backrow Cloudy Bay 11 Fullback/wing Tom Mana 62 Backs Amazon Bay Noinoi Iubu