Source Kennebck Journal Morning Sentinel

This story happened just a few days before Christmas so many years ago. Sleet had turned to a near-freezing rain that fell with a constant \”sh\” sound, compacting the knee-deep snow in good shape and providing a good base for me to fly along on my old ash-and-rawhide snowshoes.

I had just rushed to the edge of a fir thicket to get ahead of the yodeling bawls of my long-legged hound, a beagle-bloodhound-Lab mix that looked a little like a small yellow Lab.

His name was Stormy, and he was running beyond sight in the near distance, barreling toward me fast. The rabbit would fly across an opening any second, making my heart pound and hands shake.

The afternoon was dark, wet and raw, lousy weather for rabbit hunting, but I was 11 years old and 11-year-olds don\’t care about bad weather, particularly when they\’re listening to that rhythmic yet paradoxically screaming song of a hound coming straight at them on the further side of a thicket. Low cloud cover made the dog sound so loud.

Before the dog came into sight, a large varying hare hopped into a clearing 20 yards away and stopped. I don\’t remember cocking the hammer on the single-barrel, 12-gauge shotgun or feeling the kick, which nearly knocked me down and left an ugly bruise on my cheek.

A second later, read on…………

Mr. Ammerman is one of many public school officials who are adamantly opposed to their teams’ competing in a wide range of sports, most notably football and basketball, against private and parochial schools throughout New Jersey. (The football and basketball teams meet during the regular season, but have separate postseason championships.)

The playing field, many public school officials contend, is not level, because private schools — not just Catholic schools — can recruit students from anywhere in or outside the state, while public schools are restricted by district boundaries.

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PISCATAWAY–During Revolutionary times, there was the Battle of Trenton, the Battle of Princeton and the Battle of Monmouth. At the Louis Brown Athletic Center Friday night, the Division I men’s basketball Battle of New Jersey took place, with Rider upsetting host Rutgers.

\”I’m very proud of our kids,\” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. \”Points were hard to come by but our defense carried us. We have mental toughness, and we don’t win this game tonight without great team chemistry.\”

Sophomore Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) compiled 19 points and nine rebounds to lead the Broncs to victory. \”Ryan and Harris were super tonight,\” Dempsey said. \”There was a stretch in the first half when Ryan really put on a show and showed he was the best player on the court at that time.\”

Junior Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA/Cheltenham) made a left-handed lay up with 38 seconds left to give Rider (8-4) a 59-57 lead. Mansell finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists. \”We have a resilient group,\” Dempsey said. \”We showed a lot of heart, a lot of character.\”

\”I wanted the ball in my hands,\” Mansell said, \”even though it seemed every one of my shots was getting blocked tonight. I saw the lane open up and I just wanted to get it up quickly before it got blocked.\”

The victory was Rider’s second over a major conference this year, having defeated Penn State on November 23. \”We’ve been working hard on our defense, fighting for respect, and we’ve been able to take advantage of the opportunities we had this year to earn some respect for our program,\” Mansell said.

Trailing 55-45, Rutgers (7-5) out-scored Rider 12-2, seven points by Anthony Farmer, to tie the score at 57-57 with 2:00 remaining. \”I told the team that with the score tied, don’t worry about the offensive end,\” Dempsey said, \”that if they don’t score we can’t lose. As it turned out we didn’t let them score.\”

Rider led 48-45 before going on a 7-0 run, four points by Harris Mansell and three by freshman Patrick Mansell (Cheltenham, PA/Cheltenham), to take a 55-45 lead. Patrick Mansell finished with six points off the bench, making a pair of three-pointers.

Senior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) played just 12 minutes in the first half due to foul trouble and finished with a season-low 12 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes of action. \”It wasn’t one of Jason’s better games,\” Dempsey said, \”but guys stepped up all over the place. In other games this year when Jason struggled, we struggled, but tonight everybody picked him up.\”

\”I struggled tonight with foul trouble but my teammates really stepped up,\” Jason Thompson said. \”Harris made some big shots. That gives me a lot of confidence in my play, knowing that if I do get in trouble the other guys are going to pick up the slack.\”

\”I think our big guys did a great job on Jason,\” said Rutgers head coach Fred Hill. \”I don’t think the people in attendance here tonight got an appreciation of how good Jason really is because of what our guys were able to do. Jason is a legitimate first round draft pick.\”

Rutgers led 39-38 before Rider went on an 8-2 run, all eight points scored by the Thompson brothers, to take a 46-41 lead with 10:30 left to play. That was the ninth and final lead change of the game.

Trailing 27-19, Rider scored the final seven points of the first half, five points by Harris Mansell, to cut the lead to 27-26 at the half.

Freshman Matt Griffin (Philadelphia, PA/St. Joseph’s Prep) played a career-high 18 minutes and grabbed an offensive rebound to keep the play alive, setting up the game-winning shot by Mansell. \”Matt is a competitor,\” Dempsey said. \”He was taking care of the basketball (zero turnovers) and gave us energy. He’s a winner.\”

Freshman Mike Ringgold (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic) made one of two foul shots with 6.4 seconds left to seal the victory. \”Mike is a warrior,\” Dempsey said. \”We’ve struggled from the foul line and Mike has really struggled from the line, but I knew he would find a way to get one of those two foul shots in.\”

For Rutgers, Farmer finished with a team-high 18 points and JR Inman compiled 15 points and five rebounds.

Trailing 12-10, Rutgers went on a 14-4 run, 10 points by Inman, to take a 24-16 lead with 5:00 left in the first half.

Rider out-rebounded Rutgers 45-39 and held Rutgers to 36 percent shooting from the field. \”We weren’t great tonight, but anytime you out-rebound a Big East team and hold a team to 36 percent in their building you have to be pleased,\” Dempsey said. \”That’s a pretty good sign.\”

In the battle for New Jersey supremacy, Rutgers is now 2-2 against NJ Division I teams. Rider is 4-0 against NJ teams.

Thompson now has 1584 career points, six points shy of seventh. Thompson is already the Rider career leader in rebounds (894) and blocks (181).

Thompson came into the game ranked fifth in the nation in rebounding (11.6), 12th in blocks (3.3) and 29th in scoring (20.5).

In three games this year against the ACC, Big Ten and the Big 12, Thompson averaged 23 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks.

This was the lucky 13th meeting between these two teams since the series began in 1947-48, and the first victory for Rider.

This was the first meeting since 2000 when Rutgers won 65-53. Rider took Rutgers into overtime twice in the 1980s.

Rider has now won three in a row and five out of the last six.

Rider is 7-3 in non-conference games this year with two remaining. Rider was 7-6 in non-conference games last year.

Rutgers is 6-2 at home, the only other loss coming to #1 North Carolina. Rider is 3-2 on the road this season and 1-2 on neutral court.

Senior Joel Green (Philadelphia, PA/Harriton) missed the game with a concussion.

The Broncs have now won three consecutive road games, at Canisius and at Monmouth, before traveling to Piscataway.

The Broncs travel to Philadelphia to take on Drexel December 27.

-RU-

Source Media Release

 

Moyock man dies while bear hunting

A Moyock man died Wednesday while hunting — something he enjoyed doing — his sister said Thursday.

Rhonda DeBruhl said her brother, Edward Osborn Ferebee Jr., 46, of 2115 Caratoke Highway, Moyock, was an avid hunter and enjoyed fishing. He had been hunting with five other people Wednesday and had even killed one bear that day, she said.

DailyAdvance – Latest News Headlines – http://www.dailyadvance.com

Msgr. John Joseph Clark, who served as pastor at two parishes before his retirement in 1996 died Dec. 18. He was 79.

Msgr. Clark was born July 2, 1928 in Ventnor to John B. and Teresa M. (Gross) Clark. He graduated from St. James Elementary School and attended Holy Spirit High School for two years before entering St. Charles College Seminary in Catonsville, Md., at age 16.

After completion at St. Charles, he went on to St. Mary\’s Seminary in Baltimore, Md., where he received a degree in philosophy. After four more years and a degree in theology, he was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1953.

Msgr. Clark earned his master\’s in education from Villanova University and studied graduate courses in education at The Catholic University, Washington, D.C.

Msgr. Clark was the first pastor of St. Thomas More, Cherry Hill, 1968-85; and also served as pastor at St. Bernadette, Northfield, 1985-96.

\”Monsignor was a good priest and a good friend during the years I was with him at St. Bernadette\’s,\” said Father Perry Cherubini, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Absecon.

\”He was good to all the people; he was just a very good priest and a very good friend.\”

Msgr. Clark was parochial vicar at St. Mary, Gloucester City, 1953-56; St. Cecilia, Pennsauken, 1961-65; and St. Rose of Lima, 1965-66.

Msgr. Clark served as administrator at St. George, Camden, from 1966-68. He also worked for a time at Villanova University, serving on the faculty for the summers of 1957, 1959 and 1960.

Msgr. Clark continued his work in education, serving as the assistant superintendent of schools in 1955, and as the superintendent of schools from 1965-1966. He was also the first principal of the new Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill in 1965.

Msgr. Clark also helped initiate the passing of the School Bus Transportation Law, and also instituted the diocesan regionalization policies for elementary schools, as well as chaired the first Increased Giving Program.

He is predeceased by his sister, Teresa Cronin, and is survived by siblings Thomas (Margaret) Clark of Mineola, N.Y.; Clare (Andrew) Berenato of Vineland; and Marie (Hugh) Gallagher of Allentown, Pa., as well as 21 nieces and nephews and 41 grand nieces and nephews.

Reception of Monsignor Clark will take place today, Friday, at 3 p.m. at St. Bernadette Church, 1421 New Road, Northfield, where viewing will take place from 3-6:30 p.m., followed by a Mass of Jesus Christ the High Priest at 7 p.m. There will also be a viewing on Saturday, Dec. 22, 9-10 a.m. at St. Bernadette Church. Funeral Mass will begin on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Mays Landing.

In lieu of flowers and Mass cards, donations may be sent to: Msgr. John J. Clark Memorial Fund, c/o St. Bernadette Church, 1421 New Road, Northfield, NJ 08225.

source STAR HERALD

 

National Shooting Sports Foundation

Media Release, December 19, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. — New Jersey\’s 562,000 hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all demographic groups, spending more than $1 billion a year on hunting and fishing, according to a new report.

The new report, \”Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors,\” spotlights the immense impact hunters and anglers have on the economy at the national and state level.

In New Jersey, spending by hunters and anglers directly supports 16,000 jobs, which puts $585 million worth of paychecks into pockets of working residents around the state. Of course, government coffers also benefit — spending by sportsmen in pursuit of these outdoor activities generates $109 million in state and local taxes. These latest figures demonstrate that season after season hunters and anglers are driving the economy from big businesses to rural towns, through booms and recessions.

\”Because sportsmen enjoy hunting or fishing alone or in small groups, they are overlooked as a constituency and as a substantial economic force,\” stated Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmen\’s Foundation. \”When you compare spending by hunters and anglers to other sectors, their impact on the state\’s economy becomes more tangible.\”

• Sportsmen support as many jobs in New Jersey as Continental Airlines and the University of Medicine and Dentistry combined, two of the largest employers in the state (16,000 jobs).
• Annual spending by New Jersey sportsmen is more than the combined revenues of The Vitamin Shoppe, Forman Mills, AmeriQuest Transportation and Logistics Resources – three of the fastest growing companies in the state ($1 billion vs. $874 million).
• New Jersey sportsmen annually spend more than the cash receipts for all agricultural commodities ($1 billion vs. $924 million).
• Annually, New Jersey sportsmen spend $130 million on outboard boats and engines to get out onto the water and around the marshes for hunting and fishing.
• New Jersey sportsmen outnumber the populations of Newark and Jersey City (562,000 vs. 520,000).
• The economic stimulus of hunting and fishing equates to an astounding $2.9 million a day being pumped into the state\’s economy.

\”Spending by sportsmen benefits not only the manufacturers of hunting and fishing related products, but everything from local mom and pop businesses to wildlife conservation,\” noted Doug Painter, president of National Shooting Sports Foundation. \”And because most hunting and fishing takes place in rural areas, much of the spending benefits less affluent parts of the state.\”

On the national level, 34 million sportsmen age 16 and older spent more than $76 billion in 2006, supporting 1.6 million jobs. If a single corporation grossed as much as hunters and anglers spend, it would be among America\’s 20 largest, ahead of Target, Costco and AT&T. And if all hunters and anglers had voted during the last presidential election, they would have equaled 31 percent of all votes cast. If all hunters and anglers living in New Jersey voted, they would have equaled 17 percent of all votes cast in the state.

These statistics are impressive and, if anything, they underestimate the impact of sportsmen since they do not take into account the millions of hunters and anglers under 16 years of age or people who were not able to get out and hunt or fish in 2006. When sportsmen\’s spending is thought of in business terms and compared to other sectors of the economy, it is quite remarkable. From small rural towns scattered across our country\’s landscape to the bottom-line of Fortune 500 companies located in major cities, if you take away hunting and fishing you take away the equivalent of a multi-billion dollar corporation.

\”It is a fairly simple equation – hunters and anglers mean jobs in states and local communities that have made the effort to maintain their hunting and fishing opportunities,\” said Crane. \”The economic impacts that sportsmen have on state economies should be a wake-up call to state governments to welcome and encourage hunting and fishing in their state.\”

The report, \”Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors,\” was produced by the Congressional Sportsmen\’s Foundation with support from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation and SCI – First For Hunters. The report uses the results from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\’s 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation and statistics provided by the American Sportfishing Association and Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

National Shooting Sports Foundation    

 

The report: \”Hunting and Fishing: Bright Stars of the American Economy ~ A force as big as all outdoors\” along with STATE FACTS are available on the Web at
www.sportsmenslink.org and www.nssf.org

Friday, December 21, 2007

DEPTFORD TWP. The Gloucester Catholic High School boys and girls swim teams faced off with Mainland for a non-league rival meet Thursday night.

There was a single shining moment in the girls meet, in which the Rams lost 123-47. Freshman Danielle Dougherty captured the only Gloucester Catholic win of the meet in the 100 breaststroke. It was the tenth of eleven events.

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December 21, 2007

Gloucester Catholic Wins; Glassboro slips by Red Devils
Today\’s Sunbeam – NJ.com – Salem,NJ,USA

Gloucester Catholic used a combined 31 points from Megan Shaughnessy and Kaitlyn Sweeney to rout Kingsway, 67-35, in interdivision play. …

HOOVER, BRIAN J.

On December 18, 2007 of Blackwood, formerly of Gloucester. Age 56.
Beloved husband of the late Marie A. (Nee Biaselli). Devoted father of Tara Interlante (Matt), Desiree Hoover and Maria Hoover. Dear brother of Kathy Smith, Bruce Hoover, Debra Collins (Henry) and the late William Hoover. Loving grandfather of Alyssa Rose Green, Olivia Hope Green, Matthew and Ashtyn Interlante. Beloved son of the late William and Mary. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Brian worked for the Gloucester Twp. Public Works.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the viewing Saturday morning from 8 to 10am at the GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE. Funeral Mass Saturday 10:30am St. Jude\’s RC Church,Blackwood.Inter-ment New St. Mary\’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. Donations may be made in Brian\’s memory to the American Cancer Society, 1851 Old Cuthbert Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Expressions of sympathy may be e-mailed to Condolences@Gardner FuneralHome.com

LAPOLLO, ERNEST J., JR.

On December 20, 2007, \’Sonny\’ of Atco, age 66 years.
Beloved husband of Violet \’Vicky\’ (nee Igielski) LaPollo. Survived by children David of Atco, Brenda Carr of Clementon, Gary of Atco, 6 grandchildren, Heather, Jimmy, Christopher, Gina, Brandon, Danny, 1 great granddaughter, Madyson, brother Michael of Pine Hill, and many loving nieces & nephews. Father of the late Cynthia LaPollo.
Sonny was a Union Carpenter for Local #393 of Gloucester City and retired in 1999.
Relatives & friends are invited to attend his viewing Monday morning 9am to 10:30am with funeral services starting at 10:30am at the
ORA L. WOOSTER
Funeral Home
51 Park Blvd.
Clementon, NJ. 08021
Int: Gate of Heaven Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, family requests memorial donations to Lighthouse Hospice- 1040 N. Kings Highway Suite 100- Cherry Hill, NJ 08034