Recognizing excellence in Ocean County

Tuesday was a pretty good day for Harry VanWagenen as the Point Pleasant Borough High School senior was randomly selected as the recipient of this year’s WOBM/Gateway Toyota Student of the Week scholarship.

Harry will collect $1000 which he’ll use at Syracuse University where he’ll major in Bioengineering. He’ll graduate next Friday as the senior class Salutatorian after a busy year in which he was President of the Spanish Club, a member of Student Council, the National Honor Society, Key Club, Chemistry and Biology clubs, Math and Science Leagues.

If that’s not enough he played soccer in the fall and was captain of the winter and spring track teams. VanWagenen was one of the 38 seniors honored throughout the school year as WOBM/Gateway Toyota Students of the Week.

A long standing tradition continued Tuesday as a pair of senior student-athletes from Brick Township received $250 as this year’s winners of the Jack Martin Scholarship. Best known too many for having a road in the town named after him Martin was the oldest living former Yankees and Phillies baseball player at the time of his death in 1980 at the age of 93. Not long after he died a scholarship was created in his honor and among those instrumental were Brick Athletic Director Hank Handchen and Larson Ford founder Paul Larson Sr.

The scholarship was to go to a college-bound baseball or softball player and while both Hank and Paul have passed on the fund remains 34 years later thanks to the efforts of their two sons who happen to share the same names as their fathers. Receiving their awards yesterday at Larson Ford in Lakewood were

.Nick, who played baseball for the Memorial Mustangs is headed to DeSales University while Kawa, a softball player for the Green Dragons is on her way to Ocean County College through the STARS program. Ironically her father Chris received the same scholarship some 30 years ago.

The shore’s top senior boys lacrosse players get to represent their high schools one more time tonight in the Shore Coaches All-Star Game at Ocean Township High School. Presented by Gloria Nilson & Company Real Estate the game features standouts like Player of the Year Dylan Jinks of Southern, Mark Buannic of Howell, Matt Frost of St. Rose and Freehold Township’s Billy Sasso.

The high school game begins at 7:30 but before that there will be an 8th grade youth game at 5:30. The Shore Sports Networkis partnering with the Shore Conference Lacrosse Coaches Association on tonight’s event.