Somerset sports roundup, Sept. 28 to Oct. 4

SOMERSET --

TOWN -- A town committee voted to approve the fourth annual "DC Dunk" fundraiser at Pierce Beach, set for Jan. 9, 2027, at 10 a.m. The event benefits Somerset Middle School's eighth grade Washington, D.C. trip, which organizers said costs students $1,200 to $1,500. The beach's concession area will be open for registration, the bathrooms will be closed, and the Somerset Fire Department will run a training exercise on the beach as it has in past years.

YOUTH LEAGUES -- The same committee approved a free field hockey clinic for children in kindergarten through fifth grade on Oct. 25 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Somerset Berkeley Regional High School, with a tentative rain date of Nov. 1. The clinic was organized by Ava, a young volunteer who came up through the town's programs, who said she hoped to draw at least a dozen kids, many of whom have never played the sport. Registration will be handled by paper form distributed through the schools.

Officials also recapped the town's annual soapbox derby, which drew 20 cars this year, down from a typical turnout close to 50. Organizers said moving the course and running smaller divisions meant every racer got at least four heats, and they plan to start promoting next year's race as early as June. During discussion, one official said youth sports participation, particularly girls basketball, has struggled to rebound since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the town now sometimes fielding only one girls team compared with several in years past.

Compiled from team and league reports, reader submissions, and local coverage.