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Colonials are hungrier than ever about win-
Borough girls seeking third straight state title
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Last year it was to remove the "co" in front of state champions. This year, it's about history as Freehold Borough's girls soccer team looks to win a third consecutive NJSIAA State Group III championship.
ERIC SUCAR staff Freehold Borough High School's Shannon Mayrose (r) and Wall Township's Kerrie Hartnett (l) battle for the ball during the first half of a game on Sept. 12, which was won by Freehold Borough, 2-0.
The Colonials have made the third Saturday in November at The College of New Jersey their home, and with eight seniors who have not lost their edge, Freehold Borough is poised to again to play in late November.
Shannon Mayrose, who scored the golden goal in the Colonials 2-1 overtime win over Ramapo in the state final, remarked that she and her teammates are very aware of what the team can accomplish this fall. It would be shame, she said, to let it go to waste.
"It's about playing up to our potential," she pointed out. "If we lose, it won't be because of effort or heart."
That much is for sure. In becoming the masters of overtime, Freehold Borough has heart and will second to no one.
Alexandra Eagle, the Colonials smooth sweeper back, noted that the team isn't concern about November at this time.
"We're not even thinking about the states," she said. "We're playing it one game at a time trying to get better.
"We're focused on playing together as a team," she added.
Eagle said that she and her teammates, especially the seniors, are hungrier for success "more than ever." It's their last time around and they don't, as Mayrose remarked, want to waste it.
Coach Elyse Bizzozzaro, who led the Colonials to a 21-2 record and three titles in her first year as head coach, has a special group of upper classmen led by the eight seniors who have done nothing but win.
The names are so familiar, Mayrose, Eagle, goalie Ashley Lewis, midfielder Alexa Rozzi, midfielder Jacklyn Scalgione (who had a big overtime goal in the state semifinal), Angeles Pantoja and midfielder Alyssa Rudic are the eight seniors who have led the team to a 42-3-1 record over the last two years.
In addition to the 12th-graders, the Colonials have starters Jaime Battaglia (forward), Simon Dixon (defense), Nicole Paulucci (defense), Kelsey Holtz (defense) and Paige Preston (midfield) back. Preston is a sophomore and the others, juniors.
Among the newcomers instilling new blood are Georgina Johnson, Karlie Korz, Elyse Umansky, Maria Caldarise, Sara Hartigan and Karisa Peskanka.
The seniors have welcomed the newcomers. They are making it easier for Bizzozzaro to adapt and create favorable match-ups and allowing the Colonials to have fresh legs on the field.
Freehold Borough certainly delivered a message on Friday afternoon that it is not jaded by its past success. In the rain, they handled Wall Township, the only team to beat them during the regular season last year, 2-0.
Mayrose, who scored a school record 30 goals in '07, had a foot in both goals. She ripped a 20-yarder into the back of the net in he first half and then assisted on the insurance goal scored by freshman Korz with 7:10 left in the match.
"She stepped up," noted Mayrose.
Lewis was very sharp in goal collecting her 38th career shutout.
Both Mayrose (Virginia Tech) and Eagles (University of South Florida) have made their verbal commitments to college taking that pressure off their shoulders.
Manalapan has been a perennial postseason participant, but in recent seasons, the Braves haven't made any additions to the trophy case. Dave Garretson's girls would like to change that this fall.
The Braves have a strong core group returning (seven starters) from last year's 11- 8 among them leading scorer Amy Carhart. The senior forward deposited 13 goals and had six assists. She was the kind of threat who made defenses concentrate on her opening the field for her teammates.
Sophomore Nicole Rynecki made an impact on the forward line as a frosh and should be even more of a factor this season with a year of varsity experience under her belt.
Defense has been Manalapan's calling card and it will be no different in '08. Starters Kristy Rubino, a senior, and sophomore Kelsey Marchesano are the defensive foundation. Newcomer Amanda McBride, a junior, will start in goal.
Manalapan is strong at midfield with starters Jackie Slotkin, Sam Yoelson and Cassie Inacio all returning.
Besides keeper McBride, newcomers include Rachel Trembly (defender), Kylee Rosella (midfield), Kylee Cleesattel (defender), Amanda Bloom (midfield), Allison Car rhart (midfield) and Jenna Barrata (forward).
The Braves have plenty of experience as well as the enthusiasm of youth (seven sophomore and two freshmen). There is also a hunger to rejoin the top programs in the Shore.
Howell saved its best soccer for October and November and ended up finishing second in the A North Division. Overall, coach Lizabeth Luccarelli has a veteran squad led by 10 seniors.
The Rebels rode their defense to an 11-6 season sparked by the play of outside backs Sara Shaughnessy and Joelle Urquhart. The seniors anchored a defense that produced 11 shutouts. Sweeper back Devin Hope and stopper Chrissy Fischer meaning the defense ret urns intact. Teams will again find it difficult to score on the Rebels.
Lauren Cadott (center midfield), Alyssa Fiorillo (forward) and Olivia Grimes (center forward), key components to the offense last fall, are back. Also returning are outside midfielder Devin Lambert and center forward Kaitlyn Schmid.
The experienced Rebels should be able to avoid the slow start of last year and again contend for the division title as well as qualify for postseason play.
Marlboro was one of the pleasant surprises of the '07 campaign returning to the playoffs for the first time in years. The Mustangs went 11-6-3 and were in the A North hunt for most of the season.
The Mustangs did graduate a number of seniors whose leadership was invaluable last fall. But, the good news for coach Tim McGeough is that Marlboro has several of its core players returning as the team looks to back up last year's success with another winning campaign. It won't easy because the Mustangs only have four seniors on the roster.
As proven last year, midfielders Chelsea Buttacavoli, Logan DeCicco and Lauren Kirsch are outstanding playmakers. This fall, with the graduation of the team's leading scorers, they may be looked to for more goal scoring. Kirsch and Buttacavoli are seniors.
Senior forward/midfielder Ariel Mandell and junior Jennnifer Ventrano are veterans on the forward line whole will be looking to cash in on scoring chances their midfielders provide. Mandel has been move up from the back to provide offense this year.
The Mustangs will have to rebuild their defense that lost among others sweeper Jocelyn Bellemare. Melanie Scaccio and Allyson Calasabetta will anchor the defense and they are returning starters. Scaccio is the fourth of Marlboro's seniors.
The Mustangs have 10 freshmen on the roster, including goalie Allyson Weinberg, who, with sophomore Rupa Gill, is one-half of the goalie tandem. How much and how soon the freshmen can make an impact on the team will go a long way towards determining Marlboro's success this fall.
Freehold Township was just shy of the state playoffs last year (6-8-2) and coach Carolyn Sherman has a veteran lineup returning led by seniors Christina Barthel (midfield), Paige Allen (defense) and Desiree Reese (forward).
Colonials are hungrier than ever about win-
Borough girls seeking third straight state title
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Last year it was to remove the "co" in front of state champions. This year, it's about history as Freehold Borough's girls soccer team looks to win a third consecutive NJSIAA State Group III championship.
ERIC SUCAR staff Freehold Borough High School's Shannon Mayrose (r) and Wall Township's Kerrie Hartnett (l) battle for the ball during the first half of a game on Sept. 12, which was won by Freehold Borough, 2-0.
The Colonials have made the third Saturday in November at The College of New Jersey their home, and with eight seniors who have not lost their edge, Freehold Borough is poised to again to play in late November.
Shannon Mayrose, who scored the golden goal in the Colonials 2-1 overtime win over Ramapo in the state final, remarked that she and her teammates are very aware of what the team can accomplish this fall. It would be shame, she said, to let it go to waste.
"It's about playing up to our potential," she pointed out. "If we lose, it won't be because of effort or heart."
That much is for sure. In becoming the masters of overtime, Freehold Borough has heart and will second to no one.
Alexandra Eagle, the Colonials smooth sweeper back, noted that the team isn't concern about November at this time.
"We're not even thinking about the states," she said. "We're playing it one game at a time trying to get better.
"We're focused on playing together as a team," she added.
Eagle said that she and her teammates, especially the seniors, are hungrier for success "more than ever." It's their last time around and they don't, as Mayrose remarked, want to waste it.
Coach Elyse Bizzozzaro, who led the Colonials to a 21-2 record and three titles in her first year as head coach, has a special group of upper classmen led by the eight seniors who have done nothing but win.
The names are so familiar, Mayrose, Eagle, goalie Ashley Lewis, midfielder Alexa Rozzi, midfielder Jacklyn Scalgione (who had a big overtime goal in the state semifinal), Angeles Pantoja and midfielder Alyssa Rudic are the eight seniors who have led the team to a 42-3-1 record over the last two years.
In addition to the 12th-graders, the Colonials have starters Jaime Battaglia (forward), Simon Dixon (defense), Nicole Paulucci (defense), Kelsey Holtz (defense) and Paige Preston (midfield) back. Preston is a sophomore and the others, juniors.
Among the newcomers instilling new blood are Georgina Johnson, Karlie Korz, Elyse Umansky, Maria Caldarise, Sara Hartigan and Karisa Peskanka.
The seniors have welcomed the newcomers. They are making it easier for Bizzozzaro to adapt and create favorable match-ups and allowing the Colonials to have fresh legs on the field.
Freehold Borough certainly delivered a message on Friday afternoon that it is not jaded by its past success. In the rain, they handled Wall Township, the only team to beat them during the regular season last year, 2-0.
Mayrose, who scored a school record 30 goals in '07, had a foot in both goals. She ripped a 20-yarder into the back of the net in he first half and then assisted on the insurance goal scored by freshman Korz with 7:10 left in the match.
"She stepped up," noted Mayrose.
Lewis was very sharp in goal collecting her 38th career shutout.
Both Mayrose (Virginia Tech) and Eagles (University of South Florida) have made their verbal commitments to college taking that pressure off their shoulders.
Manalapan has been a perennial postseason participant, but in recent seasons, the Braves haven't made any additions to the trophy case. Dave Garretson's girls would like to change that this fall.
The Braves have a strong core group returning (seven starters) from last year's 11- 8 among them leading scorer Amy Carhart. The senior forward deposited 13 goals and had six assists. She was the kind of threat who made defenses concentrate on her opening the field for her teammates.
Sophomore Nicole Rynecki made an impact on the forward line as a frosh and should be even more of a factor this season with a year of varsity experience under her belt.
Defense has been Manalapan's calling card and it will be no different in '08. Starters Kristy Rubino, a senior, and sophomore Kelsey Marchesano are the defensive foundation. Newcomer Amanda McBride, a junior, will start in goal.
Manalapan is strong at midfield with starters Jackie Slotkin, Sam Yoelson and Cassie Inacio all returning.
Besides keeper McBride, newcomers include Rachel Trembly (defender), Kylee Rosella (midfield), Kylee Cleesattel (defender), Amanda Bloom (midfield), Allison Car rhart (midfield) and Jenna Barrata (forward).
The Braves have plenty of experience as well as the enthusiasm of youth (seven sophomore and two freshmen). There is also a hunger to rejoin the top programs in the Shore.
Howell saved its best soccer for October and November and ended up finishing second in the A North Division. Overall, coach Lizabeth Luccarelli has a veteran squad led by 10 seniors.
The Rebels rode their defense to an 11-6 season sparked by the play of outside backs Sara Shaughnessy and Joelle Urquhart. The seniors anchored a defense that produced 11 shutouts. Sweeper back Devin Hope and stopper Chrissy Fischer meaning the defense ret urns intact. Teams will again find it difficult to score on the Rebels.
Lauren Cadott (center midfield), Alyssa Fiorillo (forward) and Olivia Grimes (center forward), key components to the offense last fall, are back. Also returning are outside midfielder Devin Lambert and center forward Kaitlyn Schmid.
The experienced Rebels should be able to avoid the slow start of last year and again contend for the division title as well as qualify for postseason play.
Marlboro was one of the pleasant surprises of the '07 campaign returning to the playoffs for the first time in years. The Mustangs went 11-6-3 and were in the A North hunt for most of the season.
The Mustangs did graduate a number of seniors whose leadership was invaluable last fall. But, the good news for coach Tim McGeough is that Marlboro has several of its core players returning as the team looks to back up last year's success with another winning campaign. It won't easy because the Mustangs only have four seniors on the roster.
As proven last year, midfielders Chelsea Buttacavoli, Logan DeCicco and Lauren Kirsch are outstanding playmakers. This fall, with the graduation of the team's leading scorers, they may be looked to for more goal scoring. Kirsch and Buttacavoli are seniors.
Senior forward/midfielder Ariel Mandell and junior Jennnifer Ventrano are veterans on the forward line whole will be looking to cash in on scoring chances their midfielders provide. Mandel has been move up from the back to provide offense this year.
The Mustangs will have to rebuild their defense that lost among others sweeper Jocelyn Bellemare. Melanie Scaccio and Allyson Calasabetta will anchor the defense and they are returning starters. Scaccio is the fourth of Marlboro's seniors.
The Mustangs have 10 freshmen on the roster, including goalie Allyson Weinberg, who, with sophomore Rupa Gill, is one-half of the goalie tandem. How much and how soon the freshmen can make an impact on the team will go a long way towards determining Marlboro's success this fall.
Freehold Township was just shy of the state playoffs last year (6-8-2) and coach Carolyn Sherman has a veteran lineup returning led by seniors Christina Barthel (midfield), Paige Allen (defense) and Desiree Reese (forward).