Council lauds Colonials for sterling soccer season
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

CLARE MARIE CELANO The Freehold High School girls soccer team was honored by the Borough Council onDec. 4 in recognition of its outstanding 21-1-1 season. See story, page 48.

FREEHOLD — Girls rule! At least they do in Freehold Borough these days.

The Freehold High School girls varsity soccer team recently concluded a 21-1-1 campaign that saw the Colonials share the New Jersey State Interschol-astic Athletic Association Group III state crown with Ramapo after playing to a 0-0 tie with the northern New Jersey school Nov. 18.

The Colonials became the first Freehold High School team to win a state group championship.

On Dec. 4, Mayor Michael Wilson and the Borough Council honored head coach Heshy Moses and the members of the soccer team, much to the delight of a packed audience of friends and family members at Borough Hall.

Wilson read from a resolution congratulating the team and Moses on winning the Shore Conference Tournament, the Shored Conference B North Division crown, the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 3 state sectional championship and the NJSIAA Group 3 state championship.

According to Councilman Kevin Kane, whose daughter, Caitlin, is on the soccer team, on the night of the state final the squad was escorted back into town by fire trucks and police cars. The championship match between Freehold and Ramapo was played at The College of New Jersey, Ewing Township.

Lights and sirens flashed and sounded as the team was led back into the borough in a surprise parade, creating a lasting memory for the players and those who had cheered them on this fall.

Kane said it was a wonderful sight. He said people came out of their homes and out of restaurants to cheer the team.

Councilman Marc Le Vine congratulated the girls and said their success was a wonderful thing for them to experience.

“It’s good to see young people feel good about themselves,” he said. “We need more of these things to focus on the good things in our town. Think how remarkable it is that a team in our little town was able to do this. The kids all working together encapsulated what we all want to be. This really is Americana.”

Each team member and each coach was given a copy of the resolution.

Moses coached the Colonials with his assistant coaches Elyse Bizzozzaro and Deana Falciani.

The team members are: senior captains Caitlin Kane, Kelly Knox, Jean Paulucci and Alyssa Mayrose; seniors Sam Kology and Laura Porth; juniors Amy Flanagan, Kim Baurenfeind, Genna Opatut, Alanna Ekdhal, Jamie Sheehan, Jen Prinke and Gina Mauro; sophomores Alyssa Rudic, Jackie Scalgione, Angie Pantoja, Alexa Rozzi, Shannon Mayrose, Alexandra Eagle and Ashley Lewis; and freshmen Nikki Paulucci, Jamie Battaglia, Simone Dixon and Elyse Umansky.