Braves go to postseason playing their best
Four District teams in CJ soccer playoffs BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Rick Garretson didn't age as much this fall. His Manalapan High School girls soccer team had been making it a habit in recent years of putting itself in a deep hole and, at the last possible moment, sneaking into the playoffs at the 11th hour and 59th minute.

Garretson didn't have to sweat it out this year, because his club avoided the slow start and had actually clinched the state playoffs well before the Oct. 19 deadline to be .500 or better.

The Braves were 10-7 at the cut off date (11-7 now).

"For a young team, we came together at the right time," said Garretson. "Our defense has been strong all year and the girls stayed positive."

Manalapan went 5-2 in its last seven games to not only make the state playoffs but the Shore Conference Tournament as well.

The turnaround was attributed to the team finally converting on its scoring opportunities.

"We've started to put the ball in the back of the net," said Garretson.

The forward combination of Amy Carhart and Nicole Rynecki has been very productive, combining for 23 goals. Carhart has 13 goals and six assists and has tallied 10 goals. Carhart, a junior, and Rynecki, a sophomore, have jelled from the start, from the first time Garretson teamed them up on the forward line.

Midfielder Ashtyn Foley has been in the mix as well, with five goals and seven assists. Center-midfielder Cassie Inacio, a freshman, has been pitching in as a playmaker.

Manalapan's defense has been rock solid all year. Despite the loss of four-year starting sweeper Annie Perragine, the Braves have been as stingy as ever.

Sophomore Kristy Rubino has also made a big impact this year.

"Kristy really stepped in and did a phenomenal job," said Garretson. "In the preseason I thought she'd be better as a marking back. But when I moved her to sweeper, she was just too valuable there to move back."

Angelica Modica is playing the stopper position for the Braves, with Kelsey Marchesano, one of three freshmen starting on the varsity, and Jackie Slotkin as the outside backs.

"It's a young defense, and they will continue to grow," said Garretson. "They've been very strong.

"It's a combination of the system we play and their skill," he added. "They have great foot skills. We've been building our offense out of the backfield."

Modica, the veteran of the group, is a four-year starter. In her final home game, a win over Raritan in the team's final tune-up before the state, Modica scored her first career goal.

Goalie Katie DiPaola, with the help off her defense, has six shut outs.

The Braves not only go into this week's state playoffs with momentum, they go in having played in the tough A North division that tests a team in every game.

Manalapan played Monday against second-seeded Montgomery, and the winner will play Thursday in the quarterfinals.

Manalapan is one four teams from the Freehold Regional High School District that has made the state tournament.

Freehold Borough, the 2006 Group III co-champions, Howell and Marlboro are the other squads.

Howell set the state playoffs as its big goal for the season, and with an 11-5 record, the Rebels easily attained it. They used the leadership of seniors Margauz Pickell, Sara Shaughnessy and Jacquie Rucci and 15 returning players, with the infusion of some promising freshmen, to be one of the strongest teams heading into the playoffs. They finished second in the competitive A North division.

Pickell is one of the leading scorers in the Shore, and she has gotten help from Stephanie Wood, Daniela Ferrreira, Olivia Grimes and Alyssa Fiorillo.

Howell, seeded ninth in CJ IV, also played on Monday, at No. 8 Jackson. The winner moved on to tomorrow's quarterfinals.

Marlboro (11-3-3) has been one of the big stories of the season. The veteran Mustangs put years of frustration behind them in '07 playing good soccer throughout the season. The 'Stangs are the No. 6 seed in CJ IV and hosted their first-round game Monday against 11th seed Hillsborough. Like the other firstround winners, the victor goes on to the quarters tomorrow.

Freehold Borough (15-2), of course, is bidding for a second straight state title. The Colonials have virtually everyone back from the 21-1-1 team that shared the State Group championship with Ramapo last year.

They repeated as Shore Conference B North division champions and advanced to the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament, falling to Brick Memorial, 2- 1.

Shannon Mayrose, with 24 goals, is on the way to a single-season school record.

Freehold was seeded No. 2 in Central Jersey III and received a first-round bye. The Colonials will open in the quarters tomorrow at home against the winner of the Princeton-Hamilton West match.

Hightstown, whom the Colonials beat 2-1 in overtime in the sectional semi-finals last year, is the section's No. 1 seed.

The finals for both CJ III and IV are set for Nov. 8 at the home of the highestseeded team.