Pats looking to repeat as girls lacrosse champs FT girls undefeated in A North lacrosse BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer A 5-0 start by the Freehold Township girls lacrosse team would indicate that the Patriots have picked up where they left off in 2007. ERIC SUCAR staff Freehold Township's Maddie Comfort (l) tries to elude Marlboro defender Anisha Ahuri during the second half of their game at Freehold Township High School on April 15. Nikki Hastings' Pats went 13-3 and won the Shore Conference A North Division title for the first time in the program's history last spring. Being undefeated at this point of the season would be expected. But that isn't the case, according to Hastings. She admits that she had "no idea" how well the team would play in 2008. "We lost the core of the team, midfield," she said. "We graduated six seniors. I didn't know what the season would be like." Freehold Township did have a fewthings going for it, namely Maddie Comfort and solid senior leadership from the likes of Adj Tepedino, SarahMcKenna, Laura Leff,Ashlie Kneler and Tara Contegiacomo. Comfort was an All-Shore player as a sophomore in '07, scoring 42 goals. The team captain is scary in the open field using her long strides to run away fromdefenses.Near the goal, she knows how to position herself where she uses her height and wingspan to deposit passes into the cage.All this is done while being shadowed constantly by defenses. "The other teams realize what kind of scoring threat she is," said Hastings. Teams are finding out, though, at their expense, that Comfort can do more than score. She had 28 assists last year. "She is a versatile player," said Hastings Jennamarie Collichia, a sophomore, has stepped up to give teams another scorer to be concerned about. She scored six goals all of last season but has struck for 12 already in '08. She,Marino, Tepedino, Leff and Comfort form a midfield that is lethal in transition. Up front, attackers Kneler, TiffanyMurphy and Britany Schram have been doing a fine job finishing off scoring opportunities created by the midfielders. Defensively,Contegiacomo andMcKenna have been the foundation. Sophomore Katelyn Murphy has played her way into the starting lineup. Leff, a versatile player herself, is equally effective in the back. The Pat defenders do a fine job ofmarking their players and challenging shots. GoalieAnna Kibrick, a junior, is very active and is like having an added defender on the field. "She communicates and works well with the defense," said Hastings. Thursday, the Patriots concluded the first half of the division schedule, beating Ocean Township, their closest rival. Comfort and Marino each scored four goals and Tepedino three as the Pats won 13-11 on the road. Repeating as division champions is important to the Pats, who want to establish themselves as a perennial power. "They want the division again," said Hastings. "They know it's no cakewalk. Everyone else has improved." Among those improved teams are Marlboro, Howell and Colts Neck from the Freehold Regional District. Marlboro (3-3), while still having a number of underclassmen, has a very experience squad. The team was 8-9 last spring and would like to improve on that. Their .500 start has the Mustangs headed in the right direction. Lauren Kirsch, Nicole Taylor Siegel, Chelsea Buttacavoli, Allison Petty, Lindsay Dolashewich, Larlee Jensen, Sam Friedman, Anisha Alturi, Kaitlyn Riegler, Nicole Sullivan, Paula Shulman, Taylor Siegel and Lauren Panfile are returners who are the foundation of the team. This group would like to takeMarlboro to the next level. Kirsch is leading the team in goal scoring. Buttcavoli andDolahshewich have been the playmakers along with scoring goals. Newcomers includeAllysonCalascibetta, Nicole Lee, Mallory Baskt, Kristen Vielma, Rachel Herman, Pam Levine, Julie Yaroni and Rupa Noakar. Colts Neck is another team looking to build on its progress. The youngest program in the Freehold Regional District, this is its fourth year, and the Cougars are relying heavily on the seniors who have been with the teamfromits inception. They bring a lot of experience to the team and a determination to be the first team to make the state playoffs.With a school-record seven wins in '07, the team's goals are towin 10 games this year and make the postseason, said new head coach TroyMadison. Injuries have contributed to a slowerthan expected start (2-5), but Madison sees the teambeginning to jell. There are 13 seniors on the team, but also a number of new faces, and it has taken time for the team to click. Colts Neck's core players are seniors like Lauren Bilotti (attack), Sarah Blom (midfield), Kim Campfield (midfield), Jenna Campfield (midfield), Whitney Deedmeyer (defense), Clarissa Mulligan (defense) and Aurelie Plujimakers. Plujimakers, who plays attack, is the first Cougar to earn a scholarship for lacrosse. She's headed to SacredHeart in the fall. She has scored more than 130 goals in her career and could reach 200 before the season ends. Laura Joseph and Kelly Schlosser are two seniors the teamwas looking to for contributions this year, but are out for the season with knee injuries. Juniors CaseyMacLean (defense), Ilyssa Meyer (midfield) and Sam Shaw (midfield/ attack) are returning letter-winners. Stephanie Giovia, Sam Shaw, Lauren DeBaere and Jessica Maguire are the key newcomers. Sophomore Carly Penner (attack) and two frosh,HolliKeselman and SarahGreenberg, are the team's future. The Cougars have a lot of experience in the backfield on defense, and they have Plujimakers, who is equally effective scoring or passing. In the team's 12-6 win over Manalapan, she had two goals and three assists. Howell was 7-8 last year for coach Christina Nunez, and the goal this spring is to have a winning record. The Rebels graduated some important players but have eight returning. The team is 3-4 and in a good position to accomplish its goal. Howell's strength is on defense, where the Rebels return starters Lauren Bogosian, Nicole Payette and Kristin Gaul and letter-winner Jackie Rucci plus goalie Brianna Scolaro. All are seniors and play well together because of their experience. Seniors Stephanie Regina and Claire Mastellar are attack wings. Junior center Christina Fischer fuels the team with her playmaker skills and ability to finish off scoring chances. The Rebels have depth with seniors Stacey Maraldo, Shea Klusewicz, Michelle Bonavito and Kelli Lord, juniors Meghan Flaherty, Courtney Flaherty, Alyssa Fiorillo and Amanda Kazuba, and sophomores Catherine Dee and Amand Krug all capable of contributing. Bonavito led the Rebels with three goals in Thursday's 12-11 win against Marlboro. Regina, Payete and Bogosian each had two. Scolaro made 15 saves in the victory. What has pleased Nunez the most is the way the seniors and underclassmen have jelled. "They're coming together as a team," she said. "They're working together and meshing as a unit." Manalapan has been a struggling program in recent years, and new coach Kerry Eisman thinks this is the year the team could turn the corner, thanks to a veteran, senior-dominated team. Seniors Kellie Ross (attack), Maria Saverino (attack), Heidi Bernknoph (attack), Danielle Borruso (attack), Liz Duffy (defense), Courtney Farruggia (defense), Dana Fields (defense) and Marie Zeoli (goalie) are the nucleus of this year's team. Junior Lindsay Nemeth (attack) and sophomore Samantha Ebner (center) are the other returners.