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District teams looking to contend in A North
The Marlboro High School girls basketball team is finding motivation
from being picked to finish last in the Shore Conference A North
Division.
“We have a well-rounded team that is super enthusiastic,” said head coach Kristin Hein. “The fact that we were picked last in the conference just adds to the excitement that we will prove everyone wrong.”
The season is still young, but with two wins in their first three games, the Mustangs have looked like anything but a last-place team.
Hein takes over from Brian Nash, who resigned after taking the
Mustangs to the state playoffs last winter. She is very familiar with
the Mustangs since she was Nash’s assistant coach.
The one given the Mustangs had going into the season was junior center/forward Haley Unger, one of the premier post-up players in the conference. She averaged 11.8 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
“Haley Unger will most definitely be a force to be reckoned with this season,” said Hein. “She has come so far from the player she was just a few short months ago, both offensively and defensively.”
Playing volleyball has improved Unger’s quickness and footwork. She’s averaging 14.4 points a game with a seasonhigh of 18 points through the first three games of this season.
Marlboro does have to replace three graduated starters, including spots in the backcourt. Finding scoring behind Unger could be an issue. Senior Nicole Shatsky, sophomore Danielle Mark, freshman Tatum Evans and senior Shelby Ringer have all chipped in. Shatsky has a season-high of 17 points.
Defense, though, is what the Mustangs are focused on. It’s what the team practices everyday and, according to Hein, is what the team “will depend on for success.”
Marlboro has allowed just 35 points per game.
Colts Neck
Colts Neck High School moves into A North with a talented, albeit still young, team eager to build on the progress it made in 2011-12 and contend for division honors.
Head coach Jeanene Healy returns almost the entire team that was 13-12 last year and made the state playoffs.
Senior Jessie Fifield, the team’s longrange shooter (35 3-pointers), is one of the top shooting guards in the division (10.8 points per game last season). She teams with sophomore Kaity Healy (Jeanene’s daughter) and senior Rachel Krauss to form a dynamic backcourt. Kaity proved she can run the offense and be a facilitator, while Krauss is another dependable double-digit scorer who can also hit the three.
Senior Danielle DeGroot, juniors Lauren Zborovancik, Lindsey Bosland, Elissa Moody and Jenna Looney, and sophomores Noelle Frost, Meg Cavrak and Bridget Corsi complete the team. They all played last year.
The Cougars get after teams with their full-court pressure. Healy takes advantage of her depth to keep fresh legs on the court and the pressure on teams.
The Cougars are 1-0 after opening the season with a 59-11 win over Cardinal Mc- Carrick High School. Zborovancik (13) and Krauss (12) combined for 25 points in the game.
Freehold Township
The biggest concern for John Sciarappa as he begins his 31st season at Freehold Township High School is replacing senior leadership. The Patriots had plenty of that en route to last season’s 17-10 campaign.
“We don’t have enough experience,” the veteran coach said. “We lost four key seniors.”
The returnees did do something about that by playing in summer leagues, which has helped everyone improve their skills.
Junior guard Madison Dunn and sophomores Samantha Famulare (guard) and Tori Wagner (center) are the key returnees for the Patriots.
Wagner, at 6 feet 1 inch tall, gives the Patriots a solid presence in the paint. Sciarappa would like to see the sophomore get to the foul line more.
Famulare has the potential to be a consistent double-figure scorer and Dunn can fill it up from behind the arc.
Freehold Township doesn’t have a bonafide point guard. They will rely on Dunn, Famulare and freshman Harlie Kneler to share those duties. They are all very athletic and will be the focal point of the Patriots’ press.
Sciarappa does have a deep squad and he’s still trying to find the best combinations. The team will do more pressing and running this year because of that.
Sophomore Taylor Devlin and Nicole Jackson (guard/forward) will be part of the backcourt rotation. Up front at forward, the Patriots have senior Ryan Jackson (senior) and juniors Samantha Eilert, Cara McGee, Kasey Shaw and Sophia Carbone.
The Pats are 1-2 heading into the holiday break.
Manalapan
Scott Horton will continue to employ “the system” with his Manalapan Braves.
This frantic style of play with its emphasis on the 3-point shot, constant substitutions and full-court pressure for the entire game has worked. Last year the Braves qualified for the state playoffs and had a win over eventual NJSIAA Group IV state champion Jackson Memorial High School.
The Braves graduated Jasmine McCall, now at Seton Hall University, and her 21.2 points per game, which does leave a void. However, Horton uses everyone that suits up and doesn’t look for any one player to carry the scoring load.
“We are athletic and Sam Meier is turning into a pretty good post player,” said the coach. “I have no idea on wins and loses, but I think we will improve and be a pain in the neck to play.”
Meier’s presence under the basket is something the Braves haven’t had before in the system. She is a junior.
Senior Danielle Rizzo seems poised to pick up some of the scoring slack left by McCall’s graduation. She scored 21 points in the Braves’ only game of the season thus far, a 79-77 loss to Howell High School. Rizzo hit four 3-pointers in that loss.
Senior Victoria Hayes is another 3- point threat.
Seniors Dominique Cruz, Alex Kamberogiannis, Sierra Lawson, Allison McNamara, Jaclyn Orlando and Nicole Winters, juniors Jessica Donnelly, Cassidy McBride, Kelly McNulty, Brianne Nealon and Samantha Meier, sophomores Ashley Meier and Catherine Traina and freshman Erin Rotundo will get playing time as Horton sends wave-after-wave at teams.
Howell
Howell is looking to rebound from a one-win season in 2011-12.
“After a terrible year, we are hoping to rebound to respectability,” said Rebels head coach Bill Gallacher,
The Rebels were looking to bounce-back with a young team. Of the seven returnees that Howell has, three are sophomores — Gabby Greene, Reese Parr and Marycate Baroska. Seniors Allie Moreland, a threeyear starter, and Kristen Bertinelli, and juniors Ashley Trimble and Tara Mircovich are also back. Moreland is the only player with more than one year of varsity experience.
New to the team this year are junior Amanda McClintock and freshmen Katie Capestro and Becca Hamilton.
The Rebels are 1-2 and have already matched their win total from a year ago. Greene poured in 26 points and Moreland added 21 when Howell nipped Manalapan, 79-77, on Dec. 18.
Freehold
Over in B North, Freehold was rejuvenated last year and led by the play of Camerin Spahn, Kim Dana and Sara Cobb.
Head coach Jenn Brzucki inserted the trio into the starting lineup as freshmen and it all came to fruition last winter when they were juniors and the Colonials made the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey Group III playoffs for the first time in their careers.
Spahn averaged 11.5 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game, while Dana averaged 12 points per game and 2.3 assists per game. Cobb, the outstanding goalie on the Colonials’ championship soccer team, contributes with her all-around play on both ends of the floor.
Also back are sophomore Rebecca Cobb, the team’s leading rebounder, and junior Samantha Kandell.
Completing the team are senior Kaitlyn Ortiz and sophomores Sophia Duffy and Erica Bastry, who gained valuable experience last year as freshmen.
Freehold is 1-1 this season, with Spahn averaging 17.5 points per game.
“We have a well-rounded team that is super enthusiastic,” said head coach Kristin Hein. “The fact that we were picked last in the conference just adds to the excitement that we will prove everyone wrong.”
The season is still young, but with two wins in their first three games, the Mustangs have looked like anything but a last-place team.
The one given the Mustangs had going into the season was junior center/forward Haley Unger, one of the premier post-up players in the conference. She averaged 11.8 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
“Haley Unger will most definitely be a force to be reckoned with this season,” said Hein. “She has come so far from the player she was just a few short months ago, both offensively and defensively.”
Playing volleyball has improved Unger’s quickness and footwork. She’s averaging 14.4 points a game with a seasonhigh of 18 points through the first three games of this season.
Marlboro does have to replace three graduated starters, including spots in the backcourt. Finding scoring behind Unger could be an issue. Senior Nicole Shatsky, sophomore Danielle Mark, freshman Tatum Evans and senior Shelby Ringer have all chipped in. Shatsky has a season-high of 17 points.
Defense, though, is what the Mustangs are focused on. It’s what the team practices everyday and, according to Hein, is what the team “will depend on for success.”
Marlboro has allowed just 35 points per game.
Colts Neck
Colts Neck High School moves into A North with a talented, albeit still young, team eager to build on the progress it made in 2011-12 and contend for division honors.
Head coach Jeanene Healy returns almost the entire team that was 13-12 last year and made the state playoffs.
Senior Jessie Fifield, the team’s longrange shooter (35 3-pointers), is one of the top shooting guards in the division (10.8 points per game last season). She teams with sophomore Kaity Healy (Jeanene’s daughter) and senior Rachel Krauss to form a dynamic backcourt. Kaity proved she can run the offense and be a facilitator, while Krauss is another dependable double-digit scorer who can also hit the three.
Senior Danielle DeGroot, juniors Lauren Zborovancik, Lindsey Bosland, Elissa Moody and Jenna Looney, and sophomores Noelle Frost, Meg Cavrak and Bridget Corsi complete the team. They all played last year.
The Cougars get after teams with their full-court pressure. Healy takes advantage of her depth to keep fresh legs on the court and the pressure on teams.
The Cougars are 1-0 after opening the season with a 59-11 win over Cardinal Mc- Carrick High School. Zborovancik (13) and Krauss (12) combined for 25 points in the game.
Freehold Township
The biggest concern for John Sciarappa as he begins his 31st season at Freehold Township High School is replacing senior leadership. The Patriots had plenty of that en route to last season’s 17-10 campaign.
“We don’t have enough experience,” the veteran coach said. “We lost four key seniors.”
The returnees did do something about that by playing in summer leagues, which has helped everyone improve their skills.
Junior guard Madison Dunn and sophomores Samantha Famulare (guard) and Tori Wagner (center) are the key returnees for the Patriots.
Wagner, at 6 feet 1 inch tall, gives the Patriots a solid presence in the paint. Sciarappa would like to see the sophomore get to the foul line more.
Famulare has the potential to be a consistent double-figure scorer and Dunn can fill it up from behind the arc.
Freehold Township doesn’t have a bonafide point guard. They will rely on Dunn, Famulare and freshman Harlie Kneler to share those duties. They are all very athletic and will be the focal point of the Patriots’ press.
Sciarappa does have a deep squad and he’s still trying to find the best combinations. The team will do more pressing and running this year because of that.
Sophomore Taylor Devlin and Nicole Jackson (guard/forward) will be part of the backcourt rotation. Up front at forward, the Patriots have senior Ryan Jackson (senior) and juniors Samantha Eilert, Cara McGee, Kasey Shaw and Sophia Carbone.
The Pats are 1-2 heading into the holiday break.
Manalapan
Scott Horton will continue to employ “the system” with his Manalapan Braves.
This frantic style of play with its emphasis on the 3-point shot, constant substitutions and full-court pressure for the entire game has worked. Last year the Braves qualified for the state playoffs and had a win over eventual NJSIAA Group IV state champion Jackson Memorial High School.
The Braves graduated Jasmine McCall, now at Seton Hall University, and her 21.2 points per game, which does leave a void. However, Horton uses everyone that suits up and doesn’t look for any one player to carry the scoring load.
“We are athletic and Sam Meier is turning into a pretty good post player,” said the coach. “I have no idea on wins and loses, but I think we will improve and be a pain in the neck to play.”
Meier’s presence under the basket is something the Braves haven’t had before in the system. She is a junior.
Senior Danielle Rizzo seems poised to pick up some of the scoring slack left by McCall’s graduation. She scored 21 points in the Braves’ only game of the season thus far, a 79-77 loss to Howell High School. Rizzo hit four 3-pointers in that loss.
Senior Victoria Hayes is another 3- point threat.
Seniors Dominique Cruz, Alex Kamberogiannis, Sierra Lawson, Allison McNamara, Jaclyn Orlando and Nicole Winters, juniors Jessica Donnelly, Cassidy McBride, Kelly McNulty, Brianne Nealon and Samantha Meier, sophomores Ashley Meier and Catherine Traina and freshman Erin Rotundo will get playing time as Horton sends wave-after-wave at teams.
Howell
Howell is looking to rebound from a one-win season in 2011-12.
“After a terrible year, we are hoping to rebound to respectability,” said Rebels head coach Bill Gallacher,
The Rebels were looking to bounce-back with a young team. Of the seven returnees that Howell has, three are sophomores — Gabby Greene, Reese Parr and Marycate Baroska. Seniors Allie Moreland, a threeyear starter, and Kristen Bertinelli, and juniors Ashley Trimble and Tara Mircovich are also back. Moreland is the only player with more than one year of varsity experience.
New to the team this year are junior Amanda McClintock and freshmen Katie Capestro and Becca Hamilton.
The Rebels are 1-2 and have already matched their win total from a year ago. Greene poured in 26 points and Moreland added 21 when Howell nipped Manalapan, 79-77, on Dec. 18.
Freehold
Over in B North, Freehold was rejuvenated last year and led by the play of Camerin Spahn, Kim Dana and Sara Cobb.
Head coach Jenn Brzucki inserted the trio into the starting lineup as freshmen and it all came to fruition last winter when they were juniors and the Colonials made the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey Group III playoffs for the first time in their careers.
Spahn averaged 11.5 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game, while Dana averaged 12 points per game and 2.3 assists per game. Cobb, the outstanding goalie on the Colonials’ championship soccer team, contributes with her all-around play on both ends of the floor.
Also back are sophomore Rebecca Cobb, the team’s leading rebounder, and junior Samantha Kandell.
Completing the team are senior Kaitlyn Ortiz and sophomores Sophia Duffy and Erica Bastry, who gained valuable experience last year as freshmen.
Freehold is 1-1 this season, with Spahn averaging 17.5 points per game.
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