Week 1 Girls Soccer Shore Sports Network Shore 16

1. Freehold Township (3-0) Previous Rank: 1

Freehold Township is starting the season right where it left off, picking up three wins this week. Two of the wins were against Shore 16 teams, including an opening-night victory against No. 6 Middletown South, 3-0. Senior Hailey Santiago has started the season on fire, scoring five goals in three matches. Freehold Township has a SCT Group 1 game on Thursday vs. Brick Township.

2. Manalapan (1-0) Previous Rank: 2

The Braves won their only game of the week 3-0 against Toms River East in a SCT Group 6 game. Vanessa Sarf scored all three goals that game and senior goalkeeper Emma Guidotti picked up her first shutout after returning from injury last season. Manalapan has two hard division games this week, Tuesday against No. 9 Howell and Thursday on the road against No. 6 Middletown South.

3. Red Bank Catholic (1-0) Previous Rank: 3

RBC picked up a victory against No. 7 Brick Memorial in Group 5 of the SCT. Senior Iva Carton had both assists in the game, one each to sophomore Paige Foye and senior Emily Beyer. The Caseys play the Hun School Tuesday and head on the road to play crosstown rival Red Bank Regional on Thursday.

4. Brick Memorial (1-1) Previous Rank: 7

Brick Memorial split against two top 10 teams this week, winning against No. 3 Howell, 2-1, on opening night and losing to No. 4 RBC, 2-1. Junior goalkeeper Giselle Lizardi has been stellar in net for the Mustangs to start the season. The Mustangs have two Class A South games on the road this week, Southern on Tuesday and Toms River North on Thursday.

The Mustangs celebrate a goal by senior forward Chloe Gellici during Brick Memorial’s 2-1 Shore Conference non divisional victory over Howell. (Photo: ROBERT BADDERS).

5. Central (2-0) Previous Rank: 8

Central Regional earned two wins last week, first defeating No. 12 Lacey, 6-2. Senior Emma Harmon scored four goals in that game and has five on the season. The Golden Eagles also defeated No. 9 St. John Vianney in a SCT Group 7 game, 3-2. Central Regional plays two Class A South games this week: first they host No. 11 Jackson Memorial Tuesday at 6 p.m. They end the week at Toms River East on Thursday at 6 p.m.

6. Middletown South (1-1) Previous Rank: 6

Middletown South opened the season losing to No. Freehold Township 3-0. The Eagles rebounded in the SCT Group 4 opening game against Toms River South, 4-0. Sophomore Bea Tinoco scored two goals and senior Camryn Szotak scored one goal and three assists in the win. The Eagles host No. 2 Manalapan on Thursday.

7. Wall (1-0) Previous Rank: 10

Wall picked up a victory in SCT Group 8, defeating No. Howell 3-2 in overtime. Madison Miller scored two goals including the game winner in the first overtime. Wall hosts Shore Regional on Tuesday in Class A Central action and visit No. 1 Freehold Township Thursday.

8. Point Boro (1-0-1) Previous Rank: 5

The Panthers opened the season up with a 4-4 draw against Shore Regional. Sophomore Elise Viggiano scored two goals for Point Boro in that contest. Point Boro picked up a SCT Group 10 win against Holmdel, 3-0. Senior Kyleigh Cilento scored two goals in the game and junior Ava Bjorndahl had eight saves in the shutout. The Panthers have two Class B South games this week, Tuesday at Lacey and Thursday they host Donovan Catholic.

9. Howell (0-2) Previous Rank: 3

Howell dropped two games in the opening week, but they were both to ranked opponents. They lost to No. 7 Brick Memorial on opening day and then to No. 10 Wall in a SCT Group 8 game, 3-2 in overtime. Freshman Mackenzie Memmolo has three goals to start her career. Howell has another hard week ahead, playing two Class A North games. Tuesday, the Rebels travel to No. 2 Manalapan and Thursday they travel to No. 10 St. John Vianney.

10. St. John Vianney (0-1-0) Previous Rank: 9

SJV lost its first SCT Group 7 game in overtime against No. 8 Central Regional, 3-2. Seniors Olivia Baczor and Isabella Merrifield scored for the Lancers. SJV hosts No. 14 Marlboro on Tuesday and No. 9 Howell on Thursday in Class A North games.

11. Jackson Memorial (2-0) Previous Rank: 11

The Jaguars picked up two wins to start the season, the first one in SCT Group 3 action against Colts Neck, 2-1. They also defeated crosstown rival Jackson Liberty, 3-1, with senior Renee Wanzor scoring two goals. Jackson Memorial travels to No. 5 Central Regional on Tuesday to see who will get a leg up in Class A South. They finish the week at Brick Township on Thursday.

12. Manasquan (0-0-1) Previous Rank: 14

The Warriors started their season on Monday losing to No. 1 Freehold Township, 4-0. Manasquan had its opening game postponed due to weather. The Warriors have two Class B North games this week, traveling to Neptune on Tuesday and hosting Trinity Hall on Thursday.

13. Ocean Township (2-0) Previous Rank: Not ranked

Not ranked to start the season, Ocean upset No. 13 Rumson-Fair Haven, 2-1. Senior Natalie Feniger scored both goals in that match and added two more against Raritan. The Spartans defeated Raritan, 4-0, in a SCT Group 6 game. Ocean travels to Trinity Hall on Tuesday and hosts Colts Neck on Thursday.

14. Marlboro (2-0) Previous Rank: Not ranked

Marlboro also started unranked and picked up two wins to start the season. They defeated Holmdel, 2-0, where freshman Jordyn Bauer earned her first career shutout. The Mustangs also defeated Pinelands in SCT Group 2 action, 8-0. Sophomore Isabella Huttner had two goals and an assist and junior Jada Padmore added two more goals. Marlboro travels to No. 10 St. John Vianney on Tuesday and hosts Middletown North on Thursday in two Class A North matches.

15. Point Beach (1-0) Previous Rank: 16

Point Beach opened the season up defeating Freehold Boro, 4-0, in SCT Group 4. Sophomore Baileigh Johnson started her season with a hat trick for the Gulls and junior Mackenzie Highland picked up her first shutout of her career. Point Beach hosts Asbury Park on Tuesday.

16. Lacey (1-1) Previous Rank: 12

Lacey dropped its home opener, 6-2, against No. 8 Central Regional. The Lions bounced back and defeated Red Bank Regional in an SCT Group 11 game, 3-2. Junior Mackenzie Brotherson scored two goals in the game, giving her three on the season. Lacey plays two Class B South games this week. They host No. 8 Point Boro Tuesday in a game that can decide the division and host Barnegat on Thursday.