Girls Soccer – Sixteen Shore Conference Teams March Into New Week of NJSIAA Tournament

Get our free mobile app

The Shore Conference excels in a lot of sports and girls soccer might be its best. A year in which two teams from the Shore make it to the group finals is a down year for the conference. The early returns on 2022 suggest this will not be one of those down years, with a dominant team in Group IV and a long list of teams still playing in Group II and Non-Public A.

There were all kinds of highlights from the sectional quarterfinal round on Saturday and the action continues on Tuesday with the public sectional semifinals and the non-public quarterfinals. Here is a quick look back and even quicker look ahead in each of the Shore-relevant sections.

Central Jersey Group IV

Three Class A North sides cleared the opening round of the Central Group IV bracket and it might have been four were it not for Marlboro drawing Howell in the first round. It took a golden goal for Howell to escape Marlboro in round one and join Freehold Township and Manalapan as the three Shore Conference representatives in the sectional quarterfinals.

Now, the field is down to two Shore teams after Howell ran into a red-hot Rancocas Valley squad that will next face a heat-check against Freehold Township – arguably the state’s most dominant team of the last two seasons. Manalapan, meanwhile, has been a battle-tested, dangerous outfit all year and has some momentum heading into this week.

Quarterfinal Recap

Freehold Twp. 4, (9) Hillsborough 0

The Shore Conference Tournament champions continued their rampage through Central Jersey Group IV behind four goals from four different players in another shutout win – this time over the Raiders. Sophomore Gaby Parker, junior Hailey Santiago, junior Ainsley Moy and senior Kayla Wong each finished a goal and Santago collected a pair of assists to headline the win.

In two state tournament games, Freehold Township has outscored its opposition, 13-0, which followed a four-game Shore Conference Tournament run in which the Patriots outscored its four opponents by a cumulative count of 13-1.

(6) Manalapan 1, (3) Monroe 0

Junior Kasey Resker finished the golden goal during the second overtime period off a feed from sophomore Savannah DiSabato and Manalapan pulled out a dramatic road win over Monroe to march on to the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals.

The goal was only the second of Resker’s varsity career and both have come in 1-0, NJSIAA Tournament wins for Manalapan, with her first coming as a sophomore in a 1-0 win over Howell in the first round of the 2021 Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

(4) Rancocas Valley 4, (5) Howell 1

Senior Kennedy Garcia assisted the first goal of the game by Joanna Marlin and scored two of her own during a four-goal first half that powered Rancocas Valley to a sectional quarterfinal win over Howell. The loss closed out a historic season for the Rebels, who reached the Shore Conference Tournament championship game for the first time in program history.

Sophomore Madelyn Roberto got Howell on the board in the second half with her team’s lone goal of the game.

Sectional Semifinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(4) Rancocas Valley at (1) Freehold Township

(6) Manalapan at (2) East Brunswick

Central Jersey Group III

The Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals were the rivalry round, with the Middletown teams going toe-to-toe, two Class A South rivals squaring off and two of Mercer County’s best doing battle in a grudge match. Once the smoke cleared, two teams from the Shore Conference and two teams from Mercer County were left standing and now, both semifinals will feature a Shore vs. Colonial Valley Conference matchup.

Quarterfinal Recap

(3) Middletown South 4, (11) Middletown North 0

It took 76 minutes for Middletown South to score the game-winning goal – which was also the only goal – in a regular-season win over rival Middletown North. It was apparent from the first whistle Saturday in the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinal that in the Middletown rivalry rematch, the Eagles were intent on putting the first goal – and several others – away early.

It took some persistence, but junior Lauren Ceurvels jumpstarted a three-goal first half by Middletown South with a 19th-minute finish and capped the scoring with her second goal, closing out a dominant, 4-0 win for the Eagles over the rival Lions.

“It’s North, so we knew they were going to come out strong,” Ceurvels said. “It’s a state game, so we had to be at our best. We really wanted to score early and keep going, get to the next round.”

Middletown South applied immense pressure from the opening minute through the final five minutes and broke through when senior Makayla Jaffe played a diagonal ball toward the right corner of the 18-yard box and Ceurvels skipped it back across the flow of the play for a far-post finish.

“It felt good to get the first goal,” Ceurvels said. “It completely took the weight off out shoulders. We feel very confident going into the next round be able to play like that against a good team and our rivals.”

In the 26th minute, junior Jenn Shuster stole the ball from the Middletown North defense and slammed in Middletown South’s second goal. Seven minutes later, sophomore Grace Gironda followed up an initial shot by freshman Bea Tinoco that was saved by Lions goalkeeper Maura Chawner and finished it for a 3-0 Eagles lead.

Ceurvels closed out the scoring in the 63rd with a header off a long ball into the box from senior Marisa Seckular. Prior to the NJSIAA Tournament, Ceurvels had two career goals to her credit and has since scored three in Middletown South’s first two state playoff matches.

(5) Brick Memorial 1, (4) Jackson Memorial 0

Senior Makenzie Fanning scored the game-winning goal in the 67th minute off a pass from classmate Mia Irrizarry and Brick Memorial took down Jackson Memorial in a rematch of a regular-season showdown between the two Shore Conference Class A South rivals.

Jackson Memorial is one of only two teams to beat Brick Memorial this season, with the Jaguars beating the Mustangs, 2-1, on Sept. 15. The other two Brick Memorial losses came at the hands of Toms River South – one during the regular-season and the other in the Shore Conference Tournament round of 16.

Senior Haley Tighe posted a shutout for Brick Memorial by racking up eight saves, while Jackson Memorial sophomore Gianna Berkley kept her team close by stopping 12 Brick Memorial shots.

(1) Steinert 3, (8) Jackson Liberty 1

Top-seeded Steinert stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first half on the way to a 3-1 win over Jackson Liberty. Junior Chelsea Lavezzo got Jackson Liberty on the board with a goal in the second half off a pass from senior Seanna Boan and the Lions went down fighting to complete the third winning season in program history. Jackson Liberty’s opening round win was the second NJSIAA Tournament win in program history and the second in the last four seasons.

Sectional Semifinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(5) Brick Memorial at (1) Steinert

(3) Middletown South at (2) Allentown

Central Jersey Group II

No NJSIAA sectional saw the Shore flex its considerable soccer muscle more than Central Jersey Group II, where the only Shore Conference team to lose was 10^th-seeded Ocean, which lost 1-0 to another Shore team. No. 2 Point Boro was the only home team to win in the quarterfinal, with Wall, Manasquan and Rumson-Fair Haven all returning as conquerors and, in turn, sectional semifinalists.

It is anybody’s guess which team will hold up the championship trophy, but whichever side pulls it off, it will be a Shore Conference team.

Quarterfinal Recap

(2) Point Boro 1, (10) Ocean 0

Junior Kyleigh Cilento scored the game’s lone goal in the first half off a pass from sophomore Abby Hannemann and Point Boro punched its ticket to the Central Group II semifinals with a shutout win over Ocean. Point Boro fell one win shy of reaching the Shore Conference Tournament championship game and will try to advance to the sectional final Tuesday, when the Panthers host Rumson-Fair Haven.

(9) Wall 7, (1) Metuchen 1

Wall continued its dominance in Central Jersey Group II by dominating top-seeded Metuchen and running its unbeaten streak in the NJSIAA Tournament vs. non-Shore-Conference teams to 20 games. Wall will not only run into a Shore Conference team in the next round; it will be a road game against rival Manasquan.

(5) Manasquan 1, (4) Robbinsville 0

Manasquan earned a home game against Wall in Tuesday’s Central Group II quarterfinals by gutting out a 1-0 win at Robbinsville on Friday afternoon. Sophomore Joanna McDonald broke the scoreless tie in the 66th minute by scoring off a free kick by senior Lily Carhart.

(6) Rumson-Fair Haven 3, (3) Spotswood 0

Senior Janey Sypeck scored to give Rumson-Fair Haven a 1-0 lead in the first half and then assisted on one of her team’s two second-half goals as the Bulldogs rolled to a shutout road win over Spotswood. Sophomore Stella Saad and senior Lexi Steets each added a goal in the second half to power Rumson.

Sectional Semifinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(9) Wall at (5) Manasquan

(6) Rumson-Fair Haven at (2) Point Boro

Central Jersey Group I

For the first time in 10 years, there will be a new Central Jersey Group I champion. Shore Regional has owned this section for the past decade, but on Saturday, the Blue Devils’ reign came to an end when Point Pleasant Beach took down the defending champions in a back-and-forth thriller. The Garnet Gulls could now be the de facto favorite in the section, but should they advance to the final, they would have to go on the road to win the title.

Quarterfinal Recap

(4) Point Beach 3, (5) Shore 2

Point Beach ended six straight years of pent-up frustration by finally taking down Shore Regional, ending the Blue Devils’ 10-year run of sectional titles and earning its own trip to the Central Group I semifinal round Tuesday at home vs. eighth-seeded Roselle Park.

Freshman Baleigh Johnson scored two goals for Point Beach, including the game-winner in the 72nd minute off a pass from sophomore Izzy Kurzon. The Garnet Gulls trailed Shore, 2-1, after a goal by senior Julia Haddad gave the Blue Devils a 2-1 lead in the 55th minute. Sophomore Shelby Brunotte answered for Point Beach with the equalizer in the 67th minute, setting the stage for Johnson’s game-winner.

Johnson scored off a pass from senior Kami Turnbach to give Point Beach the game’s first lead in the 15th minute. Freshman counterpart Jenna Eichenbaum answered for Shore with an equalizer in the 27th minute.

Point Beach’s win over Shore on Saturday snapped a string of six straight years in which Point Beach’s season ended at the hands of Shore, which went on to win the Group I championship in three of those six years.

Sectional Semifinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(8) Roselle Park at (4) Point Beach

(3) New Egypt at (2) Highland Park

South Jersey Group IV

Heading into the season, Toms River North figured to be the Class A South team to play deepest into the season. Instead, Brick Memorial and Central are the last two teams standing from the division and considering Central has to compete in an always-loaded South Jersey Group IV section, it’s safe to say the Golden Eagles are one of the Shore’s surprise participants on Tuesday.

Perhaps they shouldn’t be, though, considering Central already beat Toms River North during the season and did it again on Saturday in almost identical fashion. With Toms River East also bowing out on Saturday, Central is now carrying the torch for the Shore in South Group IV.

Quarterfinal Recap

(5) Central 3, (4) Toms River North 2

For the second time this season, senior Hannah Lewis capped a two-goal performance by burying the golden goal during the second overtime period and Central knocked off the defending South Jersey Group IV champions in dramatic fashion.

Senior Christina Jimenez scored the other Central goal and junior Emma Harmon assisted to of the three goals by the Golden Eagles, who defeated Toms River North, 3-2, in overtime during the regular season behind two goals by Lewis – including the golden goal.

Senior Sophie Regeyne and junior Alexis Garcia each scored for Toms River North.

Central moves on to face top-seeded Easter in the sectional semifinal round on Tuesday.

(3) Williamstown 3, (11) Toms River East 1

Junior Kylie Murphy scored off a pass from sophomore Grace Crowley midway through the first half to cut Toms River East’s deficit in half, but Brianna Brunner’s second goal of the game put the game away in the second half as the Braves eliminated the Raiders.

Sectional Semifinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(5) Central at (1) Eastern

(7) Washington Township at (3) Williamstown

South Jersey Group III

Coming off a South Jersey Group III championship with a starting lineup full of returning talent, Lacey figured to be one of the favorites in Group III this season. The road has been a bumpy one for the Lions, but they now find themselves right where they want to be, although maybe not literally. Unlike last season, Lacey will have to hit the road in order defend its sectional title but as a team with championship experience and undeniable skill on the roster, the Lions have to like their chances, no matter where the games are played.

Quarterfinal Recap

(6) Lacey 4, (3) Delsea 3

Sophomore Mackenzie Brotherston exploded for a first-half hat trick and assisted a goal by classmate Avery Johnson early in the second half to stake Lacey to a huge lead before the Lions held on for dear life to beat Delsea and continue their South Jersey Group III title defense.

Delsea cut its four-goal deficit to one, but Lacey survived the comeback effort to move on to the sectional semifinals Tuesday at second-seeded Cherry Hill West

(4) Ocean City 0, (5) Toms River South 0 – Ocean City advances on penalties, 2-1

Toms River South’s solid defense continued to live up to its reputation but the Indians could not muster a goal against the host Red Raiders and lost on penalty kicks. The 2022 comes to a close with Toms River South as the Class A South division champion, but with the Indians – as well as neighbor schools Toms River East and Toms River North – out in the sectional quarterfinals.

Sectional Semifinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(4) Ocean City at (1) Shawnee

(6) Lacey at (2) Cherry Hill West

South Jersey Non-Public A

The non-public sections of the NJSIAA Tournament are a round behind the public brackets, so most of the marquee names in both Non-Public A and B will be getting started on their postseason runs on Monday. The Shore has four teams that earned first-round byes in No. 1 Red Bank Catholic, No. 2 St. John Vianney and No. 4 Trinity Hall, so all three will be rested and raring to go.

Opening Round Recap

(7) Paul VI 7, (10) Donovan Catholic 1

Olivia Brosius posted a hat trick and the Eagles were too much for Donovan Catholic, which got on the board late with a goal from Zoey Bates.

Sectional Quarterfinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(8) Camden Catholic at (1) Red Bank Catholic

(5) Our Lady of Mercy at (4) Trinity Hall

(6) Princeton Day at (3) Immaculata

(7) Paul VI at (2) St. John Vianney

South Jersey Non-Public B

Only two Shore teams started in the Non-Public B field, but both are still alive into the sectional quarterfinals. As the No. 4 seed, St. Rose earned a first-round bye, while Ranney enjoyed a feel-good victory in round one. Should both teams find a way to win, the two Class B Central rivals would meet in the sectional semifinal, although that would require Ranney to pull off a major upset against an impressive Rutgers Prep side.

Sectional Quarterfinal Matchups (Tuesday, Nov. 1)

(8) Ranney at (1) Rutgers Prep

(5) Holy Spirit at (4) St. Rose

(6) Bishop Eustace at (3) Wardlaw-Hartridge

(7) Calvary Christian at (2) Holy Cross Prep