1-Manchester (29-2, 14-0) Last week: 1

Photo by Paula Lopez
Photo by Paula Lopez
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The Hawks soared to reaches the program had never visited during a historic run. Manchester put together a 14-0 showing to claim B South, stormed through all comers to win its first Shore Conference Tournament title, stamped with a 58-42 triumph over St. John Vianney in the final, and hoisted the Group 2 state championship, another first, dethroning five-time defending champion Manasquan along the way in the group semifinals. Gliding senior guard Leilani Correa, versatile 6-3 sophomore Destiny Adams, insightful junior point guard Kemari Reynolds, rugged senior forward Dakota Adams and selfless junior guard Serenity Anderson comprised a starting five that pushed the tempo tirelessly and imposed its defensive will by congesting lanes, interrupting passing channels and converting at a feverish rate in transition. The Hawks responded to back-to-back losses against Saddle River Day and Bishop McNamara (Md.) in early January with a run of 24 consecutive wins, a streak that came to an end in the rematch with Saddle River Day, a 76-63 setback in the Tournament of Champions semifinal.

2-St. Rose (26-2, 14-0) Last week: 2

Photo by Paula Lopez
Photo by Paula Lopez
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A team predicated on defense, the Purple Roses rode that strength to a second straight Non-Public A title, marked by a 61-54 triumph over St. John Vianney in the sectional final and a 45-42 decision against Immaculate Heart Academy for the state championship. The Roses eliminated University, 61-45, in the quarterfinals of the Tournament of Champions and took top-seeded and unbeaten Franklin to the limit in the semis, falling, 55-50. Junior swing Brynn Farrell was a force in nearly every facet while senior sharpshooter Lauren Lithgow displayed her precision from the perimeter. Classmate Sam Mikos set the defensive mood with her length and tenacity and blistering sophomore Abby Antognoli matured into a heady playmaker on the point. Junior swing Makayla Andrews was a valued sixth man as both a scoring option and rebounding worker and sisters Maggie and Mo Stapleton added depth and touch from the outside.

3-St. John Vianney (23-4. 14-0) Last week: 3

Photos by Paula Lopez
Photos by Paula Lopez
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A senior nucleus of forwards Sajada Bonner and Brelynn Bellamy (William & Mary) and guards Sarah Karpell (Fordham) and Rahmena Henderson (Sam Houston State) saw their run in Holmdel come to a close in a 61-54 loss to St. Rose in the South Jersey, Non-Public A final. The Lady Lancers claimed the B North title with an unblemished run, reached the Shore Conference Tournament final, bowing to Manchester, and presented coach Dawn Karpell with her 400th career win during the course of the campaign. Their staunch defense limited opponents to 34.0 points per game.

4-Manasquan (22-6, 12-2) Last week: 4

Photo by Paula Lopez
Photo by Paula Lopez
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The Warriors extended their dominance in Central Jersey, Group 2 with a sixth straight sectional title but their bid to continue that streak on the statewide level ended with a 64-48 loss to Manchester in the state semifinals. Seniors Faith Masonius and Lola Mullaney were the offensive catalsyst, carrying a heavy scoring load while encouraging and grooming junior forward Kate Leturgez and freshman Dorothy Loffredo, Georgia Heine and Brooke Hollawell. Feisty senior guard Annie Mako set the energy level high for an unyielding defense.

5-Middletown South (24-5, 10-2) Last week: 5

Isla Brennan of Middletown South (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Isla Brennan of Middletown South (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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The Eagles assured that revered head coach Tom Brennan will always fondly recall his 400th career victory. Trailing by nine with under three minutes left in regulation, Middletown South rallied to force overtime against Marlboro before emerging with a wild 80-77 victory in the Central Jersey, Group 4 championship. Junior swing Kayla Richardson deposited all 23 of her points after halftime and senior forward Sam Keenan pumped in a career-high 20, marked by a pair of pivotal 3-pointers during the 10-1 tear that covered the closing 2:53 of the fourth quarter. The triumph avenged a pair of losses at the hands of the Mustangs, evened their season series at 2-2 and punched the Eagles’ ticket to the state semifinal, where they rallied from an 18-point deficit late in the third to take a brief lead in the fourth only to bow to Lenape, 51-47. Senior point guard Isla Brennan accounted for five 3-pointers and 18 points, including the 1,000th of her career.

6-Red Bank Catholic (19-9, 10-4) Last week: 6

Justine Pissott of Red Bank Catholic (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Justine Pissott of Red Bank Catholic (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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The Caseys rattled off five straight wins before their season came to a close with a 59-32 loss at the hands of St. John Vianney in the South Jersey, Non-Public A quarterfinals. Nonetheless, there is plenty of optimism in regards to how bright the future is on Broad Street. Sophomore point guard Sophia Sabino, junior swing Fab Eggenschwiler and freshmen Justine Pissott and Ally Carman gained priceless experience against top-shelf competition throughout the season and will most certainly apply what they picked up in a positive manner in the years ahead.

7-Rumson-Fair Haven (19-11, 8-6) Last week: 7

Grace Munt of Rumson-Fair Haven (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Grace Munt of Rumson-Fair Haven (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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A relatively young cast with not a senior to be found amongst its primary rotation made a strong impact on the Shore Conference scene. Of its 11 losses, nine came at the hands of teams ranked above them in the poll in addition to setbacks against University of Newark and Staten Island Academy. The Bulldogs displayed talented depth in the backcourt in the form of freshmen Charlie Rosen and Grace Colucci, sophomores Grace Munt and Cortland McBarron and junior Sophia Passalaqua while its developing frontcourt of junior Lucy Adams, sophomore Chase Boyle and freshman Kaila Scarpa established a chemistry they will be eager to unleash come December.

8-Marlboro (23-8, 11-1) Last week: 8

Gisella Romeo of Marlboro (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Gisella Romeo of Marlboro (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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What a successful and entertaining season it was for the Mustangs, who emerged as arguably the biggest surprise in the Shore. Their wide-open offense designed to get a bang for its buck from 3-point range paid dividends in the form for a whopping 340 triples but, more importantly, an A North division title. Senior guard Gisella Romeo was a season-long catalyst (14.4 ppg., 38 3-pointers) while senior forward Theresa Besso (47 3-pointers), sophomore guard Sammy Jay (48), sophomore swing Laura Morehead (48), junior guard Sam Nocco (40), sophomore forward Jessica Riepe (61) and freshman guard Dani Schlesinger (47) fired at will from long range.

9-Colts Neck (20-8, 11-3) Last week: 9

Camryn Foltz of Colts Neck (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Camryn Foltz of Colts Neck (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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The Cougars finished second to St. John Vianney in the B North and fashioned a run to the Central Jersey, Group 3 final, falling to Westampton Tech, 55-44. Geared around its stout halfcourt defense, Colts Neck avenged a regular-season loss by topping Middletown North, 42-36, in the quarterfinals before topping Red Bank for a third time, 43-34, in the semis. Junior guard Camryn Foltz (15.8 ppg.) was an offensive force with a vast repertoire while senior twins Eva and Catherine Gibson were interchangeable pieces, as comfortable putting up jumpers as they were finishing on the blocks. Sophomore guard Jess Theising and senior guard Teresa Marsh were shrewd facilitators, hard-nosed defenders and unheralded offensive options.

10-Toms River North (21-7, 13-1) Last week: 10

Brielle Bisogno and Jenna Paul of Toms River North (Photos by Paula Lopez)
Brielle Bisogno and Jenna Paul of Toms River North (Photos by Paula Lopez)
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The fruitful careers for seniors Jenna Paul and Brielle Bisogno ended in a 55-45 loss to eventual South Jersey, Group 4 champion Lenape in the semifinals but their lasting impact, particularly grooming nine first-year varsity members (including six freshmen) will carry on their legacy. The Mariners came together to win the A South title, powered by the interior work of Paul (21.7 ppg., 9.3 rpg., 15 double-doubles), who ended her run with 1,958 points, and ceaseless energy of Bisogno (15.4 ppg., 4.5 apg., 53 3-pointers), who finished with 1,131 points despite missing her entire sophomore year with a torn ACL. Junior swing Kristina Johnson complemented her unsung offense with active defense on the wings while freshmen Faith Wavershak, Sydney Howell, Brandi Manna, Jaclyn Benvenuto and Gia Pissot logged substantial minutes that will serve them well in the future.

Honorable Mention

Paige Slaven of Donovan Catholic (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Paige Slaven of Donovan Catholic (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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Donovan Catholic (21-7, 12-2): The Griffins could make a strong case for access in the Top 10. They lost twice to Manchester while finishing second in B South and absorbed loss to Trenton Catholic and Bishop Ahr, both state-ranked outfits. They took the latter the distance before falling to the Trojans, 49-44, in the South Jersey, Non-Public A quarterfinals. Juniors Paige Slaven, Jayda Kearney and Karolina Jarusevicute will team with sophomore Jordyn Keating, junior Olivia Parlow and freshman Olivia Conroy to make Donovan Catholic just as formidable next year.

Chloe Teter of Red Bank (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Chloe Teter of Red Bank (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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Red Bank (20-9, 9-5): The Bucs sprung the upset of the Shore Conference Tournament when they upended Red Bank Catholic, 65-62, in the first round, ending a 23-game losing streak that dated back to 1998. Red Bank took Manasquan to the limit in the quarterfinals, bowing, 61-58, in overtime but made it clear it will be a force next season. Senior guard Meghan Murray will be a tough competitor to replace but a robust and talented sophomore contingent that features Chloe Teter, Caitlyn Decker, Amelia Medolla, Mia Strand and Emma Moriarity, along with junior Abby Bynoe, assures the Bucs will be amongst the contenders with perhaps a higher listing in this poll a year from now.

Kamryn Lister of Toms River East (Photo by Paula Lopez)
Kamryn Lister of Toms River East (Photo by Paula Lopez)
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Toms River East (20-8, 11-3): Relying on a fortified 2-3 zone that surrendered 39.2 points a contest, the Raiders emerged as a team to be wary of throughout the campaign. Seniors Kamryn Lister (13.0 ppg.), who finished with over 1,000 career points, and Adriana Hart teamed with gritty junior Jordyn Madigan (10.9 ppg.), junior sharpshooter Nicole Platten (6.2 ppg. , 41 3-pointers), sophomore Sydney Lorentzen and freshman Lizzie Gillen to form a well-oiled backcourt rotation, balanced by the tireless work of junior Emily Maire and sophomore Natalie Dudar in the paint. The Raiders finished tied for second with Jackson Memorial in the A South and reached the semifinals of South Jersey, Group 3, succumbing to Ocean City, 46-41.

Rachel Capua of Jackson Memorial (Photo by Gregg Lerner)
Rachel Capua of Jackson Memorial (Photo by Gregg Lerner)
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Jackson Memorial (19-8): A fun team to watch, the Jaguars boasted a number of active pieces that melded into a unit that ran off a nine-game win streak in the middle of the season and was on the verge of tying for the A South crown before bowing to Toms River North for a second time, 54-44, on Feb. 8. Senior forward Dani Evans had a breakthrough in the paint (12.4 ppg., 8.6 rpg.), junior guard Kristina Donza (16.8 ppg., 7.4 rpg.) and sophomore guard Rachel Capua (14.0, 6.1 rpg.) blossomed into consistent finishers and junior point guard Bianca Giordano was among the most selfless and creative distributors in the Shore (7.0 apg.). Sprinkle in the versatile depth, defensive passion and rebounding of junior guards Mackenzie Dakin and Ally Vella and the Jags, who along the way picked up career win No. 300 for coach Rachel Goodale, have all the ingredients to make a push forward in ’19-’20.

Trinity Hall (17-9, 13-1): It was a banner season for the Monarchs, who won their first division title by running off 13 straight wins in the B Central after an opening loss to Point Beach. Four losses came to residents in the Top 10 – Marlboro, Middletown South, Rumson-Fair Haven and Manchester – but games against quality opponents have Trinity Hall on the threshold of taking the next step. It lost to Roselle Catholic, 46-37, in the first round of South Jersey, Non-Public B but the setback did little to take the polish off a stellar campaign highlighted by the solid efforts of senior guard Colleen Cusat and promising production of 6-1 junior forward Caitlin Wingertzahn, 5-6 junior guard Maggie Ward, 5-9 junior forward Colleen Kelly and 5-5 freshman guard Haven Dora.

Melissa Golembieski of Middletown North (Photo by Gregg Lerner)
Melissa Golembieski of Middletown North (Photo by Gregg Lerner)
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Middletown North (14-14, 9-5): The Lions finished tied for third with Red Bank in the B North and struck an identity as a balanced unit that defends with endless pride. Middletown North yielded 42.3 points per game, by stifling opponents in man-to-man. Junior swing Hayley Stratton teamed with senior guards Melissa Golembieski and Giana McGuaghey, senior forward Gina Palladino, 6-1 sophomore forward Sophia Memon, sophomore guard Victoria Palladino and junior forward Olive Cerbo within an offense that could trust any to score and dispensed the basketball equally amongst its parts. The Lions picked up a 40-23 win over Burlington Twp. in the first round of Central Jersey, Group 3.

Final Shore GB Standing '18-'19
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