Surf Taco Week 2 Girls Soccer Team of the Week: Brick Memorial

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Great seasons in the Shore Conference Class A South girls soccer division in recent years can go underappreciated because of how accomplished the Toms River North program has been in that time.

Last season, Brick Memorial authored a 15-4-1 season with a second-place finish in A South behind only Toms River North and half of the Mustangs' losses came to those Mariners -- once in divisional play and again in the Shore Conference Tournament.

For the Mustangs to build on last year's success, one major way to do it would be to finally take down Toms River North, which Brick Memorial had a chance to do last week.

Playing on the home field of a team ranked in the top-five of the N.J. Top 20, Brick Memorial got its big upset, knocking off Toms River North, 2-1, to shake up the Class A South pecking order. The upset -- the first of two suffered by Toms River North last week -- also earned the Mustangs the Surf Taco Girls Soccer Team of the Week for Week 2.

Photo by Steve Meyer.

Just before the midway point of the first half, Brick Memorial discovered a goal-scoring groove that proved to be the difference. Junior Gabby Hernandez got her foot to a cross from senior Mackenzie Fanning and knocked the ball in for a 1-0 Mustangs lead in the 17th minute.

Two minutes later, Fanning again made the right pass, with classmate Emily DeAlmeidaa finishing the play for a 2-0 Mustangs lead.

Toms River North drew within a goal in the second half but Brick Memorial hung on for a signature regular-season win.

Jackson Memorial humbled Brick Memorial two days later, with the Jaguars picking off the Mustangs, 2-1, in overtime. Brick Memorial then closed the week with 2-1 win over Ocean, which is off to a 4-2 start overall.

With Central Regional also stunning Toms River North last week, the Class A South race will be a battle to the finish line and with a team that has tasted success over the past year-plus while showing the high-end of its potential against the Mariners last week, Brick Memorial could very well stand as the favorite.