12/6/2010 - NJAC Girls Soccer Honors
Vernon’s girls soccer team has a rich and successful tradition and the Vikings added to their storied history in 2010 with a banner season.
Well, actually, a two-banner season.
The Vikings went a school record 22-1 and won the American Division of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference and the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament under veteran coach Dave Hauptly and a magnificent senior class.
Three players from the Vikings’ championship squad were honored for their efforts by being named to the All-American Division First Team.
Seniors Kellianne Baumann and Brittany Ast as well as junior Mallory Costello were honored for the Vikings.
Joining the trio from Vernon on the first team from the Mugs Media area were Madison Flanagan and Sam Mitchell from Pope John: Sam Ritter and Lexi Brennan of High Point; Casey Cresbaugh from Sparta; and Heather Faasse of Jefferson.
Rounding out the first team were Michelle Churchman from Morris Hills; Victoria Portesy and Nicole Crowley of Mt. Olive and Samantha Tellimo of Montville.
Named to the second team were: Lauren Parak of Vernon; Brooke Derin and Lauren Hayes of High Point; Tara Fisher and Desiree Hamler of Pope John; Jennifer Polanco, Jaime Bertoli and Dana Castellano of Morris Hills; Taryn Rogalsky of Sparta; Katie Hatler of Jefferson; Nicole Amada and Megan Bublitz of Mt. Olive and Mariella Trogani of Montville.
The Honorable Mention list is as follows: Nicolette Thorkidsen and Kat Clint of Mt. Olive; Kayla Spech and Tami Lake of Montville; Danielle Beniulis and Kelly Noonan of Jefferson; Mackenzie Forbeck and Breanna Blair of High Point; Sara Benefante and Ashleigh Berge of Vernon; Brittany Cayan and Lindsey Fisher of Sparta; Heather Ford and Alex Ashmore of Pope John; Michelle Mikhno and Mackenzie Hestevold of Morris Hills.
Vernon ran away with the division crown with a perfect 14-0 mark. The Vikes’ lone loss came to Randolph in penalty kicks in the North 1, Group 4 quarterfinals.
High Point (11-5-3, 8-2-3), Mt. Olive (9-10-2, 7-5-2), Pope John (8-10-3, 7-5-2), Sparta (6-9-3, 5-7-2), Morris Hills (6-11-30, 4-8-2), Jefferson (2-15-1, 2-11-1) and Montville (2-15, 2-11) rounded out the division standings.
The Freedom Division was a two-team race all season and Hackettstown won that race by edging out Kittatinny by one game to dethrone the Cougars as division champs.
Hackettstown won its first-ever section title and finished the season with a 19-6 overall record and 9-1 mark in division play with its only loss coming to Wallkill Valley.
Kittatinny posted another strong season under coach Matt Majka as the Cougars went 12-4-3 and 8-2 in the division. Three of the Cougars’ four losses came to Hackettstown, which nipped the Cougars twice in the regular season and in the H/W/S tourney.
Hackettstown had three players named to the Freedom Division first team in Shannon Browne, Kate Hutton and Azra Beljko.
Kittatinny players honored were Gabby Kerwick, Harley Rolph and goalie Lauren Stocklinski.
Newton, which lost in a heartbreaker in penalty kicks to Kittatinny in the first round of the North 1, Group 2 playoffs, had three players make first team. Jenny Mason, Kim Overland and Molly Whipple were honored for the Braves and coach Jake Mull.
Wallkill Valley had two players named in Lindsay Hoffman and Kelsee Tironi, while Becky Schorling of Lenape Valley and Kristen Toropiw of Hopatcong rounded out the first team.
Second team honors went to Kelsey Koch, Alyssa Manno, Kelsey Harpell and Jamie Faselt of Kittatinny; Camilla Posse and Paige Pierson of Newton; Caroline Carros, Amanda Haar, Amanda Aussems and Dzentia Cifric of Hackettstown; Vanessa Bodossian of Wallkill Valley; Gabi Castillo of Hopatcong and Nya Dobbs of Lenape Valley.
I was not supplied with an Honorable Mention for the Freedom Division, so I apologize. I will try to track down those names.
The final Freedom standings were as follows: Hackettstown (19-6, 9-1), Kittatinny (12-4-3, 8-2), Newton (9-11-1, 5-4-1), Wallkill Valley (8-8-2, 5-4-1), Hopatcong (6-14-1, 1-9), Lenape Valley (1-16, 1-9).
GREAT CAUSE: Blair Academy’s boys basketball program held its annual Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament this past weekend and it was another success.
The tourney raises over $2,000 annually for cancer research while providing great basketball for fans in the area.
Blair lost both games to Princeton Day Academy of Maryland and to Northfield/Mt. Hermon, but it was a great learning experience, said Blair’s outstanding coach Joe Mantegna.
“We knew we would be playing tough teams and there is no one in our league as good as the teams we played,” said the veteran coach who has over 200 wins in his 12 seasons in Blairstown.
“More importantly, it helps the team and students at Blair get involved in a great cause and it will make them better people for it,” he added. “They realize there is more in life than what happens here in the Blair bubble.”
Joe is not only a great hoops coach, but a great guy.
And speaking of worthy causes, senior Taylor Smith of the High Point girls basketball team has organized a cancer benefit game for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure of North Jersey.
Proceeds from the Wildcats’ big NJAC American Division clash with Pope John on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at High Point will go to the Cecelia’s Angel Fund at Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pompton Plains.
Cecelia Parise was Smith’s aunt who passed away from breast cancer in 2000 after a brave and valiant battle. The fund helps breast cancer patients as they undergo rehabilitation and chemotherapy.
There many sponsorship opportunities available for the game ranging from $2,500 to $25. For more information on the game and how to get involved please contact Smith at 973-600-8457 or at taylor.smith@hpregional.org.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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