Rout trend maintained against JFK girls
By: Carolyn M. Hartko
Most of the first round games in this year’s Greater Middlesex Conference Girls’ Soccer Tournament were offensive romps for the higher seeded team, and the game at South Brunswick High School on Tuesday followed the pattern.
The 3rd-seeded Vikings rolled to a 6-1 victory over 14th-seeded John F. Kennedy, easily advancing to today’s (Thursday’s) quarterfinal against Woodbridge at home.
South Brunswick (10-3-2) dominated play from the opening whistle but only had a 2-0 halftime lead for its efforts. The Vikings held an 11-2 shot advantage at halftime and 23-7 overall.
"I was pleased with our pre-game warm up," Viking coach Nancy Ducko said. "The girls came out intense. That’s been a problem for us this season. And if we have an intense warm up, then we play that way. We need to be more consistent with that, no matter who we’re playing against."
Viking junior Tanya Earl recorded both goals in the first half. Eight and a half minutes into the game, Earl was in position in front of the goal to finish a cross from Kiana Johnson. Six minutes later, Monica Mangual set Earl up for a breakaway down the wing. Earl felt that the speed of the Viking attackers overwhelmed the Lady Mustangs on Tuesday.
"I think we were faster than their defenders," Earl said. "Also, we had good through passes, and good touches (on the ball)."
The Viking offense came alive in the second half. Less than two minutes in, Mangual finished a cross from K. Johnson. Two minutes later, Cherise Johnson made it 4-0. The play started in the midfield with a forward pass from Leia Rispoli out to Earl on the wing. Earl passed back into the center where C. Johnson beat two defenders inside the 18 to take on Mustang keeper Jenny Lykin (12 saves) one-on-one. C. Johnson notched her second goal at the 12:40 mark when she knocked in a shot that rebounded off a JFK defender. Rispoli set up the final Viking goal, a beautiful shot by K. Johnson from out on the left wing that spun in under the cross bar in the 29th minute.
The games will get tougher as the GMCT progresses. No. 6 Woodbridge advanced by beating South River 4-2 in the opening round. The Barrons are much-improved this year, so Ducko was expecting good competition in today’s game.
Looking at the set up of the brackets this year, Ducko was pleased with the Vikings’ slot. If South can get by Woodbridge, it faces a potential semifinal match with North Brunswick.
"I knew going into the seeding meeting that we needed to get a two (seed) or three, and we got three," Ducko said. "North Brunswick is ahead of us because they won their division and we didn’t play too well the one time we played them. I knew that game would hurt us, but I’m very happy with our seed."
As the competition gets stiffer, the Vikings will have to rely on the strengths that have carried them through this season. According to Earl, one of the team’s best qualities is the way the girls’ communicate on the field, and she’s confident that the Vikings will do well in the coming games.
"We’re just going to have to watch offside, and keep the passes going through, and watch our first touches," Earl said. "And we have to get our shots on when they come."
THROW-INS: Viking keeper Rebecca Dezan posted five saves in Tuesday’s game … backup keeper Jami Leibering played the last 10 minutes in goal, but went untested … Ashley Alda scored JFK’s lone goal 21 minutes into the second half.

