Lancers look to step up their play in post season
Local teams prepare to
square off in state playoffs
CHRIS KELLY St. John Vianney’s Angela Fuocco controls the ball during the Lancers’ Oct. 19 game against top-ranked Shore Regional.
Following a somewhat inconsistent season, St. John Vianney High School field hockey coach Teresa DiMezza is hoping her team will be running on all cylinders as it enters the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III playoffs on Friday.
The coach admits that the season has had its ups and downs, but she remains confident that the girls have saved their best field hockey for the post season.
"It’s been kind of a rocky season for us," DiMezza said. "Our team has a lot of talent, but we just haven’t been able to do what we’re capable of doing regularly."
The Lancers, 9-7-2 in the year, will face off against Holy Cross of Delran. A loss would end the season, while a victory would propel St. John’s into the second round of the tourney.
Fortunately for DiMezza, several players seem to have upgraded their games over the past few weeks.
Senior Grace Sica, who has been perhaps the Lancers’ most consistent player all year, has developed into a field general.
From her sweeper post, Sica has been the backbone of the team, bringing the ball up, calling out defensive assignments and playing fundamentally sound soccer.
Two juniors, Haley Ryglicki and Kaitlyn Murphy, have been strong in the middle. Ryglicki has improved with each game, DiMezza said, while Murphy, in her first varsity season, has successfully made the adjustment.
The Lancers middle also received a boost with the return of senior co-captain Angela Fuocco, who missed several games because of a hand injury. In goal, sophomore Christina Philburn has been outstanding at times.
Up front, St. John’s has good firepower with senior Marybeth Kuenne, who leads the team in scoring with 20 goals and five assists, and co-captain Kay Donnelly, who also missed time because of an injury. For the playoff game, DiMezza said she is calling up promising freshman Kacie Galbraith from the JV.
"We have high expectations, so we’re a little disappointed," said DiMezza. "But we still have a chance to show people what we can do in the state tournament."
But the Lady Lancers aren’t the only team with plans to make some noise in the state playoffs.
A slew of local teams are set to begin their runs at sectional titles this week, including Shore Conference Tournament runner-up Middletown North.
The Lions are the No. 5 seed in the Central Jersey Group IV bracket and will face No. 4 Lenape in their first-round game.
Their crosstown rival, seventh-seeded Middletown South, will open up against the No. 2 seed, Wall, in the first round of the Group II tournament.
Meanwhile, the Red Bank Catholic Caseys, the two seed in the Group II bracket, will host No. 7 Manasquan, while sixth-seeded Keyport, making its second-consecutive playoff appearance, will travel to Belmar to take on No. 3 St. Rose.