Mustangs back in CJ final after topping East Brunswick

Marlboro girls look
for second title
in three years

By tim morris
Staff Writer

Marlboro girls look
for second title
in three years
By tim morris
Staff Writer

With a win last night in the Central Jersey Group IV championship game, the Marlboro High School girls’ basketball team could go a ways toward putting their 48-46 loss to Red Bank Catholic in the Shore Conference Tournament final behind them.

The Mustangs, the No. 1 seed in the section, beat Middletown North, 53-36, and East Brunswick, 66-53, last week to advance to the sectional title game, played at Sayreville War Memorial High School, for a third straight year. Marlboro won the sectional title in 2001 and lost last year to Trenton Central.

Trenton Central made its way through its side of the bracket to set up a rematch of last year’s final.

Marlboro received just the kind of test a team needs to play before a final as East Brunswick (21-6) refused to be awed by the reputation of the state’s No. 4-ranked team.

The visiting Bears led after one quarter, 18-12, and even when Marlboro took the lead with a 24-14 second quarter, the Bears never let the Mustangs get comfortable until the very end of the game. With 5:50 remaining, it was 55-51 Marlboro.

The Mustangs had to make plays in the fourth quarter and they did.

The Bears had trouble controlling Chakhia Cole in the paint as she went for 20. Christie Kastner had her outside shot on target, nailing three three-pointers and coming up with 15 points. Sharnee Zoll added nine and Brina Pollack and Jenna Gatto had eight each as everyone chipped in for the 23-3 Mustangs.

It was big night for Zoll, the junior point guard, as she became the school’s all-time assist leader. She now has 523 for her career, topping the old mark by 12.

In the quarterfinals last Wednesday, the Mustangs drew a familiar opponent, A North rival Middletown North.

In this case, familiarity bred contempt as the Mustangs led 28-14 at the half and 39-20 after three quarters. The game was never in doubt as the ’Stangs went on to a 53-37 win.

Cole had 20 in this one as well, with Zoll and Kastner ringing up 11 each.

If Marlboro won last night’s Central Jersey Group IV championship game, the Mustangs would play in the Group IV semifinal at Southern Regional tomorrow against the South Jersey champion. The Group IV state championship game is at noon Sunday in the Dunn Athletic Center, Elizabeth. Two years ago, the Mustangs reached the state final, dropping an overtime game to Columbia.

Manalapan, the 12th seed in CJ IV, lost its first round game to East Brunswick, 69-37. The loss ended a fine turnaround season by the Braves, who a year ago won only six games but bounced back in 2002-03 to win 11 times and make the state playoffs.

Sophomore Sarah Kozlowski, one of the promising underclassmen on the team, led the Braves with 10 points.

The third time wasn’t the charm for Colts Neck as the Cougars lost to Rumson-Fair Haven for the third time this year.

Colts Neck played the defending Central Jersey Group II champions close both times during the A Central Division schedule, and their third encounter proved to be just as close, but the Bulldogs claimed the 37-35 win.

Catherine Cristino ended a very promising freshman season, leading the Cougars with 13 points. She connected on three three-pointers.

With guard Suzanne Murphy the only senior on the team, the future is bright for the young Cougars, who finished the season at 16-9.