HHS soccer standout going to Ireland
By: Rudy Brandl
Lauren Ebert will take her soccer talents to the international level in late March when she joins the U-17 national team for tournament play in Ireland.
The Hillsborough High junior, who has starred on her high school squad for three seasons and various traveling teams in the past five years, has finally gained appropriate notice. Ebert and her parents celebrated when the official letter arrived in December.
"I always dreamed about playing overseas," Ebert said. "I don’t think it’s really hit me yet that I’m going overseas to play soccer. I never made the regional team before this year, but now I made the regional team and the national team. It’s been a really good year. It’s perfect."
Ebert is currently raising funds to pay for her trip. She’s seeking sponsors and is also running a raffle. All sponsor donations are tax deductible and a $5 raffle ticket could buy a trip to England for two.
Both fund-raisers are 100 percent dedicated to Ebert’s trip and managed through the Region 1 ODP Association. For more information on sponsorship or the raffle, call (908) 874-4773.
Ebert joins Ridge star Tobin Heath and Pingry standout Sarah Murphy as the New Jersey representatives on the national team. The girls will compete against the national teams of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Ebert expects the U.S. to do very well.
"We work really well as a team," she said. "I’ve played with every single one of these girls. A lot of the girls are on my Region 1 team because we have the strongest region. I’ve been playing with these girls since July. We’ve gone to Seattle, Florida."
Ebert, who plays club soccer for the Parsippany Mischief, boasts an impressive soccer resume. She was the captain of the 2003 New Jersey State Cup and Super Y League national champion Mischief. Ebert was the MVP of the 2003 USL Y League and also voted best overall defender in the 2002 USL Super Y League finals.
Hillsborough High fans may find it strange to hear about Ebert as a top defender because she’s led the Lady Raiders in scoring the last two years. Ebert is a natural sweeper who is dangerous when moving forward on the attack. HHS head coach LeeAnn Wyble has moved her into a more offensive role to bolster goal production.
Ebert has responded with some big numbers. She posted 14 goals and six assists last fall to lead the HHS girls. She also tied the school record for most goals in a game, netting four on two separate occasions, once in each of her sophomore and junior years. Ebert has been named to several All-Skyland Conference and All-Somerset County teams during her fine career.
The U-17 national team plays a flat back four, which means two central defenders and two marking wing backs. Ebert will play one of the center defensive positions.
Most players on the national level have the ability to perform at various positions. Ebert has already demonstrated her versatility by leading her high school team in scoring while stopping opposing attackers on the club level.
There will be plenty of talented players in Ireland, but Ebert isn’t intimidated. Ebert is looking forward to blending her talents with her teammates to win an international tournament.
"We’re not an individual team," Ebert said. "We’re all at the same level and we work well together. I don’t have to be better than anybody else. I just have to prove myself to be as good as everybody else."

