Hemmings has a Tar Heel feel

But senior captain looks to lead Vikes before travling Tobacco Road

By: Rich Fisher
   There was probably a handful of people in South Brunswick who lived and died with every basket during Monday night’s NCAA basketball championship. Those who needed North Carolina to win their pool, those who don’t like Illinois for whatever reason, and those who are named Jasmine Hemmings.
   Hemmings, the lone senior on the South Brunswick High girls lacrosse team, is headed for Chapel Hill next fall to major in athletic training. With her major will be the chance to intern, and possibly work with some of those Tar Heel basketball players.
   "Oh yeah," the affable Hemmings said with a laugh. "I’ll just be on the sidelines with everybody else, so you can look for me."
   Until then, look for Hemmings to try and bring together a young Viking defense, which has undergone a complete overhaul this year. Although the unit is a work in progress, the mainstays appear to be Hemmings, Jackie Helfgott, Amy Walters and Lisa Koblin, while Ashley Foltiny, Lori Schmon and Kristen Earl are transition players.
   The defensive shortcomings were apparent in Tuesday’s season opener, as South Brunswick lost a 14-5 decision at North Hunterdon. The Raiders opened a big lead early and South could never catch up against a team it hammered last year.
   "That was really disappointing," Hemmings said. "We went into the game confident, but that team improved a lot.
   "Our biggest problem defensively was just communication, really. We have to work on our chemistry because there’s a lot of new girls back there."
   Hemmings feels there is reason for hope.
   "We haven’t really clicked yet, but we have a lot of potential to be really good," she said. "Once we’re all comfortable being around each other, talking, knowing where to go, we’ll all come together soon.
   "There’s new people everywhere, so we’re not used to talking to each other, telling each other where to go, where the ball is. There were a lot of girls left unmarked (against North Hunterdon)."
   With three new girls trying to win the goalie job, much of the communication responsibility belongs to Hemmings. She is the team’s lone captain and, while that is a source of pride, it can also be exhausting mentally.
   "It’s a little weird," she said. " The girls are great, I love being around them, but it’s hard because I’m the only one. It’s all up to me, getting everything done, making sure everything is taken care of. It’s a lot of responsibility, and that’s the hardest part."
   Hemmings comes from lacrosse roots. Her mother, M.J., played for the Westover School in Connecticut, a state that breeds good lacrosse players.
   "At first she told me I wouldn’t like lacrosse because there was a lot of running, and I played softball," Hemmings said. "She said I wouldn’t be able to handle it, but it’s not bothering me too much. I’m still doing it."
   So is "coach" M.J., to a degree.
   "She was pretty good," Hemmings said. "She still shows me a couple of her tricks. She showed me up a couple times. I told her she could do that, as long as it’s not in public."
   Hemmings played for the Viking JV team as a freshman, and has been a varsity fixture since her sophomore year. She hopes to play club lacrosse at North Carolina, where she already feels like one of the gang.
   "I started falling asleep when they went up by 15 (against Illinois)," Hemmings said. "But I knew Illinois was going to come back, so I stayed awake. They did come back, but we won. Go team! I have all my Tar Heel stuff, I’m ready."
   There is one problem. She doesn’t know what a Tar Heel is.
   "I was a little iffy about that," she said. "I said ‘I can’t go to a school where I don’t know what the mascot is."
   That’s OK. She knows the most important thing about being a Tar Heel. When asked if she already hated Duke, Hemmings didn’t hesitate.
   "Yes I do."
   She’s a natural.
   LAX LEFTOVERS: Alana Jogan had four goals in the loss to North Hunterdon, While Danielle Bussiere had one . . . The Vikes host Phillipsburg today (Thursday), visit Old Bridge for an 11 a.m. game Saturday and host Voorhees Tuesday.