Fine season ends in CJ 4 quarterfinals
By: Rudy Brandl
BRICK A gusting wind and a bunch of dangerous long throw-ins were too much for the Hillsborough High girls’ soccer team to handle in Thursday’s Central Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals at Brick Memorial.
The eighth-ranked Lady Raiders (12-6-2) certainly didn’t go away quietly against the top-seeded and three-time defending State Group 4 champions. The visitors tied the score in the first half and had the favored home team somewhat frustrated and concerned. When the ball was on the ground, the teams were basically equal. Hillsborough actually played a more attractive brand of ball control soccer.
Brick Memorial (18-0-1) uses a different style and was especially effective implementing that scheme with the wind advantage in the second half. The home team dominated the second half and posted a 3-1 victory to advance to the sectional semifinals.
"Their long throw-ins were unbelievable," HHS head coach LeeAnn Wyble said afterward. "That’s the only thing they had on us."
Brick used long throws to generate the first and third goals of the match. The second, and ultimately decisive, goal was produced on a nice through-ball to Jessica Fuccello, who broke free alone on Hillsborough keeper Taryn O’Connor. Fuccello finished with a perfect shot to the lower left corner to put the Lady Mustangs ahead to stay with 32:35 remaining.
There was still plenty of time for the Lady Raiders to rally, but they couldn’t get anything going against the wind. HHS didn’t record its first shot of the second half until Mary Bednar rifled one off the defense with just 5:30 remaining.
"The wind killed us," Hillsborough senior Lauren Ebert said. "I thought we were pretty even if we played on a normal day. We totally dominated in the first half and they totally dominated in the second half. Trying to go against the wind was impossible."
Stopping Brick’s dangerous long throws presented even more problems. Several Brick players were able to launch the ball into the goal mouth from the sideline. The Lady Raiders couldn’t clear every one of those well-placed heaves.
"It was like they had 15 corners," Ebert said. "They threw it right into the goal and we just didn’t know what to do. Their girls up top were amazing in the air."
Hillsborough controlled the possession in the first half but had to settle for a 1-1 tie. Brick scored first off a long throw that wasn’t cleared in the seventh minute but Ebert put the Lady Raiders on the board.
Bednar made a nice run down the left side and crossed the ball toward the goal. Brick goalkeeper Shannon Boe couldn’t get a hand on it so Dana Rokoszak and Ebert were at the far post. Rokoszak got a foot on it but Ebert booted it home.
Lauren Cusick nearly put Hillsborough head with a right-footed blast that curled just wide of the far post with 1:30 remaining in the half. That was Hillsborough’s last real good scoring chance until late in the second half.
"I think we were tired in the second half," Ebert said. "We were just running up and back, up and back. It was tough running against the wind."
"Defensive mistakes caused some goals," Wyble said. "We stopped marking in the second half."
Wyble had hoped her team would grab the lead with the wind. When that didn’t happen, she figured the rest of the game would be a struggle.
"When you have the advantage, you have to get as far ahead as you can," Wyble said. "We knew it was going to be a problem in the second half. I still don’t think the score indicates the level of our play."

