FIELD HOCKEY
By: John. E. Powers
In her first year as head coach of the Lawrence High School field hockey team, Candace Mains led the Cardinals back to respectability.
This year, the team’s challenge will be to build on it.
Lawrence won the Colonial Valley Conference Colonial Division, qualifed for the North Jersey, Section 1-2, Group IV playoffs, won a road tournament game at Old Bridge and finished the season with a 10-8 record.
The Cardinals, 6-9-2 overall two years ago, were 8-3 in divisional play in 2005.
The Cardinals open the season at defending Mercer County Tournament champion Allentown Sept. 8. The team was scheduled to have a home scrimmage Wednesday against Northern Burlington.
"Hopefully we’ll win our division again, make it to the states and go a bit farther," said Mains, a special education teacher at the high school and graduate of Bordentown High School and West Chester State University.
Her team will have to fill in for the loss of the graduated star forward Amy Wham, who led the team with 13 goals and eight assists and goalie Christa Strobino, who made 137 saves out of 162 shots. The team will also have to replace the senior backline of Sara Agenllo, Cassie Tomsho and Ashley Reeves. Senior middie Christine Dillaruz, senior Mary Giardinelli and senior Jess Emann will be missed.
But a solid core of players returns.
Junior Melissa Casale had 10 goals and three assists last year and junior Maria Eldridge had two goals and four assists.
"They will be competing to be top scorers," Mains said.
Junior Lisa Tamulis will replace Strobino in cage. Tamulis did see some action as a defender last year.
"She practiced all last year as a goalie and she went to camp," Mains said. "Playing goalie is what she likes."
Junior sweeper Amanda Sawasky recorded a goal and two assists.
"She’s got a powerful swing," the coach said.
Junior Corrine Tomsho, Cassie’s younger sister, will be new to the varsity. Junior Amanda DeFiccio will play either in the midfield or defense and freshmen Sarah Gilbert, Jamie Hargraves and Gillian Petrone will all be in the backline.
"We have a young team, but it’s a good group of girls," Mains said. "They are the ones motivating themselves and their teammates. It’s something we didn’t see last year."
Mains will be assisted by Kristin Shields and Meg Cardwell. Kris DeFiccio, Amanda’s older sister, is a volunteer coach.