Manville girls set to begin soccer season

Lebedz to lead Lady Mustangs

By: John E. Powers
   
   The Manville High School girls’ soccer team will be embarking on a new journey this season, entering a new league with a new coach and several new players.
   Manville, one of the original Mountain Valley Conference schools, left that league and will begin play as a Skyland Conference Valley Division team along with Bound Brook, Belvidere, Mount St. Mary and North Warren.
   The season begins at home Friday afternoon against Mount St. Mary.
   Erin Delaney, who’s been a teacher at Alexander Batcho Intermediate School the last seven years, and the boys’ team’s junior varsity coach last year, is the new MHS girls’ head coach.
   The Mustangs, 5-13 last year, lost leading scorer and Mountain Valley Conference Valley Division honorable mention pick Christine Bradley (10 goals, 3 assists) to graduation. Midfielder Robyn Barb, who also graduated along with fullback Katrina DeSantis and Danielle Persinko, was the team’s second-leading scorer with five goals and two assists. DeSantis, Bradley and Barb were tri-captains.
   Valley Division first teamer and junior middie Rhianna Lebedz returns along with honorable mention pick Marzena Brozyna, a senior sweeper. Junior Marta Fabiyan, who averaged more than 10 saves per game last year, will be a key player.
   "I think we have nine very strong soccer players; Rhianna is an exceptional player," said Delaney, who takes over for Mike Shambach, who was switched to the boys’ team this year. "I really need her to keep the ball. Rhianna doesn’t stop. She’ll go back to defense and help. Gabbie (Firak) and Samantha (Aichele) have the same mind frame."
   Early-season injuries have concerned Delaney, who said that a lack of depth could be an obstacle. Sophomore middie/fullback Rebecca Burke will be out at least three weeks with a severely sprained ankle; freshman forward Dana Mortensen will miss a week with a sprained ankle and senior middie Sharon Blanco may be out between four to six weeks with the same injury.
   "We have had a lot of injuries already, but what can you do?" said Delaney, a 1995 Hillsborough High School graduate who went on to receive her college degree from High Point University (N.C).
   Delaney said the lack of depth was noticeable in the late stages of games last year.
   "It really happened in our scrimmage with Immaculata," said Delaney, referring to a 4-1 pre-season game. "All our starters were exhausted. Immaculata was faster and we started to lose possession and got tired. It’s something Mike (Shambach) said happened last year. It really came down to the last 15 minutes when fatigue set in."
   "The kids want to play 80 minutes," she added. "They know there is a big gap between the experienced players and our young kids. But we have a hard-working group that wants to succeed."
   Mortensen’s replacement, freshman forward Amy Evanylo, scored Manville’s goal against Immaculata.
   "I see a lot of potential from her and I’m looking forward to her stepping up," Delaney said.
   Delaney added that Fabiyan played well in goal, making 13 saves.
   "She’s so eager and she’s not afraid to dive on the ball; she’s a tough cookie," said Delaney, who’ll be assisted by volunteer coach Randy Lebedz, Rhianna’s father. "She wanted to play field, but I convinced her we need her in goal."
   Junior Julianna Andrade, who is listed as the back-up goalie, may get on the field as a midfielder.
   "We’re going to try to get her on the field, we’re going to need her," Delaney said. "We’re carrying 19 kids and if I’m rotating people, it’ll be for fresh legs."
   Delaney said the Lady Mustangs will start in a 3-3-4-1 set. Speedy senior forward Lucy Yakobchuk, sophomore Angelika Lazur, Evanylo and freshman Sylwia Pupek will be up front. Lebedz, junior Samantha Aichele, senior Firak, freshman Erin Lipot, senior Heather Zagaja and junior Jessenia Aguilar will be the middies. Seniors Michelina Aichele and Brozyna and junior Monika Ozieblo will anchor the defense with help from Burke, sophomore Kelly Duffy and junior Sylwia Kolodziej.
   Brozyna and Michelina Aichele are the team’s captains.
   "We need a strong player at sweeper and Marzena was making flying tackles before (Immaculata) could cross it," Delaney said. "I couldn’t count on my hands how many times she saved us from them crossing the ball."
   Delaney said she has been focusing on offense since she believes the team’s strength is the backline.
   "So far, it’s going well," Delaney said. "We have team T-shirts and sweats and the girls are really excited and pumped."
   Familiarity should help the team. Delaney, who has been girls’ head basketball coach Kyle Rehrig’s assistant for three years, knows most of her players very well.
   "I know it’s probably an adjustment for some of them seeing me go from junior varsity to varsity," she said.
   But she intends on bringing stability to the program.
   "They know my face and I think they are responding; the majority of them are basketball players and I have had them in the winter," Delaney said. "They know I’ve been in the district and they know I’m not coming and going."
   Delaney is the fourth head girls’ coach since 1999. She follows Shambach, who was the team’s coach for one year, Corrine Mastrapasqua, who spent two years with the team and Nestor Cortina, who was head coach between 1999 and 2002. The team hasn’t had a winning record since 2003 – Mastrapasqua’s first year – when they went 15-5, setting records for most victories, longest winning streak (9) and most win in a state tournament (2).