BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer
SCOTT PILLING staff Erin Donahue hopes to lead the Shore Conference North All-Stars to victory tomorrow night during the annual Senior All-Star game at FreeholdTownship. It turns out that Freehold Township’s marvelous quartet – Eddie Fischer, T.J. LaFalce, Marcus Roberson and Roger Wilmot – did not play their last home game after all.
When the Pats beat Trenton Central in the Central Jersey Group III semifinals earlier this month, it was an emotional game for the seniors; it was the final home game of their careers.
However, all four will be back on the Freehold Township hardwood tomorrow night as teammates again, playing for the North squad in the Shore Coaches Senior All-Star Game. This annual end-of-the-season game pits the best seniors from the North and South divisions in the Shore Conference against each other. In cases like the Patriots, it’s one last chance to play together; for others, it’s an opportunity to finally play on the same side as their rival, as in the case of St. John Vianney’s Alisa Apo, Rumson-Fair Haven’s Paige Armstrong and Red Bank Catholic’s Jenna Strich, whose teams battled for Shore Conference supremacy throughout the season.
The evening will start with the girls game at 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 8.
The boys’ North team has not only the Patriot quartet that led Freehold Township to the Shore Conference Tournament championship and the top ranking in the Shore, but Red Bank Regional’s Kyle Fitzgerald, named by the Shore Coaches as the Player of the Year (he averaged a double-double for the Bucs, 19.5 points and 10.3 rebounds a game).
Rounding out the squad are: Brandon Cohen, Monmouth Regional; Jason Goldheimer, Manalapan; Will Atkinson, Raritan; Derek Becker, Christian Brothers Academy; Mike Spinelli, St. John Vianney; Brian Baker, Colts Neck; Matt Holly, Middletown North; Gary Knoeppel, Shore Regional; Justin Schwartz, Christian Brothers Academy; Casey Peters, Red Bank Regional; Eric Johannesen, St. John Vianney; and Matt Kelly, Holmdel.
Freehold Township’s Brian Golub, who was named Coach of the Year by the Shore coaches, heads the North’s coaching staff. Rich Sherman of Shore and T.O. Brunson of Monmouth Regional will join him on the bench.
Lakewood’s retiring head coach John Richardson will get to draw up the X’s and O’s one more time as the legendary Piner player and coach tops the South coaching squad that includes John MacIntosh of Toms River South and Brick Township’s Joe Lewis.
Eric Lenahan of Point Pleasant Beach, who led the conference in scoring (23.6), heads up the South squad.
Joining him are: Paul Batrony, Monsignor Donovan; Brett Behrens, Southern Regional; Eric Franklin, Lakewood; Sean MacIntosh, Toms River South; Rob Urie, Toms River East ; Charles Kelly, Toms River North; Daykwayn Morris, Manchester; Colin Pryzbrylowski, Brick Memorial; John Romero, Asbury Park; Mike Gawronski, Brick Memorial; Sean Hughes, Point Pleasant Boro; Sean McAndrew, Lacey Township; F.J. Lucchetti, Brick Township; Corey Lee, Manasquan; and Anthony Ranaudo, St. Rose.
Apo, who was the girls’ Player of the Year, Armstrong and Strich lead the North girls’ All-Star team. Their teammates are: Shareese Richardson, Neptune, Sabrina Kemp, Keyport; Caitlin Shaw, Monmouth Regional; Latasha Jackson, Neptune; Brittney Powell, Monmouth Regional; Avery Gardner, Long Branch; Alyssa Mayrose, Freehold Borough; Erin Donahue, Howell; Christina Longo, Middletown South; Cyialece Davis, Neptune; Shealynn Taggart, Middletown South; and Victoria Webber, Ocean Township.
The North coaches are Tom Brennan, Middletown South; Joe Montano, Red Bank Catholic; and Audra Corson, Monmouth Regional.
Jackson’s Justine Stevenson, who led the Shore in rebounding (12.7 a game) and averaged a double-double for the Jags (17 ppg), and Manchester’s Alexis Valmon, Ocean County’s top scorer (19 ppg), are the South leaders.
Also named to the squad by the coaches are: Pauline Robinson, Point Pleasant Beach; Lori Lidlow, Toms River North; Kristen Haycook, Point Pleasant Boro; Lauren Crehan, St. Rose; Tamara Copes, Jackson; Krissi Wolf, Toms River East; Ryan McGrath, Manasquan; Cherrika Minnigan, Manchester; Olivia Tromm, Southern; Lesley Macchiaverna, Toms River East; Kiki Mayweather, Manchester; Amanda Altman, Toms River South; and Robin Meyers, Pinelands.
Rachel Goodale of Jackson is joined on the coaching bench by Sweeney McKennan of Manchester and Sean Henry of Point Boro.