BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI
Staff Writer
With three wins on its record, Brick Memorial’s girls lacrosse team is looking for a good sendoff for its season and a foundation for next season.
The opponent for next Friday’s 3:45 p.m. special finale: host Brick Township, which is 2-12-1. A trophy will be presented to the winning team.
“It’s something to start a nice tradition between the two schools,” said Brick Memorial coach Aimee Terranova, who also plans a fundraising car wash at the Windmill the following Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“I think it’s a great way to end the season; we’re just working on a few things now, including getting the trophy which we’ll present every year to the winning team,” said Brick Township coach Kristen Pike.
What could make the game even more interesting is that Daryl Carr is on the threshold of 100 goals. She has 50 this season and needs 10 goals for the milestone and has had some opportunities to reach it this week with three road games against Pinelands on Monday, Howell on Tuesday and Point Pleasant Borough today.
Carr and teammate Amy Ramsthaler, a defenseman, have committed to scholarship packages to NCAA Division II program Georgian Court.
Both coaches see signs of progress in their programs despite the records.
“Things are actually a lot better. Compared to last year’s statistics, we have made improvement,” said Terranova. “We picked up the overall game and things are advancing.”
That seemed evident in Brick Memorial’s second victory over Brick Township, 13-8, recently as Kelly O’Brien fired in four goals and Lisa Miller and sophomore Megan Heerwagen each tallied three. There also was a 10-8 victory over Manchester as Lauren Rizitello had the hat trick while Miller, O’Brien and Corrine Coyle each put in two more and Heerwagen tallied the other.
Brick Township also has picked up its attack with three games of double-figure goals scored.
“We’ve gone back to basics and gotten discipline and we’re very offensive-minded,” said Pike, a first-year head coach who has gotten another 27 goals scored by daughter Katie, a junior. Others providing offensive impetus are seniors Cody Wight and Alexis Theibault and juniors Julie Matsutani, who Pike said “always gives 100 percent” and Heather Murphy, who missed last season with an injury.
Brick Memorial, meanwhile, consistently has found the back of the net to keep many games in reach. Some close losses include a 10-9 setback to Southern along with close games against Colts Neck, Toms River South and Toms River East.
Roughly 25 percent of the team graduates, said Terranova, but 13 return. Samantha DeVizio, the goalie, is a senior and has been aided defensively by Jackie O’Shea, Deanna Amoroso, Lauren LaMotta, Marion Buckley and Jessica Coppola. They helped reduce scoring threats against senior goalie Samantha Divizio while two other seniors – Melissa Koempel and Alysse Newman – set up many scoring opportunities on the other end.
“They don’t get enough credit for what they do. They’ve made a very big impact,” said Terranova of her seniors.
Many returning players have been prepared for a varsity role by junior varsity coach Courtney Richardson. Terranova feels junior Jessica Khail shows a lot of promise in goal. Two freshmen also are good candidates in goal and are expected to put in a lot of time honing their skills over the summer – Megan Gilbertson and Lydia Stanislawski.
“A lot of juniors and sophomores are doing good,” said Terranova.
“I’ll miss our seniors greatly but I feel confident that we can still have the momentum (of improvement) and build again.”
Brick Township, meanwhile, loses eight players to graduation, including senior starting defenseman Shauna Smith as well as defensive wing Kelsey Foy and center Catherine Ernst. But Pike said there are plenty of promising juniors, including defenders Jess Kimbal and Kelsey Bokemko, home Katie Francese and mid fielders Shea Costello, Amanda Klegg and Shea Watson, who Pike said “picked up her game at the end of the season.”
Sophomore Katie Fratterman, who also competes for the girls swim team, is among the Shore Conference A South leaders in goalie saves.
“She’s been fantastic as a sophomore,” said Pike. “She’s not afraid, a real go-getter. And she can move around the goal.”
Pike feels that has been an asset as well for Ramsthaler, who “keeps our defense together. She has really worked hard and progressed so much. She has learned so much finesse and how to move around the crease. She knows what to do with the ball.”
But the spotlight in the closing days of the season should fall on Carr.
“She always has been an attack person going after the ball,” said Pike. “She’s been overshadowed in past seasons, so this is her year to prove she can be a shooter and score more goals.”