Barrett becomes Cardinals’ coach

BOYS SOCCER

By Tim Falls, Sports Editor
   PJ Barrett has his team excited to play.
   Lawrence High School’s new boys varsity soccer coach has been preparing his team another successful season and the Cardinals are confident that they can accomplish even more than they did last season.
   Former coach, Keith Fithen, helped Lawrence reach the NJSIAA playoffs, and Barrett, is hoping to build off that success this season.
   ”I think we’re working harder than we have in the past,” said Matt Korkuch, a senior captain and sweeper for the boys soccer team. “Our new coach is helping us a lot. He’s making us work harder and think a lot more.”
   Lawrence went 9-8-1 last season, recording one win in the state playoffs before being eliminated.
   ”It showed if we work hard enough we can get to a goal we set,” said Brian Pillsbury, a senior captain and the Cardinals’ goalie. “Last year our goal was to make states and we did reach our goal. This year we only have better talent, a better work ethic and a better coaching staff. So everything’s working together to make us a very good team.”
   Pillsbury and the rest of the Cardinals have high expectations after last season’s success.
   ”Last year we won one state game,” said Pillsbury. “This year I think we can keep playing for as long as we can. There’s really no limit.”
   Barrett inspires plenty of confidence as a member of the 1991 National Championship team while playing for the Mercer County Community College men’s soccer team.
   Barrett is also a Lawrence alumni. Barrett was a four-year varsity player for the Cardinals’ soccer team from 1987-1990.
   Likewise, Barrett’s assistant coach Peter James, is a fellow Lawrence graduate.
   Prior to taking over as the boys varsity head soccer coach, Barrett was the Lawrence girls soccer junior varsity coach from 1995-2006. Barrett has also coached several teams, like the West Windsor Mutany, the Lawrence Legends, the New Jersey U-13 Girls State team and the Lawrence Lions.
   ”He’s teaching us a lot,” said Stu Borajkiewicz, a senior captain and center midfielder for Lawrence. “Hopefully, coach Barrett can lead us far in states.”
   Joining Lawrence’s senior captains, Borajkiewicz, Korkuch and Pillsbury, the Cardinals will field seniors David Friedeborn at forward, Douglas Franc at forward, Hiroki Katsuma at midfield, defender Jacob Ball, defender Justin DeMarco, forward Oliver Brown, forward Ricky Scott and defender Steve Ciosek.
   Lawrence will have juniors Chris Borlagh at defense, junior David Shillaber, midfielder Eric Waseliski, forward Pawel Romanski, defender Phillip Annand and forward Zack Everson. Sophomore Paul Grant Jr. will be a midfielder for the Cardinals.
   Anchoring the defense at sweeper, Korkuch said the team has strategies for handling the opposition.
   ”We’re going to run a bunch of different line-ups,” said Korkuch. “We’re going to be strong in all of them. Depending on what teams hit us with we have a bunch of different defenses I think will be strong.”
   Hopewell started the season with a scrimmage against Montgomery. While the Cardinals fell, 3-0, the game was a good way to prepare the team for the competition they’ll face at the start of the season.
   Lawrence opens the Colonial Valley Conference with a night game (7 p.m.) at Zimmer Field, Friday, Sept. 7 against Princeton.
   The Cardinals also have games against Nottingham, Notre Dame and Hopewell Valley in the first few weeks.
   ”Our first few four games will make us or break us,” said Pillsbury. “We’re trying to go 3-1. That would put us in real good shape. If we come out 4-0, we’re golden for the rest of the season.”
   With Lawrence opening the season against some tough teams, the Cardinals have been working through their scrimmages.
   After the loss to Montgomery, Lawrence rebounded with a 5-1 win over Florence in a scrimmage on Monday.
   ”We had a tough scrimmage against Montgomery,” said Pillsbury. “They’re a big school. I don’t think they made their cuts yet. It was a real hot day on their turf so we were real tired. At one time in the second half, they subbed out eight of their guys so that was like a line change.”
   By watching film of that game, Lawrence learned from its mistakes in time to play Florence.
   ”It was interesting to see the stuff we could improve on,” said Pillsbury.
   ”Montgomery was tough,” said Borajkiewcz. “We came out flat-footed, but it was good to watch the tape and see what we did wrong.”
   Lawrence is also scheduled to scrimmage New Brunswick today (Thursday), Perth Amboy tomorrow and Northern Burlington on Tuesday before officially starting the season against Princeton Friday night.