Colonials ready for upcoming season

State champions know they are no longer underdogs

BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer

The Freehold Borough High School girls soccer team won’t be looking for respect this fall. They have that and more after winning four championships in 2006, including the NJSIAA State Group III co-championship, the first state title in school history.

CHRIS KELLY staff A member of the Freehold Boro soccer team tries to advance the ball against Colts Neck during a recent home scrimmage. CHRIS KELLY staff A member of the Freehold Boro soccer team tries to advance the ball against Colts Neck during a recent home scrimmage. The Colonials return eight starters from that 21-1-1 squad that posted 21 shutouts. The team, which has a new voice in head coach Elyse Bizzozzaro, starts the season with every team in the Shore taking aim at them.

Bizzozzaro, an assistant coach on Heshy Moses’ staff last year, said the least of her worries is Freehold Borough getting fat on last year’s success.

“They are not complacent,” said Bizzozzaro. “They want more.”

Midfielder Shannon Mayrose said the Colonials know things are going to be different this fall.

“Everyone will be gunning for us,” she said. “Last year, we were the underdogs. We know that we have to be focused.”

Sweeper Alexandra Eagle remarked that the Colonials are still a very hungry team and very aware of what it’s going to take to remain No. 1.

“Everyone has to work doubly hard,” she said. “We have to put last year in the past.”

Along with the returning talent, the Colonials have something else going for them, according to their sweeper. The camaraderie of this team can never be overlooked.

“Our chemistry is unbelievable,” said Eagle.

On the field, the Colonials are naturally loaded.

The returning starters are sweeper Eagle, goalie Ashley Lewis, midfielder Mayrose, midfielder Kim Bauernfiend, defender Amy Flanagan, midfielder Alexa Rozzi, defender Nicole Paulucci and forward Jaime Battaglia.

“These girls are wonderful, they are out there for each other,” said Bizzozzaro.

Eagle is the glue of a defense that takes offense to shots on goal. Colonial defenders challenge shots, and thanks to Eagle there is great communication.

Of course, when a shot does get through the “great wall,” Lewis is more than up to the task. She made the breathtaking save seem routine and is an added leader. No wonder the team had an unheard of 21 shutouts. In a program that has produced its fair share of great goalies with names like Danielle Vento and Jen Towers, Lewis is on her way to becoming the best the Colonials have had.

Not lost in the run to the state championship was a lack of scoring. The Colonials scored just enough to keep advancing thanks to those 21 shutouts. Their title defense could be made easier if they could convert a higher percentage of their scoring chances.

Mayrose, 12 goals and seven assists in 2006, is the key. She was clutch and can score in a number of ways either with rocket shots with either foot, or, in the air on headers. Battaglia, who scored three goals last year, is being looked to play a bigger role on the forward line. Rozzi (two goals and five assists) will play a bigger role as well.

The Colonials did get scoring help last year on free kicks by Eagle (five goals) and corner kicks and sets from Flanagan (six assists).

In the State Group III semifinal against Shawnee, it was a Flanagan set that Mayrose headed in for the 1-0 win that advanced the Colonials to the state final.

The other returners from the state championship team are forward Genna Opatut (three assists), forward Angeles Pantoja (four goals, one assist) and midfielder Jacklyn Scalgione (two assists).

Rounding out the 2007 Colonials are forward Jennifer Prinke, defender Karisa Poskanka, midfielder Alyssa Rudic and defender Simon Dixon.

Trying to crack this roster isn’t easy, but the Colonials do have three newcomers who will be making contributions this year. One is a sophomore transfer from St. John Vianney, Kelsey Holtz, a defender. As a transfer she’ll have to sit out the first month of the season before she can join the team.

The other newcomers are a pair of freshmen, Paige Preston and Emma Hocker, both midfielders.

Another frosh, Elyse Umansky, is the backup keeper.

Wall and Ocean remain Freehold Borough’s competition in the Shore Conference B-North Division. Ocean was the only team to beat the Colonials, and Wall lost two overtime heartbreakers.

The B-North crown was the first of the four won by the Colonials in ’06. The others were the Shore Conference Tournament, Central Jersey Group III and State Group III.

The Colonials picked up where they left off in ’06 in their first game of the season, beating Neptune, 2-0. Lewis stopped two shots in collecting her first shutout of the season. Bauernfiend and Rozzi tallied the goals for Freehold Borough. Flanagan got the assist on the Bauernfiend goal.