Cougars fall in CJ IV final
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
At the Central Jersey Group IV final’s conclusion, Montgomery High’s misty eyes matched the weather.
The Cougar girls’ soccer team saw its nearly perfect season end with a 1-0 loss to Brick Memorial in Friday’s sectional final. MHS was unbeaten through its first 20 games this year, which only made the loss sting a bit more.
”The way the game was going, the fact that we didn’t win it made it hurt,” said MHS head coach Jeremy Beardsley, whose team went 19-1-1. “The fact this team was so close. They’ve been together so long. The finality of it all made it hurt.
”More than the championship, we just wanted to come back Monday to training together. I just wanted to be with them again, and that’s a tough thing to know I’ll wake up Monday and we won’t have soccer practice.”
The Cougars came away with golden chances to score to start both halves, but they never solved a Brick defense that surrendered long-ball opportunities. In the first 10 minutes of the game, Montgomery missed on a breakaway chance. In the first six minutes of the second half, they had a shot headed out by a Brick defender and Caroline Boger’s hustle caused a ball to ricochet off a Brick defender and skid toward the goal before it hit off the right post.
”Both halves, we came out flying,” Beardsley said. “We had ridiculous chances, awesome opportunities. I don’t think we stopped playing ever. I don’t think the girls got discouraged. We just didn’t get a goal.”
Brick did not score until 11:39 remained on a beautiful cross and one-timer that Cougar goalkeeper Ally Mancino had no shot at saving. Mancino earlier in the half had come up with a pair of huge saves while the Cougar defense also cleared away a pair of dangerous chances. Brick was the taller team and won many of the air balls.
”Before this year, that was our situation, we had trouble against bigger, direct, physical teams,” Beardsley said. “This year, the team fought back against this kind of team. We had the ability to fight hard against Bridgewater and Steinert. I was really pleased to see them add that to our personality — we can play a little bit and we could roll up our sleeves too. But our inability to finish caught up with us.”
The Cougars had hoped for a perfect finish to a season that had already seen them win a pair of titles. MHS won their conference and county crowns, the first time in program history they had two championships in a season.
”They’ve given so much emotionally and physically, that was the reason you saw some heavy legs out there (Friday),” Beardsley said. “Going like that all year, it took a toll on them. When you’re playing undefeated for so long and playing so many tight games, it takes a toll on you.”
For 20 games, however, there wasn’t a team that had figured out how to beat Montgomery. The Cougars had never started a season with even a 10-game unbeaten streak, and they doubled that this year despite major question marks due to graduation losses.
”It was such a team,” Beardsley said. “We have one or two girls who have names in the state, but that’s it. As individuals, they’re good soccer players. As a team, they’re great. I spent a lot of time driving that home. They bought into it more and more with every win.
”It was always someone else contributing every game,” he added. “I could talk about the defense only giving up six goals in a season, which is incredible, but the thing I’ll talk about with this team is it was such a great team.”
The team was led by 13 seniors, most who had been a part of the program for four years.
”It’s hard to put into words how special this group was,” Beardsley said. “Even if they were on the freshman or JV teams, they have still been a part of our program for four years.
”I talked about legacy with them. It’s a hard-working group that we’re trying to replace. It’s a hard-working, determined group. They helped establish that as Montgomery soccer. I hope the other girls know what the tradition means. I hope the younger girls come out and try their best to keep it going.”

