The Jackson Memorial High School girls soccer team was trying to put the wraps on the Shore Conference A South Division title this week, competing in the Shore Conference Tournament and looking ahead to the NJSIAA state tournament.
Jackson Memorial High School’s Ariana Smith (10) beats Southern Regional’s Maggie Reiff to the ball during the Jaguars’ 4-0 victory over the visiting Rams in a Shore Conference Tournament soccer match on Oct. 23. After dropping a 3-2 overtime A South match to second-place Toms River North on Oct. 19, the Jaguars bounced back in the Shore Conference Tournament on Oct. 23 with a 4-0 victory over Southern Regional to raise their record to 15-2.
“We played really well,” coach Drew Gibson said of the match against Southern Regional, a team that Jackson Memorial beat twice during the A South season, 2-1 and 4-1. “We scored a goal in the first half [by Nicole Sullivan], and in the second half we took control of the game with a lot more chances and controlled most of the play.”
The Jaguars beat Southern Regional without a goal from Dana Costello, who leads the team with 18 goals. Kelly Folk scored two goals against the Rams. Chelsea Eckel scored the other goal against the Rams.
Jackson Memorial High School’s Dana Costello (2) stays a step ahead of Southern Regional’s Mikeala Hammel during the Jaguars’ 4-0 victory over the visiting Rams in a Shore Conference Tournament soccer match on Oct. 23. The Jaguars followed up their victory over Southern Regional with a 4-0 win over Freehold High School in the quarterfinals of the Shore Conference Tournament on Oct. 26 to improve to 16-2. Following a scoreless first half, the Jaguars got two goals from Folk and one apiece from Dani Andreas and Costello to advance in the conference tournament.
Next week, the Jaguars will open play in the NJSIAA state tournament, where they will be home with a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in their section, Gibson projects.
The Jaguars have clinched at least a tie for the A South crown and can win the division outright if Toms River North loses or ties its final division game against Southern Regional this week.
Jackson Memorial’s other loss during the regular season was a 1-0 A South upset at the hands of Brick Township.
“Toms River North played a really good game, and we did, too, and had some good chances in overtime [in the Oct. 19 match]. Our girls realize that,” Gibson said.
Against the Mariners on Oct. 19, Jackson Memorial struck first and then forced the overtime with a goal late in regulation.
Jackson Memorial beat Toms River North, 1-0, in the teams’ first meeting.
The Jaguars remain relatively healthy with freshman Sydney Lavan still in goal, which she took over when Ashleigh Uhl, a sophomore, sustained a concussion. Uhl has been medically cleared and is practicing.
“She [Lavan] has been playing good and has been getting better as the year goes along,” said Gibson. “She is playing with more confidence but was not challenged [on Oct. 23] against Southern. She is more comfortable and making better decisions. We’ve gotten some shutouts, and a number of the goals scored against us came late in regulation.”
Lavan made nine saves in the win against Freehold on Oct. 26 and recorded the shutout, her fourth of the season.
Jackson Memorial is hoping to go far in the postseason, as it did two years ago when the Jaguars won the Shore Conference Tournament and reached the state sectional semifinals, where it lost to Steinert High School of Mercer County.
Steinert lost in the South Jersey finals to eventual state champion Lenape.
Last year Jackson Memorial lost its openers in the Shore Conference Tournament and in the state tournament.
Although Costello has been the target of opposing defenses, she has had the vision on the field to get the ball to open teammates for better scoring opportunities.
“She not only finishes [scoring chances], she is a good leader and effective, which puts a lot of pressure on other teams,” said Gibson.
The key from this point on, said Gibson “is controlling the midfield, winning 50/50 balls. When we do that, we’re very dangerous. When we sit back and are not as aggressive, we’re in trouble.”
Midfield play is dictated in the middle by Mikie Bradley and Andreas, with Eckel and Sullivan outside. Costello and Folk are the forwards, with the back line anchored by Kim Clemmer at sweeper along with Ariana Smith, Marissa Fisher and Samantha Schlaghter.