Three-point shooting can be pretty to watch, but it is the dirty work under the basket that wins basketball games. Freehold Township High School forward Ashley Stenftennagel knows that.
Stenftennagel’s rebounding against a more physical Middletown South High School team helped pave the way for the Patriots’ 45-33 Shore Conference A North Division victory over the Eagles on Feb. 3 in Freehold Township.
“I have a lot of heart when it comes to rebounding, you have to want it,” she said. “You need rebounds to win.”
Stenftennagel pulled down 20 rebounds and at times battled three and four Eagles for the carom, as the Patriots defeated Middletown South for the first time since 2002.
Coach John Sciarappa recalled how during the last decade against Middletown South, his team was always playing from behind.
“They are very physical,” Sciarappa said of the Eagles. “They would jump on us and get a big lead, and it’s so hard to come back.”
The Eagles were the team playing catchup on Feb. 3 as the Patriots jumped out to a 9- 0 lead with four different players scoring.
Behind forward Jackie Dluhi, the Eagles outscored the Patriots 7-2 the rest of the way in the first quarter to trail by four points, 11- 7, heading into the second quarter.
Just when it looked like the Eagles had settled things down, the Patriots went on a three-point field goal barrage that gave them a 27-12 lead at halftime. Stephanie Martinez sank two long-range bombs, and Stenftennagel and Michelle Johnston both stepped behind the arc to can threes.
While the Patriots were lighting it up on the offensive end, their defense was outstanding in controlling the Eagles’ Meghan McGuinness.
McGuiness, a guard who is headed for Niagara University, torched the Patriots for 22 points in Middletown South’s 48-42 win in Middletown in January. This time she was held scoreless in the first half and to two points for the game by a swarming defense that was not going to let her do what she had done in the first game.
Stenftennagel said the defense was a team effort.
“We switched off their picks to cover her,” Stenftennagel said.
McGuinness got few open looks against a Freehold Township defense that was committed to following her wherever she went on the floor.
In the second half, the Eagles were unable to get within 10 points of the Patriots. Threepoint field goals by Martinez and Morgan Duffy kept the Eagles at bay as the Patriots scored one of their signature wins of the season .
Stenftennagel said the turning point of the season for Freehold Township was the team’s big comeback win over Manasquan in a holiday tournament, when the Patriots overcame a 26-point deficit to upset the Warriors, 79- 70, in overtime.
“We knew we could play with anyone in the Shore Conference,” she said. In beating Middletown South, a perennial shore area top 10 team, the Patriots proved they can do more than just play with the top teams, they can beat them, too. It showed the Patriots that “we can do it,” Stenftennagel said .
Stenftennagel scored 13 points to go with her 20 rebounds, while Martinez had 11 points, including three three-point field goals.
The victory over the Eagles lifted Freehold Township to 16-3, a record no one could have foreseen. What’s more, the wins over Manasquan (13-3) and Middletown South (9- 5) should gain the Patriots the respect they deserve when the Shore Conference Tournament seeding committee goes to work next week.
Stenftennagel said the Patriots’ success is due to everyone learning their roles and playing to their strengths.
Freehold Township has also qualified for a spot in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV state sectional tournament.
Among other local teams, Howell (12- 2) has clinched no worse than a tie for the Shore Conference A North Division title.
The Rebels, who began the week undefeated in the division, played Manalapan on Feb. 8 and will be at Freehold Township on Feb. 10. The Rebels needed one win to clinch the division title outright.
Howell has also qualified for the Central Jersey Group IV tournament.
Marlboro (8-6) is headed to the postseason, and for the first time in more than a decade, Manalapan (10-8) will also make an appearance in the state tournament. Both teams will join the Patriots and the Rebels in the Central Jersey Group IV field.