Offensive midfielder Abigail Luengas takes the ball during the Blue Lightning’s 1-0 win over Long Valley Soccer Clash in the finals. The hard work has paid off for the East Brunswick-based Blue Lightning girls soccer team, now champs for their age group.
The team started playing as U11 girls in Mid-New Jersey youth soccer league Flight 6 in the fall of 2009. During the following season, in spring 2010, the team finished third in Flight 6, and worked hard to win Flight 6 in the fall 2010 as U12 girls with an amazing 19 points and 32 goals scored, fishing only six balls out of their own net.
In the spring 2011 the Blue Lightning progressed to Flight 4, again winning their flight with 21 goals scored, only five scored against them. As Flight 4 winner, the team moved to the playoffs and lost against the winner of Flight 1, West Orange, in a hardfought game. In fall 2011, the U13 girls played Flight 1 and worked hard during that season to improve their game.
All the hard work was rewarded this season in Flight 1. The Blue Lightning was tied for first place with the Hillsborough Fireballs, with 14 points each. In a hard-fought tiebreaker game on June 7, the Blue Lightning defeated the Fireballs in Hillsborough, playing literally under a beautiful rainbow at the Hillsborough fields. Goalkeeper Dominique Brancato, together with central defender Gabby Coward and her defensive team, commandingly kept the ball out of the Blue Lightning goal area. The score of the game reflected the amazing attitude of the Blue Lightning girls — never giving up a single ball. In the second-to-last minute, offensive midfielder Abigail Luengas scored a beautiful goal from midfield, ensuring that Blue Lightning would move on to the MidNJ league playoffs with their 1-0 win against Hillsborough. The first playoff game was played June 8, against the Flight 4 winner, Summit Sporting, and proved to be an easy 5-1 home win for the Blue Lightning (two goals scored by Anna Evers and Gabriella Sampaio, and one by Courtney Brancato).
The final championship game was played on June 16 in East Brunswick, against the Flight 2 winner, Long Valley Soccer Clash, who had defeated the Monroe Lightning winner in Flight 3 during their first playoff match. Both teams played a physical game, trying to win the division championship. Blue Lightning central defender Gabby Coward scored the only, and winning, goal for her team through a direct kick on goal 8 minutes before the end of the regulation time. The Blue Lightning Girls then played a strong defensive game and brought home the MidNJ league championship for their age group to the Central New Jersey Silver Bullets (CNJSB) soccer club, based in East Brunswick, with their 1- 0 win.
The current U13 Blue Lightning girls are Kayle Bognar, Gabriella Sampaio, Lara Becker, Himali Patel, Courtney Brancato, Anna Evers, Arly Gonzalez, Michelle Reyes, Abigail Luengas, Alejandra Morales, Emma Weiden, Gabby Coward, Brianna Maung, Brittany Tran, and Dominique Brancato. The team, with girls from South River, East Brunswick and New Brunswick, is coached and trained by Miklos Bognar.
The team is looking for additional committed players for its fall U14 girls team, and holds tryouts by appointment (goalkeeper and field players). Contact Coach Miklos Bognar ([email protected]) if interested in joining.