By Jimmy Allinder
The price of 20-plus wins in each of the last three seasons for the Monroe Township High School girls’ basketball team couldn’t come at a more unfortunate time.
The Falcons were rewarded for their 69-15 win-loss record, including appearances in the last two Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Tournament championship games (both losses), and an NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV title last season, by being elevated to the Red Division, which is reserved for the GMC’s largest schools.
Coupled with that promotion is the need to replace five seniors who represented the most athletic senior class in school history.
Erin Seppi is at Boston College on a soccer scholarship, Ashlyn Petersen is continuing her basketball career at Franklin and Marshall College, Grace Martini plays field hockey at East Stroudsburg University, Kassidy Utheim is on the Worcester Polytechnic Institute women’s volleyball team and Hannah Fisher is a student at the University of Delaware.
Last year represented the pinnacle of Monroe’s rise to power in the GMC with the sectional title, a 48-35 victory against Hunterdon Central Regional High School, being the exclamation point. This is a new year, however, and the Falcons find themselves battling nightly against the GMC’s best.
The record is 1-3 with the win coming against John P. Stevens High School, 55-36, in the season opener. Monroe lost to Neptune High School, 58-33, in the opening round of the WOBM Holiday Classic and met Colts Neck High School Dec. 27 in the second round. The Falcons will play the following day to close out their participation in the tournament. The other losses were to South Brunswick High School, 59-39, and Edison High School, 48-31.
Senior guard Casey Filiault’s return as the only regular from last year’s rotation is a sign the Falcons are in transition mode. Senior guard Kennedy Selby has earned a starting job with her strong play, but head coach Leigh Vogtman said six others could work their way into the lineup.
They are senior Alexa Coyle, juniors Dylianny Deleon and Jessica Weinthal, sophomore Michelle Paoluccio and freshmen Madison Carey and Emily Simoskevitz. The remainder of the roster includes senior Melissa Miller; junior Angela Oskierko; sophomores Emily Siciliano, Valerie Roberts, Zoe Feuer and Brianna Murray; and freshmen Adrianna Coniglio, Kaitlyn Sysn and Sydney Dolan.
With the vast rebuilding job on her plate, this promises to be the most challenging season in Vogtman’s career. However, she believes her team’s immediate objective can be summarized in a few words.
“Our goal is to get better every day and learn from every game we play,” she said.