Freehold Township High School’s Raegen Dunn brings the ball forward as Manalapan High School defender Jordan Schoenhaus (19) gives chase during the Shore Conference A North Division game played in Freehold Township. The Patriots won the Sept. 16 game, 11-0. FRANK GALIPO Two teams with the same agendas will take the first step toward achieving their goals Sept. 24 in Freehold Borough.
The field hockey squads from Freehold High School and Freehold Township High School have turned into state powers in the last several years, and last season was no exception as both carted off championship hardware.
Freehold Township lost the battle to Freehold last year but ended up winning the war.
The Colonials moved up to the Shore Conference A North Division last fall and dethroned their crosstown rivals. However, in the postseason, Freehold Township grabbed the headlines as winner of its third NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV championship in four years. The team’s mantra for the season was “Get It Back,” and that’s exactly what it did by capturing the state sectional title against Cherokee High School, 1-0, in the finals.
Both head coaches — the Colonials’ Kelly Craig and the Patriots’ Kara Gardner — listed the same goals for their respective clubs: A North, Shore Conference Tournament and state sectional championships. The Colonials and Patriots are back and as loaded as ever in 2015.
“I have high hopes for us to take the division again and make it further into the playoffs,” Craig said.
Being ousted at home in the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals did not sit well with the Colonials, who would like to get the state sectional title they won in 2013 back.
Freehold has plenty of championship experience returning.
Jessica Pianko, Tori Tiefenthaler, Gabby Arancio and Julie Keelan pace the attack up front. Pianko was named the Shore Coaches A North Division Player of the Year last season.
Alex Bock and Clare Luttrell are an outstanding midfield combination. Both are strong two-way players capable of getting back on defense and jump-starting the attack.
Craig is pleased by Freehold’s scoring balance. The team has had eight different players score goals thus far, led by Arancio (three). Veteran Katie Pianco is the anchor of a defense that also has another multi-year starter in Jill Ruggiero returning.
The Colonials have a new starter in goal in Belly Reynoso, who has only allowed one goal in the first two games.
Juls Calogero is the other newcomer who has broken into the lineup.
Completing the team are Katie Byrnes and Nicole Fossani.
This is still a young Colonials team, with Jessica and Katie Pianco, Luttrell and Keelan as the only seniors.
With several returning seniors, the Patriots figure to be right back where their coach wants them to be: competitive in the A North Division, Shore Conference and state tournament.
The Patriots bring a 2-1 record into the clash Sept. 24, which includes a 3-1 loss at Middletown High School South Sept. 18. That loss makes the game at Freehold even more important to the Patriots. They can’t afford to fall two games behind the Colonials.
The seniors who are expected to carry this year’s Patriots are Jessica Pietracatella, Marie Pietracatella, Kellie Hennessy, Sara O’Malley, Mia Lombardi and Rosie McQuarrie.
Like their rivals, the Patriots have been getting contributions from a number of players. They’ve had 11 different players score a goal, with Elena Andreyev and O’Malley leading the way with three goals each. Jessica Applegate, a freshman, leads the team in assists with three. She also has two goals. Marie and Jessica Pietracatella, Hailey Verga and Hennesey have scored multiple goals.
Hennessy is the focal point of the Patriots defense that has a new goalie behind it in Darlene Benjamin. She’s posted two shutouts.
Kaylee Perman is Benjamin’s backup.
Completing the 2015 Patriots are Renate Baute, Raegen Dunn, Madison Hoskins, Samantha Perskin, Britany Tolmachewich and Emily Zuccarelli.
The game in Freehold could be the first of four possible meetings between these teams. They will play again in Freehold Township Oct. 16 to complete the A North schedule.
Then there’s the postseason, where they could meet in the Shore Conference Tournament and Central Jersey Group IV. Last year, they were the top two seeds in the state sectional.