Girls lacrosse teams prepare to open season

Courtney Richardson has been waiting for the opportunity to coach her own high school girls lacrosse team after serving as an assistant for two years under friend and former Monmouth University teammate Aimee Terranova at Brick Memorial.

Richardson got that opportunity this season and could not wait for practices to begin last Friday, even with the downpour of rain that day.

"I'm so excited. I've been waiting to be a head coach and last year I felt able to do it," said Richardson, who has 48 out for the team.

Also at Brick Memorial, Brett Middlemiss takes over the boys lacrosse team after also serving as an assistant under Guy Lassen.

Steve Galgon remains on the staff and Barbara Meyer is a new assistant for Brick Memorial's girls.

They must help prepare a new goalkeeper in senior JessicaKhalil,whowas the junior varsity goalie last year, to replace Sam Divizio, who graduated along with productive field players Lisa Miller and Jackie O'Shea from last year's 5-12-1 team.

Corinne Coyle, a junior, must pick up the slack in scoring with Emily Egbert, who scored 50 goals on the junior varsity last season.

"I think we can score some goals and make some better decisions," said Richardson, who said he greatest problem last year was the team "was inconsistent."

But she feels this year's team has the talent and "leadership to take control when we need it." That will be put to the test starting on Friday when it plays host to Howell in a scrimmage.

Some of the players Richardson expects to be productive are midfielder Johanna Corino, center Brianne Toomey, attackers Alexa Bolton and Samantha Melia and defenders Dana Lenneper and Alexa Worman. Alex Montalto, a junior who sat out last season, is back and probably will play in the midfield.

They'll look to be ready for their April 2 opener at Toms River East in the always keenly competitive Shore Conference A South.

Kristin Pike returns to Brick Township as head coach and lost five players off last year's 5-win team but has a formidable scorer back in her daughter Kaitlyn, a senior who is looking to score her 100th career goal. She has 65 career goals, 33 of them last year. Another leading returnee is Heather Murphy who Pike said is "very fast," along with senior Julie Matsutani. In fact, Pike said this year's team has very good overall speed which will be put to the test starting on Friday with a scrimmage at Manasquan. The team opens its regular season at Marlboro on April 1.

"This year we'll go beyond the basics and talk strategy," said Pike, who has a new assistant in Keith Fogler along with Tim Marks, who returns as coach of the freshmen.

Pike said she is looking for Shea Watson "to step up and score more goals."

Midfielder Shea Costello has plenty of speed and defender Chelsea Bokenko is very aggressive. Kaitlyn Fratterman, a junior, also gained substantial experience on last year's team while senior Andrea Ferrara will see increased playing time.