Township shuts out Memorial in boys soccer
Morrill, Servai notch both goals in Green Dragons victory
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer
Kyle Morrill is a defender who likes to move up for scoring opportunities for Brick Township's boys soccer team.

Brick Township

He scored two goals that way last week, including the first one on Saturday night when the Green Dragons beat crosstown rival Brick Memorial, 2-0, on Veterans Memorial Middle School's soggy artificial surface.

"He's an attacking style defender, a big and strong kid with a big left foot," said Brick Township coach Ken Lynch, whose team improved to 5-2. Brick Memorial is 2-5. Morrill also scored in the previous 4-1 victory over Lacey when Jorge Rivera drilled home a pair and A.J. Kolesa put in the other.

Morrill moved up from his left fullback spot, dribbled by two defenders and connected from the top of the box on the left side into the opposite corner past goalie Justin Vinton.

Ross Servai put in the insurance goal with six minutes left, his first goal of the season. Servai has been moved from midfield to forward and Lynch said before the season that he is counting on and expecting him to score some goals this fall. Servai took a cross from 16 yards out that was deflected his way and slipped a shot inside the far post.

"This game is a big momentum builder," said Lynch. "We're moving away from .500, which takes the pressure off us for the postseason."

A year ago, Brick Township made the Shore Conference and NJSIAA Tournaments, the first time in nearly 15 years.

Goalie Dan Wroblewski, whom Lynch considers the key to the season, secured his third shutout of the season with two big saves, one from point blank range, and got defensive help from his brother Rob, at sweeper. "He's had a great year at sweeper and has been solid and not making any mistakes," said Lynch of Rob Wroblewski.

It was only Brick Township's second victory in the last eight meetings against

Brick Memorial. "I think games between these two teams are always intense, always good games that are close, no matter who is the better team and I expected that again," said Lynch. But scoring goals has been a problem for Brick Memorial, outshot only 8-7. "That's been our story all season: We're having a hard time finishing

and losing a lot of close games letting in unnecessary goals," said Brick Memorial coach Kevin Bliem who continued to get good defense and, against Brick Township, effectively switched Connor Brady and Brian Rushalski so they could play stopper and sweeper, respectively. "The kids are doing all the right things except hitting on their shots.

"We're just taking this (lack of scoring) game by game," said Bliem.

But there was a glimmer of hope when Brick Memorial came off a 2-0 victory over Southern in goals by Trevor Reilly and Krishna Nathu and, in the previous game against Toms River North, dominated the game and tied it at 1-1 on a goal by Kyle Wogan before Toms River North snuck in the game-winner in the closing minutes.