Local soccer teams preparing for postseason berths
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer
Brick Memorial girls soccer team can wrap up a second straight Shore Conference A South championship but faces a tough week ahead in order to do it.

ERIC SUCAR staff Brick Memorial High School's Wes Buckley uses his head to pass the ball to an open teammate during the second half of his team's 5-2 victory over Jackson Memorial on Oct. 8.

Brick Township girls and Brick Memorial boys, meanwhile, face must-win situations this week to get into the Shore Conference tournament by Monday's cutoff and the NJSIAA tournament by next Friday's cutoff. And that includes games against their crosstown rivals. That scenario unfolds in the days ahead for Brick Township girls, who have not made the postseason in recent years, and injury-riddled Brick Memorial's boys, who don't want a repeat of last year when they missed the Shore Conference Tournament for the first time since the mid-1990s.

Brick Township boys at 9-3 already have clinched the postseason for a second straight year after ending a 10-year dry spell of qualifying last fall. They're riding a four-game win streak.

First, Brick Memorial girls team at 7-1- 2 has big games on Tuesday against Toms River North and on Thursday at Southern, the two teams that are right behind in the standings. Then comes back-to-back games against Brick Township on Friday at Veterans Memorial Middle School and on Monday at Brick Township, which is the cutoff day for the Shore Conference Tournament.

"These are huge games for us but I like the way we've played the last four or five games," said Brick Memorial coach Bill Caruso. "As long as we keep doing that, I like our chances. Anything can happen but we've been coming out ready to play all year."

That was evident against Lacey when Brick Memorial struck for the first three goals en route to a 4-2 victory and against nemesis Jackson in which Caitlin Conway scored the winning goal 6:34 into the first overtime. A year ago, slow starts were costly for Brick Memorial against Jackson, which handed the Mustangs three of their four losses. Conway also had the first and last goals against Lacey, sandwiched around scores by Alex Montalto and Jordan Downs, before Lacey pulled to 3-2.

"We did struggle a little in the beginning against Jackson when we could not find marks but once we did that, we were able to win (50-50) balls and things went much smoother," said Caruso. Amanda Simon got her third shutout in that game.

Brick Township girls are 3-5-2 and on Tuesday play Toms River East, which it tied, 2-2, and on Thursday night are home against a Lacey team that beat them, 3-1, earlier. Then come the Brick Memorial games. The Green Dragons must go either 3-1 or 2-0-2 in that stretch.

"Its pressure on us but it's good pressure because in past seasons, we'd already be out of it," said Brick Township coach Mike Berardinelli.

And that situation came to light early last week when Brick Township girls beat Jackson for the second time this season by the same 1-0 score. Rachel Marino scored midway through the first half off a pass from Kim Price, who crossed the ball after advancing it 15 yards. The goalie deflected the ball out before Marino collected it behind the keeper and staying barely inbounds and followed it in, "a super shot," said Berardinelli. The coach also credited the goalkeeping of Lauren McElroy and the defensive coverage on explosive Jackson scorer Dana Costello by Gianna Pizzella and Chelsey Garkowski, who moved back to defense from her customary forward spot.

In the next game, Monsignor Donovan brought the Green Dragons back to earth, 3-1. Jess Durnian tied it early in the second half on a penalty kick. Morgan Kearns and Garkowski played well at forward.

As for the boys, Brick Memorial faces what coach Kevin Bliem calls a "real big week" playing on Tuesday at Toms River North, which it lost to, 2-1, earlier, and at home on Thursday at home against Southern, which it beat, 3-0, earlier. The Mustangs play Freehold Borough at home on Saturday before taking on Brick Township on Monday at the Shore Conference Tournament cutoff. Brick Township won the first time the two teams played, 2-0.

Last week, after beating Lacey, 1-0, and Jackson Memorial, 5-2, Brick Memorial boys lost to Wall, 5-0, on Saturday. "We just had a bad matchup playing on a small field against a Wall team that is fast, strong and physical," said Bliem.

And they played last week without stopper Conner Brady and for the last two games without sweeper Nick Dadato, both with ankle problems. Brady's is worse and Bliem said they initially feared a fractured ankle but that was ruled out and Brady now is wearing a boot.

"When he's coming back, I don't know but we miss him for his leadership and running things in the back," said Bliem. "We're playing it day-to-day."

But Bliem said Brian Rushalski has been a "nice surprise" at stopper and sweeper. Krishna Nathu, who scored twice against Jackson, leads the Mustangs with five goals. Although Nathu is versatile, Bliem is keeping him on the attack for his scoring. Nathu also had the goal against Lacey while goalie Justin Vinton had his third shutout.

Brick township on Tuesday this week had its biggest game of the season against A South leader Toms River East and plays at Lacey on Thursday before taking on Brick Memorial on Monday. The team has benefited from versatile players who have adapted well to playing in different positions. After losing to Toms River North, 3- 0, Brick Township beat Southern, 6-0, knocked off Jackson, 2-1, on A.J. Kolesa's goal in the first minute of the second overtime and rallied from a 2-0 deficit to topple Monsignor Donovan, 3-2, on Dan Durnian's goal with two minutes left.

Then came a 3-1 triumph at Toms River South, its first home loss in 17 games. Jorge Rivera scored twice, giving him a team-high eight goals followed by Durnian with seven. Tom Bastides put the Green Dragons ahead before Rivera connected on his second pretty shot of he game from 16 yards out. The first one was from 25 yards out.

Coach Ken Lynch also praised the play of reserve defender Phil Aumack, who came in to score the tying goal against Jackson.