Soccer teams have mixed results

While Freehold Borough girls were winning their third consecutive NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III title, the state playoffs were a mixed bag for the other qualifying teams from the Freehold Regional District.

Manalapan and Colts Neck each won playoff games before falling in the Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals.

For the Braves, who won the A North Division title, picking up a win in the postseason was a momentum builder for what is a very young team. Manalapan needed one of its veterans, four-year starter Amy Carhart to make it happen.

Carhart, playing in what was her final home match, scored the golden goal in overtime as the Braves beat Jackson Memorial, 2-1. Trailing 1-0 in the second half, the braves tied it when Nicole Ryneckit deflected Kristy Rubino's restart kick into the Jaguar goal.

Manalapan traveled to Steinert for its quarterfinal match and after many postponements due to rain, lost 3-0. The Braves concluded the season at 13-5.

After an off year in '07, the Cougars bounced back and used a late-season run to return to the postseason. The Cougars made the most of it beating Sayreville, 3-2, in the first round. They scored all three goals in the second half.

Amber Schlosser broke a 2-2 tie with 10 minutes remaining for the Cougars. Tracey Vill assisted on the play on a long throw-in. She had two assists on the day.

Carly Haden scored the Cougars first goal, and Josephine Belluardo, assisted by Haden, gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead.

Brick Memorial, the third seed, edged Colts Neck 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Haden scored the Cougar's lone goal taking a pass from Lauren Clarke and getting around the Mustang defense to score on a breakaway. Her goal made it 2-1.

Even though Freehold Township lost to West Windsor-Plainsboro, 1-0, in its firstround match, the Pats had a memorial season. Starting as many as four freshmen, the Pats made a case for themselves as a team of the future. They were 13-8 this year.

If it's difficult to beat a good team three times in a season, how hard is it to do it four times? For the Freehold Township boys soccer team it proved to be mission impossible.

The newly crowned Shore Conference Tournament champions saw their quest for more postseason glory come to at home when Howell High School scored a 2-1 overtime victory in the first round of the playoffs.

The Pats, who had also won the Shore Conference A North Division title, could not have lost in a more painful way, on an own goal in the 88th minute.

Freehold Township scored first on an Abe Hamami goal in the 72nd minute off the match. But, Howell countered less than a minute later on Cody Calafiore's gametying goal assisted by George DiCharo.

The game remained 1-1 through regulation and into overtime until Calafiore put a shot on net that hit a Patriot defender and deflected into the net.

It was sour ending to what had been the best season for Freehold Township in 20 years. They finished the season at 17-3-1.

Howell was hoping that the win over Freehold Township was a good sign for the Rebels. They were in Freehold Township's shoes the last two seasons seeing outstanding championship seasons spoiled in the state playoffs. They were thinking that this year they were due for a state sectional title. But, Howell lost its quarterfinal match at Steinert, 4-3, letting a 3-1 lead slip away.

Chris Katona struck for two goals and Calafiore the other for the Rebels, who finished the season at 10-7-3.

Defending Group IV state champion Manalapan saw its two-year reign as Central Jersey champions come to an end in Marlboro.

The Mustangs, who had beaten Manalapan twice during the regular season, was able to pull off a third straight win, 2-1. Jason Cohen scored the game winner in the 71st minute. The play developed on a through ball from Nick Kyprianou to Jake Katz, whose crossing pass Cohen headed in for the game-winner.

Marlboro took a 1-0 lead in the first half on Alan Konovalov's goal just 4:43 in.

Greg Grzelak tied it for the champs 16 minutes into the second half assisted by Jeff Weitz.

The defeat ended a remarkable four-year run for John Natoli's Braves. In that time, they won an SCT and an A North crown, made three trips to the Central Jersey Group IV championship game winning the last two, and two appearances in the Group IV state final capturing their first state title, a co-championship with Clifton, last year.

The loss also drew the curtain on the brilliant career of goalie Jake Grinkevich, who was the one constant for the Braves during their run.

Marlboro, however, couldn't capitalize on its defeat of the defending champions losing at home to Brick Memorial in the quarterfinals. Marlboro fell behind 2-0 at the half and never recovered.

Jack Parkin scored just 51 seconds into the second half assisted by Alan Konovalov, to cut the deficit in half, 2-1.

But, Brick Memorial scored, got it right back just over a minute later when Krishna Nathu scored his second goal of the match.

Hunter Gorskie made it a one-goal game again converting a corner kick in the 77th minute. But, the Mustangs were held off the board for the final 13 minutes, bringing their season to an end. Marlboro, which was the SCT runner-up, went 14-5-1.