RED BANK CATHOLIC FALLS TO MANASQUAN IN SECTIONAL FINAL ENDING ITS SEASON

 RED BANK CATHOLIC FALLS TO MANASQUAN IN SECTIONAL FINAL ENDING ITS SEASON 

By Mike Ready

 
MANASQUAN – Red Bank Catholic’s season came to an abrupt halt in Friday’s NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group II final after the Caseys’ second-half rally came up just short in a 13-10 loss to arch-rival Manasquan.
 
The two teams had squared off twice already this season with the Warriors getting past the Caseys, 9-6, in the regular season and RBC taking a thrilling 9-8 decision in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals when senior attacker Mackenzie Boyle scored the game-winner with 23 seconds left. 
 
The rivalry between the two schools has been building for the past three seasons with RBC sweeping the Warriors two years ago and the two schools splitting four games a year ago with Manasquan winning both regular-season games, 12-9 and 12-10, and the Warriors winning one-goal games in both the SCT and CJG II semifinals. 
 
That’s a 13-goal differential in nine games spanning three years that has helped magnify this rivalry with each passing year. 
 
Both teams finished tied for first in the division at 6-1 this season and will share the Shore Conference Class A Central crown. 
 
“A lot of these girls play on club teams together so they know us and we know them,” said RBC head coach Troy Madison. “The girls themselves have a bunch of relationships with the players and everyone knows each other’s tendencies, so it usually comes down to one or two possessions getting a ground ball or draw.” 
 
In Friday’s sectional championship game, Manasquan’s Janie Cowley scored the go-ahead goal with 52 seconds left in the first half to take a 5-4 lead at halftime. The top-seeded Warriors (16-3) then broke open a tight game going on a five-goal run to take a 10-4 lead with just over 15 minutes left in the game. 
 
However, the third-seeded Caseys (18-5) – ranked No. 20 in the NJ.com Top 20 – then began to climb back into the game as Boyle and Grace Gargulio scored goals 15 seconds apart to pull within four, 10-6, with 14:05 left in game. 
 
A little over a minute later, RBC cut the deficit to 10-8 with two more quick goals by Boyle and Abbey George with 12:45 still remaining in the now heated contest. That made it four goals in 95 seconds as the Caseys mounted a furious rally. 
 
“They showed a bit of resiliency there,” Madison said. “We got back to 10-8 but they called timeout to stop our momentum. Then there was a ground ball scramble that they came up with and we couldn’t get any closer than two. It seemed like every time we got within two we could never get it back to one. It was unfortunate we just couldn’t get over the hump. In lacrosse you can score so quick so we knew anything was possible, but it just didn’t work out for us.” 
 
The Warriors’ Jenna Harms then slowed the RBC comeback attempt scoring to get the Manasquan lead back to three, 11-8. The two teams then traded goals the rest of the way with Riley O’Connor and Gargulio scoring for the Caseys and Cowley and Maci Black for Manasquan for the 13-10 final. 
 
Boyle finished with three goals to lead the Caseys, while Gargulio (two goals, two assists), George (two goals), O’Connor (two goals, one assist) and Riley Traynor (one goal) all scored for RBC. 
 
The game’s outcome essentially boiled down to Manasquan’s five-goal run, which turned out to be the difference.   
 
Despite their disheartening loss Friday, it was another successful season for the Caseys, but they’ll now have to say goodbye to an elite group of seniors that helped them win or share four division titles while winning 72 game in four years, including two trips to sectional finals, a Shore Conference Tournament final appearance this season and three trips to the SCT semifinals. 
 
“Coming into the season, the goal of our seniors was to get to the SCT final which we did this year as well as to a sectional final,” said Madison. “We got there (sectional final) but weren’t able to get the job done and that’s something I know they (seniors) had their hopes set on. It was just a case of too little, too late. The seniors were upset; obviously it was something they wanted. They put four years of hard work and time and dedication into it and to have it come to a halt like that is tough on everyone.” 
 
Red Bank Catholic’s top four scorers and their two best defenseman will graduate this year with five committed to play at the next level in college and one attempting to walk on at a major DI program. 
 
Boyle (71 goals, 61 assists), who is ranked No. 1 in the Shore in draw controls and in the top five in assists and top 10 in points in the state, was a first-team All-Shore attacker a year ago and will be playing college lacrosse at Jacksonville University. 
 
“In my eyes, Mackenzie is the top player in the Shore Conference,” said Madison. “She goes beyond just what she does on the field with her leadership on and off the field. She’s a two-time captain for us and is just a humble kid who goes out and displays sportsmanship every time she’s on the field win or lose. It goes beyond winning and losing for her and we’re going to miss her a lot next year.”  
 
George (39 goals, 24 assists) and Gargiulo (41 goals, 20 assists) were both second-team All-Shore selections a year ago and have committed to Coastal Carolina and Franklin and Marshall, respectively, while O’Connor (53 goals, eight assists) will take her talents to Georgian Court.
 
Standout defenseman Grace Bruther is committed to Muhlenberg College, while fellow defender Lily Gardner is expected to walk on at Villanova University.
 
“They’ve laid a foundation for the future of our underclassmen,” said Madison. “They’re leaving behind a legacy that’s going to be tough to live up to. Their leadership. knowledge and just the way they played the game is irreplaceable. I’ve been amazed at some of the plays they’ve been able to perform out there. I’ve been coaching for 16 years and you don’t get players like this very often. And if you do, you’re lucky to get them.” 
 
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