The result was the same in 2017, as it was in 2015 -- A 0-0 tie that resulted in a co-championship for both teams. Again.
“The game was a great battle. They are an outstanding team who plays a strong, aggressive style. They have talent and speed all over the field, but we were prepared for a team of this caliber. We played many of the top teams in the state this year and we were not going to back down to the pressure. We did a very good job between the 18’s of possessing the ball, finding feet and getting numbers up. Our possession didn’t always turn into chances on goal, but that had a lot to do with the defensive job that Ridge did,” said Freehold Township head coach Dave Patterson, who just completed his eighth season at the helm. “They are well-coached and have a very disciplined defense. Ridge, mainly due to their style, was able to get some very good chances to score, but our defenders, especially senior Amanda Meinster, and our keeper, Alessia La Rosa, were outstanding and turned away every chance that Ridge got. In the end, it wasn’t exactly what the girls wanted, but we are still state champions and that is a great accomplishment any way you look at it!”
Here is how far they have come as a program – this senior class ended its four-year run with a combined record of 75-12-8 with a share of two Group IV championships, the only two state titles that the program has ever won.
“Winning a second Group IV championship in three years has been a great experience for this program. While we have not always reached our potential, our accomplishments in the last few years have shown that this program is one of the top in the state. When I first took over the program, I looked to the top teams in the state and reached out to some of those coaches to learn from them, to find out what they were doing and what they weren’t doing. I wanted Freehold Township girls soccer to be listed among the best in the state,” said Patterson, whose squad finished with a record of 23-1-1, with its only blemish, a 4-2 home setback to Wall on Oct. 26. “Obviously, to be able to reach that goal, we had to be fortunate enough to have talented and dedicated athletes, and we have been very fortunate to have both of those for this period of time. To win this championship, even though we shared it with Ridge (again), it means that Freehold Township is among the best. It means that our first championship in 2015 was not just a great postseason run, but rather, it means we are a program that knows how to get to the big games and do well once we get there. Obviously, the challenge now is to remain at that level. We are graduating a lot of very talented players; the groups that follow must be ready to step up and maintain the high level of play.”
Senior midfielder and Albany-bound Jada Colbert scored a team-high 25 goals with 11 assists… senior forward and Albany-bound Jasmine Colbert added 21 goals with a team-high 18 assists… senior defender Sarah Hughes tallied two goals with seven assists and was the leader of the defensive end… senior midfielder and Montclair State-bound Laura Noseworthy scored 16 goals with eight assists… senior defender and four-year starter Meg Latona dished out seven assists… senior midfielder Paige Farrell had five goals with four assists and was the leader of Freehold Township’s offensive attack… Moravian-bound Meinster had two assists and was instrumental in the Group IV title game… junior goalkeeper La Rosa recorded 13 shutouts, highlighted by eight saves in the Group IV final.
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“What impressed me the most about this team this season was how they were able to turn up their level of play every time we stepped on the field. We had a very difficult schedule, often playing three times a week, but the girls didn’t complain, they relished the opportunity to go out there and show that we are a great team,” said Patterson. “Most teams, even very good ones, have games here and there where the energy is not there, or they have trouble getting the job done. This team, however, didn’t have those lapses. They were ready to go each and every game. The high school season can be grueling, but this team rose to the occasion time and time again.”
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