WILDCATS CONTINUE TO GROW IN GIRLS SOCCER

By Eric Braun

 

LITTLE EGG HARBOR – The Pinelands Regional girls soccer program continues to march in the right direction after another successful season.  The Wildcats took another step forward this season finishing with a record of 14-4 overall and 11-2 in B South. Their season came to an end on Nov. 4, with a loss to Haddonfield in the semifinals of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II tournament.  

 

A proud group of seven seniors – led by Pinelands’ all-time scoring leader Aileen Cahill, and the school’s all-time shutout leader Brenna DeVoe – made sure to get better each and every season.  In 2016 they finished 7-12-2 and lost in opening round of NJSIAA. In 2017 they finished 11-8 and lost in opening round of NJSIAA, and in 2018 they finished 11-4-3 and lost in NJSIAA quarterfinals. This year they finished 14-4 and lost in the NJSIAA semifinals.  The senior class made sure to leave a mark and have the Wildcats program positioned for years to come.  The other seniors are Catherine Hanna, Anna Mattina, Erin Pomponio, Destiny Pomponio and Samantha Sesta.

 

Coach Dawn Paget, no stranger to soccer success and knowledge, leaned on the veteran leadership of four-year starters Cahill and DeVoe.

 

 “Aileen has matured into an amazing player.  Her vision is like no one else, and her play makes those around her better,” said Paget. “She finished her Pinelands’ career with 219 total points. I will miss her calm demeanor on the field, nothing seems to bother her.  She is a leader by example on and off the field.  Brenna has matured into an amazing person.  She had the desire to improve every day. She would come to practice and games ready to work.  She was self-motivated and rose to every occasion.”

   

When asked about this team, Paget added, “This Pinelands team was a special group of young ladies.  Everyone worked well together.  They only wanted the best for each other.  I would like to say to my seniors, there are only a few shorts months away before you will be leaving Pinelands, which hopefully provided you with the best years of your life.  Grasp the memories, the experience, the joy and challenges that Pinelands provided.  Good luck in your next chapter. Always remember, once a Wildcat... always a Wildcat.”

 

After opening the season with two losses to A South opponents Jackson Memorial (5-0) and Toms River East (2-1), Pinelands found their stride and won their next nine games, including three shutouts, 38 goals for and just seven goals against.  After losing to Matawan, 2-0, in the opening-round of the Shore Conference Tournament, Pinelands regrouped won three more games to end the regular season 12-3 overall and 6-0 in B South.

 

Two regular-season games stand out for Pinelands.  The first is their 4-1 win over Manchester.  The win over the Hawks gave the Wildcats their second division title in school history and more importantly, back-to-back B South titles. Cahill (1), Sunni DiElmo (2) and Bridget Dudas (1) scored for Pinelands with Cahill, DiElmo and Abby Hart adding assists.

 

The second game was against Donovan Catholic where Pinelands went on to win 4-0 to finish undefeated in their division.  Scoring for the Wildcats were DiElmo (2) and Dudas (2) and Cahill with two assists and Amanda Sisco with one.

 

When asked about what her captains – Cahill, Erin Pomponio, Hanna and DeVoe – all bring to the team, Paget said, “They all brought leadership and confidence to the team. Erin Pomponio had surgery in May from an injury she received from playing with her club team.  She only came back at the end of September and still was not 100%. During her recovery she served as an assistant coach helping the younger players to play the ‘Pinelands Way.’  Aileen's soccer experience and knowledge helped this team grow as a unit. Her relationship with Sunni Dielmo on the field was incredible.  Catherine had an injury in the early part of the season.  She only played a few minutes in the first two games.  She is the anchor to the defense.  The Pinelands back line knew each other very well.  Brenna is an amazing keeper; you have to see her to play to understand what she brings to the field.  She has been playing varsity since her freshman year and broke the school record for most career shutouts.”

 

In the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II tournament, the Wildcats would go 2-1 to end their season.  They opened with a rematch against Barnegat in the first round. Back in September they beat the Bengals, 6-0. A month later the two faced off again, this time a 4-0 win, earning DeVoe her sixth shutout of the season.  Scoring for Pinelands were DiElmo (2 goals, 2 assists), Cahill (1 goal, 1 assist) and Dudas (1).  

 

Next up was a road game against Delran in the quarterfinals.  After a scoreless first, the two teams traded goals, with Cahill scoring, to force a scoreless double overtime and the dreaded penalty kick shootout to see who would advance to the semifinals. DeVoe would come up with the save of her high school career on the fourth penalty kick from Delran to send Pinelands to the next round.

 

The Wildcats season would come to an end against top-seeded Haddonfield, 5-0.  Even though the season did not end where they had hoped, this team made their coaches, parents, high school and Little Egg Harbor community extremely proud.  

 

Paget loses seven seniors to graduation, but will be loaded to three-peat with Marlee Tharp, Maggie Creevy, Abby Hart, Amanda Sisco, Megan Jurich and DiElmo all returning for their senior season.  They will also return Leticia Garcia, Bridget Dudas, Karli Pomponio and Kayla Stallard, along with a loaded freshman class of Melissa Myslinski, Samantha Dawson, Heather Hancock, Amanda Wulffen, Zinnia Moon, Zoey Temp, Taylor Minarik and Jaedyn Thompson.