SHORE’S COMEBACK SEASON FALLS SHORT WITH LOSS IN G1 FINAL

After earning its seventh state finals appearance in eight years, Shore entered the Group 1 championship game as the favorite to win its fourth state title in a five-year span. However, Mountain Lakes was trending in the right direction after earning a spot in its first-ever group final appearance, riding that momentum to a 4-2 victory in the Group 1 championship game on Saturday at Kean University. “The game is all about finishing,” said Shore head coach George Moutis. “(Mountain Lakes) had six or seven opportunities. Out of seven, they capitalized on four. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that in the first half or second half, but that’s part of the game. “They counter attacked and it worked. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.” Shore went down 4-0 early in the second half but went down swinging, getting one back on a 20-yard free kick goal from Julia Eichenbaum midway through the half before Lauren Saponaro scored in the final five minutes to narrow the final deficit. “10 minutes left, losing 4-0, we definitely wanted to get at least one on the board.” Said Eichenbaum on the team’s refusal to give up despite facing a significant deficit. “We wanted to just keep pushing… try to get one in the back of the net.” While the loss is a disappointing one, the Blue Devils can hold their heads high following a season in which the team went 16-6 and avenged last year’s group semifinal loss to Audubon with a dominant 6-0 win over the Green Wave in this season’s group semis. Shore continued its stranglehold over Central Jersey, Group 1, winning another sectional title and outscoring its opponents by a combined 22-1 in four postseason games before being taken down by Mountain Lakes for the group title. “We made it here,” said Moutis, reflecting on the season. “Our goal for any team is to make it to the state finals, and they made it. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the title, but at least we made it here and it was a great season.” Illinois commit Eichenbaum leaves the program two goals short of the record for most career goals scored, finishing with 107, just behind former teammate Frankie McDonough, who graduated last season with the record of 109. Eichenbaum is one of several key players who will be lost to graduation, along with starting keeper Moira Hegglin, Meli Pekmezian, Eliza Ford, Chloe Wollman, Julianne Brinton, Nicole Generelli and Sydney Sears. “The seniors bonded so much with all the younger girls and they made them feel part of the team,” said Moutis on the leadership of his departing seniors. “Which is a huge success for our team, for any team. They’ve been so great. “They made all the girls feel a part of the team, which is a great part to have and it makes it easier as coaches, to have that bonding that they had.” Shore will have an uphill battle if it looks to get back to the group finals in 2020, although the same thing was said about the team last year after several key players graduated. Year after year, Shore manages to reload and revamp with a new roster and tampered expectations, seemingly always exceeding them and getting back to the top, having won eight straight sectional titles while consistently replacing impact players. If history is any reliable indicator, expect to see Shore back atop the group with a whole new group of girls on the squad a year from now.

SHORE’S COMEBACK SEASON FALLS SHORT WITH LOSS IN G1 FINAL

CASEY ROLAND

The Star Ledger | 11/16/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Shore Regional High School Athletics