Marlboro Soccer: A Year in Review
October 25, 2016
Nearing the end of a long season, the Marlboro soccer program has continued its ascent. Both the boys and girls have built on their impressive 2015 seasons.
The Lady Mustangs finished 5-12 last fall. Despite losing the leadership of many seniors, they have fought to a 7-9-1 record, with 2 games to play. Alexa Chapman, a mainstay on the team, leads the Mustangs with 9 goals. She has provided a necessary spark for the Mustangs’ offense. Meanwhile, Sofia James and Samantha Meiskin have formed a formidable goaltending duo, combining for 135 total saves. Both players appear to anchor the goalkeeping position for the coming years. The Marlboro Girls soccer team continues their rise to dominance. Their goal totals have increased from 12, 17, and 24 over the past three seasons. The girls are on the path to take over the shore.
Similarly, the boys have bullied the Shore Conference. The Mustangs currently stand at 16-1-1 and are on their way to a high seeding for the Shore Tournament. Seniors P.J. Ringel and Steven Karp have combined for 17 goals, more than the entire Freehold Borough team. And while Ringel and Karp have led the way, the Mustangs have proven to be a charitable offense—totaling 38 assists on the season. While the offense has dominated, goalkeeper James Weinberg has snagged nearly every shot that has come his way with 61 saves on the season.
The boys are headed to the Shore Conference Tournament. Guaranteed a top-3 seed in the Shore Tournament, the Mustangs are working to finish strong. The girls look to end the season strong and the boys have the State Championship in their sights and have proven they will battle for every minute spent on the pitch.
Update:
The Mustangs finished off one of their best seasons in recent memory. Finishing at a grand 20-2-2, the boys were inches away from a state championship.
Fighting through an emotional season, the Stangs showed their resilience. PJ Ringel suffered the tragic loss of his father earlier this autumn. The team rallied around him, displaying grueling effort. Ringel, finishing with an astounding 21 goals, scored several OT and game-winning points. Their brotherhood and hard work led them to the state championships.
Unfortunately, the Mustangs fell in a close matchup with Hunterdon Central. The game went to penalty kicks, and Marlboro could not edge out the victory. However, the boys had a tremendous season and did not back down when adversity faced them. The 2016 season will go down as one of the most memorable in Marlboro history.