Jackson girls look to carry on team tradition
BY MIKE WHITE
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Jackson’s Kelly Maier is among the players returning to Jackson’s girls lacrosse team this spring, as the Jags look to continue to compete with some of the state’s elite teams.

JACKSON — The 2003 campaign for the Jackson High School girls lacrosse team was probably one of the best in the program’s history.

The Lady Jaguars finished with a gaudy 18-3 overall mark, which included a trip to the Shore Conference and state tournaments.

Unfortunately, the playoffs didn’t turn out as prosperous as the regular season. Jackson advanced to the championship game of the Shore Conference Tournament only to lose to Shore Regional for the second consecutive year.

That was followed a 17-14 loss to Eastern, one of the premier programs in the state, in the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Despite the setbacks in the postseason, Jackson coach Lori Johnson felt her team pushed the envelope of success.

"Overall, it was a great season," said Johnson, whose team opens the season at Toms River North this week. "We had a very good regular season, where we outplayed a lot of our competition. Once you get into the playoffs, all the teams are so good that one off day and you’re gone. We happen to run into two very good team in Shore Regional and Eastern."

What made Jackson so dominant last year was the offensive firepower. The Lady Jags averaged more than 12 goals per game.

"We had a number of players who could find the net last year," Johnson said. "It was one of those years when you are loaded with gifted offensive players."

The biggest loss is Katie Batiuk, who scored 118 goals and finished with 211 points. Batiuk is now playing at Rutgers University, where she is one of the team’s leading scorers with 17 goals and six assists.

"You’re never going to replace a kid like that," Johnson said. "A player like Katie is special. They come around just once in a while. It is no surprise that she is doing as well as she is at Rutgers. I had a feeling that she was going to have an immediate impact on that program. She is just too good a player."

Also gone are Nicole Adams and Amy Rizzo, Jackson’s other two top goal getters last season.

"If teams doubled and tripled Batiuk, these two players often stepped up and filled the void," Johnson said. "Both were very good offensive players."

The Jags lose a significant portion of their defense as well. Goalie Sarah Kahle and defender Danielle Gressey won’t be around to thwart opposing scoring threats.

"It’s going to be very tough to fill the shoes left by all these players," Johnson said. "All of them played a huge role in the success of the program for the last couple of years. But we are still left with a number of talented players."

Key returnees for the Jags this season include seniors Jen Castoro, Marisa Pingitore and Jen Wigglesworth, the team’s tri-captains.

"It is important that we get the leadership from our captains this season," Johnson said. "We have a different kind of team than what has been on the field here for the past couple of years. Our underclassmen are going to need to be led by example."

Other returnees include juniors Brielle Brink, Kelly Maier and Kate Schauder.

Newcomers seniors Lindsay Specht, Jen O’Connor, Lauren Cwalinski, Kristy-Lynn Krais and Christina Wessels, along with juniors Carly Totin, and sophomores Jenna Schauder and Corrine Pingitore, will all see extended playing time.

"This team is going to have a different feel to it," Johnson said. "I don’t think that we are going to score the number of goals that we did last year. However, our scoring will be more spread out. I think that we are going to need to get goal production from more than just one or two people. Last year, we primarily relied on Batiuk, Rizzo and Nicole Adams."

In two preseason scrimmages, Johnson admits the team has not looked as comfortable as she would like. It is going to take time for this team to find an identity and learn how to win without relying on the abilities of just a few marquee players.

"This team has the possibility of having a very good season. It depends on where we want to go with it. If we stay focused and continue to improve in areas that need work, we should be okay."

With all the losses of personnel, Johnson, now in her sixth season, feels many teams just may underestimate the ability of her squad.

"They don’t want to take us lightly," Johnson said. "It is going to be an interesting year. We are going to have to work very hard in order to be successful. But these girls can play and they want to carry on the tradition that we’ve built here at Jackson"