Freehold Twp. league helps mature players

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Jackson Liberty's girls basketball team is getting a head start on its debut season.

The new high school will officially open its doors this September. However, the girls basketball team is already in action. Head coach Stefanie Gachineiro has the Lions playing in the Freehold Township Recreation League, where the girls are seeing firsthand what they will be up against, while their coach is getting a first glimpse of what she has to work with. The 11-girl roster has five sophomores and six incoming freshmen.

"I wanted them to play in a varsity league where they could see the kind of teams we'll be playing against and what they need to do to get to that level," she said. "Freehold Township has a good balance of what they'll see at the Shore."

The Freehold Township Recreation League, run by Freehold Township head coach John Sciarappa, has expanded this summer to two leagues and 18 teams.

There is an A League that plays on Monday and Wednesday evenings (games are at 6, 7 and 8 p.m.) at Freehold Township High School, and a B League, that plays its games on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the same hours. The league uses both gyms at the high school.

PHOTOS BY JEFFGRANIT staff Above, Marlboro's Megan Riley goes up to block the shot of Ocean's Sara Kal in a summer league game at Freehold Township High School on June 28, while at left, Freehold Township's Kelly Johnson drives to the basket against a St. Rose defender. In the A League are two teams from Freehold Township and St. Rose, Marlboro, Jackson Memorial and Liberty, Freehold Borough, Brick Memorial, Brick Township and Howell. These are varsity squads made up of last year's underclassmen who are returning, as well as the jayvee players who are ready to move up.

The B League, which is made up of last year's freshmen, as well as incoming ninth-graders, includes Freehold Township, Pt. Pleasant Boro, Old Bridge, Manasquan, Brick Memorial, Ocean Township and Marlboro.

Gachineiro, who played high school ball at Howell and collegiate ball for Georgian Court College, has been the assistant coach at Jackson Memorial under Rachel Goodale the last six years.

"It's a great opportunity, exciting," she said of her first head coaching position. "It was tough leaving the kids and the program [at Jackson Memorial]. I have some big shoes to fill. There will be comparisons [to Goodale], but I'm up to the challenge. I'm ready to take the reigns.

"As an athlete you look forward to having a hand in coaching and helping them out," she added.

The upside of starting anything brand new, Gachineiro pointed out, is that "you set the tone, the philosophy and the expectations" for the program.

Gachineiro is spending the summer looking at all of her players, seeing who fits where and who can do what.

"I've played everybody at different positions and had them doing different things," she said. "All have stepped up to the challenge."

It's very early, but the ex-Rebel has been able to draw some conclusions about her young Lions and what they do well.

"We're very athletic," she said. "We don't have size. We'll be a fast, up-tempo team that pressures teams."

The way the schedule plays out this year, the final game of the season will pit Jackson Memorial against Jackson Liberty. It will be the first time that Gachineiro and Goodale will be on opposing benches.

Jackson Liberty will play a jayvee schedule in 2006-07 before making its varsity debut the 2007-08 season (they won't join the Shore Conference until 2008-09).

The B League is new this year, and was inspired by what happened last year for Sciarappa and the Patriots. Previously, in isolated cases, Sciarappa had allowed an incoming freshman to play on the Township's varsity summer league team. But last year, there were a number of graduated eighth-graders who were looking to play and Sciarappa made a decision to field an all-freshman team.

"I let them play, and they were one of the most exciting teams," he said.

"It just worked. Word got out and I have enough kids for three teams."

Brian Nash is doing the same thing at Marlboro, getting a first look at his incoming freshman, and he likes what he's see thus far.

"This is what the summer league is for, to let everyone play," he said.