Captain Carly helps Allentown to brink of history
That Carly Roche had just scored her 12th goal of the season in a victory that sent the Allentown High girls soccer team to the Central Jersey Group III final didn’t matter. She still had a job to do. Roche jogged down to the far side of the field, picked up the corner flag and carried it back to the school.
Wait, the senior captain has to get the corner flag? After a win?
“That’s her job,” coach Kim Maurer said. “That’s the best part about her.”
Maurer often refers to Roche as the heartbeat of a Redbirds side that is 19-1 and one win away from capturing the first sectional title in program history. Roche is one four captains, yet has been dubbed ‘Captain Carly’ by her teammates.
“In the beginning, I was like, ‘you don’t have to call me that, there are four others,’” Roche said. “I really like how much they feel like they can talk to me and I love being a representative of them and their leader.”
She’s also one of the best midfielders in the Colonial Valley Conference, having posted 12 goals and 11 assists heading into Thursday’s sectional final against Toms River East.
Just how she’ll be utilized against the Raiders (13-4-1) remains to be seen. TRE boasts one of the best players in the state — Monmouth-bound senior Jillian Conklin who has hit for 33 goals, including a pair of secondhalf strikes that lifted the Raiders past the Redbirds’ CVC foe Steinert in the other semifinal match.
The Raiders play a 4-3-3 with a true threefront and Conklin tucked underneath as an attacking midfielder. Steinert kept Conklin quiet in the first half by surrounding her with her defenders, but she wiggled free on two occasions in the second half and showed her quality with two outstanding finishes.
Maurer wasn’t giving away how she would try and stop such a dynamic player, but if she does choose to mark her straight up, Roche is likely to get the assignment.
“I’m definitely comfortable with marking their best player,” Roche said. “I’ve done it before, and I haven’t had to do it as often this season because I’ve been attacking. I’m ready to do whatever it takes for our team to be successful. If it’s in the back, then I’m totally happy with that.”
Allentown plays a similar attacking formation that lines up as a 4-2-3-1 with junior Emma Pascarella (16 goals, 18 assists) as the striker getting wide support from a pair of freshmen — Olivia Ricci on the right and Olivia Denney on the left.
Sophomore Vanessa Rodriguez looks most comfortable in an attacking midfield role and after scoring a terrific solo goal in the semifinal victory has six in her last nine games.
“They have to stop us, too,” Maurer said. “I know they play (a similar) formation as we do, which is to our benefit. We don’t mind a 4-3-3 because at least they don’t pack it in, and it gives us more room to play.”
Maurer added that her side learned from its setback in the Mercer County Tournament final and came back with an edge for the state playoffs. The Redbirds have beaten a pair of Shore Conference opponents by a combined 6-1 score and are a perfect 12-0 at home this season.
To make history, they’ll have to beat one more.
“They’re ready for the big game,” Maurer said. “They’re ready for the spotlight.”
NOTES » The AllentownToms River East winner faces the South Jersey representative in next Tuesday’s Group 3 semifinals. Top-seeded Ocean City (19-3) hosts 10th-seeded Cherry Hill West (9-7-5) . ... In North 2 Group 3, thirdseeded West Morris (13-81) hosts fifth-seeded Middletown South (13-5-4) . ... In North 1 Group 3, topseeded Northern Highlands (20-0) hosts thirdseeded Roxbury (16-2).