New coach for RBC leads girls' soccer team to success
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Rich Fisher | Correspondent
Anew head coach for the Red Bank Catholic High School girls’ soccer team is building on previous success. Frank Lawrence, who revitalized the women’s soccer program at Brookdale Community College – where he also served as athletic director – took over coaching for RBC last summer and as of Oct. 29 the Caseys were 15-2-2 after suffering a heart-breaking loss to Freehold Township in a shootout in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
The Caseys are still looking forward to the NJSIAA South Jersey Non Public A tournament.
“There were very few high school jobs I would have taken,” Lawrence said. “I respect what they’ve done over a long period of time; Joe does everything with a lot of integrity,” he noted, referring to athletic director Joe Montano. “I hadn’t coached for a while (since 2010) and I enjoy the teaching aspect of it,” he said.
The coach said the players quickly responded to his style and “it has worked out as well as I could have hoped.”
RBC is solid from front to back, starting with senior forwards Grace Correll, who has 13 goals and 12 assists, and Liz Thoresen (15 goals, 11 assists). Both are fast and hungry, and they have developed such a chemistry that Lewis decided on going with just two forwards to give them freedom to work together.
The midfield features juniors Kelly Jacoby and Christina Balacco on the outside and junior Jenna Murcado and sophomore Olivia Lucia in the center.
“Kelly and Christina have good pace on the outside and the ability to cross the ball well. “Murcado is one of those high energy players who wasn’t starting because we liked her energy off the bench, but we realized we needed that energy all the time. Olivia might be the fastest player on the team. She’s our only varsity newcomer so she’s a little shy but we saw a great potential in her to be a playmaker and scorer.”
Across the back are seniors Maeve Cowley, Amanda Caballero and Amanda Casten, along with sweeper Kiera Farley, who Lawrence calls “the key to our defense.”
“Kiera is very calm,” he said. “She’s kind of like our security blanket. If somebody makes a mistake, she’ll clean it up 99 percent of the time.”
The goalie is sophomore Jackie Robinson.
“She’s got all the tools to be a Division I goalie,” Lawrence said. “She just needs some more training and more experience.”
As of now, all the Caseys are experiencing continued growth under their new leader.
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By Rich Fisher | Correspondent
Anew head coach for the Red Bank Catholic High School girls’ soccer team is building on previous success. Frank Lawrence, who revitalized the women’s soccer program at Brookdale Community College – where he also served as athletic director – took over coaching for RBC last summer and as of Oct. 29 the Caseys were 15-2-2 after suffering a heart-breaking loss to Freehold Township in a shootout in the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
The Caseys are still looking forward to the NJSIAA South Jersey Non Public A tournament.
“There were very few high school jobs I would have taken,” Lawrence said. “I respect what they’ve done over a long period of time; Joe does everything with a lot of integrity,” he noted, referring to athletic director Joe Montano. “I hadn’t coached for a while (since 2010) and I enjoy the teaching aspect of it,” he said.
The coach said the players quickly responded to his style and “it has worked out as well as I could have hoped.”
RBC is solid from front to back, starting with senior forwards Grace Correll, who has 13 goals and 12 assists, and Liz Thoresen (15 goals, 11 assists). Both are fast and hungry, and they have developed such a chemistry that Lewis decided on going with just two forwards to give them freedom to work together.
The midfield features juniors Kelly Jacoby and Christina Balacco on the outside and junior Jenna Murcado and sophomore Olivia Lucia in the center.
“Kelly and Christina have good pace on the outside and the ability to cross the ball well. “Murcado is one of those high energy players who wasn’t starting because we liked her energy off the bench, but we realized we needed that energy all the time. Olivia might be the fastest player on the team. She’s our only varsity newcomer so she’s a little shy but we saw a great potential in her to be a playmaker and scorer.”
Across the back are seniors Maeve Cowley, Amanda Caballero and Amanda Casten, along with sweeper Kiera Farley, who Lawrence calls “the key to our defense.”
“Kiera is very calm,” he said. “She’s kind of like our security blanket. If somebody makes a mistake, she’ll clean it up 99 percent of the time.”
The goalie is sophomore Jackie Robinson.
“She’s got all the tools to be a Division I goalie,” Lawrence said. “She just needs some more training and more experience.”
As of now, all the Caseys are experiencing continued growth under their new leader.