The Monmouth Regional High School girls’ soccer team has not qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament in over 15 years.
First-year head coach Devon Williams expects to change that in 2018.
Williams returns an experienced, committed lineup. She also has some exciting young players who will play varsity roles for the first time.
But most importantly, the Falcons are adding two Division 1 prospects, senior Karen Wallace and junior Ranya Senhaji. Both have returned to the program after taking last year off to play for soccer academies.
Wallace is a defensive midfielder who will turn stops into attacks. Senhaji is an attacking midfielder who will create shots and chances.
“Karen’s fitness level is unmatched and her aggressive play will result in offensive production and defensive stops. Ranya’s footwork is amazing and she is such a fun player to coach and watch,” Williams said. “They’ll work well together. They are going to be my on field leaders. Other seniors will vocally lead. Those two will control the game in the middle.”
The Falcons will open the Williams era, and debut their new players, on Sept. 6 at home against the Ranney School. They will play their second game one day later, versus Mater Dei Prep, a game that will also be played in Tinton Falls.
Players usually need time to adjust to new environments. But Williams is confident that Wallace and Senhaji will not need much time to break back into high school soccer. Both improved greatly during their year away, as leaders and as players.
Wallace and Senhaji are not really vocal leaders. Instead, they are setting examples for teammates to follow.
“You can watch them and learn from what they are doing. Karen is really great at being aggressive and gives 120 percent every game. Ranya is more technical but also gives everything she has,” Williams said. “She has a phenomenal shot. I tell my forwards to watch her shoot because she’s very good at it. It’s a rocket. Very low and hard.”
As players, Wallace and Senhaji are bigger, stronger and more technically sound than they were in 2016.
“They are just bigger. They are not little shrimps anymore. Karen is so fit. It’s crazy. She wins every competition we do,” Williams said. “Technically, they are well rounded. Ranya is an exceptional dribbler. Both see the field and pass very well.”
Williams is not just adding academy players. She is trying to turn the Falcons into an academy-type team.
Monmouth Regional will play four defenders in a horizontal line this year, with two center backs and two outside backs. The Falcons played a sweeper up top and a stopper in the back, with two defenders between them, in past years.
The “flat four” alignment helps defenders pass to each other and control the ball. A sweeper-stopper alignment encourages defenders to kick the ball upfield and clear the zone. It is more of an American-style dump and chase strategy.
The Falcons think controlling the ball will help them stay competitive in games. They went just 4-16 in 2017.
“We do a lot more passing and communication,” said Monmouth Regional defender Lauren Arnao.
“Working the ball from defense to attack, it’s different from just kicking it up. It’s more of a team effort,” said Monmouth Regional defender Victoria Santaniello. “More of a possession game.”
Arnao, Santaniello and goalkeeper Alison Skubik are seniors and returning starters. Junior Jamie Smith is another returning defender with experience. Sophomore Brittany Liss, who Williams listed as a player to watch, will round out the backline.
“We’ve had our fair share of shots on us in recent years, so they know what to expect,” Williams said. “Four backs will be more of a kick and run game. Not dump and chase. They just took that and went with it.”
Williams said her senior defenders are capable of playing in college, if they want to. Either way, they should form a strong high school unit in 2018.
Between the defensive group and the Division 1 prospects up front, Monmouth Regional may actually take a big step forward this fall. The talent and the system are better than they were last year.
Williams is also conditioning the Falcons for varsity soccer. Monmouth Regional ran for 30 minutes maybe once a week at practice the last couple years. This preseason, they are running for 30 minutes every day.
“We’ve been conditioning every day. Like, hard conditioning,” Senhaji said. “Sprints, agility. It’s more intense.”
“We would maybe do it last year if we got in trouble,” said Skubik, after a scrimmage at Matawan Regional High School on a hot day of Aug. 28.
Skubik was surrounded by teammates, and they all laughed with her after that comment. Then, the players were asked if they have been convinced to like conditioning. Williams, sitting on a nearby bench, looked over, grinned and nodded repeatedly.
The players cracked up, then corrected their coach while buying in at the same time.
“You don’t have to like what helps you,” Wallace said. Her teammates nodded in agreement.
All of these new wrinkles, the players, the system, the endurance, paid off at Matawan on Tuesday. The Falcons beat the Huskies, 2-0, as temperatures soared above 90 degrees.
“We expect to win the (Shore Conference A Central) division,” Arnao said. “We have a lot of potential.”
