By Rich Chrampanis
WEST LONG BRANCH – Ranked inside the Top 10 of every national poll, the Saint John Vianney Lady Lancers haven’t faced too much adversity during their 27-0 season. That all changed when McDonald’s All-American Zoe Brooks arrived at Monmouth University for the Shore Conference Tournament championship on crutches with a protective boot on her right foot.
The Lancers trailed by seven at the half without their star player, but found their footing in a gutsy 58-52 win over Red Bank Catholic to claim a fourth consecutive Shore Conference title.
“We haven’t even had a game without Zoe,” head coach Dawn Karpell said. “This is our first game without her so early it was an adjustment just figuring out how we were going to run our stuff. Once we adjusted we hit some really big shots in the second half.”
The game featured outstanding young talent on both rosters, giving us a precursor of what should be a great rivalry over the next few years.
Red Bank Catholic’s Carman sisters, Emma and Tessa, combined with the sharpshooting of sophomore Christina Liggio, set the tone early and gave the Caseys the lead both at the end of the first quarter (15-14) as well as halftime (31-24).
SJV took a while to find its identity without Brooks and was able to turn the corner in the third quarter.
Freshman Madison Kocis emerged to fill the scoring void left by Brooks’ absence. Clearly not overwhelmed on the big stage, Kocis knocked down five 3-pointers on the way to a 19-point effort.
“At first I was a little nervous,” Kocis said. “I just went out there and played and did what I could do. The nerves got out and I just started hitting shots and that made me feel better. I was ready.”
For a player who spent the entire season in a reserve role, Kocis showed a glimpse of what the post-Brooks era will look like at SJV.
“I’m so proud of her,” Ashley Sofilkanich said. “I told her before we even went out here, I said to her, ‘You have to play hard. I know you’re a great player and you have an opportunity to shine,’ and she did. She’s probably the best freshman in the Shore.”
Saint John Vianney tied the game 41-41, setting the stage for a back-and-forth final quarter. With Kocis doing damage from the perimeter, Sofilkanich was a force inside the paint. The senior committed to Bucknell has emerged as one of the best “bigs” in New Jersey.
Soflikanich gave the Lancers a 45-44 lead with a hoop and foul early in the fourth quarter.
The Caseys kept chasing the slim SJV advantage: Tessa Carman’s drive in the paint cut the lead to 48-47 at the 3:25 mark.
But Julia Karpell rattled in a 3-pointer to move SJV’s lead up to 51-47. Bre Delaney picked the perfect time for her first points of the game when she delivered a 3-ball in the final minute. From there, SJV put the game away when Kocis followed up a miss by Aleena Dinker with a hoop and foul to close out the game.
“This is amazing,” Sofilkanich said. “To win it this year and to finish out my high school career as a Shore Conference champion is amazing.”
With just three seniors on the roster, RBC (24- 2) is here to stay as a top contender in not only the Shore Conference but the entire state. Sophomore Tessa Carman led the way with 13 points and fellow sophomore Christina Liggio added a dozen. The Caseys will likely have a shot at redemption in the Non-Public “A” South semifinals where a rematch of this excellent game should occur.
Saint John Vianney went from the overwhelming favorite to the rare role of underdog. If they can get by RBC in the semifinals, Paul VI and McDonald’s All-American Hannah Hidalgo await in the section finals. The big question mark is Brooks, who’s status is unknown. Coach Dawn Karpell called her “week to week” when it comes to a timetable for her return. But the Lancers will enjoy their Shore Conference title and proved they are capable of figuring out a way to win without one of the best players in the program’s history.
With the new NJSIAA schedule condensing the state playoffs, all of a sudden there are only two more weeks in the season.
The article originally appeared in the February 23 – March 1, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
