Sports
Central Regional Girls Basketball Team Advances in State Tourney
Next game against Moorestown gets underway at 6 p.m. tonight
Heather Tice and the Central Regional girls basketball team - knocked out in the first round of the Shore Conference Tournament by Red Bank Catholic - reset their aim for the NJSIAA Group III Tournament championship that began on Tuesday by trouncing Cumberland 34-15.
"We're trying to go into the state tournament where teams worry about us," coach John Truhan said. "What we have to worry about is us."
Truhan's 16-5 Golden Eagles have doubled last season's win output after a 3-2 start and finished unbeaten in Shore Conference B South after knocking off formidable Manchester late in the season. It's the Golden Eagles' first title in 20 years.
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Senior Heather Tice, who leads a balanced scoring attack averaging 12 points per game, was confident about her team's prospects for postseason play.
The Golden Eagles will play Moorestown at home tonight. The game gets underway at 6 p.m.
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"We definitely are very prepared," said Tice. "We've been preparing over and over... and going game to game."
Ashley Bernath guarded Laura Whalen, Cumberland's top player. Junior Tiffany Williams and sophomore Rachel Iozzia both average about 11 points a game. Julia Dickhaus, a 6-foot, 2-inch center, is a force in the middle, averaging six points and seven rebounds a game.
But the best news is that the team welcomes back Jocelyn Mayo, a sophomore starting guard all last season who has had to sit out with torn ankle ligament.
"Hopefully, we'll make a push with her," Truhan said. "We need to get her back in shape. She's one of the smartest kids on the court on the team."
"It's good to know we can have people off the bench to give our starters a rest who are just as strong," Tice said..
Helping off the bench are freshman Brianne Allender and seniors Jenna Oslovich and Brittany McLaughlin. They've all played a part in the team's success.
"We're playing well and shooting the ball well," Truhan said. "Everyone's contributing. Defensively, we've played great and it has stepped up, which is good this time of year."
It showed in the Atlantic City Showccase on Feb. 12 when Central Regional won big while holding Oakcrest to 17 points and in the Prime Event Shootout on Feb. 20 when the team beat Bridgeton, 56-26.
"We're just focusing on our individual jobs and on our roles," Tice said.
