Ramapo Soccer Girls Young, But Determined

If the joy is in the journey more than the destination, the Ramapo girls soccer team ought to have a blast this year.

"We're young and inexperienced, and we have a wonderful learning curve ahead of us," coach Paul Heenehan said. "Our success this year will come down to how quickly our players can develop, contribute and mold into a championship-caliber team."

Think the bar is set high in this program? Look to the heavens, girls.

After winning the 2008 state championship, the Lady Raiders shook off the loss of 10 seniors and fought their way to the county championship game and the state sectional final last year—both losses to eventual state champion Northern Highlands, the latter on penalty kicks.

As smart as they play, the concept of a rebuilding year is lost on the Ramapo girls and their 33-year head coach. Instead, the Raiders took the field a few weeks back with a goal of playing as long as the schedule-makers allow—just like they seem to every year.

Ask around soccer fields across northern New Jersey, and they'll tell you a little youth isn't likely to stop the Ramapo machine.

"My kids are so well coached at the sub-varsity level that I don't worry about working new players in," said Heenehan, crediting the work of junior varsity coach Leslie Stephen, freshman coach Cortney Glaubach and assistant Sandy Gordon. "Girls just keep coming out of the shadows to keep us competitive year after year."

The only coach in the program's history, Heenehan has well over 600 wins to his credit. His annual pre-season mission is getting a new crop of girls to adapt to varsity level for the first time.

"You can develop into a great soccer player by the time you reach high school," Heenehan said. "Every kid that's grown up with a passion for soccer and has made a commitment to the game can pass and dribble and trap a ball. What we need to find out is can you compete? Playing and competing—there's a big difference."

In northern New Jersey, the state's hotbed of girls soccer talent, there's nowhere to dodge the question come Sept. 11, when the Raiders host Fair Lawn in the season opener. These are the questions that only a new season can answer:

"Can you do the things you can do in practice under game conditions?," Heenehan said. "Can you perform the same way in the regular season as you do in a county or state tournament game? Can you make a play quicker than you ever had before?"

The Raiders will be anchored by senior co-captains Claire Whiteman (back) and Sarah Halejian (midfielder), a second-team all-county selection in 2009.

Last year's freshman sensation Jen Andresen, a second-team all-county forward, "brings it every day," according to Heenehan. "Jen creates her opportunities with her relentless effort."

Additional returning starters are a trio of juniors: Amanda Baumgarten (forward), Devon Schulte (midfielder) and Madeline Dalie (back). Senior Morgan Sissler steps into the starting goalkeeper's role after being an understudy last season. "Morgan brings tremendous athleticism and a dynamic personality to the position," said the coach.

That's a fitting description for the program itself, which has fed off its winning ways.

"Success breeds success," Heenehan said. "We're fortunate to have such great competition right in our backyard and that prepares us for what we face come tournament time. Still, we're prepared for the learning curve this year. Hopefully, it'll be more vertical than horizontal."