Girls Soccer Preview: Wood-Ridge/Wallington Looking to Young Core for Successful Season
By Chip Armonaitis,
2024-08-31
It will be year two for the Wood-Ridge/Wallington co-op in girls soccer, and head coach Jerry Cala is enthusiastic about his team, looking to improve on the Lady Blue Devils' 9-8-1 record from last season. Credits: Faith Ballantine-Armonaitis
WOOD-RIDGE, NJ – It will be year two for the Wood-Ridge/Wallington co-op in girls soccer, and head coach Jerry Cala is enthusiastic about his team after what he termed a “great summer” of work. The team was 9-8-1, with an appearance in the North 2, Group 2 playoffs in 2023, and they look to improve upon that this year.
"We have a solid junior class and a solid group of incoming ninth graders,” Cala said. “They have gelled together quickly. The girls have demonstrated a great work ethic and have great chemistry with each other.”
The team will be led by returning First Team All-Meadowlands selections Lia Russo and Fiona Helly. They are joined by Second Team choice Isabella Drotos and Honorable Mention selection Gabrielle Dontas to form a solid core.
The key will be in net, as the starter will be a first year player, Vanessa Nazario.
“She has worked really hard this summer,“ Cala stated. “She had improved immensely and is really starting to understand the game better. She in an All-League third baseman and that has helped her development as a goalkeeper.”
Dontas will anchor the defense. She will be joined by Zuzanna Lejawa (currently injured), Bella Petruno, Brianna Karabinos, and Isabella Sexton.
The strength of the team will be in the midfield, as Drotos and Russo return. The All League selections will be joined by Karolina Lejawa, Hailey Karabinos, Julianna Boccassini, and Emily Katz. It is a versatile group that will see action all over the field.
Helly will key the offense up front at the forward position with Kelly Chicayza.
Sophia Thompson, Ola Bona, Joyce Macias, and Milani Silva are developing nicely as first year players and will provide depth, according to Cala.
“Our junior class, led by Helly, Drotos,Dontas, Russo, and Lejawa have logged some serious varsity minutes over these last two years,” Cala noted. “Chicayza, our most experienced senior, is a very heady and crafty player. Lejawa, the only sophomore, trains and plays like a seasoned veteran."
“Newcomer Brianna Karabinos, junior, has been a welcomed addition as she is very versatile and skilled,” Cala continued. “ I absolutely love the incoming ninth grade class led by Petruno, Karabinos, Katz, and Sexton. They have all come ready to go on day one. These four girls will be expected to contribute right away. They are confident and are very coachable. That combination should ease their introduction to varsity soccer.”
“We need the new to meet the old,” Cala concluded. ”The beauty of this roster is we can compete today and still build for tomorrow, since 14 of the 18 girls are in grades 9 and 11."
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