Lenape Valley girls soccer team 8-2 in division play

Time and time again, the Lenape Valley Regional High School girls soccer program was faced with a talented opponent on the pitch this past season.

Yet, with a veteran coach who knows what it takes to win big matches and a host of student athletes who are willing to put in the hard work and sacrifice to achieve victory, the Patriots were successful, to say the least.

The Patriots finished with a strong overall record of 12-6, and they were 8-2 in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division. They placed second behind Kittatinny in the Freedom Division.

One opponent in particular brought out the very best that Lenape Valley has to offer on the field.

“Several contests throughout the season stuck out to me,’’ head coach Justin Meeth said. “But the three matchups that I give both teams involved a lot of credit for were our games with Kittatinny (a 2-0 loss Sept. 14, a 1-0 loss Oct. 14 and a 1-0 victory Oct. 22).

“The last few years they have been a big game for us, and the girls rose up to the challenge each time. Even though we came up short in two of the matchups, the girls did not disappoint. They left it all on the field every game.’’

The Patriots were the benefactors of solid leadership throughout the season.

“Of course, our three captains (Laney Kenny, Mia McLean and Lilly Fejko) and all our seniors stepped up,’’ Meeth said. “These girls have been leaders in their own right for years, so to see how they embraced it as seniors was great to see. They wanted to have a successful senior season and made sure the whole program had the same goals in mind.’’

He was pleased to witness the improvements made by several student athletes, including a pair of underclassmen.

“Two sophomore players stuck out. Both of these girls seemed to get better with every touch of the ball,’’ he said. “Center midfield/forward Mayla McLean and outside midfielder Madelyn Schuddeboom both played heavy minutes all season and got better in each aspect of the game.’’

The Patriots, seeded fifth, advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North 1 Group 1 sectional tournament, where they were defeated by fourth-seeded Pequannock on Oct. 29. Lenape Valley toppled 12th-seeded Kinnelon, 1-0, in the first round Oct. 26.

The contributions made by the seniors won’t soon be forgotten.

“Although we lose big contributions from our senior class, we are still bringing back a lot of big-time contributors from this past season,’’ Meeth said. “I believe we build off the season we just had and improve on it next year. It’s very encouraging to think about next season.”