Local U9 AAU team wins state title The U9 Jersey Shore Wildcats girls team won the 2007 NJ State Championship for AAU Basketball last Monday, holding off the Central Jersey Hawks' late comeback. Wildcats is based out of the Lincroft/Middletown area, but is comprised of third- and fourth- grade girls from around Monmouth County - towns such as West Long Branch, Wall, Rumson, Fair Haven, Middletown, Lincroft, Tinton Falls, Red Bank and Marlboro. The team is coached by Rus Olsen along with assistant coach Julie Gannon - a senior from Middletown South HS, who grew up playing for the Wildcats and played guard for Middletown South. "It's great to see so many talented young girls from the Monmouth County area on both the Wildcats and Hawks teams. When the Wildcats play the Hawks we know it's going to be a great game - every game with them is a close one. The girls from both teams know each other well because they either play on the same town travel team, or they have played against each other in the Monmouth Youth basketball league," Olsen said. The Wildcats are Emily Olsen, Kelly Campbell, Jill Falvey, Jillian Swikart, Christina Balacco, Claire Stefanelli, Kristi Casale, Kristina Matthews, Kiera Farley, Stephanie Lesko, Abbey Weis and Erin Howard. The team is now preparing to compete against other state champions when it travels down to Fort Myers, Fla. to play for a national championship in June. "The team is really looking forward to the experience of playing against other state champions - the best this country has to offer," said Olsen. If anyone is interested in making a monetary donation to the team to help pay for the tournament, please e-mail _WildCatsCoach97@aol.com.