Mid. North field hockey enjoys winning season Lions wrap up 15-6 campaign, look forward to next season BY WARREN RAPPLEYEA Staff Writer The Middletown High School North field hockey team ended the season with a fine 15-6 mark and with just two seniors graduating this June prospects look good for next fall as well. Goalkeeper Megan Trivett and sweeper Nicole Pinero are the Lions' seniors and both played the leadership roles coach Bill Lafalce expected of them. Trivett was a stalwart in net, recording 11 shutouts and allowing just 17 goals over the course of the season. Pinero, meanwhile, did a consistently efficient job defensively in starting the transition to offense. Juniors Amanda Svensen and Jade Yelk rounded out the back line. "Our defenders are an athletic group, they work well together and they do whatever it takes to shut down the opposition," the coach said. "That really was our strength this season and that was a change because we were very offensive-minded in 2006. It kind of seems that our focus shifts, some years it's offense and others it's defense. Still, it's a credit to the girls that they could adjust." Middletown North was certainly able to put points on the board, thanks to the presence of forward Danielle Freshnock. The sophomore posted 20 goals and 11 assists to lead the Lions in scoring for the second successive campaign. Junior Deana Benjamin and sophomores Jade Kauffman and Christine Mazzaro also played well. Entering the year, Middletown North's midfield was something of a question mark, but a trio of juniors Gina Bellifemine, Shannon Norton and Joanna Pichardo, augmented by sophomore Jaclyn Corr proved a solid combination. With these components in place, the Lions won the Shore Conference's Class A North division and went all the way to the NJSIAA North Jersey 2, Group IV final before bowing to Hunterdon Central, 2-1. North played impressively in the semifinal, downing a good Old Bridge team, 3-0. "We're coming off a season where we were competitive in every game, and that experience should really pay off for us next year," Lafalce said.