All-South Jersey girls' soccer team

Lenape, the four-time defending state Group 4 champion, has three first-team selections on this year's Inquirer all-South Jersey girls' soccer squad.

The three are freshman forward Kate Walters, junior midfielder Courtney Kovac, and senior defender Nicole Curry.

Walters was the Indians' leading scorer with 21 goals. She also added 11 assists and showed a great ability to take on defenders and beat them. Walters had some of the biggest goals of the season, including the game-winner with 47 seconds left in the second overtime to give the Indians a 2-1 victory over Absegami in the finals of the South Jersey Coaches Tournament.

Kovac often controlled the midfield. She totaled 12 goals and eight assists and had the game-winner in Lenape's 2-1 overtime Group 4 state semifinal triumph over Jackson.

Curry was a lock-down defender, often assigned to the top opposing offensive player. Lenape allowed just 11 goals in 26 games, and Curry was a major reason the defense recorded 16 shutouts. She hopes to play in college but has not begun to finalize her plans.

In addition to Walters and Inquirer South Jersey player of the year Shannon Dennehey of Shawnee, the other first-team forwards are Absegami senior Nicole Belfonti, Eastern sophomore Madison Tiernan, and Cinnaminson junior Becky Forcellini.

This was truly the year of the forward in South Jersey, and Belfonti helped lead Absegami into the finals of both the Coaches Tournament and South Jersey Group 4 tournament. She scored 19 goals, including both scores in a 2-1 South Jersey Group 4 semifinal win over Shawnee. Belfonti, who had four assists and finished with 41 career goals, has accepted a scholarship to George Washington University.

Eastern's Tiernan is a member of the under-15 national team and a creative offensive player with one of the hardest shots in South Jersey. This season she contributed 13 goals and seven assists, giving her 32 career goals.

Cinnaminson's Forcellini was among the top clutch scorers in South Jersey. She had 17 goals and six assists in eight games. Cinnaminson won the Burlington County Liberty Division title, and Forcellini had eight game-winning goals.

Besides Kovac, the other first-team midfielders are Timber Creek senior Melissa Arnold and Rancocas Valley senior Alyssa Findlay.

Arnold was a four-year starter. This season, she had 12 goals and four assists and scored in the Chargers' 2-1 win over Cherry Hill West in the South Jersey Group 3 championship game. She is the school's all-time leading goal scorer with 33 and has earned a scholarship to Division I Florida Gulf Coast.

Findlay had four goals, including two game-winners, but her true strength was in setting up teammates. Using great field vision and an ability to hold onto the ball despite defensive pressure, Findlay recorded 11 assists. Her 28 career goals is second highest in school history. She is a Drexel recruit.

Joining Curry on the first-team back line is Eastern senior Sydney Cetrullo. Besides being the quarterback of the back line from her central defender position, Cetrullo contributed four goals and four assists, adding a strong element with her ability on free kicks. Cetrullo will continue her soccer career and education at Cornell University.

The keeper is Williamstown senior Ashley Winkelspecht. This season, she recorded 14 shutouts, giving her a school record 39 for her career. Winkelspecht had a 0.45 goals against average, allowing just nine all season. Among the schools she is considering is Davis & Elkins in West Virginia.

First team

Position   Player   School Class

Forward   Shannon Dennehey   Shawnee    Sr.

Forward    Kate Walters   Lenape   Fr.

Forward    Nicole Belfonti   Absegami   Sr.

Forward    Madison Tiernan    Eastern    So.

Forward    Becky Forcellini    Cinnaminson   Jr.

Midfielder   Courtney Kovac    Lenape    Jr.

Midfielder    Melissa Arnold    Timber Creek     Sr.

Midfielder    Alyssa Findlay    Rancocas Valley    Sr.

Defender   Sydney Cetrullo    Eastern     Sr.

Defender    Nicole Curry    Lenape    Sr.

Goalie   Ashley Winkelspecht   Williamstown    Sr.

Second Team

Position   Player   School Class

Forward   Korrie Harkins    Gloucester Catholic     Sr.

Forward    Maxie New    Clayton     So.

Forward    Olivia McEachern    Timber Creek     Jr.

Forward    Christa Neary   West Deptford     Sr.

Midfielder   Erica Skroski   Absegami     Jr.

Midfielder   Katie Johnston    Haddonfield     Jr.

Midfielder   Alex Smith    Pennsville     Sr.

Midfielder   Tori Prager    Lenape     So.

Defender    Kelly Hardesty    Clearview     Sr.

Defender   Loren Reilly   Paul VI     Jr.

Goalie    Lauren Minkoff   Cherry Hill East     Sr.

- Marc Narducci

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