From their first game on September 9th, against Del Val to their most recent game on October 8th, against South Hunterdon, the girls varsity soccer team continues to prove competitors wrong by dominating through the season. Continuously being called the “underdogs’ ‘ and even being brought down a division after their successful season last year, the girls on this team show some hard work, and a lot of hunger can prove so many other schools wrong. Although this year’s soccer team is relatively young, as there are fourteen underclassmen, there is still determination and strength that every single girl holds on this team. These girls have proved that they have officially put their rough years behind them, with an outstanding record of 10-1 and a record of 8-0 in the Skyland conference, as well as being Skyland Division Champions for two years straight. This season, these girls have proven that they have shown up to create such a powerful bond on and off the field.
The Bernards girl’s soccer team has shown up multiple teams this season including Vorhees and Delaware valley. The girls have continued to really surprise and crush teams that in previous years would think games against them were a piece of cake. Senior Captain, Sydney Incarnato comments that “This year we had a great intensity and sense of urgency. We worked throughout the off-season to get better, and knew our potential to win games and compete with high goals.” Syd is a center midfielder and has had six goals and ten assists this season so far. As the season progresses, the girl’s soccer team continues to soar through the conference and slowly climb their way up to the top as they enter states.
As their season flies through with big wins against competitive teams, On October 8th, the Bernards girl’s soccer team won the Skyland Mountain division against South Hunterdon with an insane 7-1 score for the second since last year. By renouncing the title of the Bernardsville girl’s soccer team, they took the win as one of the youngest teams coaching-wise in the division. Parents greeted the girls off the bus with a huge banner titling them as the division champions as well as sparkling cider for them to pop and celebrate with.
The importance of this game shows how set these girls were about winning another amazing title, and how some of these girls went from just meeting in the preseason in August, to a powerful and skillful group of teammates. With the previous two years of seasons being a drastic change from many seasons before, thanks to Derek Boudreau, the varsity coach for the girls’ soccer team, has proven to show that these girls are disciplined and ready for any competition that comes their way. Coach Boudreau has helped mold these girls into the powerful and determined team that they are today and has proved that our team is not the words that come out of other coaches’ mouths from other schools. Rather than being a team that people say is purely just like, he has shown that they are a team other schools have to watch out for when it comes down to game day. In an interview with Coach Boudreau, he states that “so many of our student-athletes have put in an incredible amount of time developing on their own through playing club soccer and training and also attending our summer sessions and leagues. There is no obligation for attending any of these things, but these girls understand that committing to a process is an important life skill that makes the product that much sweeter.” Coach has helped show staying focused and constantly on top of the game will help lead the team into more sweet victories than they already have.
This year’s 2022 season of GOC has shown that great resilience can really put you exactly where you are supposed to be. The amazing wins and great memories have continued to make this team so much stronger both on and off the field. Together, they have already accomplished so much, and will hopefully keep crushing other teams as they go to states. With Coach Boudreau guiding them, and Coach Crisman being their backbone of motivation and strength, the girls’ Bernards varsity will put up a promising fight. As team captain Jessica Hickman, an outside midfielder, concludes the season by saying, “this team is like a family. I see these girls more often than anyone else, and I’m so lucky I get to experience something as great as this.”
