GAMES – Middle Girls’ Soccer Again Competing for Championship

Veteran Middle Township girls’ soccer coach Bob Wishart didn’t know what to expect coming into this season. Now in his 10th campaign plus a year as the boys’ coach, Wishart is once again enjoying his squad.
“We had a lot of holes to fill in from last year’s graduation,” said Wishart, 15-year township middle school physical education teacher and former softball and freshman girls’ basketball coach. “You always tell your team that you want them to compete but we’ve turned into a squad that’s almost as strong as last year’s team.”
A Rowan University graduate with teaching experience at the Juvenile Justice Commission, Wishart is making the most of the area’s feeder programs, including the popular Cape Express Soccer Club.
“These days we get kids who already know how to play soccer,” he said. “Many of these girls are year-round soccer players. We don’t have to teach them the basics and that’s a big difference.”
A Galloway resident, Wishart chuckles when asked the difference between coaching the boys and the girls in sports.
“With the boys you sort of scream at them the whole time,” he said with a laugh. “The girls are great. They’re more fun for me to coach because they pick up what you’re saying and they do it.”
With a 12-2 record through Sunday, Middle was poised for another post-season appearance.
“The playoffs will be a real test,” said Wishart, who also enjoys surfing and skiing and hockey. “We’ve really stepped it up this year and we hope it continues. We hope to compete for the Cape-Atlantic League championship.”
Wishart said the strength of this year’s Panther team is defense and conditioning. He’s optimistic that the club can keep gelling as a unit and finish more of its scoring chances.
“When people ask me how I put up with girls whining and crying they have the wrong idea,” said the coach. “These girls are as tough as any boys’ team I ever coached and they are a great group of athletes who believe in what I teach and will run through a wall for each other.”
Wishart is clearly a player’s coach who grows attached to his troops and struggles with the fact that he simply cannot play everyone in the games.
“It’s difficult when you are so fond of all the players but you owe it to the program to put the best soccer players on the field,” said Wishart. “When you are sitting kids who have given you everything they have because you have to play the best players it can be very tough.”
Wishart said the Panther girls’ soccer program is growing and he expects the numbers to increase in the next few years. Twenty-eight girls came out this fall.
The roster includes seniors Anna Ay, Maddie Devico, Theresa Flacco, Sarah Roberts and Kristina Startare.
“Anna is a shut down defensive player who marks other teams best forward and I see Kristina as the best defender in South Jersey,” said Wishart. “Maddie is a midfielder who controls the flow of our offense and Sarah determines how our offense will attack.”
Starting midfielders Jen Hicks and Laura Miller represents the junior class.
The sophomores are led by the incredible scoring of Danielle McCann who has registered 23 goals and a pair of goalies in Taylor Brown and Olivia Salvo who have teamed up for nine shut outs. Breanna Caruso is a starting midfielder while Tricia Stump hustles on defense.
“Danielle is an unbelievable finisher,” said Wishart.
The rookies include freshmen C.J. Hengstler and Abbey Stahler, who play defense and midfield.
Wishart, who is assisted by Mike Fiorucci and T.J. Moore hopes his team can pick up some hardware for the trophy case.
“We want to win the CAL and have a good showing in Group 2,” said Wishart. “And we hope to keep this momentum going with a big class coming in next year and the year after. We have a great group of kids and the veterans help guide and motivate the new players.”
Reach Rossi at joerossi61@comcast.net