Lady Blue Devils team cruising right along
B Central champs are still undefeated
BY VIN RAPOLLA
Staff Writer

Although the Shore Regional girls soccer team has already clinched the Class B Central division, head coach Mike Migliorisi is working hard to keep his squad from getting complacent

A veteran coach, Migliorisi knows the team can't simply concentrate solely on the postseason with many Shore Conference teams on the schedule over the next couple of weeks.

"We don't ever talk about the postseason," said Migliorisi. "It all evens out, we just have to take it one game at a time."

The eighth-ranked Blue Devils faced off against the seventh-ranked Toms River North on Tuesday, hoping to prove their early season success was no mirage. Being one of the smaller Group II teams in the conference, Migliorisi's team is constantly facing an uphill climb in conference play.

"The Shore Conference Tournament is extremely difficult," said the coach. "This Tuesday will be a good indicator of where we stand."

The Blue Devils returned nearly 75 percent of their starters from last season. Migliorisi knew he was going to have a solid nucleus to start the season, but also stressed that success comes on the field and not on paper.

"The preseason was very encouraging," said the coach. "I was happy with what I saw, and was happy with the entire team in preseason."

With the Blue Devils clicking on both sides of the field, the coach won't credit any individual players when he talks about his undefeated team, praising instead the all-around play of all of his players.

"If I'm going to name one defensive player, I'll have to name them all," said the coach. "And if I'm going to name a single offensive player, I will have to name them all."

Migliorisi credits much of his team's success to its ability to keep the game simple. His team has managed to take each part of the game and put it together.

"They are beginning to gel together as a team," said the coach. "We have had a lot of up-and-down games, but have managed to move the ball nicely."

The next two weeks of the season may be the most difficult stretch of the season for the Blue Devils. Out of their next six games, three of them will be against top-10 Shore Conference teams - again stressing what Migliorisi has stressed all season: taking it one game at a time.

"If we can get past these teams, we'll be able to build some credibility in the Shore Conference," said the coach. "We've had four division titles in the past seven years, which says a lot about our teams and program. It shows how hard our kids are working."

It also keeps the Blue Devils from sneaking up on anyone.