RBC hopes to capture Shore Conference crown
Caseys among favorites in six-team field
BY VIN RAPOLLA
Staff Writer

After another strong season, the Red Bank Catholic gymnastics team looks to take their much-improved and experienced team into the Shore Conference Tournament.

The Caseys, who began the season with high expectations, were quickly hit with a strong dose of reality when senior star Beate Jones and junior Kristin Cahn both went down with injuries early in the season.

"Our top gymnasts went out early. You always worry with injuries and hoped for the best," said head coach Maureen Sutphen. "Luckily we have some really outstanding gymnasts and a very deep squad, so the girls filled the void and really stepped up."

Stepping up for the undefeated team in the place of Jones and Cahn have been sophomore Brooke Grohol and junior Ainsley Keating.

"These two are big all-arounders. They have been wonderful," said the coach. "They've scored real high all season. They're picking up everything for the team."

Two other gymnasts who have come through for the Caseys have been freshmen Lauren Galifi and Michelle Fischer.

CHRIS KELLY staff RBC's Brooke Grohol will be one of the gymnasts the Caseys will be relying on at Saturday's Shore Conference meet in Brick.

"These are two other all-arounders, and I'm pleased and lucky to have them," said Sutphen.

The Caseys come into the Shore Conference championship meet after one of the team's - and conference's - highest point performances at 109.975.

"We have one of the highest scores in the Shore Conference this season," said Sutphen. "We're looking forward to a great meet."

The team goes into Saturday's action as the third-seeded team. They have finished the regular season with a record of 11-0 and look to finish strong in both the SCT and the state tournament. Sutphen feels her team has the advantage in both the vault and the bars, thanks to the return of Jones, and on the floor.

"We're really lucky we've had such a great year," said Sutphen "This is our fourth year undefeated. We've been so lucky; we have such a great bunch of girls, and they all have worked hard."

The teams the Caseys are likely to have some trouble with in the tournament will be Howell and Colts Neck.

The Caseys have just come off a victory over Colts Neck this past week and are yet to see Howell in head-to-head competition.

"We hope for a wonderful outcome," said Sutphen.

The Shore Conference Tournament of Champions takes place this Saturday at Brick Memorial. The six-team field, which wasn't expected to be announced until midweek, will also include Ocean Township, which has a 106, and has locked up a spot as well. That leaves Marlboro, Freehold Borough and Lacey as the three teams vying for the two remaining spots. The Mustangs were sitting in the fifth position and the Colonials the sixth at the end of last week's action. But teams had until yesterday to compete in a meet and improve their score. Only after those meets will the field be set.

It is the average score from a team's best three meets that determines a team's scoring average. It takes more than one good meet to get a team in.

This field will be as good as the state tournament; there is that much talent in the conference. Howell, Colts Neck, RBC, Ocean and Marlboro are all state-ranked teams.

Howell's Austyn Fobes (a freshman) and Brianna Ecklof (also a freshman) and Marlboro's Lauren Jack are all-around contenders along with defending champion Lindsay Diamond of Colts Neck.

RBC's Jones, just returning from an Achilles injury, could be a factor.