Freshman is outstanding soccer goalie

WEST MILFORD -— Soccer Coach Rick Ashley knows that finding a good goalie can be both challenging and lucky. So, years ago he asked a Metrostars goalie for advice on selecting a goalie. He suggested choosing someone athletic with good eye/hand coordination, which often comes from playing baseball and basketball. Last fall during traveling soccer tryouts for U14 girls soccer, he remembered these words of wisdom and contacted Jessica Evanick, who fit the bill. Minutes into tryouts, her talent became evident, and she accepted the position even though she was a good field player. Since then, Evanick has helped the Wildcats U-14 Girls travel team in their victories for both the Winter indoor Turf City league as stage III champions, and Morris County U-14G5 Spring League as champs. In both leagues, the Wildcats were undefeated. In the spring league, in the nine games Jess played, she only allowed five goals and posted five shutouts. Evanick was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award in Physical Education at her eighth grade graduation. When the spring season was over, the older West Milford soccer girls, age 19, entered the U-19 Turf City league, but were missing a goalie. Even though Jess was only 14, she agreed to play with them. Although they lost the first game, the team won the balance of the regular season games and got into the final championship, which they lost by one goal in the post game shoot-outs. Evanick had stopped 23 shots in the first half of one game. She then went to the East Stroudsburg University Warriors Goalie Soccer camp with many of the West Milford Highlanders players. After one day, she was moved up from freshmen to Varsity squads and her team came in second for the week. She received the Goalie of the Week award, which is only provided to one goalie in the camp for the week. Ashley said he looked on her evaluation sheet and that the camp coach had written “…by far one of the hardest working and most coachable kids I have ever had” Evanick went to West Milford High School tryouts last week and made JV Goalie and backup varsity goalie. Ashley said, “Although I have not seen the mention of the threat of West Milford High in any Passaic county NJ e-mail pre-season soccer forums, I am sure that with the high school girls on the roster, the coaching staff and the help of Jess Evanick in the goal, West Milford will soon begin to gain respect and notability. I can’t wait to watch Jess for the next four years as she improves with time, and for the day when the rest of my Wildcat team meet up with her to help West Milford get to the states and beyond. Best of luck to Jess and Wildcats!”