Smesko, Girls Lacrosse Circling June 11 on Calendar

Ridgewood junior midfielder Kelci Smesko knows where she wants to be on June 11. That's the date of the final for the State Tournament of Champions at Rutgers University.

Smesko and her teammates made quite an appearance last year, defeating Mendham 7-6, and being crowned the top team in the state. The Lady Maroons aren't done, they say.

Smesko has helped continue that tradition of excellence as the Lady Maroons are 8-0 this season, including a victory over New York power Yorkstown on Saturday and a bashing of Moorestown, the only other team that has won a STOC title. The 10-8 victory on April 9 at home also was the first time that Ridgewood defeated Moorestown.

The win for Smesko and Ridgewood might have put a lot of those doubters in their place who thought that the Ridgewood win in the STOC was not legit because they did not face Moorestown. "We know last year that we were the best team in New Jersey and deserved the title," said Smesko. "The win over Moorestown was a great win and turned people’s heads.”

And for the junior midfielder there is no doubt what the mission statement is this season. "The goal is to win another state championship,” noted Smesko. “We know that if we don't work as a unit, we won't win.”

In the victory over Moorestown, Smesko had only one goal, but she has been on fire outside that contest. Smesko is averaging over four goals a game for 30 on the season to go with six assists.

Smesko had four goals against Glen Ridge at home in the 13-9 victory on April 14; and then scored three more in the 12-7 victory against another top squad, Mountain Lakes.

It was a banner week for Ridgewood, which won back-to-back games over Vernon and Hopewell Valley on Wednesday and Thursday. Ridgewood took care of another undefeated team at the time, Vernon, on Wednesday as she scored five goals in the 16-11 victory over the Vikings. The next day was more of the same with Smesko shooting four goals as Ridgewood took a dominating 11-2 lead at halftime.

And on Saturday, Smesko had perhaps her best game on the season, in a regionally televised game she belied any hope Yorktown could take down the Maroons, scorching six goals into the back of the net. Sally Jentis, one of the nation's best playes, also had six goals in the 19-13 victory.

Six of the seven games have come against some of the best teams in the state. In the closest game of the season, Smesko had three goals as Ridgewood edged another South Jersey powerhouse Shawnee, 12-11.

Smesko already has decided on the school that she will attend in the fall of 2012. On Dec. 6 she picked Duke University over the University of North Carolina to play lacrosse. "Overall it was a better fit academically and I just loved the coaching staff," said Smesko who has played lacrosse since she was in fourth grade. "It is a great opportunity to take my game to the next level."

While she is one of the top scorers on the team, Smesko likes taking care of the other things on the field. "I like doing the little things like getting the ground balls and draw control,” said Smesko. “The little things are the ones that don't show up in the paper."

And she has been a midfielder all three seasons with Ridgewood that allows her to not only score the goals, but play defense. "I definitely like being all over the field,” said Smesko about playing midfield and her work on the other end of the field. “It is a good feeling stopping the other team."

Before she takes off for Durham, North Carolina, she would like to win a couple more STOC’s, but she will definitely miss her ‘family’.

"We're not just a team, but a family,” said Smesko. “There is great leadership on the team and we have a fun time.”