Lauren Perrotta

Lauren Perrotta has played many roles during her high school career – from Rusty in Footloose to Eponine in Les Miserables and this year she will be Rosalia in the high school production of West Side Story. While none of the parts were the lead roles, Eponine is one of the most unforgettable characters in Les Miserables and trivia buffs may remember that Rusty helped launch the career of a young Sarah Jessica Parker.

But Perrotta’s best part may a non-fictional one as team leader of the Scotch Plains Fanwood Girls soccer team which had a smash run in Union County this year, finishing with a stellar 17-3-2 record and making it to the sectional finals. In the second round of the state tournament, Perrotta exhibited her usually suffocating marking to hold
high scoring West Morris-Mendham star Jessica Bitsack without a shot in a game the Raiders would win in a penalty kick shootout after 100 scoreless minutes.

Perrotta, a first team All Union County selection as a defender last year, picked up where she left off, playing an uncompromising style of aggressive defense and shutting down whatever opposing forward has the misfortune to play against her. In addition to her defensive skills, Perrotta is a virtual coach on the field, helping teammates mark the correct player and constantly yelling encouragement.

“I've always been a very vocal person on and off the field. Sometimes I may be too vociferous, but for the most part the team keeps one another in check,” said Perrotta.

“She plays in the back because everyone can hear her back there,” joked her father John.

Perrotta was the leader of a young but very talented defense which includes sweeper Allie Zazzali, stopper Lisa Camarda and goalie Lauren Mains all sophomores as well as senior
Carly Wells and freshman Bridget Cornwell. The Raiders’ first unit yielded just twelve goals the entire year and Perrotta is quick to spread the credit around.

“Allie Zazzali is a really strong sweeper and the anchor of our defense. All four of us on defense interact with Lauren Mains throughout the game. She's an amazing keeper. It's our second year playing together so we really know to play with and for each other, at practice and in games, “ said Perrotta.

“It’s great having her back there,” said Mains. “I know she will always clear the ball away from our end.”

While the Raiders have a strong and balanced scoring attack, Perrotta rarely ventures up the field into the opponent’s goal area. She understands her role perfectly.

“I can't say that I like defense better than offense, but I can say that I think that's the position where I can help my team out the most. To me, it's equally rewarding to stop someone from scoring than to actually score. “

Ironically enough, Perrotta was injured in a non-contact situation, spraining her ankle in a rut on the Raiders’ home field.
“Getting injured your senior year is definitely frustrating,” said Perrotta.
“It's the last time you're going to play with your high school team and to miss a week, or even one game is really hard. When the doctor told me I'd sprained my foot and that I would miss two weeks of the season I said to him that I'd be seeing him in one week ready to play.

“ That following Tuesday I was cleared and I only missed two games. The team and my coaches were really supportive, making sure that I was taking care of my injury and not pushing it too much. The girls knew how hard it was for me to miss two key games in our season, but I wouldn't have been able to get through that week without their support.”

Perrotta’s injury happened at an inopportune time but the Raiders were able to overcome her absence and defeat two previously undefeated teams, Bridgewater Raritan and Kearny. Perrotta never doubted that Scotch Plains would survive her absence.

“One person doesn't make a team, I knew they could do it. While it was frustrating to sit on the bench I knew that being a captain isn't just about playing on the field but what you do off the field too. Since I couldn't play with them I knew it was what I saying on the bench that would make a strong, positive difference, “ said Perrotta.

“All of us on the team like to think that we're a great team, not just a group of great individuals. They played really well together and I couldn't have been more proud of them. Every game we have to play our best despite who is able to play and who isn't.

“ I don't think I am the only leader on the team. Jessie(Sapienza) and Jenna (Balestriere) are awesome captains. I think we've set a really good attitude for this season. All the seniors have been great leaders this year too,” said Perrotta.

“I just try to do what I'm put in the game for. Each game I make sure that I'm playing my best and giving it my all. My goal every game is simple; make sure that they don't get the ball and score ,” said Perrotta.

Perrotta relishes the challenges of shutting down the opposition’s top scorer.
“ It's awesome that my team and coaches have faith in me to mark the players I mark. I don't want to disappoint them so it just makes me work harder. My job is to just make sure that the ball isn't down in our end ,” said Perrotta.

An excellent student, Perrotta understands the importance of making time in her busy schedule for studying.

“I do what I have to do to do well in school. I knew that if I ever wanted to play at a good school my activities couldn't be the only thing to get me in. I set high expectations for myself and don't like not living up to them.”

Although a talented thespian and athlete, Perrotta sees her future in the corporate world.
“I would like to do something in business. I've already applied to six schools, and I'm hoping to hear from them soon. I also plan on minoring in drama. Where that might lead me, I have no idea, ‘ said Perrotta.

Her performance next spring in West Side Story will make four straight years that Perrotta has performed in the play. she was a dancer in Mame as a freshman.
”The play has been a very big part of my high school experience and the people in it make it even more memorable. “

She could have just as easily been talking about soccer.

Lisa Camarda

Sophomore Lisa Camarda recently had the type of week that all soccer players dream about. Twice in the span of six days she scored the winning goal as Scotch Plains Fanwood (SPF) High School defeated two previously unbeaten teams.

While such accomplishments usually anoint the performer with celebrity status at their high school the day after, that wasn’t the case for Camarda. In fact her exploits were barely noticed at her high school, Union County Magnet High School (UCMHS).

Also located in Scotch Plains, the UCMHS is a school that focuses on math, science, and technology. All students within Union County are eligible for application. In order to get in a student must submit their transcripts from seventh and eighth grade, their standardized testing scores, and also must take an entrance exam specifically made for UCMHS. Only about five people from each town are accepted each year.

Because there are currently no athletic teams at the UCMHS, students who are proficient at a sport are allowed to play their sport of choice for the high school located in the town they reside in. While there are two other UCMHS students, playing jayvee soccer and one playing tennis at Scotch Plains, Camarda is still a bit of an anomaly at her school.

“Most of the students are aware of my athletic ability and those who don’t know my name just call me soccer girl,” said Camarda.

“The teachers are aware because sometimes I would wear my uniform or warm-up jacket to class. For example, one day I was sitting in the hallway and a teacher stopped me because she saw that my jacket said SPF Varsity Girls Soccer. She was amazed because she had heard of the success of my team and was impressed that I was a part of it. “

UCMHS Principal Jim Stefankiewicz is naturally pleased with his athletically talented students.

“I think that it is great that so many of our students are involved in
sports. The Fitness teachers at the Magnet do a wonderful job of
inspiring students to excel in both academic and physical pursuits. The
relationship that we have with the other districts of Union County is
unique, all parties working together to provide great opportunities for
children. That is what education is all about,” said Stefankiewicz

While Camarda has flourished in the intense academic atmosphere of UCMHS, maintaining a straight “A” average, her adjustment to the equally competitive Raiders’ soccer team was complicated by attending a different high school with a longer school day.

While SPFHS students are dismissed at 2:24, the UCMHS day doesn’t end until 2:50...Since soccer practice also starts at that time, Camarda has to perform a quick change that would make any triathlete proud. As soon as class ends she goes to her locker to get everything she needs and then rushes to the bathroom to get changed. Then her mother picks her up and she puts on her shin guards and cleats on in the car. She arrives at practice about 25 minutes late and usually wind up running by herself to make up for what she missed, eventually joining up for the latter part of practice.

Despite the obstacles, Camarda has become an integral part of the Raiders, who finished the season with a 17-3-2 record and advanced to the state sectional finals. Against Union Catholic Camarda broke a 1-1 tie in the second half when she out jumped several defenders for Kelly Rigano’s perfectly placed free kick and headed it directly into the goal near the far post. The Raiders would add two more goals for a 4-1 win.

“I've always been good at directing the ball with my head, either to my teammates or to the back of the net. I've worked hard in practice on making my headers a pass rather than just deflecting it back up in the air, “said Camarda.
“I'm 5'6" but feel that I need to work on getting more height out of my jumps.”

But her biggest goal may have come against Bridgewater Raritan which came into the game undefeated and ranked seventh in the state and had also handed the Raiders one of their three losses a year ago. Moments after a controversial goal was taken away from Bridgewater, Camarda made a well timed run and found herself unmarked in front of the goal where Jessie Sapienza passed her the ball and Camarda shot the ball in the net opposite of where the goalie was positioned. The Raiders would go on to win 2-0 against a Bridgewater team that was comprised of numerous ex club teammates of Camarda.
“That gave me extra incentive to play well,” said Camarda.


Despite playing mostly on defense and midfield Camarda has scored five goals this year after tallying four goals a year ago with more limited playing time.
“I really love playing the Stopper position. I find it to be the most challenging position on the field, and when supported by great teammates, scoring goals just comes with the territory.”

Camarda was a pleasant surprise for Coach Kevin Ewing last year. Having attended St. Bartholomew in Scotch Plains, a school without soccer pushed Camarda under the radar screen before her freshman year.
“The SPF coaches really didn’t know anything about me until tryouts. St. Bartholomew didn’t have a team for me to play on so I was at a big disadvantage because, while playing for their middle school teams, the other freshman had plenty of exposure with the high school coaches ,” said Camarda.

“I knew that I had to make up for lost time and prove myself to the coaches as well as the players.”

While unknown to the coaches, Camarda felt comfortable with fellow freshmen Allie Zazzali, Allie Hambleton, and Lauren Weisbrod, who had all been teammates with Camarda on several club teams.

“Having played together with Allie (Zazzali) for years, we work very well together. We respect each other’s capabilities and there’s a lot of spoken, or unspoken, communication between us.”

“Over the years, I also played with them, and against them, on other higher-level club teams. Therefore, I knew that I could play head-to-head with them. I just needed to gain the confidence of the coaches,” said Camarda.

Camarda established her penchant for scoring big goals as a freshman. Entering a scoreless game against highly rated Delaware Valley midway through the first half, Camarda scored the only goal of the game with a bullet left footed shot from eighteen yards between the post and the goalie’s outstretched arm.

“Freshman year was a very difficult time for me. Just starting out at a very competitive high school, not attending the high school you are play for, and not being fully part of the freshman crew you grew up with,” said Camarda.

“However, my parents always told me to be patient, work hard, and work smart. They reassured me that good players don’t sit for too long and that things you work hard for bring greater rewards

Despite her success at conquering two diverse worlds Camarda wishes there was a way to get closer to her teammates.

“Yes, there are some times that I would like to be taking classes with my teammates, especially in the off-season when we don’t get a chance to see each other as much. We get along great and I think that it would strengthen my relationship with them,” said Camarda.

Camarda cautions that UCMHS isn’t for everybody
“It would really depend on what the student was interested in pursuing for their career goals because UCMHS is based around science, math, and technology. The Magnet is more advanced academically then any other high schools in NJ. However, SPFHS also has a very good academic program as well. Therefore, it really comes down to personal preference.”


The success of athletes like Camarda and the needs of students for athletic outlets have resulted in a new intramural program for The Union County Vocational-Technical High Schools, of which there are
three,” We are starting with intramural basketball and volleyball and seeing where it goes from there.” said Stefankiewicz.

Someday soon, Camarda hopes to perform in front of her classmates.
“None of them have attended my games because they all take the buses home to different towns throughout the county. If it were more convenient many of them have told me that they were interested in watching me play. “