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Sports

Girls Ice Hockey Has A Bright Future

Freshmen Stuart Humphrey and Kirste Garguilo are already planning to be back next year, improving on this season.

Summit girls hockey head coach Matt Stanbro has a long term plan for the future of the program.

"Realistically, I use the other teams as measuring sticks of who we should be able to compete with this year, next year and three years down the road," Stanbro said. "I try to think in a four year cycle with the players and who we have.  For instance this year we're able to compete with Pingry. At times we are able to play very competitive games against Princeton Day School and Princeton High School.  Those are teams I want to stay very close to next year and hopefully even get a few wins."

"Just trying to move up, look at who's the next best team, and who's after that," Stanbro said.  "That's what we've been doing and that's what we'll continue to do."

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This is the kind of plan that can be hard to accept when you are not winning every game though. It was clear how much the Hilltoppers improved from the beginning of the season, but with only one win—and one tie—it is more important to see if the girls will be back again next year.

Then answer is overwhelmingly, "Yes!"

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"I just love hockey," said freshman goaltender Kirste Garguilo. "I will definitely be back next year."

That is the future of Summit girls hockey talking. Next year, Grace Berkery will be the most senior member of the team as a junior, the starting line will return with Stuart Humphrey and Jen Stabler, and Garguilo will take over full time duty in the goal.  They will be back for the love of the game, but these are not your typical teenagers.

Ask Stuart Humphrey what she enjoys doing in her free time and she can give you a list of things she would love to do, just as soon as she finishes practice for her high school team, lacrosse weightlifting, and lacrosse skills sessions.  And, of course, after she finished up her homework.  After all, she is in two honors classes.  And has A's in both.

"I actually love my math class," Humphrey said. "It's my hardest class, but I love it because I just feel like I'm getting so much out of it.  And my English class.  Those are my two honors classes.  I feel like some people are like "oh homework…" but when I do homework I just feel like I'm getting so much out of it.  Especially those."

Humphrey, a varsity soccer player this fall, is now starting to focus her attention on lacrosse.  She epitomizes the hard-working athlete, but, when it comes to hockey, she has a little genetic help.

"My dad played hockey in college," Humphrey said. "My sister and my bother play. My uncle played in college. It definitely has helped that all my family plays.  It's always around me."

It's difficult not to notice her on the ice though.  She has a tendency to make her mark in every game that she plays in.  She has a rare understanding of what it takes to continually develop as a player.

"Stuart's a very gifted athlete overall," Stanbro said.  "She does well at all sports.  She has a decent amount of hockey experience.  She's probably one of the future stars of the team.  I'm very glad to have her for three more years. She has that hockey knowledge. She knows where to be for the most part.  There are some things I want to adjust with her, when to make passes, when to shoot. But she's going to be a very strong player."

You'll find a very similar story unfolding if you catch Garguilo in a conversation.  The freshman happens to be a great cross country and track athlete.

"I guess, in my free time, I like to run," Garguilo said. "I like to hang out with my friends too, but if I have free time I usually run.  I wouldn't do winter track though.  I like hockey too much."

Garguilo was the back-up goaltender this year, behind senior Tory Round.  Without any other prospects for the position next year, she is likely to be the starting, and the only, goalie.

"She's definitely capable of fulfilling the starting goaltender responsibility," Stanbro said.  "She has a lot of potential.  A lot of potential. She has natural form for a goaltender.  I think once her skills further develop and catch up with how good her potential is and her form is, she'll be excellent.  She made some excellent saves already as a freshman.  The thing I like about her is she does take it personally.  She's a competitor."

It was a rough season for a goaltender.  Summit plays against the best girls hockey programs in the state.  So how does Garguilo keep coming back?

"I really like the team," Garguilo said. "And I love the game.  I had Tory (Round) this year who would tell me I was doing a good job and not to worry about a goal.  You just move past it and try to stop the rest of them."

But, though both girls are extremely active athletes, they still enjoy things just like other kids.  Both enjoy eating at Trattoria and Taka Sushi, going to the movies, and hanging out with their friends.

For two very competitive freshmen, a season like this must have been a little disappointing.  Then again, perhaps it made winning the final game that much sweeter.  Neither freshman has any doubts about where they will be next winter.  They'll be back on the ice, looking to improve on this season.

"The hockey future at Summit is really bright, I guess you can say," Humphrey said. "There's a lot of freshman.  It's going uphill, not downhill."

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