A Dozen Reasons to Celebrate: Manasquan routs Caldwell, Earns Public-School State Record 12th State Championship
PISCATAWAY – Coaches do not always know how a team with new faces will respond in a championship game after being taken to the limit in the semifinals. Manasquan (26-5) responded in a big way and left no doubt in the Group 2 championship game with a convincing 53-36 win over Caldwell (27-3) to make it three straight Group 2 titles and a public-school state record 12th state championship in program history.
Manasquan celebrating their third straight Group 2 title and 12th in program’s history at Rutgers University. 3/14/26 Photo by Patrick Olivero
After getting off to a slow start in the opening minutes like they did in the semifinals against Cinnaminson and in the Central Jersey Group 2 final against Rumson-Fair Haven, the Warriors went on an 18-0 run after falling behind 5-2 to take a commanding 20-5 lead with just under six minutes to go in the second quarter.
“I think we were a little rattled after that game,” senior guard Logan McCarthy said. “We know we did not want to be in any type of position like we were in the last game. We knew we could not take them [Caldwell] lightly at all and stuck to our game plan.”
Senior guards Jordyn Hollawell and Shannon Looney picked up where they left off against Cinnaminson with Hollawell finding Looney on the first four baskets of the game for Manasquan.
“What a connection those two have,” Manasquan head coach Kukoda said. “I think as this season went on Jordyn [Hollawell] just continued to rely on her [Looney] and build trust. Shannon plays hard and moves at a fast pace the entire time she’s out on the floor so if you can find her there is a good chance she’s got an advantage going to the basket.”
Shannon Looney scored 15 first-half points in the Group 2 championship at Rutgers University. 3/14/26 Photo by Patrick Olivero
“She [Hollawell] is an amazing point guard,” Looney said. “Playing with her is amazing and I think we have so much chemistry. We were actually on a team together in fourth grade, so we have been playing together for so long. This is kind of surreal and I really got emotional at the end. Seeing her and our happy tears tell it all.”
Hollawell, who is Manasquan’s leading scorer, took a break from leading the team in scoring and played the role of maestro in the championship game. She finished with seven points, nine rebounds and 10 assists, finding her open teammates throughout the game. Looney and sophomore guard Calista Vowteras were the beneficiaries of those assists, as both finished with a game-high 19 points.
Jordyn Hollawell had 10 assists in the Group 2 championship at Rutgers University. 3/14/26 Photo by Patrick Olivero
“We cleaned up some things at practice,” Vowteras said. “We locked in on our scouting. Manasquan does not play one-on-one basketball, and we are always looking for our teammates and that really showed today.”
One of the reasons Manasquan was able to blow the game open and leave no doubt was the play of Logan McCarthy off the bench. The senior multi-sport athlete that is also a lacrosse standout has been a defensive specialist, and a spark plug all season when the Warriors lacked energy in the early portions of games. Today, she came off the bench to grab six rebounds and dish out six assists to go along with her lockdown defense.
Logan McCarthy grabbed six rebounds and had six assists in the Group 2 championship at Rutgers University. 3/14/26 Photo by Patrick Olivero
“She [McCarthy] is always a difference maker on the floor,” Kukoda said. “Special players who are athletes, who know the game, who understand the sport, but just understand how sports work. She just gives everything she has, doesn’t care about stats, doesn’t care about the spotlight. Just gives absolutely everything she has. She will do whatever you ask her for the purpose of the team and the win. You can’t win without kids like that.”
As good as the Warrior offense was at getting easy baskets in the first half, their defense played an important role in creating transition opportunities on offense. Manasquan built a 30-10 lead at halftime and led by as many as 25 points in the second half.
Caldwell finished the season with two 500-point scorers, but Manasquan held standout Caldwell guards Tia Fiore and Addison Keenan to just seven combined points in the first half.
“We talked about composure,” Manasquan head coach Lisa Kukoda said. “Maintaining composure when the game is not quite in the flow of what we want it to be. Staying within that flow and staying disciplined in what we are trying to do. I think our defense stayed locked in this entire game and I think that was a huge difference.”
Coach Kukoda has built one of the best programs in New Jersey as Manasquan now moves into second place all-time among NJSIAA girls’ basketball programs with their 12th state championship. Only St. John Vianney has more state championships with a state-leading 18 state championships. After winning their third straight Group 2 title, the Warriors are one more state title away from tying their run of four straight state titles from 2014 to 2017.
Coach Lisa Kukoda leads Manasquan to their 3rd straight Group 2 title at Rutgers University. 3/14/26 Photo by Patrick Olivero
“She [Kukoda] is amazing,” Looney said. “The culture here is unbelievable. I don’t think it’s like any other place anywhere. She is the blueprint. I think she’s the most amazing coach. She watches so much film, and she pours everything she has into our success, and I cannot be happier to have had her as my coach the past few years.”
