Colts Neck gets first flag football win in program history

MARLBORO – The Colts Neck girls flag football program made a bit of school history on Tuesday at the expense of a Freehold Regional District rival.

The Cougars picked up a 28-25 win over Marlboro in a Shore Conference Central Division game on the road for their first win in program history. This is the first season for all the flag football teams from the six high schools in the Freehold Regional District, which include Colts Neck and Marlboro.

Colts Neck had dropped its first two games of the season against established programs at Red Bank Catholic and Trinity Hall, which have had programs for multiple seasons.

Freshman Daryn Heal ran for a pair of touchdowns and junior running back Olivia Brown and freshman Ashley Tiedemann each ran for a touchdown, and the defense held on Marlboro’s final possession of the game to seal the victory.

“It was great. Getting it against Marlboro is always good because they’re a rival,” said co-head coach Matt Ahearn, who is also the boys football head coach in the fall.

Ahearn and co-coach Dawn Fox entered their inaugural season with a freshman-heavy team picking up the game as they go. Ahearn said only one player out of the initial 22 on the team had experience playing organized flag football.

The Cougars gave RBC a test in a 30-25 loss in the season opener before losing 13-6 in a defensive battle against Trinity Hall.

Ahearn entered the season with a simple expectation for his new squad.

“I want the girls to learn the game, and they’re doing it,” he said. “They’re understanding more and more each day what it takes.”

He said much of his team is comprised of soccer players as well as field hockey and lacrosse players.

“They’re in great shape because they play soccer year round, so we don’t have to run at the end of practice,” he joked.

Colts Neck was one of two programs with a breakthrough win on Tuesday, as St. John Vianney also picked up its first flag football victory in school history with a 32-6 win over Henry Hudson.

Next up for the Cougars is another Freehold Regional District rival, Manalapan, on the road on April 14.