View full sizeLauren Nunes of Phillipsburg High School is The 2012 Express-Times Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.can distribute.
Whether it's a lacrosse ball or praise for her coaches and teammates, the
senior midfielder can dish it out.
Nunes' generosity was no more evident than in the 88 assists she tallied this season, a mark that led the state of New Jersey and bested the next closest assist-getter in The Express-Times region by 47.
Of course, she can find the back of the cage as well, notching 75 goals in 2012.
For her unmatched playmaking, unrivaled statistics and for leading Phillipsburg's turnaround during her senior year, Nunes is The Express-Times 2012 Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year.
Little things have equaled big numbers.
. She also holds the school marks for career points (310), goals (184) and assists (126).
Coming off a combined record of 6-28 in Nunes' sophomore and junior campaigns, the Stateliners earned a 12-8 mark this season, advancing to the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex semifinals and the NJSIAA North Group 3 quarterfinals.
The positive season is something that Nunes and her teammates have been building toward throughout their past difficulties.
ALL-AREA GIRLS LACROSSE:
Stem, who indicated that his star player was at times a little too unselfish, relied on Nunes to be a coach on the field. With the offense running through her, the senior's primary decision came down to attacking the cage herself or setting up a teammate.
When Nunes did pass, which was often, the chief benefactor was junior
, who scored 110 goals -- also a Phillipsburg record.
Zgoda's knack for scoring is astonishing considering she only has two years of lacrosse experience. Nunes, who played field hockey with the junior, helped her learn the intricacies of her new sport.
Zgoda recorded her 100th goal of the season on an assist from Nunes in the
. Even though it wasn't The Player of the Year hitting triple digits, she still took pride in the milestone.
Nunes will continue her playing career at
, the same school the area's second leading points getter,
of
, will attend. The recent Phillipsburg graduate said her decision to play for the Warriors came recently after assistant coach Laura Bernotas attended the May 16 game against the Red Rovers.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
2012
- Lauren Nunes, Phillipsburg
2011
- Tracy Novak, Delaware Valley
2010
- Lindsay Whipple, Nazareth
2009
- Amy Rydeen, Nazareth
2008
- Rebecca Alley, Voorhees
The Stateliners' all-time leading scorer picked up lacrosse her freshman year and credited Stem for her rapid development. He said her growth is a product of her athleticism.
Nunes' decision to get into sports was a product of having an athletic father, Daniel Nunes, and brother, Daniel Nunes Jr., who is a sophomore soccer player at Kean University. She also noted she wouldn't have been able to thrive without the unwavering support of her mother, Gisela Coppola.
The midfielder said playing girls sports at Phillipsburg is uniquely motivating, considering the area's focus on football and wrestling.
In addition to her goal-scoring connection with Zgoda, Nunes said teammate
inspired her with infectious energy and goalie
was an influential part in the Stateliners' success this season.
In the end, Nunes will hold the connections with her fellow players above everything else.
While Nunes will hold onto the friendships, the record book will hold onto her name.