VIDEO, PHOTO GALLERY: Middle blanks rival on ‘Salute to Service Night’

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE — The players on the Middle Township and Lower Cape May Regional high school girls soccer teams were either infants or not yet born when the 9/11 tragedy occurred in 2001.

That didn’t stop the teams from participating in a poignant ceremony prior to their game against one another Wednesday evening at the Boyd Street Field.

With Middle coach Tina Prickett serving as emcee, Middle held a “Salute To Service” presentation that honored first responders, while also honoring the memories of the nearly 3,000 people killed on that fateful day. Middle’s girls soccer team sold T-shirts for the occasion, with proceeds going to the World Trade Center NJ Scholarship Fund.

Once the game started, Middle was dominant. The Lady Panthers scored three times in the opening 11 minutes en route to a 7-0 win over one of their biggest rivals.

Kira Sides scored three goals and Anna Bond, Eva Dimitrov, Hannah Price and Elaina Nelson each added tallied for Middle.