Every talented teams needs a driver on the floor, and Marlboro (N.J.) High School is blessed to have one of the best in the country in Sharnee Zoll. The 5-7 junior point guard help steer the Mustangs to the Group 4 state title in March.

The title was the culmination of three years of hard work by Zoll and her teammates, which include two other acclaimed hoopsters in Chakhia Cole and Brina Pollock. Zoll scored 11 points in the title game while also feeding Cole and Pollock, who each scored 27 points in the victory over East Orange.

In the New Jersey State Tournament of Champions that followed the next week, Zoll really stepped it up in the semifinal game vs. Sacred Heart, nailing a key three-pointer in overtime that put the Mustangs ahead to stay. "Big, big shot," Marlboro coach Ed Zucker said in the Daily Journal. "It gave us a little breathing room, and we sealed it with our foul shooting."

In the Tournament of Champions finals, Zoll and Marlboro fell to Matee Ajavon and Shabazz High School in front of 7,000 fans at the Meadowlands. Still, the Mustangs' season had to be considered a success, especially after winning their second Group 4 title in three years.

During the 2002-03 season, Zoll averaged 7.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 steals in leading the Mustangs to a 27-4 record, including a win over then top-ranked Christ the King in January. She proved that she was a versatile point guard, ably handling the switch from a run-and-gun game to a more-deliberate motion offense that was installed before the season. She's also a strong defender with quick hands, according to Zucker.

Zoll's success continued through the summer. She was invited to attend the USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, Colo. in June, and in July she helped lead the Philadelphia Belles to the 16u AAU title in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

Zoll has given her verbal commitment to attend the University of Virginia in the fall of 2004, where she'll play for long-time head coach Debbie Ryan. But Zoll's decision won't become official until she signs a Letter of Intent in November.

Article written by Gball Associate Editor Jim Catalano.

Nominate someone you know as a High School Hero. Email us at info@gballmag.com.