At the end of last season, Heidi Cyphert all but promised the Pinelands Regional girls flag football squad will be back in the Shore Conference championship game this year.

“We’re going to be back, and we’ll be better,” said Cyphert following an 18-12 loss to Rumson-Fair Haven, as the Wildcats fell short of the conference crown in their first shot at playing in the final, and finished 9-2. “We have almost everybody coming back next year, so we’re planning to be here again.”

Of course, planning to be there and getting there are two different things.