Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.
The fall season is upon us and it's time to get rolling. We'll start with a look at the field hockey landscape in Sussex County, followed by a tour of the Hunterdon-Warren areas.
The information below was provided by coaches and some of my own statistical info.
High Point
Coach: Bev Keur (21st season, 291-111-14 in three stints)
2010 record: 22-2, 14-0 NJAC (first place American Division)
Key returnees: MF Sarah Clark, sr. (4 goals, 10 assists); D Bea Cannavale, sr. (7 goals); F Maureen Gill, jr. (7 goals); MF Sashal Hagan, sr. (9 assists); F Nikki Hull, sr. (16 goals, 16 assists); F Darby Smith, jr. (22 goals); F Brittany Papa, sr. (16 goals); F Michaela Macken, jr; GK Kelsey Stoll, sr. (13 shutouts, .828 save percentage).
Key losses: F Jess Armstrong; D Rebecca Nelson; D Emily Slate; D Rebecca Van Horn; F Carly Swanson.
Top newcomers: D Kelsey Fleury, sr.; D Stephanie Green, sr.; D Shannon Havens, sr.; D Katie Kohle, sr; F Hana Uchida, sr.; F Alyssa Vealey, sr; D Erica Williams, sr; F Kimberley Stromel, jr.
Outlook: Wildcats lost eight seniors to graduation, however only three were starters. High Point is clearly the top team in the county and will make noise in both the county and North 1, Group 3 tournaments. The 'Cats, who lost 4-3 in overtime to West Morris in last year's sectional final, return players that accounted for 76 of the team's 85 goals last season. Stoll is a solid keeper and will anchor a relatively new cast on defense.
Newton
Coach: Lisa Bechtel (22nd season, 320-98-9)
2010 record: 18-4, 7-0 NJAC (first place Freedom Division)
Key returnees: MF Alicia Grotyohann, sr. (2 goals, 4 assists); GK Amanda Norman, sr. (14 shutouts); F/MF Melanie Rudio, jr. (12 goals, 6 assists); D Sam Hofmann, sr.
Key losses: F Ashley Mosner (22 goals); F Paige Mosner (9 goals, 13 assists); MF Emily Burd (4 goals, 7 assists); D Harley McMahon (8 assists).
Top newcomers: N/A.
Outlook: Braves were hit hard by graduation and will look to Rudio and Grotyohann for leadership and offense. Norman was solid in the cage last season, but McMahon and company took a lot of the heat off their keeper. Norman will be tested more this season, putting more pressure on both the offense and defense if the Braves are to be successful again. The schedule is not very difficult outside of a Sept. 26 date at home against Madison, which Newton beat 2-1 last season. The Braves play every team in the county at least once, except High Point and Sparta.
Wallkill Valley
Coach: Irene Chernati (26th season, 320-161-5)
2010 record: 12-7, 5-3 (third place NJAC Freedom)
Key returnees: MF Brittany Harlos, sr. (8 goals); D Kristina Garrera, sr.; F Andreanna Nordland, jr. (9 goals); D Katie Bencivenga, sr.; GK Emily Stukenborg, jr. (9 shutouts).
Key losses: MF Meg Lermond; F Taylor Clayton (7 goals); Sara Struble.
Top newcomers: F Olivia Ganz, jr. Kylee Kulsar; F Felicia Wetzel, sr. (transfer from Pope John).
Outlook: Rangers have a solid nucleus with Harlos, Garrera, Nordland, Bencivenga and Stukenborg. Harlos was among the top players in West Jersey last season and is arguably the top player in Sussex County this season. Nordland scored 17 goals as a freshman, but the entire offense struggled in 2010. Take away a pair of five-goal wins over Blair and Lenape Valley, and Wallkill totaled 20 goals in its other 17 games. The Rangers scored one goal or fewer in 14 games and lost five of those, finishing with a nice 2-1 run in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.
Vernon
Coach: Hollyce Schoepp (2nd season, 10-9-1)
2010 record: 10-9-1, 8-5-1 NJAC American Division
Key returnees: MF Steph Peterson, sr. (6 goals, 10 assists); F Melody Prisco, sr.; F Kayla Turner-Boss, sr.; MF Jessica Lambert, sr.; MF Kate Moran, sr.; F Rachel Colvin, jr.; GK Rhonda Richardsen, sr.
Key loss: F Lauren Poppe (23 goals).
Top newcomers: D Julie Cacace, so.
Outlook: Vikings lost one of the tri-county's top players in Poppe, but seven starters return from a team that reached the North 1, Group 4 final. Vernon lost to Phillipsburg, 8-1 in the semifinals, but the Warren County school was disqualified for playing too many games and the Vikes advanced by default, losing 5-0 to a very good Montclair squad in the title game. Look for the Vikings, now housed in North 1, Group 3, to improve on last year's win total.
Pope John
Coach: Susan Blanchard (3rd season, 21-18-2)
2010 record: 4-14-1, 3-9-1 NJAC American Division
Key returnees: MF Meghan Chrobock, sr.; F Shannon Connell, sr.; D Lauren Grosso, sr.; F Genna Lapola, sr.; MF Sydney Logan, sr.; F Lydia Hoff, jr.; F Madison Zavoda, jr.; F Kimberly Piwko, sr.
Key losses: MF Caroline McKinley (8 goals); GK Eliza Hinkes; F Felicia Wetzel (transferred to Wallkill Valley).
Top newcomers: GK Jenna Gloria, sr; D Katie Gallagher, jr.; D Nicola Sarao, so.; D Rachel Spetz, jr.
Outlook: Lions are one of the more intriguing teams. After a disappointing season in 2010 following a highly-successful campaign in Blanchard's first season, Pope John will be looking to climb toward the .500 mark and beyond in 2011. The defensive side is young, but Blanchard feels the offense will be a factor after last year's unit struggled to get the ball in the cage (24 goals in 19 games). Keep and eye on Chrobock, who inherits McKinley's spot at center-mid.
Kittatinny
Coach: Heather (Grimm) Reynolds (3rd season, 13-19-3)
2010 record: 4-10-2, 1-5-1 NJAC Freedom Division
Key returnees: F Savannah Quinn, sr; F Dylan Bradley, sr.; F Sam Hennet, jr.; F Lyle Freeman, jr.; MF/F Michaela Virga, sr.; MF/D Katie Kandel, sr.; MF/D Molly DeLaney, sr.; D Nicole Mazzacchi, sr.; GK Melissa Calascibetta, sr.
Key losses: D Charlotte Case; Jackie Romaine; F Sara GaNung..
Top newcomers: F Megan Calascibetta, jr.; D Dana Yanvary, fr.
Outlook: Cougars struggled last season on both ends, but figure to be improved this season, particularly on offense with virtually the entire forward line back this season. Case is a huge loss, one of the top backs in the county the previous two years.
Lenape Valley
Coach: Kate Rothman (first season)
2010 record: 1-15-2, 0-7-1 NJAC Freedom Division
Key returnees: MF Jenna Tambasco, sr.; MF Meg Delagrange, sr.; GK Deanna Utter, sr.
Key losses: F Alyx Direnzo; D Val Collins.
Top newcomers: N/A
Outlook: Rothman is the only new coach in the county, taking over for Joanne Hoover, whose teams went 84-115-13 the previous 11 seasons. Patriots are expected to be a young team trying to get better each game, which isn't the easiest thing in a tough conference and area.
Sparta
Coach: Emily Scott (eighth season)
2010 record: 2-15-1, 0-13-1 NJAC American Division
Key returnees: MF Maya Drummond, jr.; GK Jacquee Quinn, sr.
Key losses: MF Jen Silvestri; F Katie Kerbel; F Jenna Kennan; F Erica Roberts; MF Sam Casey; F Callie Rose.
Top newcomers: D Liz Anderson, so.; D Lauren Hunt, jr.; D Caitlin Forsyth, sr.; D Alison Hurley, so.; D Emily Melberger, so.; F Maggie DePaul, jr.
Outlook: Spartans have struggled the last three years, going 9-43-2 over that time. Scott is excited about this year's group, despite losing 10 players to graduation.
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