Friday, October 21, 2011

HWS: Blue Streaks, Wildcats ready for title shot

Warren Hills' offensive prowess on the field hockey field normally garners all of the accolades.

But senior midfielder Whitney Kowski knows how good the other side of the ball is for the Warren County school.

"We have a very solid defense with a lot of seniors," Kowski said following Thursday's 8-1 win over Wallkill Valley in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex semifinals. "Our defensive line is very strong."

The defense has yielded only 11 goals in 17 games and only one in three county games this season. Warren Hills (16-1) figures to get a stiffer test on Saturday when it battles unbeaten High Point (15-0) for the HWS championship on the turf at Vernon Township High School. Game time is 4 p.m.

The Blue Streaks have reached three straight finals in the short three-year history of the tri-county tournament. Coach Laurie Kerr's squad was declared co-champion with Newton in the tourney's inaugural year in 2009, but the final was never played due to scheduling conflicts. Last year, Warren Hills lost, 1-0, to Voorhees in the final.

"I feel this year we have very good chemistry and leadership," said Kerr, whose teams are 191-59-11 overall including a mark of 21-10 in county games (9-1 in HWS) during her 12 seasons. "We have a very complete team. We just have to play to our potential."

In the program's rich history, no Warren Hills team has actually won a county title decided on the field. The Streaks are 0-6 all-time in county finals (0-5 Hunterdon-Warren) and this year's group is anxious to be the first to claim the elusive prize.

"It's so exciting to be in the championship [game]," Kowski said. "Two years ago we wanted to play and it didn't happen. We all want to win it so badly."

Senior backs Jen Hylkema and Jamie Miller, freshman Amanda Crampton and senior sweeper Caitlin Clark comprise a talented backfield. Junior goalie Katie Wintersteen has 10 shutouts this season and has given up one goal or fewer in 14 games after devoting a lot of time in the offseason trying to improve her skills.

The defense will be put to the test against a potent High Point offense averaging 4.5 goals per contest.

Seniors Nikki Hull (14 goals, 11 assists) and Brittany Papa (11 goals), along with juniors Darby Smith (19 goals) and Maureen Gill (6 goals) are all capable scorers. Even senior back Bea Cannavale has gotten into the mix with eight goals. Recently, sophomore Carly Satter has joined the party with two goals and four assists in the team's last five games.

Warren Hills also features a well-balanced attack with six players that have notched at least six goals this season. Six different players scored in Thursday's semifinal win.

Senior forward Lindsey Schott (21 goals, 12 assists), who is just getting over a bout with mono, holds the school records for career goals, career assists and career points. Senior forward Kayla Grater has enjoyed a breakout season with 11 goals, while talented freshmen Nikki Profita (3 goals, 6 assists) and Sydney Muntone (seven goals) have been threats in the circle.

"Kids coming off [our] bench would be starters at other schools," Kerr said.

Junior center midfielder Niki Miller has been the glue that holds it all together. A three-year starter, Miller has really stepped up her play this season with 15 goals and 8 assists. Even a ball to the face didn't slow her down in the win over Wallkill Valley, where she scored a goal and assisted on two others in the lopsided victory.

"If we play like we did today we shouldn't have any problems," Miller said after Thursday's game. "We watched [Wallkill Valley] warm up and they didn't show any intensity. Intensity shows [in games]. Going back to the finals and to be able to win a championship is very rewarding."

High Point coach Bev Keur, who earned her 306th win in the semifinals, a 5-1 victory over Belvidere, is looking forward to Saturday's championship battle between the top two teams in the West Jersey area and two of the state's best this season.

"Laurie Kerr runs a great program and they are always tough," Keur said.

High Point and Warren Hills haven't met since the 2009 HWS quarterfinals, a comfortable 4-0 win for the Blue Streaks who were without one of their best players that day, midfielder Toni Popinko, who is now playing at the University of Delaware.

Over the years, coach Keur's 'Cats and Kerr's Streaks have had some great battles.

In 2000, Warren Hills defeated High Point, 2-0, in the Group 3 semifinals. Keur's 2002 squad avenged that loss with a 1-0 win in the Group 3 semis.

Warren Hills is 3-2 all-time against High Point dating to 1996. The teams also spit a pair of meetings in the 1996 and '97 state playoffs when Luanne Ferenci was the Streaks' coach.

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