Belvidere
Coach: Kristin Gaitan (4th season, 40-18-2)
2011 record: 15-5, 8-2 (second place Skyland Conference Valley Division)
Key returnees: F Nicole DeHerde (8 goals, 8 assists), sr.; F Alexa Beaumont (7 goals), sr.; D Kristen Ostrzyzek, sr.; F Alison Bancroft, sr.; MF Sarah Edmiston, sr.; F Erin Sassaman, so.; F Tomi Ayers, sr.
Key losses: MF Laura Cheatham; MF Kasey Keenan (10 assists); MF Morgan Lucas; D McKenna Kels; GK Josee Ritter (12 shutouts); F Tiffany McKenna (27 goals).
Top newcomers: GK Amanda Fisher, sr,; D Sarah Granitzski, sr.; D Danielle White, sr.; D Sarah Woodworth, sr.; MF Meghan Laubach, jr.; MF Natalie Lotter, sr.; F Jamie Wasser, sr.; F-MF Kaitlyn Robinson, jr.; F Ashley Fisher, sr.
Outlook: County Seaters are coming off their best season under Gaitan, finishing with 15 victories for the second straight year and reaching the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex semifinals for the first time in program history. Belvidere also qualified for the state playoffs, a 2-1 loss to Montclair Kimberley. Replacing McKenna's 27 goals on offense and Ritter's 12 shutouts in the cage will be monumental tasks. If the Seaters can score, they could surprise. DeHerde will be the featured player on offense.
Delaware Valley
Coach: Stephanie Carino (2nd season, 6-10-1)
2012 record: 6-10-1, 4-6-1 (fourth place Skyland Conference Raritan Division)
Key returnees: MF Olivia Brogan, sr.; D Caitlin Slusser, sr.; D-MF Kristen Brokaw, jr.; F-MF Caroline Vath (5 goals), so.; D Sawyer Warzybuk, sr.
Key losses: GK Mary Drabich; F Diane Opiekun; F Katie Guiliano.
Top newcomers: MF-D Alyssa Orrico, so.; MF-D Brianna Scripko, so.; GK Jackie Compta, sr.
Outlook: Terriers are coming off back-to-back six-win seasons and lost their best player in Drabich, one of the top goalies in the conference. Her loss will be felt. The duties in the cage fall on Compta, who will have to get up to speed quickly in a very tough conference and division. Carino is excited for her second season and says the Terriers will have plenty of leadership this season. If the offense, which produced 24 goals in 17 games last season, can improve, so can the team's win total.
Hackettstown
Coach: Stephen Speirs (3rd season, 14-21-1)
2011 record: 6-13, 4-4 (third place NJAC Freedom Division)
Key returnees: D Julia Derco, sr.; F Stefania Swider, sr; MF Nicole Andes, jr.; F Sierramarie Fitzgerald, jr.; F Michelle Carlson, jr.; F Kelly Healy, so.; Marissa Siconolfi, so.
Key losses: F Kaitlin Perch; F Megan Healy; GK Tanya Volkert; D Rebecca Connelly; F Danielle DeGraw.
Top newcomers: GK Jessia Huffman, sr.; D Allana Fitzgerald, so.; D Michaela Sass, fr.; F Samantha Strathern, fr.
Outlook: Tigers are entering their fourth season in the NJAC and are looking to get above the .500 mark for the first time since 2009. Derco and Swider are solid players to build around, but the loss of Volkert in the cage will hurt. Hackettstown is a bit more experience after starting last season with 13 first-year players. Numbers in the program are up, according to Speirs who says the defense will be solid this season. It will need to be after the offense produced a total of 15 goals in 19 games in 2011.
Hunterdon Central
Coach: Jenn Sponzo (14th season, 177-92-16)
2011 record: 14-10, 7-5 (third place Skyland Conference Delaware Division)
Key returnees: F Nicole Barrett (7 goals, 8 assists), sr.; MF Chloe Maurice, sr.; MF Allison Baligian, jr.; F Taylor Barrett, so.; F Kendall Nickel, so.; D Emily Grube, sr.; GK Fran Orella, sr.; D Annie Hosler, jr.
Key losses: F Kim Engelhart; F Rebecca Jaeger; MF Kristen Given; MF Julie Earle.
Top newcomers: F Carissa Benedickson, jr.; MF Morgan Lojek, jr.; D Megan Brady, sr.; D Hailey Kohler, jr.; F Sarah Pulkowski, jr.
Outlook: After posting the program's lowest win total in 25 years, the Red Devils rebounded in a big way last season with 14 wins and capturing the North 2, Group 4 sectional championship (its sixth under Sponzo who is the school's all-time coaching wins leader) before falling to Bridgewater-Raritan in the Group 4 semifinals. Offensively, Central made a huge leap -- going from 11 goals in 2010 to 48 a year ago. Engelhart (team-high 20 goals) is a big loss as she was the heart and soul last year. Nicole Barrett will be counted on to fill the scoring void. Defense is the team's strength with Maurice, one of the top players in West Jersey. Orella stepped up nicely in the cage last season, particularly down the stretch. Expect Central to be a championship contender once again.
North Hunterdon
Coach: Stacy Ditze (5th season, 34-58-2)
2011 record: 2-15, 2-10 (sixth place Skyland Conference Delaware Division)
Key returnees: F Keaton Gray, sr.; MF Sophia Latriano, sr.; MF Amanda Lambert, jr.; MF Emily Baldwin, jr.
Key losses: MF Jenn Lambert; F Monica Chamberlin; D Michaela Martino; GK Felicia Heard; MF/D Sam Kose.
Top newcomers: D Isabella Desmaris, sr.; GK Bridget Walsh, sr.
Outlook: Lions are coming off one of their toughest seasons in recent years after falling on strokes in the North 1, Group 4 playoffs in 2010. North was extremely young a year ago with only four returning letterwinners. This season, 15 of the 21 players currently on the varsity roster are seniors. Ditze will be counting on Gray to help lead an offense that was shut out 11 times last season and scored a total of seven goals. Latriano also is a nice player in the midfield. Walsh replaces Heard (a fine goalie) in the cage. Could be another tough season in a rugged division, but expect the Lions to be improved.
North Warren
Coach: Laura Kasa (3rd season, 5-31-1)
2011 record: 5-12-1, 2-8 (fifth place Skyland Conference Valley Division)
Key returnees: F Jessica Towey, so.; D Kathleen Wadiak, jr.; GK Rebecca Hendershot, jr.; F Laura Gessler, jr.
Key losses: GK Madison Moore; F Jenna Norgard; MF Giuliana Lorusso.
Top newcomers: F Megan Stevens, so.
Outlook: Talk about your improvements. After a winless campaign in 2010, the Patriots won five games a year ago and showed a marked improvement in their ability to compete. A win in their first game snapped a 23-game skid dating to 2009. Offensively, North went from two goals in 19 games to 19 goals in 18 games last season. Towey (team-high six goals) made a splash as a freshman and is back to lead that unit. Defensively, the Pats allowed 59 goals compared to 96 in 2010. Losing Moore in the cage hurts, but Hendershot, a converted forward, has stepped up to the challenge, according to Kasa. After a summer of camps and training, the coach expects bigger things from this group in 2012 -- the first year that North Warren will be competing in the NJAC Freedom Division.
Phillipsburg
Coach: Jennifer Paulus (2nd season, 10-11)
2011 record: 10-11, 4-8 (fifth place Skyland Conference Raritan Division)
Key returnees: F Katie Decker, sr. (9 goals); MF Molly Zgoda, sr. (6 goals); GK Brittany Lavin, sr.; F Clare Smith, sr.; MF Mariya Saydek, sr.; D Allyson Butler, sr.; D Renee Custodio, sr.; F Kelly Jankowski, jr.; MF Gabby Morena, sr.; F Katy Frey, sr.; F Marissa Perino, jr.; MF Gabby Jackson, jr.; F Janelle Jackson, jr.; MF Emily DiMarco, so.
Key losses: F Lauren Nunes (9 goals); F Priscilla Howell (12 goals); MF Cassie Fortuna; D Autumn Marinelli
Top newcomers: Lacey O'Dowd, fr.; Kylie Marhold, fr.; Ellie Zgoda, fr.
Outlook: Stateliners, who return seven starters, really came on in the second half last season, winning six of their last 10 games and reaching the North 1, Group 4 semifinals after state playoff wins against North Hunterdon and Westfield. Decker was a big reason for the team's success down the stretch with seven goals in those 10 games, including two in the playoffs. Decker and Zgoda will anchor the offense this season, while Lavin (three-year starter in the cage), Saydek and Custodio pace the defense. Also keep an eye on DiMarco, who saw significant time in the second half last year. If this team gets consistent goal scoring, watch out.
Voorhees
Coach: Taylor Webb (2nd season, 14-4)
2011 record: 14-4, 10-2 (second place Skyland Conference Raritan Division)
Key returnees: MF Tori Crans, jr.; F Ashley Kerekgyarto (5 goals), jr.; D Alex Barish, jr.; D Anna McLees, sr.; F-MF Sara Diacik, sr.
Key losses: F Antoinette Metzler; MF Cat Chen; MF Erin Miller; F Kat Francis; GK Kimmie Pianucci; D Taylor Irving.
Top newcomers: F-MF Hannah Ryan, so.; F-MF Kathryn Roncoroni, fr.
Outlook: Vikings enjoyed a fine season last year, winning two state playoff games before dropping a tough 1-0 decision to sectional champion Johnson in the tough North 2, Group 3 draw. Lack of a consistent offensive attack against quality opponents hurt this group a year ago and that will be the key to staying in the championship hunt for one of the top programs in New Jersey. Kerekgyarto is leading returning scorer with the departure of Metzler and Irving (combined 23 goals). The biggest loss to overcome is in the cage, where Pianucci (9 shutouts in 2011, 23 total last two years) was among the finest goalies ever produced out of the Hunterdon County powerhouse. Defensively, last year's unit allowed one goal or fewer in all but one game. Lots of questions surrounding the Vikes for the first time in awhile, but you can expect tradition and an outstanding coaching staff will guide this team along.
Warren Hills
Coach: Laurie Kerr (12th season, 197-59-11)
2011 record: 22-2, 11-1 (first place Skyland Conference Raritan Division)
Key returnees: MF Niki Miller, sr. (22 goals, 14 assists); MF Nikki Schott, jr. (9 goals, 7 assists); GK Katie Wintersteen, sr. (13 shutouts); F Meghan Dempski, sr; F Sydney Muntone, so.; F Nikki Profita, so.; D Amanda Crampton, so.
Key losses: F Lindsey Schott (27 goals, school record); MF Whitney Kowski; D Jen Hylkema; F Kayla Grater (16 goals); F Sarah Detrick; D Jamie Miller; D Caitlin Clark.
Top newcomers: F Shannon Zignoli, jr; MF Melanie Loth, jr; D Allie Brouhard, so.; F Julie DeSanto, fr.
Outlook: Blue Streaks are annually in the championship discussion and this year they could be the favorites for a Group 3 state title that has eluded this program since its first finals appearance in 1996. The graduation are losses are huge, make no mistake, as Scott and Kowski enjoyed spectacular seasons a year ago, helping to lead the program to its first county championship. Niki Miller is one of the top all-around players ever to don the Blue and White and she will take her talents to UMass next year. Nikki Schott is an exceptional distributor, though her assists dipped from 16 to seven last year. Wintersteen, a three-year starter, was key a year ago as her continued improvement in the cage helped the Streaks reach the North 2, Group 3 final where they lost 3-2 to Group 3 champ Freehold Boro. Barring injuries, this could be a special season in Washington.
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