As we close the curtain on another field hockey season, let's take a look at the final Open Mike rankings for the 2012 season.
Players, get yourselves into club programs. After watching South Jersey dominate once again in the state finals on Sunday, it's imperative if we are to have any championship teams up our way.
Have a great offseason and see you next fall.
1. Warren Hills (22-3) -- Blue Streaks won their 10th sectional championship and lost to a very tough Ocean City team in the Group 3 final. Senior forward Niki Miller closed the books on a stellar career with 61 goals and 57 assists. Her 25 goals this season were third-most on the school's single-season list, while the all-time assists leader shattered the previous single-season mark of 18 with 29 assists this season. The UMass recruit also set a single-season points record with 79, while ranking second in career goals and points. The Streaks also matched the 2011 team for most wins. Sophomores Nikki Profita and Sydney Muntone each scored 19 goals.
2. Voorhees (13-5-1) -- Vikings made a valiant run to the North 2, Group 2 semifinals -- falling 2-1 to top-seeded Rumson, which won the title and lost in OT to West Essex in the Group 2 semis. Freshman midfielder Kathryn Roncoroni finished with a team-high 12 goals and scored against Rumson. Voorhees also captured its 10th county championship -- beating Warren Hills, 2-0, in the semifinals and High Point, 1-0, in the title game for its second Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex title.
3. High Point (18-4-1) -- Wildcats stormed their way to the North 1, Group 3 sectional semifinals as the No. 5 seed -- knocking off No. 4 Ramsey and No. 1 Lakeland before falling, 4-1, to West Essex in the title game. It was the third straight year that coach Bev Keur's team fell in the final. Despite heavy graduation losses, the 'Cats claimed their third straight NJAC American Division title and will enter 2013 riding a 39-game divisional win streak. Senior midfielder Darby Smith, who is heading to UConn, capped her fine career as the school's all-time goals and points leader. She was second in the HWS area with 27 goals in 2012.
4. Hunterdon Central (13-9) -- Red Devils ended their season with a 4-0 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan, the eight-time Group 4 runner-up, in the North 2, Group 4 sectional semifinals. Coach Jenn Sponzo's team reached the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex semifinals -- falling 1-0 to High Point. Forward Kendall Nickel led the team in scoring with 16 goals and six assists. Central posted two postseason wins -- beating Manalapan, 4-0, and West Windsor-South, 4-1. Nickel scored three goals and had two assists in those wins.
5. Phillipsburg (10-10) -- The Stateliners were stunned, 2-0, by Ridge in the opening round of the North 1, Group 4 playoffs after beating the Red Devils, 2-1, earlier in the season. Coach Jen Paulus' team played Hunterdon Central tough in two losses this season -- 2-0 and 2-1 -- and scored a 1-0 win over Morristown, the top seed in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs. Senior forward Katie Decker (seven goals) was named the team's offensive MVP, while senior back Renee Custodio earned defensive honors. Senior midfielder Molly Zgoda led the 'Liners with 10 assists.
6. Wallkill Valley (13-6-2) -- Rangers really came on late in the year, winning six in a row before an 8-0 loss to West Essex in the North 1, Group 2 quarterfinals. Coach Irene Chernati's team beat High Point, 1-0, during that win streak and Westwood, 1-0, in the sectional playoffs. Senior goalie Emily Stukenborg anchored a defense that produced 12 shutouts. No team in the area played as many tight games, as Wallkill had 11 end in 1-0 scores -- winning nine. In all, 14 of the Rangers' games were decided by one goal.
7. South Hunterdon (15-6-1) -- Eagles claimed a share of the Skyland Conference Valley Division title with Bernards, splitting a pair of meetings this season. Forward Kaycee Zelkovsky was the HWS area's long 30-goal scorer this season and helped the Hunterdon County school reach the North 2, Group 1 semifinals where it lost to state power Oak Knoll, 7-0, the Group 1 champion. South, which had two postseason wins, also played High Point tough in a 2-1 loss in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex quarterfinals.
8. Pope John (11-6-2) -- Lions surprised in coach Gina DiMaio's first season at the helm. After a 1-3-2 start, PJ won 10 of 13, losing only to Montville, Warren Hills (Group 3 runner-up) and Parsippany (NJAC Freedom Division champion). Forward Rachel Spetz led the team with 12 goals and nine assists. Along the way, the Lions knocked off DiMaio's former program at Hackettstown, 2-1, in the HWS first round, and avenged a 3-1 loss to Morris Knolls with a 2-1 win on Oct. 9. The Lions also won a state playoff game -- beating River Dell, 3-0, in the North 1, Group 2 draw.
9. Belvidere (9-7-1) -- County Seaters closed out their season with a 4-0 loss to Mountain Lakes in the North 1, Group 1 playoffs and a 4-1 loss to Bernards in the regular-season finale. After a 3-3-1 start, coach Kristin Gaitan's team won six of seven, losing, 1-0, to High Point in that stretch in the opening round of the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament. Forward Nicole DeHerde led the team in scoring with nine goals and five assists.
10. Newton (10-8) -- Braves saw their season end in tough fashion with a 4-1 loss at home to Jefferson in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs. The teams split two previous meetings, with Newton winning, 3-1, three days earlier in an NJAC Freedom Division contest. The loss of senior forward Melanie Rudio with a knee injury early in the campaign did not help the Braves' cause. Stephanie Mocerino (12 goals) and midfielder Katherine Kellenberger (nine assists) helped pick up the slack for coach Lisa Becthel's team.
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