State tournament time is at last upon us. Why the NJSIAA only counts the first 13 games yet has a cutoff date of Oct. 23 is one of those mysteries of life.
Regardless, the regular season was capped with No. 1 Warren Hills winning a record three Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex titles on Saturday by posting a 1-0 win over No. 5 Hackettstown on the turf at Morrison Field.
There was a time when the Blue Streaks couldn't buy a county championship -- dropping all five of their finals appearances in the former Hunterdon-Warren Tournament. Coach Laurie Kerr's program shared the first HWS title with Newton in 2009 (the final was never played) and beat High Point for the 2011 title.
"Hopefully this is the start of a complete season to the finish line," Kerr said.
Warren Hills (16-3-1) certainly has bigger fish to fry with the ultimate goal of winning a Group 3 title which has eluded the Warren County school in six previous trips to the state finals. They'll need to be at full strength, as talented freshman forward Dani Profita was slowed in the HWS final after taking a stick below her right knee that required a few stitches after to fix. Profita gave a gutsy effort and remained in the game for several minutes before coming off for medical attention. She ultimately returned, but was limping throughout the remainder of the game.
Credit Hackettstown (12-7) for giving a hard-nosed effort in the loss. The Tigers were overwhelming underdogs and will use this loss a major confidence booster heading into a first-round showdown with No. 2 Voorhees in a tough North 1, Group 2 bracket that includes No. 7 High Point as the No. 3 seed and defending champion West Essex as the No. 2 seed. Parsippany (17-1), which owns two wins over Hackettstown, is the top seed.
"Next year, we want to be back in the championship game," Hackettstown coach Stephen Speirs said after the loss to Warren Hills.
One thing both Kerr and Speirs agreed on, along with several others I polled, is that the county semifinals should also be played on turf. If this is a tournament to be showcased, it's a disservice to the athletes to not play these important games on turf.
"When you have a turf field, you can do so many more skills," Kerr said. "That's why in [NCAA] Division I hockey, you aren't allowed to touch a blade of grass. The competition is great and the skill level is getting better."
Lenape Valley drew the No. 1 seed for the North 1, Group 1 playoffs as the Patriots seek the program's third sectional title and first since 1990. No Sussex County school has won a championship -- 38 for the county overall -- since High Point claimed the North 1, Group 3 crown in 2006.
Now onto the final set of rankings for the regular season:
1. Warren Hills (16-3-1) -- Blue Streaks capped a 3-0 week with a 1-0 victory over No. 5 Hackettstown on Saturday to claim the program's third Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex title. Junior midfielder Nikki Profita scored the winning goal and was named the tournament's MVP. Profita opened the week by scoring three goals in a 4-0 win over co-Skyland Conference Valley Division champion Bernards and had a goal and an assist in a 6-0 shutout of Pingry on Thursday. Coach Laurie Kerr's team can earn a share of the Raritan Division title with a win over Somerville on Tuesday.
Up next: Somerville at home on Tuesday; Princeton at home on Saturday in North 2, Group 3 playoffs.
2. Voorhees (14-4) -- Light week for the Vikings, who posted a 2-0 win over Ridge in a Skyland Conference crossover game on Thursday. Senior forward Ashley Kerekgyarto and sophomore midfielder Isabelle Houser scored the goals, while senior goalie Lauren Pianucci faced just one shot in recording the Hunterdon County school's seventh shutout. Coach Taylor Webb's team drew the No. 4 seed and will host Hackettstown in the opening round of the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.
Up next: at Hunterdon Central on Tuesday; Hackettstown at home on Friday in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.
3. South Hunterdon (15-3) -- Eagles had a short week, posting a 1-0 win in overtime against Montgomery on Tuesday in a Skyland Conference crossover game. Senior forward Amber Dey scored the goal, while senior goalie Samantha Soscia made nine saves for her 12th shutout. The Hunterdon County school will host Valley Division rival Bernards in a 4-5 matchup in the North 2, Group 1 playoffs on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The teams split in the regular season, with South winning on the road, 3-1, on Sept. 6. Bernards prevailed 3-2 in the rematch on Sept. 24.
Up next: Bernards at home on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in the North 2, Group 1 playoffs.
4. Lenape Valley (13-5-1) -- Patriots split a pair of NJAC Freedom Division contests last week, posting a 1-0 win over North Warren on Tuesday before a 2-0 loss at Wallkill Valley on Thursday. Junior forward Kassidy Forik scored the winning goal against North Warren, as coach Kate Rothman's team wrapped up second place in the division standings. The loss to Wallkill was inexplicably the Pats' second to the Rangers this season. It was only the fourth time that Lenape's offense was kept off the board in 19 games. The Pats drew the top seed for the North 1, Group 1 playoffs.
Up next: West Morris at home on Wednesday.
5. Hackettstown (12-7) -- Tigers gave a good account in a 1-0 loss to No. 1 Warren Hills on Saturday in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex title game at Morrison Field. Sophomore goalie Rose Bishop turned away eight shots and made several outstanding saves to keep her team in the game. Earlier in the week, coach Stephen Speirs' team avenged an earlier loss to No. 8 Kittatinny with a 2-0 win at home on Thursday in an NJAC Freedom Division clash. Forwards Kalie Thies and Michelle Carlson scored the goals. The Tigers began the week with a 1-0 loss to Wallkill Valley, which had lost six straight, on Tuesday.
Up next: at Voorhees on Friday in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.
6. Hunterdon Central (15-5) -- Red Devils fall a couple of spots after a 2-1 loss in overtime to previously-unranked Delaware Valley on Thursday in a Skyland Conference crossover contest. It was the first loss to Del Val during coach Jenn Sponzo's 15-year tenure. Central opened last week with a 4-2 win at Hillsborough in a Delaware Division contest as the Red Devils finished second in the standings behind champion Bridgewater-Raritan. Junior forward Kendall Nickel scored goal and had an assist, while senior forward Sarah Pulkowski scored three goals in the win for Central, which earned the top seed for the North 2, Group 4 playoffs.
Up next: Voorhees at home on Tuesday; Old-Bridge-Hillsborough winner at home on Monday in the North 2, Group 4 playoffs.
7. High Point (15-1-3) -- Wildcats went 2-0-1 last week, clinching their fourth straight NJAC American Division title with a 1-0 win over Morris Knolls on Friday in Wantage. The victory also extended the Sussex County school's division unbeaten streak to 54 games dating to 2010. Senior forward Brittany DeLima scored the winning goal. A 51-game division win streak was snapped with Monday's 1-1 tie at No. 9 Sparta. Coach Bev Keur's team, which drew the No. 3 seed for the North 1, Group 2 playoffs, also posted a 1-0 win over Montville on Wednesday with junior forward Alexis Ambrosino scoring the game-winner.
Up next: Ramsey-Parsippany Hills winner at home on Friday in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs.
8. Kittatinny (8-7-3) -- Cougars went 1-1 last week in NJAC Freedom Division matchups, earning a 3-2 win over Jefferson at home on Tuesday and dropping a 2-0 decision at No. 5 Hackettstown on Thursday in a chilly night affair at Morrison Field. Junior forward Melissa Toye and senior forward Brianna McNeel scored goals against the Falcons. Coach Emily Murray's team drew the No. 3 seed for the North 1, Group 1 playoffs.
Up next: Butler-Whippany Park winner at home on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
9. Sparta (10-7-1) -- Spartans capped a 1-1-1 week with a 2-1 victory at Mount Olive on Friday in an NJAC American Division clash. Sophomore forward Rhett Curran scored both goals -- her 13th in the team's last 11 contests. Coach Kristin Savasta's club opened the week with a hard-fought 1-1 tie at home to snap High Point's 51-game divisional win streak. Curran scored the lone goal. Sparta, which drew the No. 5 seed for the North 1, Group 3 playoffs, also dropped a 4-0 decision to Morris Knolls on Wednesday, its second loss by the same score to the Golden Eagles.
Up next: at Wayne Valley on Saturday in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs.
10. Delaware Valley (9-9-1) -- Terriers re-enter the rankings after a big 2-1 win in overtime against No. 6 Hunterdon Central on Thursday, followed by a 2-1 win at Hillsborough on Friday in a pair of Skyland Conference crossover contests. Junior Brianna Skripko and Katie Maddalena scored the goals against the Red Devils, while senior forward Robyn Case and junior Alyssa Orrico scored against the Raiders. Third-year coach Stephanie Carino's team recorded the program's first state tournament win since 2008, a 2-1 victory over Somerville on Monday in the North 2, Group 2 playoffs. No. 8 seed Del Val beat No. 9 Somerville twice during the regular season -- 2-0 on Sept. 6 and 2-0 on Sept. 24.
Up next: at Rumson on Friday in the North 2, Group 2 playoffs.
On the bubble -- Vernon (10-8); Wallkill Valley (8-11).
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