Sunday, October 29, 2017

Field hockey: HWS schedule for Oct. 30-Nov. 4

Monday. Oct. 30


(All games 2 p.m., unless noted)

NJSIAA playoffs

North 1, Group 1 semifinals

Newton at Belvidere

Skyland Conference

Watchung Hills at North Hunterdon, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 31


(All games 2 p.m., unless noted)

NJSIAA playoffs

North 1, Group 1 semifinals

Lenape Valley at Wallkill Valley

North 2, Group 1 semifinals

Point Pleasant Boro at Delaware Valley

North 1, Group 3 semifinals

Mendham at Warren Hills, 4 p.m.

North 2, Group 2 semifinals

Voorhees at Rumson-Fair Haven, 4 p.m.
Hackettstown at Bernards

Wednesday, Nov. 1


(All games 2 p.m., unless noted)

NJSIAA playoffs

North 1, Group 1 semifinals

Belvidere at Wallkill Valley

North 2, Group 1 semifinals

Delaware Valley at Madison

North 1, Group 4 semifinals

Phillipsburg at Morristown

North 2, Group 4 semifinals

Old Bridge vs. Hunterdon Central, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 2


(Both games 4 p.m.)

NJSIAA playoffs

North 1, Group 3 final

West Morris at Warren Hills

North 2, Group 2 final

Hackettstown at Rumson-Fair Haven

Friday, Nov. 3


NJSIAA playoffs

North 1, Group 1 final

Boonton at Wallkill Valley

North 2, Group 4 final

Hunterdon Central at Bridgewater-Raritan

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Field hockey: Sectional quarters, semis matchups

The 10 remaining teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area in bold:

North 1

Group 4

4-Phillipsburg at 1-Morristown
3-Montclair at 2-Randolph

Note: Games to be played on Wednesday; final on Friday

Group 3

4-Mendham at 1-Warren Hills
3-Chatham at 2-West Morris

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 2

4-Westwood at 1-West Essex
3-West Milford at 2-Lakeland

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 1

9-Whippany Park at 1-Ramsey
5-Pequannock at 4-Boonton
6-Newton at 3-Belvidere
7-Lenape Valley at 2-Wallkill Valley

Note: Games to be played on Monday; semifinals on Wednesday; final on Friday

North 2

Group 4

4-East Brunswick at 1-Bridgewater-Raritan
3-Old Bridge at 2-Hunterdon Central

Note: Games to be played on Wednesday; final on Friday

Group 3

4-Summit at 1-Colts Neck
7-Freehold Borough at 6-Middletown North

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 2

5-Voorhees at 1-Rumson-Fair Haven
3-Hackettstown at 2-Bernards

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 1

8-Bordentown at 1-Shore
5-Metuchen at 4-Johnson
6-Point Pleasant Boro at 3-Delaware Valley
7-Glen Ridge at 2-Madison

Note: Games to be played on Monday; semifinals on Wednesday; final on Friday, Nov. 3

Central

Group 4

4-Lenape at 1-Toms River North
3-Rancocas Valley at 2-Freehold Township

Note: Games to be played on Wednesday; final on Friday

Group 3

4-Northern Burlington at 1-Moorestown
3-Burlington Township at 2-Allentown

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 2

5-Manasquan at 1-Robbinsville
6-Seneca at 2-Wall Township

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 1

8-Riverside at 1-Cinnaminson
5-Gloucester at 4-Haddon Township
6-Collingswood at 3-Haddon Heights
7-Maple Shade at 2-Haddonfield

Note: Games to be played on Monday; semifinals on Wednesday; final on Friday

South

Group 4

4-Southern at 1-Eastern
3-Kingsway at 2-Shawnee

Note: Games to be played on Wednesday; final on Friday

Group 3

5-Absegami at 1-Clearview
3-Mainland at 2-Ocean City

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 2

4-Cedar Creek at 1-West Deptford
6-Sterling at 2-Delsea

Note: Games to be played on Tuesday; final on Thursday

Group 1

8-Overbrook at 1-Woodstown
5-Pennsville at 4-Middle Township
6-Clayton at 3-Pitman
7-Buena at 2-Schalick

Note: Games to be played on Monday; semifinals on Wednesday; final on Friday

Non-Public North

8-Mount St. Dominic at 1-Oak Knoll
5-St. John Vianney at 4-Pingry
6-Montclair Kimberley at 3-Kent Place
10-Newark Academy at 2-Morristown-Beard

Games to be played on Wednesday; semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 4; final on Wednesday, Nov. 8

Non-Public South

8-Gloucester Catholic at 1-Red Bank Catholic
5-Camden Catholic at 4-St. Joseph-Hammonton
6-Moorestown Friends at 3-Notre Dame
7-Holy Cross at 2-Bishop Eustace

Games to be played on Wednesday; semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 4; final on Wednesday, Nov. 8

Friday, October 27, 2017

Field hockey: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex standings

(Through Thursday's games)

Skyland Conference
Delaware Division
Overall
Division
x-Bridgewater-Raritan
(15-5)
(12-2)
Hunterdon Central
(13-6-1)
(9-4-1)
Pingry
(11-7)
(8-6)
Hillsborough
(5-13)
(4-10)
Ridge
(9-11)
(5-9)
Raritan Division
Overall
Division
xy-Warren Hills
(20-2)
(15-0)
Voorhees
(14-5)
(12-3)
Phillipsburg
(9-10-1)
(6-8-1)
Montgomery
(8-11)
(6-9)
North Hunterdon
(2-16)
(1-13)
Watchung Hills
(2-16)
(0-14)
Valley Division
Overall
Division
xy-Bernards
(19-1-1)
(10-0)
Delaware Valley
(13-3-1)
(8-2)
Somerville
(10-10)
(5-5)
Franklin
(5-12-1)
(1-8-1)
Mountain Division
Overall
Division
x-Belvidere
(13-5)
(8-2)
South Hunterdon
(6-10)
(5-5)
Mount St. Mary
(3-12-1)
(1-8-1)
North Plainfield
(1-12-3)
(0-8-2)
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
Freedom Division
Overall
Division
x-Hackettstown
(14-4)
(5-1)
Vernon
(10-6-3)
(2-1-3)
High Point
(7-8-3)
(1-3-2)
Lenape Valley
(6-10-2)
(1-4-1)
American Division
Overall
Division
x-Mount Olive
(12-6)
(8-0)
Jefferson
(10-8-1)
(5-2-1)
Sparta
(5-13-2)
(3-3-2)
Pope John
(4-13-3)
(2-5-1)
Morris Hills
(0-19)
(0-8)
Colonial Division
Overall
Division
x-Wallkill Valley
(18-2)
(6-0)
Newton
(9-7)
(4-2)
North Warren
(5-14)
(2-4)
Kittatinny
(2-18)
(0-6)
x-division champion
y-county champion

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Field hockey: Vikes rebound in 1st round of playoffs

Voorhees' field hockey team is no stranger to making deep runs in the sectional tournament.

But the Vikings find themselves in the unfamiliar role of underdogs as they prepare to defend their title in the North 2, Group 2 playoffs. Coach Taylor Webb's team, the No. 5 seed, rolled to a 7-1 win  over No. 4 South Plainfield in a quarterfinal matchup on Thursday.

Voorhees (14-5) will next travel to top-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven for a semifinal clash on Tuesday. Hackettstown (14-4) will take on No. 2 Bernards (19-1-1) in the other semifinal. The winners will meet in the title game on Thursday.

"We look at it like a fresh start to the season, and we've never seen some of these teams before [during the regular season]," said Webb after a 5-0 loss to Warren Hills this past Tuesday.

Voorhees (13-5), which captured the program's seventh section title overall and its first since 2006 with a 1-0 victory in overtime against Hackettstown in last year's final, scored a 2-1 win in overtime against South Plainfield in the 2015 semifinals, the only other postseason meeting between the schools.

The Vikes, who are 59-40 all-time in postseason games, are in one of the tougher brackets in the sectional playoffs with top-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven, last year's Group 2 runner-up now in this section after being housed for many years in Central Jersey, Group 2, looming in the semifinals.

Hackettstown (13-4), which scored a 5-1 win over No. 6 Cranford in the quarterfinals dropped a 3-0 decision to Rumson-Fair Haven on Oct. 3, while Bernards recently scored a 1-0 victory over Bridgewater-Raritan to win its first Somerset County Tournament title since 1989.

Voorhees, which has won eight of its last 10 games, is hoping strength of schedule will play to its advantage after playing regular-season games against state power West Essex, along with conference clashes vs. perennial Group 4 runner-up Bridgewater-Raritan, Group 3 runner-up Warren Hills and Hunterdon Central.

"I like to think the decision to [play some of the top programs] will prepare us for this level," said Webb, who is 111-30-4 overall and has guided her alma mater to three straight sectional finals in her seven seasons, while winning three as a player under former coach Ann Bonavita.

Sophomore forward Cassie Boyce (13 goals, 14 assists) and senior Erin Shaw (16, 7), along with senior midfielder Laura Chen (14, 8) and sophomore forward Brooke Hyland (13, 4) help lead a Voorhees offense, which was kept off the board for the first time this season by Warren Hills on Tuesday and is averaging nearly four goals per game.

Defense, which has been a hallmark of Voorhees teams, is yielding just one goal per game and has held opponents to one or fewer in 17 games. Senior back Sarah Matyas, who made a nice goal-line save in Tuesday's loss, is one of the top players in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. Webb said the loss of sophomore defender Ryleigh Cameron (head injury) in a 2-1 loss at Warren Hills on Oct. 7, was a tough blow to the unit.

"She took a stick to the head," Webb said. "Sophomore Stef Fabroni has done a nice job shifting between the midfield and back."

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Field hockey: Streaks pin down Vikes for division title

WASHINGTON TWP. -- Warren Hills' field hockey team may not be looking too far ahead, but the Blue Streaks are going to be one tough out if they continue to keep playing like they did again on Tuesday.

Senior forward Rebecca Sigman scored her team-leading 23rd goal and added a pair of assists as Warren Hills cruised to a 5-0 win over nemesis Voorhees to clinch the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title on the turf at Warren Hills School District Stadium.

Warren Hills (19-2, 14-0 division), which has won 14 in a row, can run the table in division play with a victory at home against Phillipsburg on Wednesday afternoon in a final tuneup before the top-seeded Blue Streaks begin their march toward a sixth straight sectional title by hosting No. 9 Montville in their North 1, Group 3 opener on Friday at 2 p.m.

"We showed up to play today. They were excited and motivated," said first-year Warren Hills coach Josie Potter, whose team is the first in program history to defeat Voorhees three times in a season. "It's awesome. We played some of our best hockey today. Voorhees is a very strong team."

Warren Hills won the first two meetings against Voorhees (13-5, 12-3) -- both 2-1 scores -- in the first regular-season clash on Sept. 22 and in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinals on Oct. 7. Going by series history, these rivals usually play tight games, but this was the most lopsided result since the Streaks scored a 5-0 win in the 2014 HWS final. It's also the most goals allowed by Voorhees this season, which also dropped 2-1 decisions to West Essex and Bridgewater-Raritan.

"I'm really happy to be a part of it," said Sigman, who needs seven goals to become just the second Warren Hills player to score at least 30 goals in a season (Dani Profita scored a record 41 in 2015). "We came into this game ready to play. It's exciting to [win the division and beat Voorhees three times]."

Senior midfielder Tali Popinko made it 1-0 when she connected off a penalty corner -- taking a pass from freshman Ashley Moskal on the left side and making a nice sweeping shot across the cage to put the ball into the right corner for her 14th goal of the season. Sophomore Samantha Dugan made it 2-0 later in the first half off a feed from Sigman before Moskal gave Warren Hills a commanding three-goal cushion with 3:24 to go before the break.

"We started on our heels again and you have to be able to bounce back," said Voorhees coach Taylor Webb, who was extremely disappointed with the officiating in such a high-level game. "The refs didn't lose the game for us. Warren Hills beat us, they won the game. They have a certain style that makes you change your game. But if the officials aren't going to call stick fouls ... it killed momentum."

Dugan's goal came off a corner play that Potter had just implemented during the previous day's practice.

"We haven't been the most consistent on [corners], but when we're on, we're on, and today was one of those days," said Potter, whose team scored four of its five goals off corners. "You see some of these teams so often, you need to throw something different at them."

Sigman connected early in the second half and senior midfielder Mikayla Dugan capped the scoring with her 10th goal in the closing seconds.

Though the offense usually generates headlines, credit what's looking like a stout Warren Hills defense for keeping Voorhees, which still owns a 33-24-6 advantage in the all-time series dating to 1975, off the board for the first time this season. Along with Ashley Moskal, backs Sydney Moskal and Jess DeSanto work in tandem with sweeper Kate Fenner to form what Potter calls "The Wall" in front of goalie Maggie Titus. Ashley Moskal, a super talented freshman, was named MVP in the Streaks' 1-0 win over Hunterdon Central on Saturday in the HWS final, while a lineup switch earlier this season, has really helped solidify the unit, which has yielded just six goals during the 14-game win streak.

"We moved Sydney [who was the sweeper all of last year] to center back and Kate to sweeper, and DeSanto has really stepped up for us," Potter said. "Maggie has only been seeing a handful of shots in the majority of games. The defense is playing at a championship level."

What was a huge question mark coming into the season is now a strength for Warren Hills as it aims for the program's 15th sectional title and a sixth straight trip to the Group 3 final after winning championships in 2014 and '15.

"They have amazed us," Sigman said of the defense. "We had Sydney coming back, but we have two sophomores [Fenner was an offensive player in 2016 and DeSanto is a first-year starter] and a freshman [A. Moskal] back there. We're just going to keep pushing and try to do our best."

Voorhees (13-5, 12-3)                         0                0          --    0
Warren Hills (19-2, 14-0)                    3                2          --    5

Scoring

First half -- WH, Tali Popinko, 14th, (Ashley Moskal), 19:52; WH, Samantha Dugan, 18th, (Rebecca Sigman), 5:24; WH, Moskal, 3rd, (Alyssa Appleby), 3:24.

Second half -- WH, Sigman, 23rd, 25:28; WH, Mikayla Dugan, 10th, (Sigman), :37.

Shots -- Voorhees 6; Warren Hills 17.

Saves -- Courtney Wellet 11, Sarah Matyas 1 (defensive) (V); Maggie Titus 5, M. Dugan 1 (defensive) (WH).

Penalty corners -- Voorhees 5; Warren Hills 9.

Field hockey: HWS scoring leaders

(Through Monday's games)

Minimum 13 points

Player
School
Goals
Assists
Points
Morgan Carr
Wallkill Valley
40
12
92
Rebecca Sigman
Warren Hills
22
11
55
Brittany Bill
Hunterdon Central
12
20
44
Samantha Dugan
Warren Hills
17
7
41
Cassie Boyce
Voorhees
13
12
38
Fiona Blake
Wallkill Valley
12
13
37
Tali Popinko
Warren Hills
13
10
36
Kayla Cichar
Hackettstown
15
5
35
Erin Shaw
Voorhees
13
7
33
Laura Chen
Voorhees
13
7
33
Abby Bronico
Belvidere
15
1
31
Melissa Kosar
Phillipsburg
14
2
30
Madison Hoskins
Hackettstown
8
13
29
Katie Yarussi
Pope John
11
6
28
Ashley Zellars
Hackettstown
11
5
27
Mikayla Dugan
Warren Hills
9
9
27
Jordan Vandermark
Hackettstown
11
5
27
Gabby Dudek
Phillipsburg
11
5
27
Madeline Bill
Delaware Valley
7
12
26
Brooke Hyland
Voorhees
11
4
26
Alyssa Appleby
Warren Hills
10
5
25
Colleen Barrett
Hunterdon Central
10
4
24
Maddie Call
Belvidere
9
6
24
Kelsey O'Connor
Delaware Valley
10
3
23
Emily Brandt
Hunterdon Central
11
1
23
Megan Donnelly
Delaware Valley
7
8
22
Carlie Van Tassel
Vernon
7
8
22
Lauren Barbato
Newton
7
8
22
Victoria Docherty
Newton
8
5
21
Angie Santini
Belvidere
9
2
20
Morgan Mendel
Newton
7
5
19
Rachel Stone
Hunterdon Central
7
3
17
Olivia Zmyewski
Belvidere
6
5
17
Brooke Tumler
South Hunterdon
8
1
17
Tara Brody
Wallkill Valley
5
7
17
Cameron Sacco
Pope John
7
2
16
Kristen Bill
Delaware Valley
6
4
16
Emilee Hamler
Vernon
8
0
16
Kyleigh Dawson
Hackettstown
7
2
16
Madison Scott
Delaware Valley
6
3
15
Emily Yanes
Phillipsburg
6
3
15
Sarah Matyas
Voorhees
6
2
14
Megan Doyle
Hackettstown
6
2
14
Hope Nafis
Sparta
3
8
14
Hailey Minter
Vernon
6
2
14
Becca Baucom
North Hunterdon
7
0
14
Allison Devlin
Phillipsburg
5
4
14
Michaela Thiessen
High Point
7
0
14
Sarah Babcock
Delaware Valley
4
5
13
Chandler Storcella
South Hunterdon
5
3
13
Kali Huck
Hunterdon Central
6
1
13
Lucie Wolfson
Sparta
6
1
13
Tyra Wingle
High Point
5
3
13