Field hockey: Hills stretches sectional title Streak to 8

WASHINGTON TWP. -- Home is certainly where wins and championships were made for Warren Hills' field hockey team this season.

Junior midfielder Sarah Korczukowski scored a pair of goals and senior forward Samantha Dugan all but iced it with her team-leading 20th as the top-seeded Blue Streaks rode a strong second-half performance to 3-1 victory over No. 3 West Morris in the North 1, Group 3 final on Friday afternoon at Warren Hills School District Stadium.

Warren Hills celebrates its 17th sectional title.

Warren Hills (22-1), which has won five straight since a 2-1 loss at Ridge on Oct. 15, opened November by capturing the program's 17th sectional title and its eighth in a row. The Blue Streaks, now 17-4 all-time in sectional finals, will next face North 2 champion Middletown South (18-3-1) in Tuesday's Group 3 semifinals as they look to reach the state finals for an eighth straight season.

"We've been trying to not to think about [the sectional title streak]," said Korczukowski, whose go-ahead goal off a feed from senior Kate Fenner with 21:19 left in the second half set the tone for another title victory. "When we step on this field, we want to win. Today was very special for our seniors."

Dugan and Fenner were among four starting seniors, along with goalie Julia Webber, who was outstanding again in the cage with nine saves, and midfielder Paulina Georgoutsos, as the group celebrated one last time to close their careers here. The seniors went an impressive 36-5 over four seasons at home, including 13-0 this season.

"It's awesome. Honestly, it's the best feeling ever," said Dugan, who is now four shy of tying former Streaks midfielder and current Wagner College head coach Niki Miller (61 from 2009-12) for sixth on the program's all-time goals list.

"To win [the title] on our home field was the perfect way to finish our home careers. It's such a highlight."

Warren Hills is now 17-4 all-time in sectional finals.

Third-year coach Josie Potter, whose team overcame a sluggish first half in a 3-0 win over Mendham in Tuesday's semifinals, would certainly love to bottle up the final 20 minutes of play against West Morris, which came in riding a 12-game win streak. Warren Hills' vaunted defense, led by backs Liz Schlaffer and Emily Dvorsky, who were exceptional, along with sweeper Kylie Compton, did not permit a shot-on-goal or a corner in that span until three minutes left to play.

"If you look at the 60 minutes they played today, there were a lot of great moments," said Potter, whose teams are now 11-2 overall in the postseason. "The last 20 minutes, they really stepped on the gas. They really wanted [the championship]. I was nervous about this one. [West Morris] is a phenomenal team. They always play us tough. This was one of the best games of the season."

West Morris (20-2-1), which is now 0-5 all-time in postseason meetings against Warren Hills, including losses in the last four sectional finals, played an inspired first half of hockey and had the hosts on the ropes after junior forward Sophia Prata, one of just two non-seniors in the Wolfpack's starting lineup, tied it at 1 with her team-leading 29th goal.

That goal came just 4:45 after Korczukowski opened the scoring on a penalty corner -- tipping it in near the back line after collecting a ball that bounced off the pads and over West Morris goalie Victoria Bodnar.

But what seemed like anyone's game at the half quickly turned when Korczukowski broke the tie just 8:41 into the second half -- her career-best 13th goal of the season.

"When they scored in the second half to tie it, we were angry," said Korczukowski, who has really stepped up in the second half of the season, earning the Most Valuable Player Award in the team's 2-0 win over Voorhees in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament title game.

"That really fueled us. I wanted to score. That set the tone for the rest of the game."

Dugan delivered a dagger -- taking the insertion pass from sophomore Maddie Summitt and one-timing a rocket blast into the right corner of the cage off Warren Hills' fifth corner of the second half. Though there was still 10:22 left to play, it put West Morris in a tough two-goal hole from which it could not recover.

"For us to pull through, we had to score and finish," Dugan said. "We had taken a few of those corners already and we need it to go in. That was a big part of the game, and it gave us a security blanket."

West Morris (20-2-1)                     1                   0            --    1
Warren Hills (22-1)                       1                   2            --    3

Scoring

First half -- WH, Sarah Korczukowski, 12th, 16:15; WM, Sophia Prata, 29th, 11:30.

Second half -- WH, Korczukowski, 13th, (Kate Fenner), 21:19; WH, Samantha Dugan, 20th, (Maddie Summitt), 10:22.

Shots -- West Morris 10; Warren Hills 14.

Saves -- Victoria Bodnar 11 (WM); Julia Webber 9 (WH).

Penalty corners -- West Morris 10; Warren Hills 14.