Northwest Jersey Field Hockey Standings

Through Oct. 30

Skyland Conference
Delaware Division
		Overall	Division
x-Bridgewater-Raritan		(17-3)	(12-0)
Pingry		(14-5)	(10-2)
Hunterdon Central		(11-9)	(7-5)
Ridge		(7-12-1)	(5-6)
Hillsborough		(4-12)	(4-8)
North Hunterdon		(2-15)	(2-10)
Watchung Hills		(1-13)	(1-10)
Raritan Division
		Overall	Division
x-Warren Hills		(19-1)	(11-1)
Voorhees		(13-3)	(10-2)
Montgomery		(13-4-1)	(8-3-1)
Delaware Valley		(6-10-1)	(4-6-1)
Phillipsburg		(9-10)	(4-8)
Somerville		(7-12)	(2-10)
Franklin		(3-13-1)	(0-11)
Valley Division
		Overall	Division
x-Bernards		(13-4)	(9-1)
Belvidere		(15-4)	(8-2)
South Hunterdon		(12-5)	(7-3)
Mount St. Mary		(7-13)	(4-6)
North Warren		(5-11-1)	(2-8)
North Plainfield		(2-15)	(0-10)
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
Freedom Division
		Overall	Division
x-Wallkill Valley		(14-4)	(8-0)
Newton		(9-5-1)	(4-3-1)
Hackettstown		(6-13)	(4-4)
Kittatinny		(5-9-1)	(2-5-1)
Lenape Valley		(3-13-1)	(1-7)
American Division
		Overall	Division
x-High Point		(18-1)	(13-0)
Vernon		(14-5)	(10-3)
Jefferson		(12-5-1)	(8-4)
Montville		(8-7)	(8-4)
Pope John		(7-11)	(7-7)
Morris Hills		(4-13)	(3-10)
Mount Olive		(3-15)	(3-11)
Sparta		(0-16)	(0-13)

UPDATE: Blue Streaks to play Tuesday

The rare October snow storm is not only a major inconvenience to those without power or a snow blower, but to the week's field hockey playoff schedule as well.

Warren Hills' scheduled first-round game against Mendham in the North 2, Group 3 draw was postponed on Saturday and was to be played on Monday. It will not, as the Warren County school is closed due to the numerous power outages in the area.

This one could have been avoided had the state let the Blue Streaks move the game up one day to this past Friday. However, the NJSIAA in its infinite wisdom, nixed the idea. Coach Laurie Kerr said the game is now set for Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.

The sectional quarterfinals are slated for Thursday.

In other local action slated for Monday, Phillipsburg travels to Westfield in a North 1, Group 4 quarterfinal at 1:30 p.m. In another change, Hunterdon Central heads to East Brunswick on Tuesday in a North 2, Group 4 contest. That one was originally to be played on Monday.

Also on Tuesday, Belvidere hosts Montclair Kimberley in a North 1, Group 1 affair and South Hunterdon heads to Florence for a North 2, Group 1 matchup.

Stay tuned for updates.

Roundup: Voorhees rolls to postseason win

Senior forward Antoinette Metzler continued her red-hot ways by scoring three goals to help lead fourth-seeded Voorhees to a 7-0 win over No. 13 North Plainfield on Friday in a North 2, Group 2 first-round matchup in Glen Gardner.

Metzler, who leads the Vikings with 12 goals, has scored in four straight games with nine goals and two assists in a span that has seen Voorhees outscore its opponents, 26-0. Kat Francis also scored in her third straight game, while Taylor Irving added a goal and an assist. Goalie Kimmie Pianucci recorded her fourth straight shutout and ninth this season.

Voorhees (13-3) advances to meet No. 4 Bernards in a quarterfinal round game on Wednesday in Bernardsville. Friday's win was also the first postseason victory for first-year coach Taylor Webb. The Hunterdon County school, now 50-30 all-time in the postseason, is seeking its first sectional title since 2006.

In other action:

South Hunterdon 2, Keyport 0 -- The sixth-seeded Eagles advanced in the North 2, Group 1 draw to face No. 3 Florence in Tuesday's quarterfinals.

St. John Vianney 1, Delaware Valley 0 -- Goalie Mary Drabich stopped 25 shots, but the Terriers fell in the first round of the North 2, Group 2 playoffs.

Jefferson 5, Hackettstown 1 -- Senior Rebecca Connelly scored her first goal, but the No. 11 seed Tigers (6-13) couldn't overcome No. 6 Jefferson in a North 1, Group 2 clash played in Hackettstown due to poor field conditions at Jefferson. Goalie Tanya Volkert made 14 saves in the loss.

Wallkill Valley 7, Vernon 1 -- Casey Pustelniak scored four goals to help power the Rangers (14-4) to an independent win in Hardyston. Andreanna Nordland added a pair of assists and Felicia Wetzel had one goal and two assists. Jess Lambert scored for the Vikings (14-5) as both team gear up for the state playoffs next week.

Phillipsburg 2, Belvidere 1 -- Katie Decker and Priscilla Howell found the back of the cage as the Stateliners (9-10) rolled to their third straight win in Belvidere. Tiffany McKenna connected for the County Seaters (15-4), her Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex leading 26th goal of the season.

Voorhees field hockey aids Save the Cherubs

Voorhees' field hockey program has recorded over 500 victories since its inception in 1975.

Now, the Hunterdon County school is waging a battle not easily won off the field.

First-year coach Taylor Webb and her players recently banded together for a charitable cause, helping to raise awareness and money for the Save the Cherubs campaign against Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH).

The rare birth defect, which affects one in every 2,500 babies, has touched two children with ties to the Voorhees program within the last year. The first, Madelyn Stocker, daughter of former coach Beth Stocker, who was born at the start of the 2010 season. Most recently, Webb's nephew, Bryce, who was born in April, also fought and won a battle CDH. Bryce's mother, Sara, played forward for the Vikings in the mid 1990s and is now a nurse practitioner near Reading, Pa.

The fact that two children within the Voorhees family were stricken in such a short span is uncanny. I'm happy to report that both children are doing fine after having to endure surgical procedures at a tender age.

"We had a two-part fundraiser," said Webb, who earned her first state playoff win with her team's 7-0 victory over North Plainfield in the North 2, Group 2 playoffs on Friday. "We did pink and blue hair extensions that raised $400 and we had a hospitality table [at a home game against Franklin on Oct. 21]. We raised about $1,500, which is great. Last year, we raised close to $1,000. I was impressed with how everything turned out."

CDH is still relatively unknown, despite being as common as Cystic Fibrosis and Spina Bifida. CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth. Sadly, 50 percent of infants born with CDH do not survive. There is still no known cause for CDH.

"Not too many people know anything about it," Webb said. "It's very odd to know two [babies born with CDH]. We specified that the money goes to research."

Webb said that both children are making visits to a Philadelphia area hospitals for routine checkups and it's nice that both families and their children are able to share in the experiences.

Let's all hope the Vikings help score a win over CDH. Nice job Voorhees.

For information, or to make a donation, visit http://www.savethecherubs.org/

Braves able to tame Lions in playoff opener

The script played out exactly as planned for Newton's field hockey team.

Senior midfielder Alicia Grotyohann got the offense going early with the first of her two goals, and the Braves' solid defense took care of the rest as seventh-seeded Newton rolled to a 3-0 win over No. 10 Pope John on Friday in a North 1, Group 2 first-round clash at Palmer Field.

Newton (9-5-1) advances to meet No. 2 seed Ramsey in next week's quarterfinals. The Braves are seeking the program's ninth sectional title and first since 1986. It's the only championship that's eluded veteran coach Lisa Bechtel during her 22 seasons, as she picked up career win No. 329 on Friday.

"It was a great team effort," said Bechtel, who guided the 2010 team to the sectional final where it lost, 4-2, to state power West Essex. "They came out on fire [against Pope John] and their energy was high. I was proud of the way they came through."

Pope John (7-11) saw its season end as it did a year ago with another first-round playoff loss. Coach Sue Blanchard's Lions were looking to avenge a 4-2 loss to Newton here on Oct. 21.

But Newton's defense, led by senior back Sam Hoffman, didn't give the Pope John offense much room to operate the entire 60 minutes. The Lions managed only three shots-on-goal and three penalty corners.

Hoffman made a great defensive saves to preserve the shutout in the second half, and also scored her second goal of the season to give the Braves a commanding 2-0 lead with 17:40 left before halftime.

"[The defense] definitely stepped up when it had to," said Hoffman, whose team hadn't played since the previous game against Pope John. "And we were supporting each other when we needed to."

Hoffman's goal, off a penalty corner, was subject to debate as the officials conferred to make sure the ball wasn't too high in the air when it landed in the cage. After a brief consult, the goal was allowed to stand.

"They said I didn't have a backswing [on the shot], so they counted it," Hoffman said.

Grotyohann iced the game with 10:10 left in the second half, converting a feed from junior midfielder Melanie Rudio, for her second goal of the day and her seventh of the season. The pair also hooked up early in the game to get the Braves on the board just 1:15 into the contest.

"Scoring early is very important for us," Grotyohann said. "I felt like we took control of the game right away."

Newton entered the contest having scored a total of 24 goals this season, an average of 1.7 goals per game. Needless to say, a quick start was exactly what the Braves were looking for.

"This season, for whatever reason, it's taken awhile for us to kick in offensively," Bechtel said. "Our defense, even though our record doesn't show it, has come up big for us this year."

Newton will play the underdog role from here on out, but the Sussex County school feels confident about its chances moving forward. The Braves would also like a rematch with No. 3 seed Wallkill Valley, which would occur in the semifinals. The Rangers snapped a nine-game losing streak in the series against the Braves this season, winning both regular-season meetings, 1-0 in overtime.

"If we focus and keep working hard, we'll see what happens," Hoffman said.


Pope John (7-11)                     0                   0               --   0
Newton (9-5-1)                         2                   1               --   3

Scoring

First half -- N, Alicia Grotyohann, 6th, (Melanie Rudio), 28:45; N, Sam Hoffman, 2nd, (Stephanie Mocerino), 17:40.

Second half -- N, Grotyohann, 7th, (Rudio), 10:10.

Shots -- Pope John 4; Newton 20.

Saves -- Jenna Gloria 16, Colleen Lynch 1 (defensive) (PJ); Amanda Norman 3, Sam Hoffman 1 (defensive) (N).

Penalty corners -- Pope John 3; Newton 11.

Wildcats stay tough on NJAC American foes

Junior midfielder Darby Smith scored a pair of goals to help lead High Point to a 5-1 win over Mount Olive on Thursday in a Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference field hockey clash in Flanders.

High Point (18-1 overall, 13-0 division) claimed its second straight American Division championship with Tuesday's 2-1 win over Vernon. Coach Bev Keur's Wildcats, who have won three straight since a 3-1 loss to Warren Hills in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex final on Saturday, have won 27 divisional games in a row dating to last year. High Point was a perfect 14-0 in 2010, its first year in the realigned American after playing its inaugural NJAC season in the National Division.

Smith, now with 24 goals and six assists, has a team-high 54 points this season and 107 for her career. She is five points shy of matching Leslie Dube (112) for the school record and three goals away from tying the 'Cats career mark of 50.

Senior Nikki Hull, Sashal Hagan and Brittany Papa also scored in Thursday's win. Hull now has 106 career points with 38 goals and 30 assists.

High Point also defeated Mount Olive, 10-1, on Sept. 27.

High Point, the No. 1 seed in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs, will host the winner of Saturday's Mount Olive-Montville first-round matchup in next week's quarterfinals.

In other NJAC action:

Pope John 3, Morris Hills 1 -- Meghan Chrobock, Beth Dauer and Kim Piwko all scored to lead the Lions (7-10, 7-7) to a win in their final American Division game in Sparta. Coach Susan Blanchard's Lions, the No. 10 seed, travel to No. 7 Newton on Friday for a first-round game in the North 1, Group 2 playoffs. Newton won, 4-2, in a regular-season meeting between the Sussex County schools on Oct. 21.

Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Field Hockey leaders

Through Oct. 26 Scorer	School	Goals	Assists	Points
Lindsey Schott	Warren Hills	24	14	62
Tiffany McKenna	Belvidere	25	3	53
Melody Prisco	Vernon	18	15	51
Darby Smith	High Point	22	6	50
Rachel Colvin	Vernon	20	9	49
Niki Miller	Warren Hills	18	10	46
Nicole Hull	High Point	16	13	45
Kim Engelhart	Hunterdon Central	17	3	37
Brittany Harlos	Wallkill Valley	12	10	34
Kayla Turner-Boss	Vernon	16	1	33
Melanie Rudio	Newton	10	11	31
Andreanna Nordland	Wallkill Valley	8	12	28
Brittany Papa	High Point	12	3	27
Nicole DeHerde	Belvidere	8	8	24
Priscilla Howell	Phillipsburg	11	2	24
Kasey Keenan	Belvidere	7	10	24
Nikki Schott	Warren Hills	9	6	24
Whitney Kowski	Warren Hills	8	8	24
Bea Cannavale	High Point	8	7	23
Katie Decker	Phillipsburg	7	9	23
Kayla Grater	Warren Hills	11	0	22
Karli Ribsam	South Hunterdon	10	2	22
Lauren Nunes	Phillipsburg	7	8	22
Steph Peterson	Vernon	7	8	22
Nicole Barrett	Hunterdon Central	7	7	21
Goalkeeper	School	Saves	Shots	Shutouts	Save%
Kimmie Pianucci	Voorhees	77	84	6	0.92
Sam Soscia	South Hunterdon	146	166	4	0.88
Deanna Utter	Lenape Valley	212	245	4	0.87
Rhonda Richardsen	Vernon	152	174	9	0.87
Kelsey Stoll	High Point	89	103	7	0.86
Emily Stukenborg	Wallkill Valley	113	133	11	0.85
Josee Ritter	Belvidere	75	88	12	0.85
Tanya Volkert	Hackettstown	193	233	5	0.83
Melissa Calascibetta	Kittatinny	102	126	3	0.81
Mary Drabich	Delaware Valley	124	156	2	0.79
Brittany Lavin	Phillipsburg	125	157	2	0.79