NJSIAA: Streaks lose heartbreaker in title game

Warren Hills field hockey team made a valiant effort on Tuesday against a strong team with a great player.

But in the end, the Blue Streaks came up short in their quest for a championship.

Senior Emily Wold scored all three goals, including the game-winner with 1:13 left to play, as top-seeded Freehold Borough prevailed with a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Warren Hills in the North 2, Group 3 sectional final in Freehold.

Warren Hills (22-2) saw its 12-game win streak and its bid for the program's 10th sectional crown end with another tough finals loss. The Warren County school, now 9-4 all-time in sectional title games, had a tremendous season -- winning its first Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex championship and establishing a new program record for wins in a season.

Senior forward Lindsey Schott also broke the school's 15-year-old record for goals in a season (27) and finishes her fine career as the all-time goals (72), assists (46) and points (190) leader. She also has the single-season points mark with 70 in 2011 and came within two of tying the assists mark with 16.

"They can't hang their heads," said veteran coach Laurie Kerr, now 5-2 all-time in sectional finals in 12 seasons in charge of her alma mater. "They were down 0-2 and never gave up. These kids were determined. They worked so hard."

Freehold (20-1) picked up its second straight sectional crown and its third, all under coach Jerrilyn Acevedo. The Colonials, who beat the Blue Streaks, 2-0, in the 2007 final, also avenged a 1-0 loss in overtime to Kerr's team on the same field in 2009. They move on to face North 1 champion West Milford (20-1) in the Group 3 semifinals on Thursday in Clark.

Wold, a sophomore on that 2009 Freehold team, almost single-handily kept her team in that one. On Tuesday, she took over the game at its most critical juncture, something that great players often do in big games. She scored all three goals in her team's 3-2 win over Wall in last year's Group 3 final.

All of the scoring on Tuesday came in the second half.

"She's very, very good," Kerr said of Wold. "You can't slow her down. She's quick and all over the place. Emily is probably one of the top players I've ever seen in the state. We came out really tight and on our heels. We were trying to react to them rather than set the tone."

The North Carolina-bound midfielder started the scoring with a penalty stroke early in the second half, awarded after a  shot went off the upper body of Warren Hills senior back Caitlin Clark in front of the cage. Wold followed about nine minutes later with her second goal of the game and 43rd of the season, giving Freehold a commanding 2-0 lead after a scoreless first half.

On that one, Kerr said that the officials ruled that Clark didn't stop the ball before it crossed the goal line.

"The officials said that [Clark's] stick and the ball were over the line," Kerr said. "You don't know if it was a goal or not. Caitlin said that ball didn't go over the line."

That's when Warren Hills mounted its comeback. Senior midfielder Whitney Kowski, who's been outstanding all season, made it a one-goal game when she converted off a pass from junior midfielder Niki Miller on a penalty corner with 5:17 left in the game.

"It was a perfectly-executed corner," Kerr said.

Just as the Streaks were clawing back, Lindsey Schott was hit with a yellow card for a high stick with 3:59 left in the game. Earlier in the half, her sister, sophomore Nikki Schott, received a yellow card for delay of game. Now a player down, Warren Hills charged ahead and senior forward Kayla Grater connected for her 16th goal of the season with 3:30 left to tie it at 2.

"That's the story of her season, her hustle again," Kerr said of Grater.

But Wold was able to find the cage for a third time this season to end what would have been one of the greatest comebacks in Warren Hills' history. Despite the three goals, Kerr said that junior Katie Wintersteen played a strong game and made 18 saves in the loss.

"Katie didn't give up any easy shots," Kerr said. "She played very well and rose to the challenge. She's capable of doing that."

Despite losing several talented seniors, including back Jen Hylkema, Kerr firmly believes the Streaks will be back in the championship mix again in 2012. Miller and Nikki Schott both return in the midfield, while talented freshmen Nikki Profita, Amanda Crampton and Sydney Muntone all have bright futures ahead of the them. Just as important, Wintersteen returns for a third season in goal.

"We're going to be just fine," Kerr said. "We lose a lot of talented seniors that have done great things for the program. We'll have to work hard, but we're going to be right back in the thick of things."


Warren Hills (22-2)                          0                   2             --   2
Freehold Borough (20-1)                 0                   3             --   3

Scoring

Second half -- F, Emily Wold, 42nd, (penalty stroke), 26:05; F, Wold, 43rd, 17:19; WH, Whitney Kowski, 9th, (Niki Miller), 5:17; WH, Kayla Grater, 16th, (Nikki Profita), 3:30; F, Wold, 44th, 1:13.

Shots -- Warren Hills 8; Freehold Borough 21.

Saves -- Katie Wintersteen 18 (WH); Taylor Martino 6 (F).