No change at the top as No. 1 Warren Hills ran its record to 4-0 with Saturday's 5-1 victory over Bernards in a battle of 2011 Skyland Conference division winners.
UPDATE: Following Tuesday's washout, the Blue Streaks will host No. 3 Voorhees on Wednesday in the season's first big showdown and the 50th meeting overall in what's been a great grudge series over the last decade-plus. The two teams split a pair of matchups last season -- both winning on their home fields as the Streaks won 1-0 at home on the turf, while the Vikings prevailed 2-1 in overtime on the grass in Lebanon Township.
Voorhees, which leads 28-15-6 in the series dating to 1975 when it opened, has won three of the last four meetings and 16 of 24 since 2000. The teams also tied three times (2003, 04, '09) in that stretch.
Warren Hills, which also has a big showdown at Bridgewater-Raritan on Saturday, has won just three of the last 16 encounters. Veteran Streaks coach Laurie Kerr's teams are 5-15-3 against Voorhees during her 12-year tenure. Kerr, a star player at the Washington school, was 0-1 against Voorhees as a player as the Streaks lost a 2-1 decision her senior year in 1986. The teams met just 11 times from 1986-99.
On the other end, second-year Voorhees coach Taylor Webb, an outstanding center midfielder for the Hunterdon County school, was 3-0 against Warren Hills as player -- winning 2-1 as a sophomore, 1-0 as a junior and 2-0 as a senior in the 2002 Hunterdon-Warren final.
Both teams are extremely young, but talented, so this should be another great one as this series usually decides the Skyland Raritan Division winner. Perhaps the first of three potential meetings this season. Voorhees will host the next regular-season clash on Tuesday, Oct. 9.
On with the rankings:
1. Warren Hills (4-0) -- Blue Streaks broke out offensively in their two wins last week after a pair of tight 2-1 affairs to open the season. First up was a 4-0 win over No. 4 Phillipsburg as Kerr notched her 200th win. Sophomore forward Jessica Nissen socred a pair of goals in the victory and got her fourth of the season in Saturday's 5-1 win over Bernards. Senior midfielder Niki Miller had a big week with one goal and two assists in each win. She also has four goals on the season. Kerr enters the week with an overall mark of 201-59-11.
Up next: Voorhees at home on Wednesday; at Somerville on Tuesday; at Bridgewater-Raritan on Saturday.
2. Hunterdon Central (3-2) -- Red Devils have faced some stiff competition in the early going -- falling 3-2 to a very good Pingry team last Thursday before closing the week with a 1-0 independent win over Westfield on Saturday. Central enters the week 2-2 in the rugged Skyland Conference Delaware Division. Sophomore forward Kendall Nickel has carried much of the offensive load, scoring five goals in the team's last three games, including a hat trick in the Devils' 6-0 win over North Hunterdon last Tuesday.
Up next: at Madison on Tuesday; Watchung Hills at home on Thursday; Lawrenceville at home on Saturday.
3. Voorhees (2-0-1) -- The young Vikes are coming off a light work week -- a 1-1 tie at Montgomery last Monday and a 5-0 blanking of Somerville in a pair of Raritan Division matchups. Sophomore forward Abby Flagler made the scoring list with a goal and two assists against the 'Ville. Junior midfielder Tori Crans also notched her first goal of the season in that one. In all, seven different players have scored goals for Voorhees this season.
Up next: at Warren Hills on Wednesday; Delaware Valley at home on Thursday.
4. Phillipsburg (3-2) -- Stateliners went 2-1 last week, beating Somerville, 5-1, on the road before the loss to Warren Hills. Coach Jen Paulus' team capped it with a 3-0 win at Blair Academy on Saturday. Janelle Jackson had a goal and an assist in the victory over the Bucs, while goalie Brittany Lavin made two saves for her second shutout.
Up next: Delaware Valley at home on Tuesday; at Montgomery on Thursday; Ridge at home on Saturday.
5. High Point (4-0-1) -- Wildcats kept rolling with a 3-0 week, beating Mount Olive (4-0), Morris Hills (7-0) and Pope John (2-0) in NJAC American Division clashes. High Point has held the opposition scoreless in four straight, including a 0-0 tie with Pequannock. Senior forward Darby Smith increased her tri-county leading goals total to nine, including a hat trick against Morris Hills. Sophomore Alexis Ambrosino scored a total of six goals in the three wins.
Up next: at Sparta on Thursday; Montville at home on Saturday.
6. Delaware Valley (2-2) -- Terriers lost a pair of tough ones -- 2-1 to Warren Hills last Tuesday and 2-0 to Montgomery on Thursday before ending the week on a positive note with Friday's 1-0 win over North Hunterdon. Junior forward Robyn Case scored the winning goal off a feed from junior tri-captain Kristen Brokaw. Goalie Jackie Compta made two saves for the shutout.
Up next: at Phillipsburg on Tuesday; at Voorhees on Thursday; Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg (Pa.) at home on Friday.
7. Wallkill Valley (3-1-1) -- Rangers rebounded from their first loss -- 7-0 to Parsippany last Tuesday -- with back-to-back 1-0 wins over Jefferson on Thursday and Newton on Saturday in a pair of NJAC Freedom Division matchups. The latter was on Newton's brand new turf field and gave coach Irene Chernati's team three straight wins over the Braves dating to last season. Junior forwards Casey Pustelniak and Courtney Berado had the winning goals last week. On Monday, Wallkill played to a 0-0 tie with unranked Pope John. Rangers have scored three goals in five games.
Up next: at North Warren on Wednesday; Hackettstown at home on Friday.
8. Newton (4-1) -- Braves rebounded from Saturday's 1-0 loss to No. 7 Wallkill Valley for a 4-3 win over Blair Academy on Monday. Senior midfielder Stephanie Mocerino scored a pair of goals, and she will be counted on to pick up more of the load with the loss of senior foward Melanie Rudio, who is done for the season with a knee injury.
Up next: Kittatinny at home on Wednesday night; Parsippany at home on Friday.
9. South Hunterdon (3-1) -- After a 1-0 win over No. 10 Belvidere on Thursday, the Eagles took their first loss, 5-0, to Montgomery on Saturday. Forward Kaycee Zelkovsky scored the winning goal against the County Seaters -- her team-leading fourth of the season. Goalie Samantha Soscia made eight saves for the shutout.
Up next: North Plainfield at home on Tuesday; Mount Saint Mary at home on Thursday; at Stuart Day on Friday.
10. Belvidere (2-3) -- County Seaters stopped a three-game skid -- all shutouts -- with Saturday's 2-0 win over Somerville in a Skyland crossover contest. Senior forward Alexa Beaumont converted a pair of goals in the victory. Senior goalie Amanda Fisher made two saves for the shutout.
Up next: at North Hunterdon on Saturday.
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