Field hockey: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex rankings

With rain expected to play havoc with the schedule, at least early this week and with those scheduled for grass fields, it's time for our first installment of this season's Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex rankings.

It was an interesting first week of action, capped by No. 5 Phillipsburg giving No. 1 Warren Hills all it could handle during a 3-2 loss in overtime on Saturday on the turf in Washington. The Blue Streaks extended their winning streak in the series to 22 straight as Maddie Summitt and Emily Devorsky -- a pair of talented freshmen -- teamed up for the winning goal with 2:30 left in OT.

It was Summitt's second of the season as she also scored her first varsity goal in the team's 3-1 win over No. 2 Voorhees on Tuesday. Warren Hills (2-0) has now won four straight and five of the last seven in that great rivalry, in which the Vikings still hold a 33-25-6 overall edge dating to 1975.

By the way, those teams should never play on opening day, which last happened in 2007. That's a poor job of scheduling. As the premiere rivalry in the area, those matchups should take place when you can get the maximum attendance. Warren Hills is slated to host the rematch on Tuesday, Oct. 2. Surprisingly, that one won't be contested in the evening under the lights as has been the case in recent years.

Keep an eye on Phillipsburg (1-2) this season. Senior midfielder Gabby Dudek, a Wagner College recruit, is one of the top players in the area for second-year coach Toni Popinko, a former star player at Warren Hills. The Stateliners gave their best effort against the Streaks since a 3-2 win on Oct. 30, 2007, their last in the series. Prior to Saturday, they had scored a total of six goals total and had been shut out 16 times in the 20 matchups since that victory.

Now, onto the rankings:

Warren Hills seeks its eighth straight sectional title in '18.

1. Warren Hills (2-0) -- Blue Streaks, who are extremely young but talented, started strong with wins over two of their biggest rivals -- Voorhees (3-1 on Tuesday) and Phillipsburg (3-2 in overtime on Saturday). Sophomore forward Jenna Wyckoff had two assists in the win over Voorhees. Both wins proved costly with injuries to sophomore back Liz Schlaffer (head) and outstanding sophomore back Ashley Moskal, who suffered a season-ended knee injury vs. Voorhees. Their presence is huge on a strong defensive line that will help out junior goalie Julia Webber in her first full-time season in the cage. Coach Josie Potter's team has another big one this week against Bridgewater-Raritan at home on Saturday.

Up next: at Watchung Hills on Tuesday; North Hunterdon at home on Thursday; Bridgewater-Raritan at home on Saturday.

2. Voorhees (1-2) -- Vikings snapped a two-game skid with a 5-0 win at Montgomery on Saturday after opening the season with tough losses to Warren Hills (3-1 on Tuesday) and West Essex (2-1 on Thursday). What a way for first-year coach Shannon Hughes to open with games against Warren Hills (last year's Group 3 runner-up) and West Essex (Group 2 champion). Junior forward Cassie Boyce did the damage against Montgomery with three goals and an assist, while junior forward Brooke Hyland, who scored against Warren Hills, added a pair of goals.

Up next: at Hillsborough on Tuesday; at Ridge on Thursday; Watchung Hills at home on Saturday.

3. Hunterdon Central (2-1) -- Red Devils are another young team, but don't sleep on this group. Coach Jenn Sponzo's team opened with road wins over Watchung Hills (7-1 on Tuesday) and Ridge (2-1 on Thursday) before a 3-1 loss at nemesis Bridgewater-Raritan on Saturday. Junior forward Sammy Freeman scored two goals and added a pair of assists against Watchung, while senior back Lauren Nawrotzki scored two goals in that one before getting her third of the season against Ridge.

Up next: Montgomery at home on Tuesday; Princeton at home on Saturday.

4. Hackettstown (1-1) -- Tigers rebounded from a 3-1 loss at Madison on opening day with a 7-1 win at Kittatinny on Friday. Senior midfielder Madison Hoskins had a big game with two goals and four assists, while senior midfielder Kayla Cichlar added one goal and one assist. Hoskins also scored in the loss to Madison. Coach Steve Speirs' team also had a 5-0 lead against Newton at home in its first NJAC Freedom Division contest on Wednesday before rain washed that one out.

Up next: at Randolph on Tuesday; at Wallkill Valley on Thursday; High Point at home on Saturday.

5. Phillipsburg (1-2) -- Stateliners split their first two games -- a 4-3 win over North Hunterdon on Tuesday and a 4-0 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan before the tough 3-2 loss in OT against Warren Hills on Saturday. Dudek has scored half of the team's six goals this season, including a pair against the Blue Streaks. Morgan Cherry and Aleena Frith scored goals against North Hunterdon. Good test coming this weekend against Belvidere, a sectional runner-up last season.

Up next: at Pingry on Tuesday; at Montgomery on Thursday; Belvidere at home on Saturday.

6. Belvidere (1-0) -- County Seaters rolled to a 9-0 win over North Plainfield on Tuesday in their only action of the week to begin another run at the Skyland Conference Mountain Division title. The 1-2 punch of senior forwards Maddie Call and Abby Bronico combined for four goals and two assists. They accounted for 26 of the team's goals last season. Senior goalie Anya Logan was not tested in her first shutout of 2018. Big week on tap for coach Beth Franceschino's squad.

Up next: at South Hunterdon on Tuesday; Bernards at home on Thursday; at Phillipsburg on Saturday.

7. Delaware Valley (2-1) -- Terriers bounced back from a 6-0 loss to Bernards in their opener with wins over Mount St. Mary (5-0 on Thursday) and Hillsborough (3-1 on Saturday). Sophomore forward Kristen Bill scored goals in both of the victories, while senior forward Megan Donnelly notched a pair of goals in the win over Hillsborough, giving her three for the season. This will be a light week for coach Stephanie Rifflard's team following Monday's rainout against Franklin.

Up next: at South Hunterdon on Wednesday.

8. Vernon (1-0) -- Vikings scored a 1-0 win over Wallkill Valley in their NJAC Freedom Division season opener on Friday. Junior forward Carlie Van Tassel had the winning goal with an assist from sophomore midfielder Alicia Mihalko, while senior goalie Emma Cahill made four saves, as the Vikes avenged a 5-0 loss to the Rangers last season with their first win in the series since a 3-2 victory at home on Sept. 20, 2015.

Up next: at Lenape Valley on Tuesday; High Point at home on Thursday night; Jefferson at home on Saturday.

Wallkill Valley after its run to the North 1, Group 1 title in '17.

9. Wallkill Valley (1-2) -- Rangers, who won their first sectional title since 2006 last season, rolled to a 5-0 win over Kittatinny on opening day before back-to-back losses to Vernon (1-0 on Friday) and Morris Knolls (2-1 on Saturday). Sophomore forward Emily Mizeski and junior forward Jamie Struble each had two goals and one assist in the win over the Cougars. Junior goalie Jade Lally logged four saves in the three games.

Up next: Parsippany Hills at home on Wednesday; Hackettstown at home on Thursday; Newton at home on Saturday.

10. Newton (1-0) -- Braves posted a 3-2 win at Jefferson on Saturday as senior forward Victoria Docherty scored all three goals with assists from senior back Jade Luciani and junior midfielder Dominique Simeone. Coach Lisa Bechtel's team was down 5-0 to No. 4 Hackettstown on Tuesday before rain wiped it out.

Up next: at Sparta on Tuesday; Lenape Valley at home on Thursday; at Wallkill Valley on Saturday.

On the bubble: High Point (1-0); Sparta (1-1); South Hunterdon (1-0).