Field hockey: Braves stun Seaters for sectional title

Newton's field hockey team should be used to this winning postseason feeling.

But the program's fourth North 1, Group 1 title in five years may be the most satisfying yet, as senior forward Victoria Docherty's goal about midway through overtime lifted the fourth-seeded Braves to a 1-0 win over second-seeded Belvidere on Friday afternoon.

Newton celebrates its fourth North 1, Group 1 title since 2014.

"It was a good game. Very exciting," said Newton coach Lisa Bechtel, whose team avenged a 2-1 loss in OT vs. Belvidere in last year's opening round that ended the Sussex County school's three-year sectional reign.

Newton (15-5-1), which now owns a county-best 12 sectional titles since its first in 1976, moves on to face North 2 champion Shore (19-3) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the Group 1 semifinals at West Essex High School. Haddonfield (18-2-2), the two-time defending Group 1 champ, will meet Woodstown (16-5-2) in the other semifinal.

The semifinal winners will square off for the state title on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Bordentown Regional High School.

Belvidere (13-6-1), which was playing in its first sectional final since winning its seventh and last championship in 1996, saw its run end in disappointing fashion. The County Seaters, who can still claim a share of the Skyland Conference Mountain Division title with a win over Somerville (a makeup date has still not been set) were coming off a pair of 1-0 wins over Pequannock and Mountain Lakes in the postseason.

Rain was a factor, at least early on in Friday's final, on Belvidere's grass field, which has taken a beating this season and has very little grass left on it. Seaters coach Beth Franceschino had even floated the possibility of the game being moved to a neutral turf site following the semifinals.

"It poured during the game a couple of times," said Bechtel, who held Thursday's practice on the team's old grass field at the Merriam Avenue School in preparation for the tough conditions at Belvidere. "It neutralized both teams. Both were slipping. It was tough. This was a big win."

Docherty continued her impressive run on offense, scoring her team-leading 16th goal of the season and 10th in the team's last eight games. It also gave her seven goals in Newton's four playoff wins -- all shutouts, including victories over NJAC rivals North Warren (6-0), Lenape Valley (4-0), and top-seeded Ramsey (2-0). Freshman Sydney Pavlishin was credited with the assist on the game-winner, which came with 4:50 left on the clock following a breakaway in the seven-a-side session.

"We just kept pushing and feeding the ball," Bechtel said. "There was a flurry in front of the cage. Pavlishin was close [to scoring, too] and there was some uncertainty right away as to who had put it in."

Defensively, junior goalie Abby Berkowitz made five saves for her 12th shutout of the season and fourth straight in the playoffs.

Newton, which was a heavy favorite to win its previous three titles, has won 9 of its last 12 games, with its only three losses coming against NJAC Freedom Division and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex champion Hackettstown, which dropped a 4-0 decision to West Essex in the North 1, Group 2 final on Friday.

"This was very different than 2014, '15 and '16," said Bechtel, whose team captured Sussex County's 43rd title overall. "With the caliber of kids we had [on those teams], it was almost expected. This is a lot more scrappy team. They have a lot of heart and perseverance.

"We had three freshmen on the forward line [at one point]. We have a lot of depth. I credit our bench. I told them on Aug. 15, during our preseason meeting that, 'I really think you can win the section. You just have to believe you can do it.'"

Newton, which has never won a state title and made its only championship game appearance against Moorestown in 1984, faces another big challenge on Tuesday against a tough Shore program, which has won 14 Group 1 titles and ousted the Braves in the 2014 and '15 semifinals -- 2-0 and 5-1.

Johnson, which handed Newton a 3-0 loss on Sept. 22 and dropped a 2-0 decision to Shore in the North 2 sectional final, is the only common opponent this year between the Group 1 semifinalists. Shore's only losses are to defending Group 2 champion Rumson-Fair Haven.

"We're going to give [Shore] a game," Bechtel said. "We have tough kids and they're really resilient."

Newton (15-5-1)                       0                0               1     --    1
Belvidere (13-6-1)                    0                0               0     --    0

Scoring

Overtime -- N, Victoria Docherty, 16th, 4:50.

Shots -- Newton 10; Belvidere 5.

Saves -- Abby Berkowitz 5 (N); Anya Logan 9 (B).