Field hockey: Final Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex ranks

As we close the book on another field hockey season, let's take a sneak peek at some things to watch for in 2019.

Warren Hills, which started an assortment of 11 underclassmen, figures to start next year as the top team in the area. The Blue Streaks, who captured the program's 16th sectional title, will likely have to go through Northern Highlands and West Morris -- both road games this postseason -- in their bid for an eighth consecutive championship. The mandatory crossovers in the Skyland Conference -- locking Raritan Division teams into 15 conference games -- are hurting the Streaks in power points, which do not factor in strength of schedule, and they have little margin for error before the cutoff.

Eastern (Group 4 champion), West Essex (Group 2 champion) and Shore (Group 1 champion) -- all annual state powers -- have been on Warren Hills' schedule in recent years. Seeing those top-flight teams during the regular season was critical to the Group 3 title runs in 2014 and '15. It would be great to see those matchups again in the future.

Voorhees, which was also a fairly young team this season, snapped a four-game skid against Warren Hills with a 4-2 win on the road that essentially secured the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title. Hopefully the area's best rivalry won't resume again on opening day like it did this season. The Vikes own a 34-26-6 edge overall, but the Streaks have won nine of the last 13, including a 1-0 win in overtime in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament semifinals.

Newton should be the favorite to win a second straight North 1, Group 1 sectional title, but keep an eye on Belvidere as well.

And lastly, Phillipsburg may be poised to make the biggest improvement after this year's seven-win season. The Stateliners, who haven't won a sectional title since 1999, have advanced past the second round just twice in the last eight years (2011 and '17 semifinal losses), and they last reached a title game in 2010, only to be ruled ineligible (too many games) to play for the title.

With Bridgewater-Raritan and Hunterdon Central both in North 2, Group 4, P'burg is in a good spot to end its finals appearance drought.

Now, here are the final Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex rankings for 2018:

Hackettstown beat Warren Hills, 1-0 in OT, in the HWS final.

1. Hackettstown (19-3-1) -- Tigers enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history -- winning a fourth consecutive NJAC Freedom Division title and their first Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament championship before falling to Group 2 champion West Essex in the North 1, Group 2 sectional final. Midfielder Madison Hoskins, one of nine seniors on the roster, led the area in scoring with 18 goals and 22 assists, including six assists in three postseason games. Senior forward Kayla Cichlar notched 17 goals, while senior midfielder Jessica Scheper had 15 goals.

Warren Hills has won a Skyland Conference-best 16 titles.

2. Warren Hills (19-6-1) -- Blue Streaks captured their seventh straight sectional title and made the program's seventh consecutive appearance in the Group 3 final, where they dropped a 7-0 decision to Moorestown. With 13 sophomores on the roster, coach Josie Potter's team could be the favorite to win the Group 3 title in 2019. Sophomore Simryn Desai led the Streaks with 18 goals, while sophomore Jenna Wyckoff recorded a team-high 10 assists. In addition, the program is closing in on a milestone with 687 wins.

3. Voorhees (15-7) -- Vikings, who suffered their most losses since going 6-9-1 in 2004, claimed the Skyland Conference Raritan Division title, the program's fifth division championship in six years and its 29th overall (conference or division) in 44 seasons. First-year coach Shannon Hughes' team, which plays in the toughest section in the state, finished with a 3-0 loss to 2017 Group 2 champion Rumson-Fair Haven in the North 2, Group 2 semifinals. Junior forwards Cassie Boyce (20 goals, 15 assists) and Brooke Hyland (20 goals) were the only 20-goal scorers in the area.

4. Hunterdon Central (14-4-1) -- Red Devils saw their fine season end with a 4-1 loss to nemesis Bridgewater-Raritan, which lost to powerhouse Eastern for the 20th straight year in the Group 4 final, in the North 2, Group 4 sectional title game. Coach Jenn Sponzo's team had played to a 2-2 tie with the Panthers, who have ended Central's postseasons the last eight years, on Oct. 9. Though it loses three key seniors, keep an eye on this group in 2019, as junior forward and leading scorer Sammy Freeman (15 goals, 12 assists) will return, along with junior Rachel Stone (12 goals, 10 assists).

Newton celebrates its 12th sectional title.

5. Newton (15-5-1) -- Braves got hot at the right time down the stretch to win the program's fourth sectional title -- and Sussex County-leading 12th -- in five seasons with a 1-0 win in overtime against Belvidere in the North 1, Group 1 final. Senior forward Victoria Docherty scored the winning goal in the championship game and leading the team in scoring with 16 goals and five assists. Freshman Sydney Pavlishin, who had three assists in the postseason, will be among several key returning underclassmen, along with junior forward Angela Melillo and junior goalie Abby Berkowitz.

Belvidere after its HWS win over Hunterdon Central.

6. Belvidere (13-6-1) -- County Seaters finally broke the program's sectional final drought, but came up short in their bid for the first title since 1996 with a tough 1-0 loss in overtime to Newton in the North 1, Group 1 final. Coach Beth Franceschino's team also made a nice run to the HWS semifinals with a stunning 3-2 win over Hunterdon Central before a 3-1 loss to eventual champ Hackettstown. Due to apparent scheduling conflicts, the Seaters never played a crossover game against Somerville in which a win would have given them a share of the Skyland Conference Mountain Division title. Despite the loss of several key seniors, including leading scorer Maddie Call (10 goals, 10 assists) and goalie Anya Logan (10 shutouts), the Warren County school should be a contender in 2019.

7. Delaware Valley (11-7) -- Terriers finished their season with losses to North 2, Group 2 sectional runner-up Bernards (2-0 on Oct. 25) and Johnson (1-0 in the North 2, Group 1 quarterfinals). The latter was a rematch of a regular-season meeting, won by Del Val, 2-0, on Sept. 21. Junior midfielder Madeline Bill (10 goals) and sophomore forward Kristen Bill (10 goals) will be counted on next season by a team that loses five key seniors, including forward Megan Donnelly, who led the team with nine assists.

8. South Hunterdon (8-5-1) -- Eagles saw their rain-shortened season end with a 1-0 loss to Glen Ridge in the opening round of the North 2, Group 2 playoffs. Sophomore midfielder Rebecca Phillips (11 goals) had three multi-goal games, while junior Alicia Catanzareti (12 goals), scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Belvidere on Sept. 11, which helped the program win the Skyland Conference Mountain Division title.

9. High Point (7-8-1) -- Wildcats finished their season on a winning note as leading scorer Tyra Wingle scored a pair of goals in a 3-0 win over Pope John in the program's annual Play for Pink contest. Coach Kelly Reynolds' team also won a postseason game -- 1-0 in double overtime against Sparta in the opener of the North 1, Group 2 playoffs. Freshman forward Ali Stoner scored the decisive goal -- her third of the year -- in that one. With nine seniors, she will be counted on next season.

10. Phillipsburg (7-14) -- Stateliners were a tough out this season despite the record. Second-year coach Toni Popinko's team took Warren Hills to overtime in a 3-2 loss on Sept. 8, while hanging tough in 1-0 losses to Hunterdon Central, Hackettstown and Ridge, which ended the Warren County school's season with a 3-0 win in the North 1, Group 4 playoffs. Senior midfielder Gabby Dudek (11 goals) will be missed in 2019, but this team should be in good shape with junior back Carson Drake and junior goalie Tatum McVey returning next season.

Keur, Johnson enter HOF

Longtime High Point coach Bev Keur and former Newton star Alexis Johnson were inducted into the Sussex County Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Keur's teams went 368-151-25 overall during her 26 seasons over three stints as head coach, and she guided the 'Cats to nine conference and five sectional titles (1988, '96, '97, 2000, '02), the program's only state championship (Group 3 in '88), as well as runner-up finishes in 1997 and 2002.

Johnson was a scoring machine during her playing days for the Braves under longtime coach Lisa Bechtel -- scoring 27 goals her senior season in 2000. Johnson went on to play at the University of Albany, a Division I program.