Field hockey: HWS 8 set for sectional semifinals

We're down to the Elite 8.

Warren Hills eyes its 17th sectional title.

North Hunterdon (North 2, Group 4), Warren Hills (North 1, Group 3) and Voorhees (North 2, Group 2) -- all No. 1 seeds -- are among the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area teams still chugging along in the postseason as the sectional semifinals commence on Monday and Tuesday. The championship games for Group 1 and 4 will be held on Thursday, with Group 2 and 3 set for Friday.

No. 3 seed Newton (North 1, Group 1) and No. 2 Vernon (North 1, Group 2) are carrying the flag for Sussex County, while No. 6 Hackettstown (North 1, Group 2), No. 3 Hunterdon Central (North 2, Group 4) and No. 5 South Hunterdon (North 2, Group 1) are also still in the title hunt.

Group 4

North Hunterdon (14-7) has been the feelgood story of the season as the Lions are enjoying their first winning season since 2009. Coach Maria Bachert's team, which will next host No. 4 Montgomery in the semifinals on Monday, has a tremendous opportunity to capture the Hunterdon County school's third sectional title and first in 26 years, as North won its only two championships in 1986 and '93 under former longtime coach Bonnie Carter.

It's the first semifinal appearance for the Lions since falling, 2-1, at Randolph in '09. The 6-0 quarterfinal round win over Sayreville was North's first in the postseason since a 2-1 first-round victory over Columbia in 2013.

North shut out Montgomery twice during the regular season -- 7-0 at home on Sept. 17 and 4-0 on Oct. 15 -- as sophomore forward Ryan Anderson logged five of her HWS area-best 24 assists in that first meeting. In fact, the Lions are 4-0 against the remaining three teams in the section, with wins over Hunterdon Central (3-1 on Sept. 23) and Hillsborough (5-4 on Oct. 3).

Hunterdon Central (10-9-2), which is bidding for the program's 14th sectional title overall and first since 2013, will host No. 7 Hillsborough in Monday's All-Skyland Conference semifinals. Central overcame a huge hurdle in the quarters with a 2-1 win in overtime vs. No. 6 Bridgewater-Raritan, which had won 14 consecutive sectional titles and defeated Central in the previous five finals.

Senior midfielder Sammy Freeman recorded five of her nine goals on the season in the last five game for Central, which scored a pair of 3-2 wins over Hillsborough in Delaware Division tilts during the regular season -- the last on Oct. 15.

Group 3

Warren Hills celebrates its HWS Tournament title win.

Warren Hills (20-1), which has won seven straight sectional titles, seeks the program's 17th overall. The Blue Streaks, who are 85-43 all-time in the postseason, will face No. 5 seed Mendham for the fourth time in the last six postseasons on Tuesday. Coach Josie Potter's team cruised to a 13-0 win over No. 8 Wayne Hills in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

In all, nine players scored goals, including senior forward Samantha Dugan, who logged three to move into seventh place on the program's career goals list. With 56, Dugan (19 goals and 9 assists this season) ranks behind Dani Profita (94 from 2013-16), Sydney Muntone (77 from 2011-14), Lindsey Schott (72 from 2008-11), Rebecca Sigman (72 from 2014-17), Nikki Profita (64 from 2011-14) and Niki Miller (61 from 2009-12). Dugan also is one goal shy of becoming just the 12th player in program history to score 20 goals in a season.

Junior forward Simryn Desai (18 goals), who ranks 17th on the program's career goals list with 37, senior midfielder Paulina Georgoutsos (team-high 11 assists) and junior midfielder Sarah Korczukowski (9 goals, 6 assists) have carried the offense most of the season, while senior Kate Fenner makes it all flow from the center midfield spot.

Defensively, Warren Hills, the Skyland Conference Raritan Division and Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament champion, has yielded just nine goals in 21 games, as senior goalie Julia Webber is among the area's best.

Group 2

Voorhees eyes its first sectional title since 2016.

Voorhees has played without one of its best players for most of this season and may not have another in the lineup for Tuesday's semifinal clash against No. 4 Madison. Senior center midfielder Lauren Kokoskie sustained a right knee injury during a recent practice and watched from the bench as the Vikes routed Holmdel, 8-1, in the quarterfinals on Friday. It's another tough blow for second-year coach Shannon Hughes' team, which lost senior forward Cassie Boyce (ACL injury) in the second game of the season.

The Vikes (18-4) are hoping to have Kokoskie (8 goals, 10 assists), who is the team's best threat on corners, back for the semifinals and beyond, but there still is plenty of talent on the roster, including senior forward Brooke Hyland, who scored her team-leading 15th and 16th goals in the win over Holmdel. Seniors Ryleigh Cameron (10 goals, 7 assists) and Madison Ogorzalek (10 goals, 7 assists) are solid midfielders, while backs Sadie Eichlin and Grace Schiavo form a nice barrier in front of talented junior goalie Noelle Gabrish (9 shutouts).

The North 2 bracket is loaded with No. 2 seed Rumson-Fair Haven and No. 3 Bernards matching up in the other semifinal. Rumson-Fair Haven, which handed Voorhees semifinal losses the previous two years, is seeking its fourth consecutive title.

"Rumson is very strong, but we feel like our team this year is just as strong," Hyland said.

First, though, Voorhees will have to get past Madison, which is 2-1 all-time against the Vikes in postseason meetings, including wins in the 2001 and 2015 sectional finals. Voorhees prevailed, 3-2, in the 2002 North 2, Group 2 championship clash in former coach Ann Bonavita's final season.

In North 1, Hackettstown and Vernon are set to square off in the only all-local semifinal matchup on Tuesday. The winner will likely face powerhouse West Essex, the No. 1 seed and Group 2 state title favorite, in the title game.

Hackettstown (9-8-1), which has won four its last five games, advanced with a 1-0 win in overtime against No. 3 seed Lakeland. The Tigers, who have never won a sectional title, saw their 2018 run end with a 4-0 loss to West Essex in the title game. Junior forward Megan Doyle has been on fire with 11 goals in the last six games.

Vernon (15-2), which earned a share of the NJAC Freedom Division title for its first conference championship since 1996, reached the sectional semifinals for the first time since 2010, with a 4-1 win over High Point. Vikings senior forward Carlie Van Tassel logged six goals in the team's last three games and 22 overall for the season.

Group 1

Newton (15-3) is back in familiar territory -- reaching the North 1, Group 1 semifinal round for the seventh straight season with a 2-1 win over Mountain Lakes in the quarters. The Braves are seeking back-to-back titles and the program's fifth since 2014, but top seed Ramsey (19-0) is the favorite. Coach Lisa Bechtel's team will be on the road against No. 2 Pequannock in Monday's semis.

Newton captured its 12th sectional title in 2018.

Sophomore forwards Sidney Pavlishin (9 goals) and Julia Fitt (11 goals, 7 assists) lead the offense, while junior forward Elissar Abou-Jaoude logged four of her 10 goals in the last three games. Senior goalie Abby Berkowitz has produced nine shutouts this season and 34 for her career.

South Hunterdon (17-2) is enjoying a nice bounce-back season after going 8-5-1, including a first-round playoff exit a year ago. The Eagles avenged a 5-2 loss to Delaware Valley during the regular season on Sept. 17, with a 3-0 victory in Thursday's North 2, Group 1 quarters. Senior midfielder Rebecca Phillips recorded an assist for the fifth straight game in the rematch and leads the team in that category with 13.

Coach Stephanie Davis-Hart's team faces a tall order in seeking the program's 15th sectional title as South will take on Group 1 power Shore Regional (20-1) in the semifinals. Shore has captured 25 sectional championships overall -- second only to West Essex (36), Moorestown (28) and Eastern (26) -- including the 2018 title.

Semifinal schedule

Monday, Oct. 28

(All games 4 p.m., unless noted)

NJSIAA semifinals

North 1, Group 1

Newton at Pequannock

North 2, Group 4

Montgomery at North Hunterdon, 2 p.m.
Hillsborough at Hunterdon Central, 2:30 p.m.

North 2, Group 1

South Hunterdon at Shore

Tuesday, Oct. 29

(All games 3 p.m., unless noted)

NJSIAA semifinals

North 1, Group 3

Mendham at Warren Hills, 4 p.m.

North 1, Group 2

Hackettstown at Vernon, 5 p.m.

North 2, Group 2

Madison at Voorhees