Field hockey: Central set for state semis rematch

Hunterdon Central's motto this field hockey season: One team, one dream.

Capturing the program's 14th sectional title and first since 2013 was another step in that direction as Central scored a 2-1 win over upstart North Hunterdon in the North 2, group 4 final on Saturday.

Coach Jenn Sponzo's teams have won 8 sectional titles.

"They are leaving their mark, and they are part of the tradition at Hunterdon Central," veteran coach Jenn Sponzo said of her team, which has five starting seniors. "The program has had a great tradition for years."

The reward for Central (12-9-2) is a rematch with North 1 champion Ridge (16-5-1) at 4 p.m. on Tuesday in a Group 4 semifinal at Boonton High School. The winner will square off against Lenape or Eastern at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the state championship game at Bordentown Regional High School.

Eastern (21-2), winner of 21 straight sectional championships in South Jersey, Group 4, is seeking its 21st consecutive state title. Central, which captured Group 4 titles in 1992, '93 and '96, under former coach Sandy Chronic, lost to Eastern in the finals in 2001, '02, '03 and '04.

Hunterdon Central, which has won five in a row since a 3-0 loss to Group 3 title favorite Warren Hills in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament semifinals on Oct. 12, handed Ridge a 2-1 loss during the regular season on Sept. 5. What does that mean for the rematch?

"We haven't seen them since Game 2, so we're not sure what to expect," said Sponzo, whose teams are 297-148-20 overall and have won eight sectional titles in her 21 seasons at the helm. "We're just going to do what's been working for us."

Central is a much different team than it was two months ago, according to Sponzo. After a 5-7-2 start, the Red Devils started to hit their stride, winning seven of the last nine, with their only other loss in that stretch coming against Voorhees (3-0 on Oct. 3).

"In August and September, we had different starting positions," Sponzo said. "I thought we'd be good and competitive. They work hard and they've been receptive to the changes in formations and positions."

Senior midfielder Sammy Freeman, who is heading to the University of Iowa, has been a force down the stretch for Central -- logging eight of her team-high 10 goals in the previous eight games, including the game-winner against North Hunterdon, which avenged a 3-1 loss to the Lions on Sept. 23, and snapped Central's title drought after five straight sectional final losses to Bridgewater-Raritan. The Panthers had appeared in 14 straight Group 4 finals and knocked off Central in the 2007, 2011 and 2013 Group 4 semis, as well as the 2008 North 2, Group 4 final and the sectional semifinals in 2012 and '13.

"That first game really surprised us," Freeman said of the program's first loss to North since 2010. "We came out thinking we were going to win. It was a shock. I'm really proud [of North]. That loss set us straight. It was a very sweet victory [2-1 in overtime in the quarterfinals against Bridgewater-Raritan]. We had a bad track record against them. It will be great to see our year on the banner [of field hockey sectional titles]."

Central celebrates its first sectional title since 2013.

Freeman also contributed on the defensive end with a critical stop on a penalty corner, as the unit swarmed to the ball to contain North's plethora of speed on the forward line.

"We like to use our double play a lot," Freeman said of Central employing two or three defenders around the ball during North's possessions. "We were able to get them to committed to one v. ones down the sidelines."

Senior defender Elizabeth Stevenson, along with junior Jordan Sponzo and sophomore Rebecca Woods, have done a nice job in front of sophomore Alexa Karpinski, whose only experience as a goalie prior to this season was in lacrosse. The unit has logged seven shutouts.

"Our defense this year has really stepped up," Sponzo said. "We've struggled on the offensive end at times."

After three straight 2-1 wins in the postseason, Freeman will look to help get the offense, which has scored more than three goals in a game once this season, going against Ridge. Senior forward Ashleigh Paulik logged her first goal, a big one that tied the score at 1, against North Hunterdon.

Ridge, which captured the program's second sectional title and first since 2005, has outscored its three playoff opponents, 8-2, including a 2-0 victory over Montclair in the North 1, Group 4 final.

Senior midfielder Jaclyn Narleski (nine goals, 10 assists) and junior midfielder Taylor Ligozio (10 assists) lead a Ridge offense that averages just 2.5 goals per game. On defense, junior goalie Emma Albee has been tested this season with 178 saves and four shutouts.

"Coach likes us to take one game at a time," Freeman said. "That's been our key motto."

Public state semifinal matchups

Group 4

Ridge (16-5-1) vs. Hunterdon Central (12-9-2), 4 p.m. at Boonton High School
Lenape (16-6) vs. Eastern (21-2), 6 p.m. at Hightstown High School

Group 3

Warren Hills (22-1) vs. Middletown South (18-3-1), 6 p.m. at A.L. Johnson High School
Burlington Township (16-4-1) vs. Clearview (19-2-1), 6 p.m. at Egg Harbor Township High School

Group 2

West Essex (21-1-1) vs. Rumson-Fair Haven (17-4), 6 p.m. at Boonton High School
Seneca (15-7) vs. West Deptford (20-3), 4 p.m. at Hightstown High School

Group 1

Pequannock (17-3) vs. Shore (23-2), 4 p.m. at A.L. Johnson High School
Haddonfield (19-3) vs. Woodstown (20-3-1), 4 p.m. at Egg Harbor Township High School

Non-Public sectional final matchups

(Games to be played on Wednesday)

North

2-Morristown-Beard (15-3) at 1-Oak Knoll (22-0)

South

3-Moorestown Friends (19-1) at 1-Camden Catholic (18-2)

State championship schedule

(Saturday at Bordentown Regional High School)

Non Public, 10 a.m.
Group 2, noon
Group 3, 2 p.m.
Group 4, 4 p.m.
Group 1, 6 p.m.