Field hockey: Streaks set their sights on state title

Warren Hills senior Kate Fenner said she likes playing the center midfielder spot, something she's done exceptionally well this season, for two reasons:

"I like to control the field and see what's ahead of me."

What Fenner and the rest of the Blue Streaks' field hockey team hopes is in front them next is a coveted state championship. Warren Hills, which is making the program's eighth straight finals appearance, is set to take on Clearview at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Group 3 final at Bordentown Regional High School.

Warren Hills is 2-11 all-time in state title games.

Warren Hills (23-1), which has won six in a row, including a 3-0 victory over Middletown South in Tuesday's semifinals, and is one win shy of matching the 2017 team for the program's single-season mark, is coming off three consecutive finals losses, including a 7-0 defeat against Moorestown in the 2019 title game. In fact, the Streaks were outscored, 18-1, in those lopsided contests after capturing their only two championships in 2014 and '15. But this year's team is expecting things to be different.

"Third time is a charm," said third-year coach Josie Potter, who was an assistant coach under Laurie Kerr in 2014 -- the first state title in any female sport at Warren Hills -- and a freshman on the 1996 team that was the first to reach a state final, a 2-1 loss to West Deptford. "This is a very special team. "I'm absolutely optimistic that we will be competitive. We need to come out and play our game ... play Warren Hills hockey."

Will the Streaks do anything differently to prepare for their biggest game of the season?

"We try to say we're not superstitious, but we stick to the same routine unintentionally," said senior star forward Samantha Dugan, who shares the team lead in goals with 20 and ranks seventh on the program's all-time list, as well as seventh in career points with 141. "It's basically like Disney World. We know what to expect with the venue. We still have a young team -- some have only been down there one or two times. It's such an honor every year to go down there."

Fenner recalls having a conversation with Dugan when they were freshmen in 2016, which ended with a 5-0 loss to Ocean City. The Streaks, 2-6 all-time against the Raiders in state finals, prevailed against their postseason nemesis in 2014 and '15 -- ending a string of eight straight title game defeats.

"Sam and I were talking on the bus our freshman year going to the finals," Fenner said. "Our goal then was to win at least one final. Now, we're back here again. Everything is more upbeat, more positive. And we are in way better shape. Last year, [against Moorestown] we got outran. Coach makes us run every day. It's so necessary. Some days we don't even bring a stick to practices."

Now, Warren Hills has the opportunity face a relatively unknown opponent in the finals as Clearview (21-2-1), which won its only sectional titles in 2017 and '19 by beating Ocean City in both, is making its first state finals appearance. And that's not necessarily a bad thing as the Streaks see it.

"For so long it's been Ocean City in the finals, and the past few years Moorestown," Dugan said. "I feel like this whole season there's been changes and upsets. We're all really excited and really want it."

"A lot of people are asking us about Clearview. I think it's better that we don't know a lot about them and haven't played them in the past," Fenner said.

Clearview, which has won 10 in a row since a 1-1 tie against Kingsway on Oct. 4, has outscored its opponents, 25-1, in the postseason, including a 2-0 victory over Ocean City in the South Jersey sectional final.

Leading the Pioneers' offense, which has produced 126 goals and averages just over five per game, is junior midfielder Abby Vesey (33 goals, 15 assists), junior backs Allie Palumbo (18 goals, 31 assists) and Grace Trovato (20 goals, 17 assists), along with freshman forward-midfielder Darian DeLeo (18 goals) and senior forward Gigi McAlpin (10 goals, 8 assists).

Defensively for Clearview, junior goalie Nevaeh Deichert has logged 13 shutouts and allowed her only postseason goal in the team's 4-1 win over Burlington Township in the Group 3 semifinals -- giving coach Britney Ewan her 200th career victory.

Dugan, along with juniors Simryn Desai (20 goals), Jenna Wyckoff (eight goals) and senior Paulina Georgoutsos (team-high 11 assists), round out a solid forward line. Sophomore Maddie Summitt (six goals) and junior Julianna Valli (nine goals) can provide a spark off the bench.

Rounding out the midfield are juniors Sarah Korczukowski (11 goals, 8 assists), who was named MVP in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament final, and Olivia Chomut.

Warren Hills' superb defense, led by junior back Liz Schlaffer and junior sweeper Kylie Compton, along with sophomore back Emily Dvorsky in front of senior goalie Julia Webber, is ready for the challenge of shutting that offense down. The Streaks have posted 15 shutouts this season -- the fourth highest total in a season behind only the 2013 (18), 2014 (17) and 2003 (16) clubs.

"It's an unbelievable number," Schlaffer said of the shutout total. "[Webber] takes nothing lightly. Everything is very serious. She makes sure we're marking girls and she's very vocal. It's so helpful. We always communicate with each other.

"We have a bond. There is a lot of trust involved. I trust Kylie. Kylie trusts Emily. Mistakes are not ideal, but we know if one of us misses the ball, someone else is going to be there. Our midfielders help out by dropping back and putting pressure on the ball. We're all one big unit."

State championship schedule

Non-Public

Oak Knoll (23-0) vs. Camden Catholic (19-2), 10 a.m.

Group 2

West Essex (22-1-1) vs. Seneca (16-7), noon

Group 3

Warren Hills (23-1) vs. Clearview (20-2-1), 2 p.m.

Group 4

Hunterdon Central (13-9-2) vs. Eastern (22-2), 4 p.m.

Group 1

Shore (23-2) vs. Haddonfield (20-3), 6 p.m.