Field hockey: Seaters pay back Newton in semifinals

Belvidere's field hockey team gets to continue its revenge-game tour this postseason.

Freshman Emerson LaBar scored both goals and sophomore Kaitlin Williams was outstanding in the cage as the second-seeded County Seaters rolled to a 2-0 win over No. 3 Newton in the Northwest Region A semifinals on Friday afternoon at Belvidere High School.

Belvidere seeks its first postseason title since 1996.

LaBar, with five goals and an assist in her last seven games, has emerged as an offensive force down the stretch for Belvidere, which advances to face defending sectional champion Pequannock in the regional title game at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Pompton Plains. LaBar's first goal against Newton came with 14:41 left in the second quarter and she later converted a penalty stroke near the four-minute mark as she lifted the ball high into the left corner of the cage.

"Midway through [the season] we lost a couple of players who had to quarantine after being exposed in a classroom and [LaBar] started playing extremely well and has stayed in the lineup ever since," coach Beth Franceschino said of her niece, whose parents, Abby and Tadgh LaBar, were standout athletes at the Warren County school.

Belvidere (8-3-1), which started this postseason run with a 3-0 victory over Whippany Park on Tuesday, returns to a postseason final for just the second time since winning its last sectional title in 1996. The Seaters had lost four straight to Newton dating to 2017 -- including overtime playoff losses in the North 1, Group 1 quarterfinals (2-1 in '17) and final (1-0 in '18). The other two setbacks came in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament (4-0 in '17 and 1-0 in '19).

Now, the Seaters set their sights on a potential rematch with Pequannock, which knocked off Belvidere (1-0 in the quarterfinals) and Newton (1-0 in the semifinals) en route to the North 1, Group 1 title in 2019.

"Two years ago [in the sectional final] I thought we really outplayed [Newton] and that was heartbreaking," said Franceschino, a star back at Belvidere (then Beth Pursell) and a key member of the Group 1 championship teams in 1989 and '90 as well as the only county title-winning team in '92 under legendary coach Sally Ueberroth.

"The seniors [who were sophomores then] on the field remembered that feeling and I think that helped fuel their fire. They're hungry for it and I think it will be a really good [final against Pequannock]."

Newton (7-4), which was seeking its fifth title in seven seasons and a Sussex County-best 13th overall, never quite got going against Belvidere, which dominated most of the first half and fourth quarter. The Braves were coming off a thrilling 3-2 win in overtime against Boonton on Wednesday, the team's first action in 13 days after being shut down due to coronavirus exposure, as Elissar Abou-Jaoude scored the winning goal when the ball bounced off the top of the cage and in her direction at the right post.

Williams made several critical saves (seven total) for Belvidere, which had to defend three consecutive penalty corners starting at the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter. 

"She's good and has played for a few years," Franceschino said of her keeper, who has seven shutouts this season. "It was a little nerve wracking [in the final minutes], especially after seeing the goal [Newton] scored the other day [against Boonton]."

Seaters senior forward and Pace University commit Olivia Zmyewski, who scored her team-leading ninth goal against Whippany Park, was held without a goal or an assist for just the fifth time this season, while Ellie Kardos, Marianna Crisafulli, Emma Dalrymple and left midfielder Jordan Yeisley did a fine job defending on Newton drives and corners, and distributing the ball.

Franceschino also credited backs Kinsey Lockard, Autumn Banghart and Nora Dornich for their play this season.

"The girls are in really good shape and came in in shape, and they're hungry to play," Franceschino said. "They play both sides of the field."