Delaware Division
FIRST TEAM
Forwards -- Kim Engelhart, Hunterdon Central, sr.; Caroline Murphy, Bridgewater-Raritan, sr.; Julia Mallozzi, Hillsborough, sr.; Catherine Caro, Bridgewater-Raritan, jr.; Rachel Yaney, Bridgewater-Raritan, jr.; Sam Brown, Ridge, jr.; Nicole Barrett, Hunterdon Central, jr.
Midfielders -- Kristen Givens, Hunterdon Central, sr.; Ashley Hough, Pingry, sr.; Katie Ruesterholz, Pingry, jr.; Taylor Mygatt, Bridgewater-Raritan, sr.
Defenders -- Emma Meany, Hillsborough, sr.; Kayla Sullivan, Bridgewater-Raritan, sr.; Jen Finnott, Watchung Hills, sr.
Goalie -- Christen Piersante, Bridgewater-Raritan, jr.
SECOND TEAM
Forwards -- Rebecca Jaeger, Hunterdon Central, sr.; Jackie Schwankert, Hillsborough, jr.; Brigid Bruno, Pingry, jr.; Nicole Arata, Pingry, jr.; Annie Vreeland, Pingry, sr.
Midfielders -- Julie Earle, Hunterdon Central, sr.; Lauren Belskie, Hillsborough, so.; Maryanne Myers, Hillsborough, sr.; Jess Casterline, Bridgewater-Raritan, sr.; Ellexa Thomas, Ridge, so.
Defenders -- Lauren DeVito, Pingry, jr.; Dayle Paustian, Bridgewater-Raritan, jr.; Rachel Longenecker, North Hunterdon, sr.; Claudia Emaunel, Watchung Hills, jr.
Goalies -- Felicia Heard, North Hunterdon, sr.; Maddie Taddeo, Ridge, jr.
Raritan Division
FIRST TEAM
Forwards -- Katie Decker, Phillipsburg, jr.; Lauren Nunes, Phillipsburg, sr.; Lindsey Schott, Warren Hills, sr.; Erica Hrudowsky, Montgomery, jr.; Antoinette Metzler, Voorhees, sr.
Midfielders -- Niki Miller, Warren Hills, jr.; Shari Jones, Montgomery, sr.; Whitney Kowski, Warren Hills, sr.; Nikki Schott, Warren Hills, so.; Erin Miller, Voorhees, sr.
Defenders -- Allison Mannheimer, Montgomery, so.; Jen Hylkema, Warren Hills, sr.; Taylor Irving, Voorhees, sr.; Brie Petrone, Somerville, sr.
Goalies -- Kimmie Pianucci, Voorhees, sr.; Mary Drabich, Delaware Valley, sr.
SECOND TEAM
Forwards -- Priscilla Howell, Phillipsburg, sr.; Rebecca Ramdeo, Franklin, sr.; Kayla Grater, Warren Hills, sr.; Diane Opeikun, Delaware Valley, sr.
Midfielders -- Philly Lumsden, Montgomery, so.; Molly Zgoda, Phillipsburg, jr.; Cat Chen, Voorhees, sr.; Sara Diacik, Voorhees, jr.; Maria Sacchi, Somerville, sr.
Defenders -- Caitlin Clark, Warren Hills, sr.; Courtney Sisputowski, Franklin, sr.; Natalie Colonna, Montgomery, jr.; Caitlyn Slusser, Delaware Valley, jr.; Alex Barish, Voorhees, so.; Juana Guglielimino, Voorhees, sr.
Goalie -- Katie Wintersteen, Warren Hills, jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Forward -- Kat Francis, Voorhees, sr.
Midfielders -- Olivia Brogan, Delaware Valley, jr.; Jess Hopf, Somerville, sr.
Defenders -- Jamie Miller, Warren Hills, sr.; Kaelin Conover, Franklin, jr.; Tori Rudo, Montgomery, jr.
Goalie -- Brittany Lavin, Phillipsburg, sr.
Valley Division
FIRST TEAM
Forwards -- Tiffany McKenna, Belvidere, sr.; Kaycee Zelkovski, South Hunterdon, so.
Midfielders -- Kasey Keenan, Belvidere, sr.; Laura Cheatham, Belvidere, sr.; Kelly Albanir, South Hunterdon, sr.; Karli Ribsam, South Hunterdon, sr.; Sarah Knap, Mount St. Mary, sr.; Emma Christus, Bernards, fr.; KeeKee Winslow, Bernards, sr.
Defenders -- Abby McMorrow, Bernards, sr.; Grace Dienes, South Hunterdon, sr.; Katie Murray, Mount St. Mary, sr.; McKenna Kels, Belvidere, sr.; Laurel Shnider, Bernards, sr.
Goalie -- Geolenne Velasquez, North Plainfield, sr.
SECOND TEAM
Forwards -- Jess Towey, North Warren, fr.; Sarah Dickert, Mount St. Mary, sr.; Jenny Reis, Mount St. Mary, sr.; Alexa Beaumont, Belvidere, jr.; Nicole DeHerde, Belvidere, jr.; Rachel Alberti, Bernards, so.; Amber Dey, South Hunterdon, so.; Becca Hendricks, South Hunterdon, sr.
Midfielders -- Morgan Lucas, Belvidere, sr.; Jenny Reilly, North Plainfield, sr.; Brett Lelie, South Hunterdon, so.
Defenders -- Shannon West, North Plainfield, sr.; Sarah Pakrul, Bernards, sr.; Nicole Corcoran, Bernards, sr.
Goalie -- Josee Ritter, Belvidere, sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Forwards -- Liz Martinez, Belvidere, sr.; Annie Maass, Bernards, sr.
Goalies -- Sam Soscia, South Hunterdon, so.; Alyssa Torres, Mount St. Mary, jr.
Bold denotes-- Players from Hunterdon and Warren counties
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
NJSIAA: Central's loss doesn't spoil fantastic run
Hunterdon Central's field hockey team wasn't pleased with the outcome on Thursday, but the Red Devils are proud of a season that ended with a championship during one of the greatest comeback stories.
Senior right inner Rebecca Jaeger pulled Central within one goal late in the first half, but it wasn't enough to fuel what would have been an improbable comeback in a 4-1 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan in a Group 4 semifinal contest at Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights.
Central (14-10), a No. 6 seed, claimed the North 2 sectional title, the program's first since 2007, just three days earlier to set up a third meeting with Skyland Conference nemesis Bridgewater-Raritan (21-3), who had beaten the Red Devils, 7-1 and 4-1, in regular season meetings.
Coach Kathie DeBonis and the Panthers advance to meet 12-time defending champion Eastern for a seventh straight year in the Group 4 final on Sunday at Toms River East. Bridgewater-Raritan, the North 1 sectional champion, has now won 10 straight over Hunterdon Central dating to 2007. Central's last win was 1-0 on Sept. 10 in a regular season meeting that year, which ended with a 2-1 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan in the Group 4 semis. The Devils have also been outscored, 44-6, in those 10 losses.
"Hunterdon Central, for me personally, when I started coaching, they were the team I aspired to be," said DeBonis, whose teams have won seven straight sectional titles dating to 2005. "Going back to [former coach] Sandy Chronic, they were what we tried to emulate. I have an amazing respect for that program. If you want to be the best you study the best. This program wouldn't be where it is if it wasn't for [Central] beating us all those years."
The Hunterdon County school got back onto the state map this season, following back-to-back losing campaigns in 2009 and '10. A year ago, Central coach Jenn Sponzo's team went 3-12-1 and scored a total of 11 goals.
"It's a humble feeling to go [3-12-1]," said Sponzo, the program's winningest coach who captured her sixth sectional title this season. "Going into this season the girls worked hard every day and worked to get that respect [for the program] back."
The Red Devils trailed 2-0 early after junior forward Rachel Yaney popped in one off the pads of Central goalie Fran Orella for her team-leading 25th goal with 19:54 left before halftime. The Panthers got their first off a corner -- a rocket shot into the right corner by Taylor Mygatt -- just under 8 minutes into the contest.
But Central hung tough the rest of the way and made it a one-goal game when Jaeger redirected a ball from senior forward Kim Engelhart inside the right post with 6:27 to go before the break. Suddenly, the Red Devils had the momentum.
But Bridgewater-Raritan got it back early in the second half. Senior midfielder Kayla Sullivan, who played a fantastic game, all but sealed it when she converted a penalty stroke with 23:14 left in the game. The stroke was awarded when a Central defender stopped a shot with her body near the goal line.
Mackenzie Knouse put the finishing touches on the win with an unassisted goal near the six-minute mark.
"Until the stroke I thought we kept it very respectable," Sponzo said.
Central just couldn't quite duplicate it's solid play from the last 10 minutes of the first half in the final 30 minutes.
"After halftime we realized that this is it and we've got to put two goals in to win," Jaeger said. "Maybe we were trying to focus more on putting the ball [in the cage] than working more as a team."
Jaeger was inspired by her team's comeback this season to get within one game of playing for a Group 4 title after a pair of rare down years at the Flemington-based school.
"I could've only dreamed it after last season," she said. "I'm absolutely proud of how far we've come from last year. We all had the teamwork and desire to be here. Everybody here wants to win. It's what helped us get this far."
Hunterdon Central (14-10) 1 0 -- 1
Bridgewater-Raritan (21-3) 2 2 -- 4
Scoring
First half -- BR, Taylor Mygatt, 11th, (Kayla Sullivan), 22:17; BR, Rachel Yaney, 25th, 19:54; HC, Rebecca Jaeger, 4th, (Kim Engelhart), 6:27.
Second half -- BR, Sullivan, 6th, (penalty stroke), 23:14; BR, Mackenzie Knouse, 2nd, 6:09.
Shots -- Hunterdon Central 5; Bridgewater-Raritan 12.
Saves -- Fran Orella 7, Emily Zengel 1 (defensive) (HC); Christen Piersanti 2, Emily Howart 1 (defensive), Nicole Braun 1 (defensive), (BR).
Penalty corners -- Hunterdon Central 8; Bridgewater-Raritan 19.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Warren Hills finally sees the light with Lockhart
When I heard the news that Bob Lockhart was hired to be Warren Hills' new athletic director, two things came to mind.
Good for Bob Lockhart. Great for Warren Hills.
Lockhart, after being passed over a year ago for the same position, was unanimously approved by the nine-member school board on Tuesday. The same board that shot him down at the end of 2010 when Nick Holgash retired. Rarely do we get a second chance to do the right thing. And make no mistake, this is as right as it gets.
Lockhart beams with pride for the school he graduated from in 1977. The former star quarterback also served as the Blue Streaks' head football coach, guiding the 2000 team to the program's first and only sectional championship and retiring with the most wins in school history. His teams won three conference titles and qualified for the state playoffs in five of his final six seasons.
Bottom line: Lockhart was a winner on the field and Warren Hills is the big winner today with him heading up its athletic program. Check out what he told me during our phone conversation on Wednesday afternoon and see if you agree.
"I just have so much pride in Warren Hills and the kids are going to see that," he said. "I take pride in the Blue and White. The expectations [with me as AD] will come from us working hard together. I want to see all of our programs be champions. We have a lot of great coaches. The people I've been in contact with make all the work we've done worthwhile."
Lockhart, a 2006 inductee into the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, knows winning and he expects all of the sports programs to compete at a high level. Another one of his goals is to get students, parents and other athletes to come out and support all of the teams.
"Our girls basketball coach Meghan Ruppert came up with a great slogan, I think it's from Maryland: 'Twenty-four sports, one team,'" Lockhart said. "I'm full of energy and I want it to be infectious."
Lockhart certainly had a groundswell of support. I've heard from hundreds of current teachers, coaches, parents and former athletes who always supported his hiring and are extremely happy he's finally getting his due. He taught health and physical education at Warren Hills for 25 years and also coached basketball, baseball and track. During his playing days, Lockhart was an All-Conference quarterback at Trenton State (now The College of New Jersey).
It's refreshing to see a school that has seemed to go out of its way not to hire its own people make the right call.
The man known as "Lock" is also the father of two former standout athletes at Warren Hills. A son, Rob, was a star quarterback following in his father's footsteps and led that 2000 team to the championship. A daughter, Stephanie, was a standout defender on three field hockey teams that won sectional titles and played in the Group 3 finals under coach Laurie Kerr.
Still a young man in his early 50s, Lockhart recently became a grandfather. Rob Lockhart's son, Luke, is four months old. In typical fashion, Bob is already grooming the third generation QB.
"I've already got him throwing [a football]," said a proud grandfather.
Luke Lockhart sure sounds like a quarterback's name to me. Bob Lockhart as Warren Hills' athletic director has a nice ring to it as well.
Good for Bob Lockhart. Great for Warren Hills.
Lockhart, after being passed over a year ago for the same position, was unanimously approved by the nine-member school board on Tuesday. The same board that shot him down at the end of 2010 when Nick Holgash retired. Rarely do we get a second chance to do the right thing. And make no mistake, this is as right as it gets.
Lockhart beams with pride for the school he graduated from in 1977. The former star quarterback also served as the Blue Streaks' head football coach, guiding the 2000 team to the program's first and only sectional championship and retiring with the most wins in school history. His teams won three conference titles and qualified for the state playoffs in five of his final six seasons.
Bottom line: Lockhart was a winner on the field and Warren Hills is the big winner today with him heading up its athletic program. Check out what he told me during our phone conversation on Wednesday afternoon and see if you agree.
"I just have so much pride in Warren Hills and the kids are going to see that," he said. "I take pride in the Blue and White. The expectations [with me as AD] will come from us working hard together. I want to see all of our programs be champions. We have a lot of great coaches. The people I've been in contact with make all the work we've done worthwhile."
Lockhart, a 2006 inductee into the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, knows winning and he expects all of the sports programs to compete at a high level. Another one of his goals is to get students, parents and other athletes to come out and support all of the teams.
"Our girls basketball coach Meghan Ruppert came up with a great slogan, I think it's from Maryland: 'Twenty-four sports, one team,'" Lockhart said. "I'm full of energy and I want it to be infectious."
Lockhart certainly had a groundswell of support. I've heard from hundreds of current teachers, coaches, parents and former athletes who always supported his hiring and are extremely happy he's finally getting his due. He taught health and physical education at Warren Hills for 25 years and also coached basketball, baseball and track. During his playing days, Lockhart was an All-Conference quarterback at Trenton State (now The College of New Jersey).
It's refreshing to see a school that has seemed to go out of its way not to hire its own people make the right call.
The man known as "Lock" is also the father of two former standout athletes at Warren Hills. A son, Rob, was a star quarterback following in his father's footsteps and led that 2000 team to the championship. A daughter, Stephanie, was a standout defender on three field hockey teams that won sectional titles and played in the Group 3 finals under coach Laurie Kerr.
Still a young man in his early 50s, Lockhart recently became a grandfather. Rob Lockhart's son, Luke, is four months old. In typical fashion, Bob is already grooming the third generation QB.
"I've already got him throwing [a football]," said a proud grandfather.
Luke Lockhart sure sounds like a quarterback's name to me. Bob Lockhart as Warren Hills' athletic director has a nice ring to it as well.
UPDATE: Lockhart excited to be Streaks' new AD
It was a long time coming, but Warren Hills finally approved Bob Lockhart as its new athletic director during Tuesday night's board of education meeting. He was among two finalists, along with an unnamed candidate from the Dayton, N.J. area, for the job.
Lockhart, a Warren Hills alum and former successful football coach, was turned down for the job at the end of 2010. The Warren County school instead hired Clegg "Buddy" Freund, who was removed from the building at the start of the school year. School administrators said that Freund, who was involved in a sexual assault coverup at Roxbury High School as its AD in 2003, resigned for "health reasons."
Lockhart said he attended Tuesday's meeting and was unanimously approved by the nine-member board.
"I'm just happy it happened," Lockhart said on Wednesday afternoon as he was headed to Lafayette College for football practice where he serves as the Leopards' tight ends coach. "It was something I've wanted and I'm excited to have the opportunity now."
Lockhart has some detractors on the current school board, which obviously made the smart decision this time to hire the man who should've gotten the job the first time around. The board would have looked foolish a second time to turn down a Warren Hills icon and a stand-up guy with high values.
Despite being passed over a year ago, Lockhart held no hard feelings and said he only has love for his alma mater.
"It's a place I always wanted to be," said Lockhart, a 1977 graduate of the Warren County school and former teacher. "My feelings the whole time never changed. It's a great place to work. I always enjoyed being at Warren Hills."
During Lockhart's tenure as football coach, he guided the Blue Streaks to their only sectional championship in 2000. He also served as the school's assistant AD under former boss Nick Holgash, who retired in 2010.
"The most rewarding part about coaching is seeing all the men and women you coached and what they turn out to be," Lockhart said.
Lockhart will resume duties as the AD effective Nov. 21. Interim AD Sal Patti has done an excellent job despite poor health issues. Patti, a former AD at Voorhees, is a true gentleman and should be applauded for his efforts under very difficult circumstances.
Longtime secretary Joan Duryea also stepped in between and basically ran that office until Patti came aboard. The school also owes her a ton of thanks.
Lockhart, a Warren Hills alum and former successful football coach, was turned down for the job at the end of 2010. The Warren County school instead hired Clegg "Buddy" Freund, who was removed from the building at the start of the school year. School administrators said that Freund, who was involved in a sexual assault coverup at Roxbury High School as its AD in 2003, resigned for "health reasons."
Lockhart said he attended Tuesday's meeting and was unanimously approved by the nine-member board.
"I'm just happy it happened," Lockhart said on Wednesday afternoon as he was headed to Lafayette College for football practice where he serves as the Leopards' tight ends coach. "It was something I've wanted and I'm excited to have the opportunity now."
Lockhart has some detractors on the current school board, which obviously made the smart decision this time to hire the man who should've gotten the job the first time around. The board would have looked foolish a second time to turn down a Warren Hills icon and a stand-up guy with high values.
Despite being passed over a year ago, Lockhart held no hard feelings and said he only has love for his alma mater.
"It's a place I always wanted to be," said Lockhart, a 1977 graduate of the Warren County school and former teacher. "My feelings the whole time never changed. It's a great place to work. I always enjoyed being at Warren Hills."
During Lockhart's tenure as football coach, he guided the Blue Streaks to their only sectional championship in 2000. He also served as the school's assistant AD under former boss Nick Holgash, who retired in 2010.
"The most rewarding part about coaching is seeing all the men and women you coached and what they turn out to be," Lockhart said.
Lockhart will resume duties as the AD effective Nov. 21. Interim AD Sal Patti has done an excellent job despite poor health issues. Patti, a former AD at Voorhees, is a true gentleman and should be applauded for his efforts under very difficult circumstances.
Longtime secretary Joan Duryea also stepped in between and basically ran that office until Patti came aboard. The school also owes her a ton of thanks.
NJSIAA: Red Devils looking to continue fantastic run
Hunterdon Central's rich field hockey tradition wasn't lost on a group of players that endured back-to-back losing seasons in 2009 and '10. Their mission from the start of preseason was to return the program to its glory days.
Central hopes to continue what has been a remarkable turnaround campaign on Thursday when it meets Skyland Conference rival Bridgewater-Raritan in one of the Group 4 semifinals at Governor Livingston High School. Game time is 2 p.m.
Freehold Township meets 12-time defending Group 4 champion Eastern in the other semifinal on Thursday. The semifinal winners meet for the state title on Sunday at Toms River East. Eastern defeated Central in four straight Group 4 finals from 2001-04.
Senior forward Kim Engelhart was in eighth grade the last time Hunterdon Central (14-9) advanced this deep into the state playoffs. Her second-half goal against No. 1 seed Montgomery on Monday lifted the sixth-seeded Red Devils to a 2-1 victory in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final. It was the Hunterdon County school's 12th sectional title and first since 2007.
"It's amazing. We did the impossible in a way," said Engelhart of her team's title after a 3-12-1 season a year ago in which it scored a total of 11 goals in 16 games. "We really came together as a team this year."
Junior midfielder/back Chloe Maurice has been at the forefront of a defense that's helped pave the way for a championship. Central has allowed two goals in four postseason games and really did a nice job against Montgomery senior Shari Jones, the Maryland-bound midfielder, in the sectional final. The Cougars had 15 penalty corners in that game and managed only two quality shots, scoring their only goal on one in the first half.
"We definitely went in really determined to shut them down," Maurice said. "We wanted to prove to everybody that we're better than a six seed."
Coach Jenn Sponzo, who picked up her sixth sectional title in her 12 seasons, is really proud of the turnaround this season. Her 2010 team posted the lowest win total of any at the Flemington-based school since the 1986 team won two games. You also have to go back to the 1970s for the last time Central endured consecutive losing seasons, doing so from 1970 through '79.
From one highly-regarded coach to another, Sponzo sought out advice on a preseason conditioning regimen from Warren Hills' Laurie Kerr, whose team lost a one-goal heartbreaker in the North 2, Group 3 final on Tuesday.
Sponzo, who this season passed her former coach Sandy Chronic for most field hockey victories in school history, said that being in better shape this season and having dedicated players was critical to the team's success.
"We call it the pursuit of excellence [at Central]," said Sponzo, whose teams are 177-84-16 overall with four losses in the Group 4 final. "We've peaked at the right time. We have nine losses to all quality teams. We knew we had it in us to win a championship. These kids are great."
Central will continue playing the underdog role against Bridgewater (20-3), which defeated Montclair, 4-0, for the North 1 championship. Coach Kathie DeBonis' Panthers, who have lost to Eastern in the last seven Group 4 finals, beat the Red Devils twice this season, 7-1 and 4-1, in Delaware Division matchups.
In fact, Central has lost nine straight to Bridgewater dating to 2007, including a 7-0 loss in the sectional quarterfinals in '09, a 3-2 loss in the '08 sectional final and a 2-1 loss in the '07 Group 4 semis. In those losses, Central has been outscored by a combined margin of 40-5.
The Red Devils' last victory over the Panthers was 1-0 on Sept. 10, 2007.
"[We're the underdog] whether we like it or not," Maurice said. "We're going to play as hard as we can and fight to the finish. Seeds and being the underdog doesn't really matter."
Win or lose, Central has already put the program back on the map.
"We started the season with a goal of winning the first game, which we didn't even do losing to Pingry in overtime [2-1]," said Engelhart, who leads the team with 19 goals. "But we knew we were headed in the right direction. We're back and it feels amazing."
Now Central would love the feeling of once again playing for a Group 4 title.
Central hopes to continue what has been a remarkable turnaround campaign on Thursday when it meets Skyland Conference rival Bridgewater-Raritan in one of the Group 4 semifinals at Governor Livingston High School. Game time is 2 p.m.
Freehold Township meets 12-time defending Group 4 champion Eastern in the other semifinal on Thursday. The semifinal winners meet for the state title on Sunday at Toms River East. Eastern defeated Central in four straight Group 4 finals from 2001-04.
Senior forward Kim Engelhart was in eighth grade the last time Hunterdon Central (14-9) advanced this deep into the state playoffs. Her second-half goal against No. 1 seed Montgomery on Monday lifted the sixth-seeded Red Devils to a 2-1 victory in the North 2, Group 4 sectional final. It was the Hunterdon County school's 12th sectional title and first since 2007.
"It's amazing. We did the impossible in a way," said Engelhart of her team's title after a 3-12-1 season a year ago in which it scored a total of 11 goals in 16 games. "We really came together as a team this year."
Junior midfielder/back Chloe Maurice has been at the forefront of a defense that's helped pave the way for a championship. Central has allowed two goals in four postseason games and really did a nice job against Montgomery senior Shari Jones, the Maryland-bound midfielder, in the sectional final. The Cougars had 15 penalty corners in that game and managed only two quality shots, scoring their only goal on one in the first half.
"We definitely went in really determined to shut them down," Maurice said. "We wanted to prove to everybody that we're better than a six seed."
Coach Jenn Sponzo, who picked up her sixth sectional title in her 12 seasons, is really proud of the turnaround this season. Her 2010 team posted the lowest win total of any at the Flemington-based school since the 1986 team won two games. You also have to go back to the 1970s for the last time Central endured consecutive losing seasons, doing so from 1970 through '79.
From one highly-regarded coach to another, Sponzo sought out advice on a preseason conditioning regimen from Warren Hills' Laurie Kerr, whose team lost a one-goal heartbreaker in the North 2, Group 3 final on Tuesday.
Sponzo, who this season passed her former coach Sandy Chronic for most field hockey victories in school history, said that being in better shape this season and having dedicated players was critical to the team's success.
"We call it the pursuit of excellence [at Central]," said Sponzo, whose teams are 177-84-16 overall with four losses in the Group 4 final. "We've peaked at the right time. We have nine losses to all quality teams. We knew we had it in us to win a championship. These kids are great."
Central will continue playing the underdog role against Bridgewater (20-3), which defeated Montclair, 4-0, for the North 1 championship. Coach Kathie DeBonis' Panthers, who have lost to Eastern in the last seven Group 4 finals, beat the Red Devils twice this season, 7-1 and 4-1, in Delaware Division matchups.
In fact, Central has lost nine straight to Bridgewater dating to 2007, including a 7-0 loss in the sectional quarterfinals in '09, a 3-2 loss in the '08 sectional final and a 2-1 loss in the '07 Group 4 semis. In those losses, Central has been outscored by a combined margin of 40-5.
The Red Devils' last victory over the Panthers was 1-0 on Sept. 10, 2007.
"[We're the underdog] whether we like it or not," Maurice said. "We're going to play as hard as we can and fight to the finish. Seeds and being the underdog doesn't really matter."
Win or lose, Central has already put the program back on the map.
"We started the season with a goal of winning the first game, which we didn't even do losing to Pingry in overtime [2-1]," said Engelhart, who leads the team with 19 goals. "But we knew we were headed in the right direction. We're back and it feels amazing."
Now Central would love the feeling of once again playing for a Group 4 title.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
NJSIAA: Streaks lose heartbreaker in title game
Warren Hills field hockey team made a valiant effort on Tuesday against a strong team with a great player.
But in the end, the Blue Streaks came up short in their quest for a championship.
Senior Emily Wold scored all three goals, including the game-winner with 1:13 left to play, as top-seeded Freehold Borough prevailed with a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Warren Hills in the North 2, Group 3 sectional final in Freehold.
Warren Hills (22-2) saw its 12-game win streak and its bid for the program's 10th sectional crown end with another tough finals loss. The Warren County school, now 9-4 all-time in sectional title games, had a tremendous season -- winning its first Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex championship and establishing a new program record for wins in a season.
Senior forward Lindsey Schott also broke the school's 15-year-old record for goals in a season (27) and finishes her fine career as the all-time goals (72), assists (46) and points (190) leader. She also has the single-season points mark with 70 in 2011 and came within two of tying the assists mark with 16.
"They can't hang their heads," said veteran coach Laurie Kerr, now 5-2 all-time in sectional finals in 12 seasons in charge of her alma mater. "They were down 0-2 and never gave up. These kids were determined. They worked so hard."
Freehold (20-1) picked up its second straight sectional crown and its third, all under coach Jerrilyn Acevedo. The Colonials, who beat the Blue Streaks, 2-0, in the 2007 final, also avenged a 1-0 loss in overtime to Kerr's team on the same field in 2009. They move on to face North 1 champion West Milford (20-1) in the Group 3 semifinals on Thursday in Clark.
Wold, a sophomore on that 2009 Freehold team, almost single-handily kept her team in that one. On Tuesday, she took over the game at its most critical juncture, something that great players often do in big games. She scored all three goals in her team's 3-2 win over Wall in last year's Group 3 final.
All of the scoring on Tuesday came in the second half.
"She's very, very good," Kerr said of Wold. "You can't slow her down. She's quick and all over the place. Emily is probably one of the top players I've ever seen in the state. We came out really tight and on our heels. We were trying to react to them rather than set the tone."
The North Carolina-bound midfielder started the scoring with a penalty stroke early in the second half, awarded after a shot went off the upper body of Warren Hills senior back Caitlin Clark in front of the cage. Wold followed about nine minutes later with her second goal of the game and 43rd of the season, giving Freehold a commanding 2-0 lead after a scoreless first half.
On that one, Kerr said that the officials ruled that Clark didn't stop the ball before it crossed the goal line.
"The officials said that [Clark's] stick and the ball were over the line," Kerr said. "You don't know if it was a goal or not. Caitlin said that ball didn't go over the line."
That's when Warren Hills mounted its comeback. Senior midfielder Whitney Kowski, who's been outstanding all season, made it a one-goal game when she converted off a pass from junior midfielder Niki Miller on a penalty corner with 5:17 left in the game.
"It was a perfectly-executed corner," Kerr said.
Just as the Streaks were clawing back, Lindsey Schott was hit with a yellow card for a high stick with 3:59 left in the game. Earlier in the half, her sister, sophomore Nikki Schott, received a yellow card for delay of game. Now a player down, Warren Hills charged ahead and senior forward Kayla Grater connected for her 16th goal of the season with 3:30 left to tie it at 2.
"That's the story of her season, her hustle again," Kerr said of Grater.
But Wold was able to find the cage for a third time this season to end what would have been one of the greatest comebacks in Warren Hills' history. Despite the three goals, Kerr said that junior Katie Wintersteen played a strong game and made 18 saves in the loss.
"Katie didn't give up any easy shots," Kerr said. "She played very well and rose to the challenge. She's capable of doing that."
Despite losing several talented seniors, including back Jen Hylkema, Kerr firmly believes the Streaks will be back in the championship mix again in 2012. Miller and Nikki Schott both return in the midfield, while talented freshmen Nikki Profita, Amanda Crampton and Sydney Muntone all have bright futures ahead of the them. Just as important, Wintersteen returns for a third season in goal.
"We're going to be just fine," Kerr said. "We lose a lot of talented seniors that have done great things for the program. We'll have to work hard, but we're going to be right back in the thick of things."
Warren Hills (22-2) 0 2 -- 2
Freehold Borough (20-1) 0 3 -- 3
Scoring
Second half -- F, Emily Wold, 42nd, (penalty stroke), 26:05; F, Wold, 43rd, 17:19; WH, Whitney Kowski, 9th, (Niki Miller), 5:17; WH, Kayla Grater, 16th, (Nikki Profita), 3:30; F, Wold, 44th, 1:13.
Shots -- Warren Hills 8; Freehold Borough 21.
Saves -- Katie Wintersteen 18 (WH); Taylor Martino 6 (F).
NJSIAA: Wildcats' run ends in sectional final
High Point's field hockey team finished with the statistical edge in every category on Tuesday, except the only one that counts.
When it was all said and done, the top-seeded Wildcats came up short on the scoreboard, falling 2-1 to second-seeded West Milford in the North 1, Group 3 sectional final in Wantage.
High Point (20-2), seeking its first championship since 2002, finished with advantages in shots (19-6) and penalty corners (16-2), but couldn't make the most of its opportunities. It was the final game for eight seniors, who came up short for the second straight year in the title game -- losing 4-3 in overtime to West Morris in 2010.
"We never expected this, we thought we had it today and could go far [in the postseason]," said senior midfielder Sashal Hagan, who was outstanding for the 'Cats all season. "Having the season end today is the hardest thing I've had to deal with in quite awhile."
Instead it's West Milford (20-1) moving on to the Group 3 semifinals after claiming the program's second sectional crown and first since 1985. Coach Jill Cullen's Highlanders will meet North 2 and defending Group 3 champion Freehold Borough on Thursday for the right to play in Sunday's state title game at Toms River East.
The 1985 sectional title for West Milford was never won on the field because no other team qualified that season in the North 1, Group 4 bracket. So, this is actually the Passaic County school's first victory in a championship game.
"This is my seventh and last season [as head coach] and I said I wanted to go out with a bang," Cullen said. "I didn't know it would be this big of a bang, being Passiac County championss and winning the sectional title. We knew High Point was a good team, but I'm confident in my team."
A ton of credit for the victory goes to West Milford goalie Jenna Bednarovsky, who was sensational in the cage. The junior registered 18 saves, most of which were on point-blank shots sprinkled in with some amazing acrobatic stops as well. The defense fended off 11 penalty corners in the first half, which was completely dominated by the hosts for the first 20 minutes or so.
Regardless, the Highlanders led 2-0 on goals by seniors Samantha Browne and Stacie Csakvary.
Browne struck first on the team's first penalty corner with 6:44 left before halftime, positioned at the left post to receive a perfect pass from Deborah Wolfe for her team-leading 35th goal. Csakvary cashed in nearly four minutes later, redirecting a deflected shot into a wide-open cage.
"Our goalie saved our butts more than once," Cullen said. "This was probably the best game I've seen her play. She was very impressive today. We played a good defensive game in the first half. We were a little sluggish in warm-ups, so I was concerned."
Junior Darby Smith got High Point on the board about nine minutes into the second half with her team-leading 25th goal. It gave her 109 career points, leaving her three shy of the school record held by Lesley Dube (112). Senior forward Nikki Hull was credited with the assist, giving her a final career total of 109 points.
Down by one goal, the 'Cats kept pounding away with 11 shots in the final 30 minutes, but to no avail as the Highlanders fended off one last corner in the final seconds.
"[Bednarovsky] was great, she made some amazing clears," Hagan said. "Good for her. She's a good goalie."
Veteran High Point coach Bev Keur was obviously disappointed with the loss, but not the effort of her team.
"I think we prepared them well and they took some beautiful shots," said Keur, whose teams are 311-113-14 over three stints in 21 seasons. "I thought we made some good adjustments at halftime and put the pressure on. Their goalie did a great job, but we've got to finish. Those two quick goals blind-sided us."
The not-so-small feat of reaching consecutive sectional finals held little comfort for Keur and the seniors afterward.
"We would like to be back-to-back sectional champions," Keur said.
West Milford (20-1) 2 0 -- 2
High Point (20-2) 0 1 -- 1
Scoring
First half -- WM, Samantha Browne, 35th, (Deborah Wolfe), 6:44; WM, Stacie Csakvary, 10th, (Nicolette Rich), 2:54.
Second half -- HP, Darby Smith, 25th, (Nikki Hull), 21:04.
Shots -- West Milford 6; High Point 19.
Saves -- Jenna Bednarovsky 18 (WM); Kelsey Stoll 2, Shannon Havens 1 (defensive), Kelsey Fleury 1 (defensive) (HP).
Penalty corners -- West Milford 2; High Point 16.
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