Field hockey: Streaks roll in Group 3 semifinal win

BOONTON -- Warren Hills' field hockey team experienced the best of both worlds on Wednesday night.

The Blue Streaks rode their fine senior leadership and some offense from their future star, as super sophomore forward Dani Profita scored a pair of goals in a dominating 6-1 victory over Northern Highlands in a Group 3 semifinal at Boonton High School.

Warren Hills (22-3), which has won 10 in a row and earned the program's 600th victory, advances to the Group 3 final for the third straight season and for the fourth time in six years. Standing in the way of the program's first state title in any female sport is once again Ocean City, which defeated Warren Hills in the last two championship games -- including last year's 1-0 double-overtime win -- and five times overall since 1999. Saturday's title game is set for 2 p.m. at Bordentown High School.

"We wanted Ocean [a 1-0 winner over Moorestown in the other semifinal]. We didn't want to play anyone else," said senior forward Sydney Muntone, who scored a pair of goals to become Warren Hills' single-season leader with 29 to go with one assist. "We want to end [the rivalry] on our note."

"We kept working and playing our hardest because this was our ticket to the big one," said Profita, who produced her sixth multi-goal game and her first goals of this postseason.

Northern Highlands (20-3), which won its eighth sectional title on Friday to reach the Group 3 semifinals for the second straight year, was looking to give a better account after a 9-0 loss to Warren Hills here a year ago. Coach Rich Smith's Highlanders did just that, tightening this one at 2-1, when Caroline Quinn connected off a penalty corner with 3:25 left before halftime.

But Profita's 22nd goal -- a beautiful reverse stick shot off a one-on-one with goalie Victoria Marino -- started a run of four second-half goals that enabled the heavily-favored Streaks to pull away. Shortly before the goal, coach Laurie Kerr called a timeout with her team looking out of sorts.

"I told them if they didn't pick up their communication to pack their bags because their season would be over," said Kerr, now 37-14 in postseason games, including 6-1 in Group 3 semifinals. "We had the right ideas, but we weren't passing it hard enough or right to sticks. We were working so much harder than we had to."

Profita opened the scoring on the game's third penalty corner off a feed from Muntone, who earned her team-leading 20th assist and 57th overall, tying her with Niki Miller for the school's career mark.

Warren Hills' offense, which was on point with its passing game, was simply too much down the stretch. One plus for Northern Highlands was that it allowed just one goal off 10 penalty corners.

"Give a lot of credit to Warren Hills. They're an awesome, high octane team," said the classy Smith. "I hope they do well in the Group 3 final. We defended their corners well. They were 8-of-11 on corners against us last year. It was our first sectional title since 1993 last year and we came in a bit starry-eyed. Tonight, we came out energized. When it got to be 3-1 that might have been the tipping point. We never quit, but I think we felt the game was out of reach."

Senior forward Jessica Nissen got in on the act with her 19th goal, which started with a perfect cross pass from Profita to the left post, where Nissen was waiting to knock it in. Muntone made it 5-1 off a breakaway with 17:04 left, while junior Megan Thompson capped the scoring with her 12th goal at the 7:21 mark.

Corner, fast breaks, cross passes in the circle, Warren Hills got it done with a little of everything. Meanwhile, the stellar defense, anchored by senior back Amanda Crampton, yielded just three shots-on-goal, while the Streaks racked up 21.

"We had really good passing and communicating really well," Profita said.

Muntone, who admittedly doesn't pay attention to stats, was unaware that she needed one goal to set the school's single-season mark after matching Lindsey Schott (27 in 2011) on Oct. 28. The Drexel-bound Muntone also holds records for career goals (77) and points (211), and she is one shy of matching Miller for the single-season points mark of 79.

"It's a huge accomplishment. It feels good to leave Warren Hills with the most goals in a career and single-season," Muntone said. "We have a great defense, too. We have the whole package. When we pass the ball, everyone can score."

Freshman midfielder Tali Popinko made it a family affair by joining her sisters, Toni and Tori, who played in the 2009 state title game for the Blue Streaks. Tali was solid in her first semifinal subbing for junior Julie DeSanto, who is out with a concussion.

Now, Warren Hills is looking to end an 0-for-8 skid in the finals in its Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex-best ninth appearance.

"It's an honor [to play in the Group 3 final]. It's something I've always wanted to do," said Tali Popinko, who watched her sisters play in '09. "We've all worked hard to get there."

Northern Highlands (20-3)               1                  0              --    1
Warren Hills (22-3)                          2                  4               --    6

Scoring

First half -- WH, Dani Profita, 21st, (Sydney Muntone), 22:54; WH, Muntone, 28th, 8:08; NH, Caroline Quinn, 5th, (Jordan Paton), 3:25.

Second half -- WH, D. Profita, 22nd, (Jessica Nissen), 24:17; WH, Nissen, 19th, (D. Profita), 20:40; WH, Muntone, 29th, 17:04; WH, Megan Thompson, 12th, (Katie Thompson), 7:21.

Shots -- Northern Highlands 3; Warren Hills 21.

Saves -- Victoria Marino 14, Jennifer Sauerman 1 (NH); Jackie de Raismes 2 (WH).

Penalty corners -- Northern Highlands 3; Warren Hills 10.

Group 1 semifinals

Shore Regional 2, Newton 0 -- Annie Deusch and Katie Mannino scored goals as Shore advanced to the Group 1 title game on Wednesday. Goalie Jenna Zawislak made 17 saves for Newton (13-6-5), which claimed its first sectional title since 1986 on Saturday.

Shore, which has won 24 sectional championships, will play Collingswood in a rematch of last year's Group 1 final, won 3-1 by Shore, on Saturday. Newton was bidding for its second finals appearance and first since 1984.

Shore's 13 state championships trail only Eastern (17) and Moorestown and West Essex with 16 apiece.

Field hockey: Newton ends sectional title drought

NEWTON -- Hold that line is usually reserved for football, but Newton's field hockey team did exactly that on Saturday.

Nursing a one-goal lead, junior sweeper Jordan Coiro made a great goal-line save to help the top-seeded Braves secure a 1-0 victory over No. 3 Kittatinny in the North 1, Group 1 final on the turf at Palmer Field.

Newton (13-5-5) claims its Sussex-County record ninth sectional title and first since 1986, while becoming the first team in the county to win a championship since 2006. It's also the first title for longtime coach Lisa Bechtel, now in her 25th season in charge of the Braves, who advance to face state power Shore Regional -- a 3-2 winner over Bernards in the North 2 final -- in the Group 2 semifinals 4 p.m. on Wednesday at A.L. Johnson High School.

Collingswood faces Woodstown in the other semifinal on Wednesday. The winners will play for the Group 1 title at Bordentown High School on Saturday, Nov. 15.

"I'm feeling incredibly proud of these kids," Bechtel said while clutching the championship trophy. "Kittatinny beat us twice [2-0 and 3-1 during the regular season] and it's very difficult to beat a team three times."

 Kittatinny (15-7-1), coming off a 2-1 upset-win over No. 2 seed Lenape Valley in the semifinals, entered this one riding a four-game win streak over Newton dating to last season. The Cougars had been red-hot on offense, scoring 22 goals in it last four games entering the final. Meanwhile, the Braves, who have posted shutouts in their last six games since the 3-1 loss to Kittatinny on Oct. 22, had scored a total of 32 goals all season coming in.

Second-year coach Emily Murray's Cougars pressed the action for almost the entire second half, finishing with a 12-3 edge in penalty corners, including a 9-0 advantage in the final 30 minutes. But Newton's defense held tough in its own circle -- keeping Kittatinny forwards Alexis Ambrosino (20 goals) and Holly Reznik (18 goals overall and nine in the previous four games) at bay -- while Coiro turned in the defensive play of the game midway through the second half.

Kittatinny was knocking on the door and missed a golden chance to tie the game when a shot slipped past Newton senior goalie Jenna Zawislak (five saves) at the left post. But Coiro alertly knocked the ball down with her stick right near the goal-line.

"Our defense has been through a lot, but we pushed through," said Coiro, who was sidelined for five weeks with a concussion sustained earlier this season. "It's like our whole season, I wanted [the save] and I got it. My teammates did the job when I was gone, and thank God, they did."

"I thought this was the best defensive game we played all year," said Bechtel, now 361-130-16 overall.

Bechtel, who nearly crossed midfield a few times on the sideline in the final minutes while employing her team to get back on defense, said switching Coiro from the midfield to sweeper when she came back from the concussion proved to be a great boost. The Braves have yielded just 25 goals this season to go with 11 shutouts.

"She's been key for us. She's very poised and calm back there," Bechtel said. "She made the difference in the game."

Sophomore Natalie Rivas got Newton on the board off a penalty corner with 17:10 left before halftime -- her team-leading 11th of the season. Rivas received the insert pass at the top of the circle and blasted a shot that rolled right through the legs of Kittatinny goalie Julia Pevarnik and into the right corner of the cage.

"I felt really confident [on the corner]. We practice that one all the time," Rivas said. "We're young [eight sophomores and one freshman on the roster] but it doesn't matter if you're a senior or a freshman. You can still win and work as a team."

"That was a huge momentum builder scoring in the first half," Bechtel said. "We came out on fire and were very aggressive to the ball. Natalie had a strong shot on the corner and that was incredibly important heading into halftime."

Rivas and her teammates were proud to deliver Newton's first sectional title in 28 years and the first for Bechtel, yet they were surprised to be hoisting the trophy.

"I'm really happy. I was really nervous going into the game," Rivas said. "We wanted to win this so badly for coach Bechtel."

"Field hockey is the only sport I play. I also do dance, but there's no such thing as playing for a state championship," Zawislak said. "I never thought this would be possible."

Kittatinny (15-7-1)                     0                  0              --    0
Newton (13-5-5)                        1                  0              --    1

Scoring

First half -- N, Natalie Rivas, 11th, (Hannah Ervey), 17:10.

Shots -- Kittatinny 5; Newton 2.

Saves -- Julia Pevarnik 1 (K); Jenna Zawislak 4, Jordan Coiro 1 (defensive) (N).

Penalty corners -- Kittatinny 12; Newton 3.

North 2, Group 2

Summit 1, Voorhees 0 OT -- Allison Daney scored the winning goal off  a feed from Megan Ophel as the No. 3 seeded Hilltoppers (14-8-1) advanced to the Group 2 semifinals to face North 1 champion Madison on Wednesday. Goalie Lauren Pianucci made five saves for the Vikings (20-2-2), who were playing in their first sectional final since 2010.

Voorhees, which had won six of its last seven games, including four shutouts, was seeking its seventh sectional title and first since 2006. Junior forward Kathryn Roncoroni ends the finest offensive season in school history with single-season records for goals with 44 and points 104. She's also the Vikes' career leader in both categories with 89 and 203.

Field hockey: Streaks strike for 12th sectional title

MENDHAM -- Junior midfielder Katie Thompson and the Warren Hills' field hockey team were living right on the left post on Friday afternoon.

Thompson scored both of the Blue Streaks' goals in a 2-1 win over Mendham in the North 2, Group 3 sectional final played under windy conditions on the turf at Mendham High School.

Warren Hills with the sectional trophy. (Courtesy of Michelle Pulsinelli Profita)

Warren Hills (21-3), which has won nine straight since a 1-0 loss to Madison, collects its 12th sectional championship and third in a row. The Streaks advance to face North 1 champion Northern Highlands (20-2) -- a 1-0 winner over West Morris on Friday -- in a rematch of last year's Group 3 semifinals 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Boonton High School.

Moorestown will face Ocean City in the other semifinal. The winners move on to the Group 3 final at Bordentown High School on Saturday, Nov. 15.

In addition, coach Laurie Kerr's team, which beat Northern Highlands, 9-0, last year to reach the Group 3 final, claimed the program's 599th victory in its 50th season. Overall, the program, which started as Washington High School, is 599-248-92.

"This is my third one and it feels really good to keep that trophy in our hands," said senior back Amanda Crampton. "This was a really tough game. This is probably the toughest sectional final we've played, so it feels really good."

Mendham (16-3), which was seeking its third sectional title and first since 1993, gave a good account early on in the first half. But Warren Hills got on the board with 10:44 left -- on its fifth penalty corner -- when Thompson collected the ball off senior goalie Grace Tino's pads following a shot by sophomore forward Dani Profita and tucked it into the left corner for a 1-0 lead.

Nearing the end of the half, Thompson again cashed in off a penalty corner on a nice feed from senior forward Sydney Muntone to make it 2-0 with 1:17 left on the clock. Muntone, who has 19 assists on the season, needs three more to pass Niki Miller (57) for first place on the school's all-time list.

"We always play as a team. I usually get the assists on our goals," said Thompson, who has been on fire of late with four goals and 15 assists in her last nine games, including two goals and six assists in three playoff wins. "My inserts on corners have gotten a lot better."

Despite dominating most of the first half and most of the second, Mendham, now 0-3 all-time against Warren Hills in the postseason, made it a one-goal game when junior midfielder Samantha DiMaio connected off a rebound in front of the cage with 5:32 left to play in the contest. That's when Warren Hills' stellar defense kicked into gear to preserve another title.

Senior backs Crampton, Allie Brouhard and Amanda Oberly, along with junior Rachel Phillips, didn't allow a shot the rest of the way, as the Blue Streaks were a player down when Muntone received a green card with 1:42 left. As a group, the defense has yielded just two goals during this nine-game win streak, including back-to-back 4-0 playoff victories over Hopewell Valley and Princeton.

"The second half was not our strongest," said Crampton, a starter on the last three sectional title teams. "I think we played not to lose instead of to win. Our defense is usually on point, and we know if a ball gets past one of us, someone will be there to back us up."

"This is really awesome. You have a goal set since your freshman year, and to be part of the varsity team is like a family," said Oberly, whose aunt, Marlene, was the starting goalie on the Streaks' first sectional championship team in 1984.

Kerr said the play of Thompson, both on the field and inserting the ball on corners, has provided a spark since the loss to Madison.

"We had some nice shots today at the post and Katie was in the right spot, and she was able to finish it," said Kerr, a sophomore on the '84 team, who has guided her alma mater to eight sectional titles and a 36-14 postseason record in 15 seasons. "She has been playing real well."

Warren Hills (21-3)                    2                  0              --    2
Mendham (16-3)                        0                  1              --    1

Scoring

First half -- WH, Katie Thompson, 6th, 10:44; WH, K. Thompson, 7th, (Sydney Muntone), 1:17.

Second half -- M, Samantha DiMaio, 8th, 5:32.

Shots -- Warren Hills 13; Mendham 4.

Saves -- Jackie de Raismes 3 (WH); Grace Tino 11 (M).

Penalty corners -- Warren Hills 11; Mendham 2.

North 2, Group 4

Bridgewater-Raritan 2, Hunterdon Central 0 -- Senior Samantha Giordano scored her team-leading 32nd goal and Kelly Watson added another -- both in the second half -- to lift the top-seeded Panthers (22-2), who advance to play Montclair in the Group 4 semifinals, to their 10th consecutive sectional title. Goalie Hannah Cecchini made seven saves for the third-seeded Red Devils (16-7), who were seeking their 14th title and third in four years.

Central is now 8-18-2 in the series under veteran coach Jenn Sponzo in 16 seasons, including two regular-season losses in 2014. The Red Devils won titles in 2011 and '13 and were ousted in last year's North 2, Group 3 semifinals by Bridgewater-Raritan.

Field hockey: Roncoroni, Muntone on record pace

When it comes to scoring, forwards Kathryn Roncoroni of Voorhees and Sydney Muntone of Warren Hills just seem to have a nose for the cage.

As a result, both teams will play for sectional titles -- Warren Hills in North 2, Group 3 on Friday and Voorhees in North 2, Group 2 on Saturday. In all, five teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area are still alive in the postseason.

Hunterdon Central will take on nemesis Bridgewater in the North 2, Group 4 final on Friday, while Newton hosts Kittatinny in an All-Sussex matchup in North 1, Group 1, assuring the county of its first sectional championship since 2006.

Let's take a closer look at all four matchups:

2-Warren Hills (20-3) at 1-Mendham (16-2), 2 p.m. on Friday -- Muntone, who has one goal or one assist in all but four games this season, enters this meeting with a team-high 27 goals, tying her with Lindsey Schott for the Blue Streaks' single-season mark. The Drexel-bound Muntone, who switched from the left to the right side this season, already owns the program records for career goals (75) and points (204), and is four assists shy of passing Niki Miller (57) for that mark. Senior midfielder Nikki Profita (18 goals, 12 assists) and sophomore forward Dani Profita (20 goals, 14 assists) also aid a potent attack that's produced 132 goals (5.7 per game). Defensively, backs Amanda Crampton, Allie Brouhard, Rachel Phillips and Amanda Oberly have helped to produce 17 shutouts. On the other side, Mendham is led by senior Elizabeth Tolley (14 goals, 18 assists) and junior Ally Chapis (13 goals). The teams have a loss to one common opponent in Madison, which beat Mendham, 3-0, on Oct. 18 and Warren Hills, 1-0, on Oct. 13. Both have defeated High Point -- Mendham twice, 2-1 and 2-0, while Warren Hills beat the 'Cats, 8-0. On a side note, the Blue Streaks are sitting on 598 wins as a program.

Sectional titles -- Warren Hills 11 titles (1984, '96, '97, '99, 2000, '01, '02, '03, '09, '12, '13); Mendham 2 titles (1975, '93).

Pick: Warren Hills, 4-1.

3-Summit (13-8-1) vs. 1-Voorhees (19-2-2), 2 p.m. on Saturday at North Hunterdon -- Voorhees advanced to its first final since 2010 with a 2-0 win over Delaware Valley in Wednesday's semifinals. Roncoroni continued her stellar season by scoring both goals, raising her single-season record total to 44. With another year to go, Roncoroni already holds the school's single-season and career points marks with 104 and 203, while owning the career goals mark at 89. Colleen Boyce previously held the school's career marks with 67 goals and 184 points. Fourth-year coach Taylor Webb, who amassed 160 points in her fine career from 1999-2002, still owns the Vikes' all-time assists mark with 58. Senior forward Hannah Ryan (13 goals) and sophomore midfielder Isabelle Houser (12 assists) are also key pieces on offense. Defensively, senior goalie Lauren Pianucci has helped the unit to produce 16 shutouts, including 1-0 and 2-0 wins over Somerville and Del Val in the playoffs. Summit is led by junior Sophie Pollinger (20 goals, 11 assists), and seniors Kendall Codey (15 goals) and Megan Ophel (11 goals, 28 assists). Teams have one common opponent in West Essex, which beat Summit, 6-0, on Oct. 23 and tied Voorhees, 1-1, on Sept. 6.

Sectional titles -- Voorhees 6 (1993, '96, '99, 2000, '02, '06); Summit 1 (2009).

Pick: Voorhees, 3-1.

3-Hunterdon Central (16-6) at 1-Bridgewater-Raritan (21-2), 10 a.m. on Friday -- Central is hoping the third time will be the charm after a pair of losses -- 7-2 on Oct. 7 and 8-2 on Oct. 28 -- to the Panthers in Skyland Conference Delaware Division clashes. This series has been a fierce one during Red Devils coach Jenn Sponzo's 16 seasons. Sponzo's teams are 8-17-2 overall against the Somerset County powerhouse dating to 1999, including a 4-0 loss in last year's sectional semifinals. Bridgewater, which has floated between North 1 and North 2 in recent years, is seeking its 10th straight sectional title, while Central is aiming for its 14th overall and third in four years. Senior forwards Kendall Nickel (21 goals) and Taylor Barrett (10 goals), along with senior midfielder Kailey Dalgauer (15 goals, 10 assists) and junior forward Maddie Freeman (14 goals) lead Central's offense, while the defense has yielded eight goals in the last nine games, sans the eight allowed to the Panthers on Oct. 28. Bridgewater features seniors Emily Howarth (32 goals, 24 assists), Samantha Giordano (31 goals), Emily Miller (26 goals, 25 assists) and Lindsay Alvarez (36 assists).

Sectional titles -- Hunterdon Central 13 (1992, '93, '94, '96, '97, '98, 2001, '02, '03, '04, '07, '11, '13); Bridgewater-Raritan 9 (2005, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, '13).

Pick: Bridgewater-Raritan, 5-2.

3-Kittatinny (15-6-1) at 1-Newton (12-5-5), 3 p.m. on Saturday -- Sussex County is guaranteed to get its first sectional title in eight years, while one of these programs will end a long title drought. The Cougars have won four overall, but none since 1995, while the Braves are seeking their first since 1986 and first under veteran coach Lisa Bechtel. Kittatinny is enjoying an offensive surge of late, scoring 22 goals in its last four games, including an 8-2 win over Pequannock in the quarters and a 2-1 victory over No. 2 Lenape Valley on a late goal by junior forward Holly Reznik (18 goals), who has scored nine in her last four games. Senior forward Alexis Ambrosino (20 goals, 13 assists, 135 career points) is the offensive leader. Second-year coach Emily Murray's team should have plenty of confidence heading into the final after avenging a 2-0 loss to Lenape Valley in addition to a pair of regular-season wins over Newton (2-0 on Sept. 12 and 3-1 on Oct. 22) to secure the program's first NJAC Colonial Division title. Meanwhile, the Braves rely more on a strong defense, which has produced 10 shutouts and has allowed 25 goals, and is anchored by senior goalie Jenna Zawislak. Offensively, sophomore midfielder Natalie Rivas (10 goals, 6 assists) and sophomore forward Brittany Schumann (9 assists) are talented young players.

Sectional titles -- Kittatinny 4 (1978, '79, '94, '95); Newton 8 (1976, '79, '81, '82, '83, '84, '85, '86).

Pick: Kittatinny, 2-1.

Field hockey: Streaks surge into sectional title game

WASHINGTON TWP. -- Home is certainly where the winning has been done for the six senior starters on Warren Hills' field hockey team. Facing the prospect of playing one last time on their turf, the group made sure to go out in style.

Senior back Amanda Crampton scored the game's first two goals to set the tone as No. 2 seed Warren Hills rolled to a 4-0 victory over No. 3 Princeton in an NJSIAA North 2, Group 3 semifinal clash on Tuesday night.

The Blue Streaks (20-3), who are seeking their third straight title and 12th overall,, easily advanced to the program's 16th sectional final and its fourth in as many years. But they'll take their act on the road from here on out as coach Laurie Kerr's team will face top-seeded Mendham for the championship on Friday at 2 p.m.

"It's a good feeling leaving this field with a win," said Crampton, who scored off two penalty corners to give Warren Hills a 2-0 lead just 9:07 into the contest against a Princeton team that bolted to a 2-0 lead before dropping a 3-2 decision in last year's sectional meeting here. "We knew they were going to come out on fire after we took it away from them last year. Our goal this season is to [win the Group 3 title]."

"Never. It gets more exciting," said Kerr, when asked if reaching sectional finals -- she has guided her alma mater to 10 in 15 seasons -- ever gets old. "I told them before the game, 'Seniors own your field.' They've made this field their home for four years."

Crampton, along with forwards Sydney Muntone and Jessica Nissen, midfielder Nikki Profita and backs Allie Brouhard and Amanda Oberly, were the senior starters playing in their home finale. As a group, they've gone an impressive 50-3-1 in home games -- 11-1 this season -- and 86-12-1 overall during the last four seasons. It all began with an 8-0 win over Hackettstown at home on Sept. 10, 2011.

"We were all emotional knowing this could be our last home game," said the Rutgers-bound Profita, whose 18th goal of the season gave the Streaks a 3-0 lead -- all off corners - with 12:59 left before the break. "Everything clicked really well. Last year, we were down, 2-0, and we didn't panic at all. We didn't want the season to be over."

Princeton (18-4), now 1-2 all-time in playoff meetings with Warren Hills since a 3-0 win at home in 1972, was simply overmatched in this one. The Tigers managed just six shots-on-goal and were on the short end of a 20-2 differential in penalty corners.

Warren Hills, which has won eight in a row since a 1-0 loss to Madison on Oct. 13, scored all of its goals off corners and nearly missed on several other attempts. Junior midfielder Katie Thompson assisted on the first three, while Muntone collected her 18th assist of the season on the final goal by Brouhard -- matching former Blue Streaks midfielder Lauren Cuff for the second most in a single season and moving the Drexel commit within two of Niki Miller's school record of 57. Muntone leads the Streaks with 27 goals and is one shy of claiming that single-season record.

Profita, now with 18 goals and 12 assists overall and nine goals in the last eight games, is part of a dynamic offense that really spreads the wealth. On most teams, the talented center midfielder would be the main scorer. Crampton is noted for her stellar defense, yet she has 12 goals this season.

"Scoring is awesome, but as long as we get that 'W' it doesn't really matter who scores," said Profita, who ranks fourth on the school's all-time goals list with 60, trailing only Muntone (75), Lindsey Schott (72) and Miller (61).

"Our corners are our strong point," said Crampton, who also scored two goals in last Thursday's 4-0 win over Hopewell Valley in the quarterfinals. "We practice them every day over and over. We need to execute. They're crucial at this time of year. When you get a defensive corner that's big."

Warren Hills is hoping the upcoming road trip, starting at Mendham, results in three more wins and the elusive Group 3 title.

"My sophomore (2012) and junior year ('13) we won the sectional title at home, but we can win anywhere," Crampton said.

Princeton (18-4)                         0                  0              --    0
Warren Hills (20-3)                     3                  1              --    4

Scoring

First half -- WH, Amanda Crampton, 11th, (Katie Thompson), 25:54; WH, Crampton, 12th, (K. Thompson), 20:53; WH, Nikki Profita, 18th, (K. Thompson), 12:59.

Second half -- WH, Allie Brouhard, 9th, (Sydney Muntone), 16:35.

Shots -- Princeton 6; Warren Hills 16.

Saves -- Kate Rogers (12); Jackie de Raismes 6 (WH).

Penalty corners -- Princeton 2; Warren Hills 20.

North 1, Group 3

West Morris 2, Sparta 1 -- Junior forward Rhett Curran scored her team-leading 20th goal of the season off a feed from junior midfielder Gretchen Bowie, but it wasn't enough for the fourth-seeded Spartans (13-6-1), who had their eight-game win streak snapped with the loss. Top-seeded West Morris, which beat Sparta, 5-2, earlier this season, advances to meet No. 2 Northern Highlands in Friday's title game.

North 2, Group 4

Hunterdon Central 2, Monroe 1 -- Senior forward Taylor Barrett and junior forward Maddie Freeman scored goals and senior midfielder Kailey Dalgauer added two assists to lead the third-seeded Red Devils (16-6) past No. 2 Monroe in a semifinal clash. Central, which won titles in this section in 2011 and '13, advances to meet top-seeded Bridgewater in Friday's title game,

The Red Devils are 0-2 against the Panthers this season, dropping decisions of 7-2 and 8-2 in Skyland Conference Delaware Division clashes on Oct. 7 and 28. Coach Jenn Sponzo's teams are 8-17-2 in the series dating to 1999, including a 4-0 loss in last year's sectional semifinals. Bridgewater is seeking its 10th straight sectional title, while Central is aiming for its 14th overall.

Field hockey: HWS schedule for Nov. 3-8

Monday, Nov. 3 

NJSIAA playoffs

(All quarterfinals 2 p.m., unless noted)

North 1, Group 2

High Point at West Essex, 1:30 p.m.
Parsippany at Hackettstown

North 1, Group 1

Pequannock at Kittatinny

North 2, Group 2

Somerville at Voorhees
Holmdel at Delaware Valley

North 2, Group 1

South Hunterdon at Bordentown

Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference

Wallkill Valley at Newton, 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 4

NJSIAA playoffs

(All semifinals 2 p.m., unless noted)

North 1, Group 3

Sparta at West Morris

North 2, Group 3

Princeton at Warren Hills, 5 p.m.

North 2, Group 4

Hunterdon Central at Monroe

Wednesday, Nov. 5

NJSIAA playoffs

(All semifinals 2 p.m., unless noted)

North 1, Group 2

Hackettstown at Madison

North 1, Group 1

Whippany Park at Newton, 3 p.m.
Kittatinny at Lenape Valley, 4 p.m.

North 2, Group 2

Delaware Valley vs. Voorhees at North Hunterdon

Non-Public North

Pope John at Kent Place in quarterfinals

Friday, Nov. 7

NJSIAA playoffs

(Sectional finals)

North 2, Group 4

Hunterdon Central at Bridgewater-Raritan, 10 a.m.

North 2, Group 3

Warren Hills at Mendham, 2 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 8

NJSIAA playoffs

(Sectional finals)

North 2, Group 2

Summit vs. Voorhees at North Hunterdon, 2 p.m.

North 1, Group 1

Kittatinny at Newton, 3 p.m.

Field hockey: Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex standings

   (Through Saturday's games)

Skyland Conference
Delaware Division
		Overall	Division
xy-Bridgewater-Raritan		(20-2)	(8-0)
Hunterdon Central		(15-6)	(6-2)
Ridge		(12-8-1)	(3-5)
Pingry		(8-10-1)	(2-6)
Hillsborough		(6-13-2)	(1-7)
Raritan Division
		Overall	Division
xy-Warren Hills		(19-3)	(8-0)
Phillipsburg		(7-11-2)	(6-2)
Montgomery		(7-12)	(2-5)
North Hunterdon		(3-16)	(2-6)
Watchung Hills		(3-13)	(1-6)
Valley Division
		Overall	Division
x-Voorhees		(17-2-2)	(7-1)
x-Bernards		(17-3)	(7-1)
Delaware Valley		(8-10-1)	(3-5)
Somerville		(7-9-2)	(2-5-1)
Franklin		(7-13-1)	(0-7-1)
Mountain Division
		Overall	Division
x-Belvidere		(10-8-1)	(5-1)
Mount St. Mary		(9-8)	(4-2)
South Hunterdon		(8-9)	(3-3)
North Plainfield		(1-16-1)	(0-6)
Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
Freedom Division
		Overall	Division
x-Lenape Valley		(13-5)	(5-0)
Hackettstown		(14-4)	(4-2)
High Point		(5-11-4)	(2-4)
Jefferson		(2-15)	(0-5)
American Division
		Overall	Division
x-Sparta		(13-5-1)	(8-0)
Pope John		(10-8-1)	(6-2)
Vernon		(4-12-2)	(3-5)
Mount Olive		(7-13-1)	(2-5-1)
Morris Hills		(1-17-1)	(0-7-1)
Colonial Division
		Overall	Division
x-Kittatinny		(13-6-1)	(6-0)
Newton		(11-5-4)	(3-2)
Wallkill Valley		(7-10-1)	(1-4)
North Warren		(10-9-1)	(1-5)
x-division champion
y-county champion