Field hockey: Streaks' run ends with state final loss

BORDENTOWN -- Warren Hills' field hockey program spent what seemed like an eternity chasing a state championship before winning back-to-back titles in 2014 and '15. The Blue Streaks are finding it equally as difficult to get back on top.

Warren Hills suffered its second straight loss in the Group 3 final -- 6-1 to Moorestown on a frigid Saturday morning at Bordentown Regional High School. The Streaks (24-2), who saw their 19-game winning streak snapped in their sixth straight finals appearance, were looking to atone for a 5-0 loss to nemesis Ocean City in the 2016 title game. The Warren County school went 0-8 in the finals from 1996-2013 before breaking through in '14 and '15.

"I'm so proud of this team," said first-year head coach Josie Potter, who was an assistant coach on the 2014 team that beat Ocean City for the school's first state title in any female sport. "Moorestown is a very good program. They made beautiful passes stick-to-stick. We knew it was going to be a tough game."

Warren Hills was denied its third title in four seasons on Saturday.

Moorestown (17-3) has been tough on Open Mike area teams in the championship round. The Quakers, who captured their 17th title and first since a 1-0 win over Voorhees in the 2006 Group 3 final at Toms River East High School, handed Warren Hills a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in overtime in the '03 title game at The College of New Jersey.

Captains Rebecca Sigman, Tali Popinko, Mikayla Dugan and Sydney Moskal were among seven senior starters to play their final games in a Warren Hills uniform.

Sigman scored the Streaks' lone goal with 1:50 left in the first half, raising her team-leading total to 34. She is just the second player in program history to reach the 30-goal plateau (Dani Profita had 41 in 2015) and Sigman's career total of 72 matches Lindsey Schott for third place on the school's all-time list. Sigman's single-season points total of 83 is second only to Profita (106 in '15), and she ranks sixth on the career list with 174.

"It's amazing to have that kind of success. I'm extremely proud [to be among those names]," said Sigman, a Bloomsburg University recruit.

It was a bit of deja vu for Warren Hills, which found itself down early against Moorestown as it did a year ago vs. Ocean City. The Streaks, who controlled the action for the first five minutes and were awarded two penalty corners, had a golden opportunity to go on top when Dugan settled in to attempt a penalty stroke. Dugan sent it to the left side, but goalie Lauren Pickul batted it down and Moorestown seized immediate control from that point on. Pickul also thwarted early shots off the pads by Dugan and Popinko.

"If we had made that stroke it might have set a different tone for the game," said the Temple-bound Popinko, who is the first Blue Streaks player to start in four state finals. "Our defense was strong still, but we had to make some changes to try to get back in it."

Moorestown, which started 10 juniors, one senior and one freshman, scored four straight goals to take a commanding lead, including two by junior midfielder Delaney Lawler, whose opened the scoring with a rocket into the right corner immediately after the missed penalty stroke. Junior forward Kayla Frank made it 2-0 with a breakaway, as talented Warren Hills freshman Ashley Moskal hustled back to try and disrupt the play to no avail. Junior forward Colleen Craven's goal off a rebound with 15:55 left in the first half put the Streaks in a 3-0 hole before Lawler's second score off a penalty corner pretty much ended any thoughts of a comeback.

"After they scored that first goal, we still had the intensity, but it went down from there," said Dugan, who will continue her academic and athletic careers at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

Warren Hills, now 2-10 overall in state championship games, also played short-handed for most of the first 30 minutes as the Streaks were hit with a total of four penalty cards on the day -- including a yellow for tripping on sophomore Samantha Dugan, who had to leave the game for 10 minutes and wasn't allowed to return until early in the second half. Potter and her assistant coaches (Sarah Kaufman and Erica Russell) were visibly upset by what they thought were some one-sided calls. Moorestown did receive two green cards overall, including one with 23:02 left in the first half.

"There was a lot of stuff on the field that I felt wasn't going our way," Potter said diplomatically. "At most it would have been a two- or three-goal game. I've never seen a 10-minute card. I'm not knocking Moorestown. They played really well and should have won. But the goal differential should not have been that big."

It was a tough day for a Warren Hills defense that really took shape after allowing this many goals in a 6-1 loss to West Essex earlier this season. In between, the Streaks yielded a total of 10 goals over their next 22 games and only two in their past nine coming into the state final. Sydney Moskal, along with her sister, Ashley, and sophomores Jess DeSanto and Kate Fenner formed what Potter dubbed "The Wall" in front of senior goalie Maggie Titus.

"They're very young and I'm proud of them," said Sydney Moskal, a three-year starter who has decided to end her field hockey career in high school. "I was proud we were able to get that one goal. I loved playing with my sister. We all communicated so well and we have a connection with each other. This was my last game and it's very sad and bittersweet."

The loss shouldn't spoil what was one of the best seasons in program history. Warren Hills set a school record for wins, while matching its longest win streak, joining the 2011, '12 and '13 teams. The Streaks claimed the program's 15th sectional title and sixth in a row, while winning the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament and Skyland Conference Raritan Division championships.

"This team is amazing," Popinko said. "We had high hopes for this game, but we played our hardest. Even though [the final score] looks bad, we didn't give up. We were just a little off today."

Moorestown (17-3)                     4                2          --    6
Warren Hills (24-3)                     1                0          --    1

Scoring

First half -- M, Delaney Lawler, 16th, 25:49; M, Kayla Frank, 17th, 19:09; M, Colleen Craven, 14th, 15:55; M, Lawler, 17th, 9:20; WH, Rebecca Sigman, 34th, (Alyssa Appleby), 1:50.

Second half -- M, Avery Powell, 12th, (penalty stroke), 21:36; M, Madison Sever, 5th, (Powell), 16:50.

Shots -- Moorestown 16; Warren Hills 8.

Saves -- Lauren Pickul 6, Lawler 1 (defensive) (M); Maggie Titus 8, Mikayla Dugan 2 (defensive) (WH).

Penalty corners -- Moorestown 12; Warren Hills 8.

Field hockey: Streaks aiming to reclaim state title

Warren Hills senior midfielder Mikayla Dugan set the tone for this season shortly after one of the program's toughest defeats -- 5-0 to Ocean City in the 2016 Group 3 final.

"We'll be ready for revenge."

That's been the mantra all season for the Blue Streaks, who have waited nearly one year for their shot at redemption. Warren Hills (24-2), which has won 19 in a row, will take on Moorestown at 10 a.m. on Saturday for the state championship at Bordentown Regional High School.

The Streaks, who are seeking their third title in four seasons after knocking off Ocean City in 2014 and '15, will face Moorestown for only the second time ever, dropping a 2-1 decision in overtime in the 2003 Group 3 final at The College of New Jersey. Warren Hills, making its sixth straight finals appearance, had previously faced Ocean City in the past five title games and eight times overall.

Warren Hills, which has won 15 sectional titles, eyes a third state championship.

"We're excited to play them," said first-year head coach Josie Potter, who was a player on the 1996 (Warren Hills' first-ever appearance) and '99 runner-up teams and an assistant coach under Laurie Kerr when the 2009, '12, '13 and '14 teams went to the championship game.

"I'm confident we'll show up ready to play. It's very rare to have that large of a goal differential in a state final. That doesn't normally happen. They are determined to avenge last year."

Moorestown (16-3), making its first finals appearance since 2011, is seeking its 17th title overall and first since a 1-0 victory over Voorhees in the 2006 Group 3 final at Toms River East, the Vikings' last appearance in a state final. Coach Ali Collins' Quakers, who were ousted in the Group 3 semifinals by Ocean City (2012, 2014-16), have been on a major roll, winning eight of their last nine, including a 2-1 victory over West Essex on Oct. 12. By comparison, the Streaks dropped a 6-1 decision to West Essex on Sept. 15.

Moorestown followed that win up with a 3-2 loss to perennial Group 4 champion Eastern just two days later. The Quakers, who have outscored their four postseason opponents, 22-2, also lost 3-0 to Rumson-Fair Haven, which is playing for the Group 2 title on Saturday, and 2-1 to defending Group 1 champion Haddonfield earlier this season.

Juniors Kayla Frank (16 goals), Delaney Lawler (15 goals, 8 assists) and Colleen Craven (13 goals, 5 assists) lead the Moorestown offense, which is averaging 4.2 goals per game.

Warren Hills is battle-tested as well with a 2-1 win over Bridgewater-Raritan, which is making its 13th straight appearance in the Group 4 final vs. Eastern on Saturday, on Oct. 3, as well as a tough 1-0 loss to Madison, which will play for the Group 1 title, on Sept. 20. The Blue Streaks also faced Rumson-Fair Haven in a preseason scrimmage.

Warren Hills, which is 2-9 all-time in state finals, enjoyed a record-setting night on Wednesday in a 10-1 rout of Colts Neck in the Group 3 semifinals. Senior forward Rebecca Sigman established program single-game records with five goals (33 on the season) and 13 points (she also had three assists). Sigman, who ranks fourth on the school's all-time goals list with 71 (one behind Lindsey Schott) and second in points scored in a season (81), joined Dani Profita (41 in 2015) as the only Blue Streaks to hit the 30-goal plateau. Sigman needs eight points to rank in the top four on that career list.

"If you try to shut [Sigman] down, we have other scorers," Potter said.

Senior forward Alyssa Appleby (19 goals), senior midfielder Tali Popinko (18 goals, 14 assists), sophomore forward Samantha Dugan (19 goals, 13 assists) and Mikayla Dugan (13 goals, 10 asssists) are all part of a balanced offensive attack. Senior Rebecca Lezon also is a threat in the midfield for an offense averaging 4.5 goals per game. Popinko needs one goal to surpass her sister Toni, now the head coach at Phillipsburg, who also logged 39 career goals for Warren Hills from 2006-09. They share 12th place on the school's all-time list with Kate Alleger (1993-96).

Defense has been the biggest key for Warren Hills, which has yielded just eight goals during the current win streak. Senior back Sydney Moskal helps anchor a stingy unit, along with talented freshman Ashley Moskal, sophomore Jess DeSanto and sophomore sweeper Kate Fenner. That group helps keep the heat off senior goalie Maggie Titus, who has faced just five shots in four postseason games. Warren Hills hasn't trailed any opponent since the first half of a 2-1 win at Voorhees on Sept. 22.

Warren Hills has the honor of playing in the opening state final and will begin their title journey bright and early on Saturday.

"We'll leave [Washington] around 6:45 a.m., so we'll get down there with plenty of time to spare," Potter said. "This could be an awesome championship game for us."

State finals matchups

(Games to be played Saturday at Bordentown)

Group 3

Warren Hills vs. Moorestown, 10 a.m.

Group 4

Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Eastern, noon

Group 1

Madison vs. Haddonfield, 2 p.m.

Non-Public

Oak Knoll vs. Bishop Eustace, 4 p.m.

Group 2

Rumson-Fair Haven vs. Seneca, 6 p.m.

Field hockey: Streaks roll, Rangers fall in state semis

Warren Hills' field hockey team enjoyed one record-setting night as it took another step toward redemption.

Senior forward Rebecca Sigman scored a program record five goals and senior forward Alyssa Appleby notched three as the Blue Streaks rolled to a 10-1 victory over Colts Neck in the Group 3 semifinals on Wednesday at A.L. Johnson High School.

Warren Hills (24-2), which matched a program record with its 19th consecutive win and set a new mark for single-season victories, will take on Moorestown (16-3) for the Group 3 championship at 10 a.m. on Saturday at Bordentown Regional High School. The Blue Streaks, who won back-to-back titles in 2014 and '15, will be making their 12th appearance in the final and sixth straight since 2012. But last year's 5-0 loss to Ocean City that ended Warren Hills' reign still stings.

Warren Hills seeks its third state title in four seasons on Saturday.

"They're on a mission," said first-year head coach Josie Potter, who was a player on the 1996 (Warren Hills' first-ever appearance) and 1999 runner-up teams and an assistant coach under Laurie Kerr when the 2009, '12, '13 and '14 teams went to the championship game. "They were determined to get back down to Bordentown to avenge last year."

Sigman, now with 33 goals on the season, is just the second Warren Hills player to hit the 30-goal plateau, as Dani Profita (now playing at Fairfield University, which recently won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title) scored 41 in 2015. Sigman's five goals are the most in a single game as Profita (2014 and '16), Vicki Egerer (2002) and Kelsey Luckey ('02) previously held the mark with four.

"She has a nose for the cage and she motivates our offense," Potter said of Sigman. "She's got a great stick on the [goalie] pads and a deadly spin move to the strong side where she gets a quick hit off."

Just under two minutes in, Sigman gave Warren Hills a 1-0 lead before Colts Neck (17-2-1), which reached the semis by winning the program's first sectional title, evened things midway through the first half. It was the first goal allowed by the Streaks this postseason and just the second in the past nine games.

"We scored so early, they may have been [overconfident]," said Potter, whose team finished with lopsided edges in shots-on-goal (24-2) and penalty corners (14-0). "We were dominating the game and our defense collapsed a little bit. [Senior goalie] Maggie Titus made a great save on the shot before the goal. It wasn't a great shot [on the goal], but the defense didn't recover.

"After they scored, it kind of kicked our butts into gear. We didn't give up a defensive corner."

Sigman connected again about eight minutes later and Warren Hills never looked back. Sophomore Samantha Dugan and senior Katie Mahoney also scored in the win. It was the first career goal for Mahoney, who connected after a rocket shot from senior Tali Popinko right at the post.

Warren Hills, now 12-3 all-time in state semifinals and 80-41 in postseason play, owes Moorestown one as well for a 2-1 loss in overtime in the 2003 Group 3 final at The College of New Jersey. Amy Lewis scored the winning goal, ending the Blue Streaks' season at 17-5-1. It's the only other meeting between the two storied programs. Moorestown captured the last of its 16 titles in 2006 -- a 1-0 win over Voorhees.

Rangers fall in G1 semis

Wallkill Valley's postseason run ended with a 9-0 loss to Madison in the Group 1 semifinals on Wednesday night at Boonton High School.

The Rangers (21-3), whose 10-game win streak was snapped with its first loss since a 5-2 setback against Hunterdon Central in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinals on Oct. 7, captured the program's first sectional title since 2006 on Friday with a 3-1 victory over Boonton in the North 1, Group 1 final.

Senior forward Morgan Carr, who scored her team-leading and program record 45th and 46th goals in that one, was kept off the board for just the third time this season. Carr's 96 career goals surpassed Amanda Nann (88) for the school's mark in that category.

Madison (22-2), which won the Group 2 title in 2016, advances to its fourth straight championship game to face defending Group 1 champion Haddonfield (21-3).

State finals matchups

(Games to be played Saturday at Bordentown)

Group 3

Warren Hills vs. Moorestown, 10 a.m.

Group 4

Bridgewater-Raritan vs. Eastern, noon

Group 1

Madison vs. Haddonfield, 2 p.m.

Non-Public

Oak Knoll vs. Bishop Eustace, 4 p.m.

Group 2

Rumson-Fair Haven vs. Seneca, 6 p.m.

Field hockey: Rangers, Streaks continue title chase

Senior forwards Morgan Carr and Tara Brody emphatically said Wallkill Valley's field hockey team was in it to win it following a 2-1 win in overtime against Belvidere in the North 1, Group 1 semifinals on Wednesday.

Mission accomplished.

Carr scored a pair of goals -- her team-leading 45th and 46th of the season -- and had the assist on a goal by senior forward Fiona Blake as second-seeded Wallkill Valley rolled to a 3-1 win over No. 4 Boonton in the sectional final on Friday at Sisco Field in Hardyston Township.

The Rangers (21-2), who captured the program's eighth sectional title and first since 2006, will next face Madison, the North 2 champion, in the Group 1 state semifinals at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Boonton High School. Haddonfield (20-3), last year's state champion, will meet Schalick (14-6-2) in the other semifinal.

Wallkill celebrates its first sectional title since 2006. (Courtesy WV athletics)

All five state championship games (Groups 1-4 and Non-Public) will be contested on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Bordentown Regional High School.

Wallkill Valley, which has won 10 in a row since a 5-2 loss to Hunterdon Central in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinals on Oct. 7, has never won a state title and is looking reach the championship game for just the second time in program history after falling to Moorestown in the 1988 Group 1 final. It won't be an easy task against Madison, one of the state's top teams and last year's Group 1 runner-up. The Dodgers (21-2) knocked off Shore for their 16th sectional title.

"We're taking it one game at a time," Brody said after the win over Belvidere. "We've been working hard all season."

Warren Hills (23-2) is the only other team from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area still playing for a championship as the Blue Streaks, who won their sixth straight sectional title and 15th overall on Thursday with a 1-0 win over West Morris in the North 1, Group 3 final, will take on Colts Neck in the Group 3 semifinals at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Johnson High School. Moorestown (15-3) will face Clearview (18-1-1) in the other semifinal.

Coach Josie Potter's Streaks, who have won 18 in a row, are seeking their sixth straight appearance in the Group 3 final -- winning titles in 2014 and '15 before dropping a 5-0 decision to Ocean City in last year's title game. Ocean City won't make a return trip after being ousted by Clearview -- 1-0 in the South Jersey, Group 3 sectional final.

Warren Hills eyes its sixth straight trip to the Group 3 final.

"We've never played Colts Neck, so I'm really excited," Potter said. "When you see the same teams over and over, you know how each other is going to play. We have to bring our A-game."

Warren Hills is 11-3 all-time in state semifinals and has won seven such games in a row since a 1-0 loss to High Point in the 2002 Group 3 semis.

"Last year, we had a pretty tough loss in the state championship," said senior midfielder Tali Popinko. "We're coming for revenge this year."

Hunterdon Central (15-7-1) was eliminated from the postseason chase with a tough 3-2 loss to nemesis Bridgewater-Raritan in the North 2, Group 4 final on Friday. Coach Jenn Sponzo's Red Devils were seeking their 14th sectional title and first since 2011.

Public state semifinal matchups

Group 4

Morristown (19-3) vs. Bridgewater-Raritan (18-5)
Lenape (11-10) vs. Eastern (21-0-1)

Group 3

Warren Hills (23-2) vs. Colts Neck (17-1-1), 5:30 p.m. at Johnson High School
Moorestown (15-3) vs. Clearview (18-1-1)

Group 2

West Essex (20-2) vs. Rumson-Fair Haven (18-2)
Seneca (16-5-2) vs. West Deptford (18-3-1)

Group 1

Wallkill Valley (21-2) vs. Madison (21-2), 6 p.m. at Boonton High School
Haddonfield (20-3) vs. Schalick (14-6-2)

Non-Public sectional final matchups

(Games to be played on Wednesday)

North

3-Kent Place (10-6-1) at 1-Oak Knoll (21-0-1)

South

5-Camden Catholic (16-4-1) at 2-Bishop Eustace (19-2)

Field hockey: Streaks stick to script with sectional title

WASHINGTON TWP. -- It's becoming an annual ritual with Warren Hills' field hockey team hoisting another championship trophy.

Though the score doesn't reflect what was an utterly dominating effort, the Blue Streaks' 1-0 win over West Morris in the North 1, Group 3 sectional final on Thursday -- the program's sixth straight title and its 15th overall -- was more about taking that next step toward the ultimate prize.

"For us, every year is about winning a [Group 3] state championship," said midfielder Tali Popinko, one of nine seniors to play their final home game at Warren Hills School District Stadium. "This gets us one step closer."

Warren Hills celebrates its sixth straight sectional title.

Warren Hills (23-2), which has now won 18 in a row and is one shy of matching the school record for consecutive victories in a season, will next face North 2 champion Colts Neck in Tuesday's Group 3 semifinals at a neutral site. The Blue Streaks, who won their only state titles in 2014 and '15, are looking to make their sixth straight trip to the Group 3 final on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Bordentown Regional High School.

"This is my first [sectional title as a head coach] so I'm super proud," said Josie Potter, who won three titles as a star player for Warren Hills (1996-99) and four as an assistant coach on Laurie Kerr's staff (2004-14). "The girls were excited and super focused. Last year, they were [the No. 2 seed] and had to play on grass at West Morris [a 2-1 win]. They were excited to play this one on our turf field."

Senior midfielder Mikayla Dugan again scored the decisive goal in the championship game. Dugan received the insert pass off a corner from her sister -- sophomore Samantha Dugan -- and punched it in with 26:10 left in the second half. The dead-center shot from the top of the circle rolled under and nicked a West Morris defender's stick on the way into the cage.

"This is a great feeling," said Mikayla Dugan, who converted a penalty stroke for the game-winner with 2:21 left to play in the 2016 final. "We really wanted to get that first goal. I thought we played really well."

West Morris (15-6-1), which started five seniors, one junior, four sophomores and one freshman, opted to pack the circle on defense and senior goalie Abby Chapin (14 saves) helped stonewall the Warren Hills offense, which came into the game averaging 4.4 goals per game. The final stats indicate how one-sided this was one as the Streaks finished with a 16-0 advantage in shots-on-goal and a 23-1 edge on penalty corners.

"It was a little frustrating, some calls weren't going our way," said Mikayla Dugan, who has scored in all three postseason wins with a total of four goals. "We just keep shooting until eventually one goes in. Their defense was pretty good. It was hard to get one in."

It was 0-0 at halftime, despite Warren Hills pounding the cage early and often with several near-misses that sailed wide or off Chapin's pads. Two apparent goals were waived off by the officials for what Potter said were "various reasons."

"Their goalie played really well, take nothing away from her. But in my heart, that was a 3-0 game and reflects more on the game we played," Potter said. "We got some shots off, but they had two people in the cage and everybody inside the 20."

And how about that Warren Hills defense? Backs Sydney Moskal, Ashley Moskal, Jess DeSanto and sweeper Kate Fenner were brilliant again, posting their third shutout of the postseason and 12th overall this season, while keeping West Morris out of the circle until a penalty corner was called with 4:00 left to play. Fenner and Sydney Moskal broke that one up as the unit did not allow a shot on goal.

"We are clicking and the offense always gets back to help," said Fenner, a sophomore and former offensive player who has really solidified the defense after switching from center back to sweeper earlier this season. "It was crazy. I realized in the second half that [West Morris] hadn't even been in our circle. Our defensive corner unit is very strong."

During the 18-game win streak, Warren Hills' defense has yielded just seven goals and none in seven of the past eight contests, while the offense has outscored opponents 37-1 in the past eight games.

Warren Hills' 15th title leads all Skyland Conference teams.

"This is the strongest defense we've had in my career," said Popinko, part of a senior group that went 47-5 on their home field in four years and the fifth class to win four sectional titles in program history.

Warren Hills' 15th sectional title is the most for any Skyland Conference school and leads the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area. Hunterdon Central can match South Hunterdon for second place on both lists by capturing its 14th championship on Friday in the North 2, Group 4 final against Bridgewater-Raritan.

But the Streaks, now 15-4 all-time in sectional finals, are staying focused on the next one.

"We don't really try to think about [the winning streak], we're taking it one game at a time," Popinko said.

West Morris (15-6-1)                  0                0          --    0
Warren Hills (23-2)                     0                1          --    1

Scoring

Second half -- WH, Mikayla Dugan, 14th, (Samantha Dugan), 26:10.

Shots -- West Morris 0; Warren Hills 16.

Saves -- Abby Chapin 14, Allison Egan 1 (defensive) (WM); Maggie Titus 0 (WH).

Penalty corners -- West Morris 1; Warren Hills 23.

Tigers fall in North 2, Group 2 final

Hackettstown came up short in its bid for the program's first sectional title with a 5-0 loss to Rumson-Fair Haven in the North 2, Group 2 sectional title game on Thursday.

The Tigers (15-5), who saw their five-game win streak snapped with the loss, were making back-to-back appearances in the final -- joining only the 2006 and '07 teams to do so in program history -- after dropping a tough 1-0 decision in overtime to Voorhees in the 2016 title game. Rumson-Fair Haven (19-2) handed Hackettstown a 3-0 loss during the regular season on Oct. 3.

Coach Stephen Speirs (95-56-3 in eight seasons) returns plenty of talent on offense next season, including junior forwards Kayla Cichlar (19 goals), Ashley Zellars (13 goals) and Jordan Vandermark (12 goals), along with junior midfielder Madison Hoskins (11 goals, 17 assists) and junior goalie Bridget Kenny (seven shutouts).

Field hockey: NJSIAA sectional finals matchups

Here are the sectional finals matchups in Groups 1-4 and the Non-Public semifinal matchups.

Finals in Groups 2 and 3 will be played today at the higher seed, while the championship games for Groups 1 and 4 are scheduled for Friday. Winners advance to the state semifinals (North 1 vs. North 2 and Central vs. South) on Tuesday at neutral sites.

Non-Public sectional semifinals will be played on Saturday and the finals on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The state championships in Group 4, 3, 2 and 1, along with Non-Public, will be played on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Bordentown Regional High School.

The sectional final round features seven schools from the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference and three from the Skyland Conference. The four remaining teams from the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area in bold:

North 1

Group 4

2-Randolph (15-3-3) at 1-Morristown (18-3)

Group 3

2-West Morris (15-5-1) at 1-Warren Hills (22-2)

Group 2

2-Lakeland (15-2-2) at 1-West Essex (19-2)

Group 1

4-Boonton (15-5-1) at 2-Wallkill Valley (20-2)

North 2

Group 4

2-Hunterdon Central (15-6-1) at 1-Bridgewater-Raritan (17-5)

Group 3

7-Freehold Borough (8-9-3) at 1-Colts Neck (16-1-1)

Group 2

3-Hackettstown (15-4) at 1-Rumson-Fair Haven (18-2)

Group 1

2-Madison (20-2) at 1-Shore (19-2)

Central

Group 4

4-Lenape (10-10) at 3-Rancocas Valley (11-9-2)

Group 3

3-Burlington Township (14-5-1) at 1-Moorestown (14-3)

Group 2

6-Seneca (15-5-2) at 1-Robbinsville (15-4)

Group 1

4-Haddon Township (18-4) at 2-Haddonfield (19-3)

South

Group 4

2-Shawnee (15-5) at 1-Eastern (20-0-1)

Group 3

2-Ocean City (14-7) at 1-Clearview (17-1-1)

Group 2

2-Delsea (21-0-1) at 1-West Deptford (17-3-1)

Group 1

4-Middle Township (12-9) at 2-Schalick (13-6-2)

Non-Public North

4-Pingry (12-7-1) at 1-Oak Knoll (20-0-1)
3-Kent Place (9-6-1) at 2-Morristown-Beard (13-6)

Non-Public South

5-Camden Catholic (15-4-1) at 1-Red Bank Catholic (16-5)
6-Moorestown Friends (15-1-2) at 2-Bishop Eustace (18-2)

Field hockey: WV wins thriller; Streaks seeking title

HARDYSTON TWP. -- With its season hanging in the balance, Wallkill Valley's field hockey team took a familiar approach to keep pushing toward an elusive sectional title.

Opting for quick 1-2 passes, senior forwards Morgan Carr and Tara Brody combined on a pair of goals as the second-seeded Rangers rallied for a thrilling 2-1 win in sudden-victory overtime over No. 3 Belvidere in the North 1, Group 1 semifinals on Wednesday afternoon at Sisco Field.

Wallkill Valley (20-2), which has won nine in a row since a 5-2 loss to Hunterdon Central in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament quarterfinals on Oct. 7, will host fourth-seeded Boonton (15-5-1) -- a 1-0 winner over top-seeded Ramsey in the other semifinal -- for the sectional title on Friday. The Rangers will be making their first finals appearance since the program captured its seventh and last championship in 2006.

Wallkill celebrates coach Irene Chernati's 400th win. (Courtesy WV athletics)

"It's something we've waited so long for," said veteran Wallkill Valley coach Irene Chernati, who picked up her 400th career victory a day earlier in the team's 3-2 win over Lenape Valley in the North 1, Group 1 quarterfinals. "Every year is unique, but this is a special group. They've made the coaching staff's job a dream. They lead by example in the classroom and on the field."

Belvidere (14-6) will have to wait at least another year to try and end its postseason frustration as its season ends for a third straight year in the semifinals. The County Seaters have not been to a sectional final since winning the North 2, Group 1 championship, the program's seventh title overall.

"Every year when we enter the preseason, we think this is going to be the team to do it," said coach Beth Franceschino, an outstanding back on some of the greatest Belvidere teams in the early 1990s, which played in three straight Group 1 state championship games from 1990-92 and won it all in '90.

"We've just been waiting for it. I don't know what we're not doing or what I'm not doing to get us there. But I'm proud of this team. They did everything they could today."

On the winning drive, Carr collected the ball near midfield and drove it down the left sideline and over into the circle where Brody was waiting to receive it. Belvidere goalie Anya Logan, who had a solid day in the cage, came up in the circle to try and break up the play, but Brody's shot slipped past her and rolled into the cage as junior back Samantha Dultz attempted a diving goal-line save to no avail.

"I was in the right place at the right time," said Brody, whose goal with 13:43 left in regulation forced overtime. "[Morgan] is our main scorer. She made both passes [on the goals]."

Carr, who owns the school's single-season (44) and career (94) goals records, was happy to collect her 12th and 13th assists of the season after being held without a goal for only the second time this season. She leads all Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex players in goals and points (101) this season.

"Early in the second half we were lagging a bit, but we fought to the finish," said Carr, who has narrowed her college choices to Rowan University and Stevens Institute of Technology. "Tara has been on deflections all season. If she's close, she'll get to it. We practice those quick 1-2 passes all the time. Get the goalie off her toes."

Belvidere seemed to be in fine shape after junior forward Maddie Call opened the scoring midway through the second half. Junior midfielder Melanie Clark set the scoring play in motion with a drive into the circle before dishing it off to freshman forward Olivia Zmyewski, who assisted on the goal.

But momentum was fleeting as Wallkill Valley answered right back when Brody picked one off the pads to make it 1-1 just 18 seconds later. Twice down the stretch, Belvidere was hit with green cards and played short-handed when Clark had to leave the field for two minutes. The call on Logan was highly questionable as she was whistled for not playing the ball as Carr fell over the top while charging inside the circle. Backup goalie Kiera Gately took Logan's place for two minutes, but did not face a shot.

"I've never seen that call," Franceschino said. "The ball was right there. [Carr] ran over her. The field was slippery and wet. Players were falling all over the place."

Belvidere dominated a good portion of the second half, but couldn't cash in. In overtime, Call had a wide-open look at the cage with 2:53 left, but her attempt sailed wide right.

"It was there for ours to take. We missed some opportunities," Franceschino said.

After that near-miss, Wallkill Valley back Emily Mizeski fed the ball to Carr to start the winning drive.

"It was all inspiration," said Carr, who is playing with a face guard to protect her broken nose. "We knew Belvidere was a tough team. We've worked hard all season and we're here to win it."

"It's exciting," Brody said. "It's amazing we're so close [to a sectional title]. It's definitely something great to experience."

Belvidere (14-6)                            0                1              0    --    1
Wallkill Valley (20-2)                     0                1              1     --    2

Scoring

Second half -- B, Maddie Call, 10th, (Olivia Zmyewski), 14:01; WV, Tara Brody, 7th, (Morgan Carr), 13:43.

Overtime -- WV, Brody, 8th, (Carr), 2:20.

Shots -- Belvidere 7; Wallkill Valley 10.

Saves -- Anya Logan 8, Kiera Gately 0 (B); Kristina Yakkey 6 (WV).

Penalty corners -- Belvidere 9; Wallkill Valley 10.

Championship chase

We're down to four teams still playing for sectional titles in the Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area after Phillipsburg (North 1, Group 4) and Delaware Valley (North 2, Group 1) suffered semifinal losses on Wednesday.

Hackettstown and Warren Hills will play for championships on Thursday in North 2, Group 2 and North 1, Group 3 respectively. Hunterdon Central seeks the North 2, Group 4 title on Friday.

Hackettstown (15-4), the No. 3 seed which has won five straight, advanced to its second straight title game and fourth overall with a 3-2 win at No. 2 Bernards on Tuesday. The Tigers, who are seeking the program's first championship, earned a rematch with top-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven after dropping a 3-0 decision during the regular season on Oct. 3.

Junior midfielder Madison Hoskins is leading Hackettstown's offense of late with six goals and 10 assists in the team's past seven games. Hoskins scored two goals and added a pair of assists in a 5-1 win over Cranford in the sectional quarterfinals. Junior forward Kayla Cichlar has four goals in the past three games, while junior forward Ashley Zellars has four goals in the past five games.

Warren Hills (22-2), a No. 1 seed which is is riding a 17-game winning streak after Tuesday's 4-0 victory over Mendham in the semifinals, is set to host No. 2 West Morris on Thursday in a rematch of last year's North 1, Group 3 final -- a 2-1 road win for the Blue Streaks.

Coach Josie Potter's team, which is two wins shy of matching the program record for consecutive victories in a season, is seeking the school's sixth straight championship and 15th overall. Warren Hills -- making its seventh straight finals appearance and 19th overall -- and South Hunterdon have won 14 sectional titles, the most among Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex area schools.

Seniors Rebecca Sigman (27 goals, 13 assists), Tali Popinko (18 goals, 13 assists) and Alyssa Appleby (16 goals), along with sophomore Samantha Dugan (18 goals, 13 assists), lead a potent offens, which is averaging 4.4 goals per game. Sigman is looking to become just the second 30-goal scorer in program history (Dani Profita 41 goals in 2015), while Appleby scored six goals in the past three games, including two in a 9-0 win over Montville in the sectional quarterfinals.

Defensively, backs Ashley Moskal, Sydney Moskal, Jess DeSanto, along with sweeper Kate Fenner, are keeping opposing offenses at bay, yielding just seven goals during this win streak and helping out senior goalie Maggie Titus, who has faced just 14 shots in the past seven games, while allowing one goal.

Hunterdon Central (15-6-1) advanced to its fifth straight sectional final with a 5-1 win over Old Bridge in Wednesday's North 2, Group 4 semifinals. The Red Devils, who are seeking their 14th championship and first since 2013, will face nemesis Bridgewater-Raritan, which has won 12 consecutive sectional titles since 2005.

Central, which is 9-27-2 against Bridgewater since 1999 under coach Jenn Sponzo, ended a 12-game skid in the series with a 2-1 victory on Oct. 25 in a Skyland Conference Delaware Division matchup. This will be the 12th postseason meeting between these rivals.