Staff Report
Check out a quick recap of some of the games from the state field hockey championships this weekend from Correspondent Brian Tortella:
NON-PUBLIC
Oak Knoll 3, Camden Catholic 1
South Jersey sweeping the state finals for another year just wasn’t meant to be.
The state’s former No. 1 team dropped a heartbreaker to Oak Knoll in the Non-Public state final on Saturday at Bordentown Regional High.
Savannah Freeland gave the Fighting Irish an early lead, scoring with 9:29 left in the first quarter, but after that it was all Oak Knoll as the Royals scored three unanswered goals — all of which came in the second and third quarters.
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“We played hero ball,” Irish coach Mark Vittese said. “We didn’t move the ball, we didn’t trap, we messed up corners. We didn’t play really well and they played fantastic. They deserve it.”
The Fighting Irish have some talented underclassmen coming back, including Freeland, a junior, and 36-goal scorer Sophia Stazi, a sophomore.
Will this loss motivate them for a run next year?
“Every year’s a new team, who knows?” Vittese continued. “You lose seniors, you bring in freshmen, the freshmen have no clue what happened the year before. It’s always a rivalry, so hopefully we’ll see them again next year.”
GROUP 1
Shore Regional 3, Newton 2
In the most nail-biting game of the year, Shore edged out a 3-2 victory over Newton after six periods. Yep, you read that right.
Four regulation periods and two overtime periods later, and the scoreboard was still even at two each. Marin Stefanelli and Gabby O’Brien scored the goals for the Blue Devils.
The Group 1 state final went to a 1-on-1 shootout, and Shore won in shots 3-2. It was a long time coming for Shore after the Blue Devils were beaten by West Deptford in the previous two state championships. This year, Shore moved from the North Jersey to the South Jersey bracket and got revenge on the Eagles in the sectional final, winning 2-1 last Wednesday.
“The past two years losing to West Deptford in the final and then overcoming them in the sectional final, that was an achievement in its own,” Blue Devils goalie Teagan Harmon said. “Coming out today, we made a message. We took a stand and showed everyone that we’re a brand new team and not to be messed with.”
GROUP 2
West Essex 2, Point Pleasant Boro 1
After graduating five seniors in the spring, West Essex coach Jill Cosse didn’t know if the Knights would be able to compete with the best of the best once again.
“If I had ever known in July trying to figure out in my brain who’s going to replace those five seniors that started — I was trying to brace myself, because when we made the schedule we added Notre Dame de Namur (Pa.), who at that point was No. 1 in the country, and we knew we were playing (nationally ranked) Hill (Pa.),” she said.
“I thought, I don’t know if I could coach my way through this,” she added. “When the season started and we got going— the passion that came out of the kids and the young kids. Now you see equal contribution.”
After a scoreless first half, freshman Delaney Farrell got the Knights on the board 8:54 into the third quarter, and senior Ava Russo notched the final of her high school career with 5:48 remaining in the third to lead West Essex to a sixth consecutive Group 2 state title.
The Knights outscored playoff opponents 24-0 en route to their 22nd state title in program history. Eastern Regional holds the record with 24. It was coach Cosse’s 16th state championship victory in 28 seasons at the helm.
Contact Brian Tortella: btortreportssj@gmail.com.
