By: John E. Powers
The South Hunterdon Regional High School field hockey team has experienced a wide range of emotions throughout this season.
The Eagles started the season 2-5, but rallied with a strong midseason and followed it up with a big win against Warren Hills in the Hunterdon-Warren Tournament before losing a heartbreaker in overtime to Hunterdon Central.
Last Friday, the fifth-seeded Eagles were ousted in overtime once again, this time by fourth-seeded Kent Place of Summit, 4-3 in the first round of the North Jersey, Section 1-2, Group I tournament in Chatham Township.
Once again, the Eagles rallied. Senior forward Gabi Henn gave South (11-9) a 1-0 lead with 27 minutes left, but Molly Kunzman scored three goals in the first period to push Kent Place (10-6-1) to a 4-3 lead.
But Henn, who finished the season with 20 goals and six assists, scored again. Henn finished her career with 55 goals, 34 short of her sister Bridget’s school record.
Junior forward Devin Shire then scored at 15:37 to force the game into overtime. Henn hit the post twice, and junior middie Tori Marley and senior forward Jenna Burroughs just missed wide right of the cage on a one-time shot off a crisp pass from senior forward Ashley Hartigan.
"We had a great game and had a number of chances in overtime," South coach Thyra Zengel said.
Taylor Worthington got the game winner off a breakaway with three minutes left in sudden death. It came off a three-on-one.
The Eagles had the advantage in shots (24-14) and penalty corners (15-5). Christine Ring made 20 saves for Kent Place, which was scheduled to play top-seeded Oak Knoll in the sectional semifinals. South Hunterdon lost to Oak Knoll 2-1 in overtime in the sectional semifinals last year.
"(Kent Place) was beatable," Zengel said. "To get to this point was a great accomplishment (for the Eagles). I expected them to beat Kent Place. We had a few shots on goal. We had shots that should have gone in. It was a real back-and-forth type of game. We dominated on the field."
Kent had a three-on-one coming downfield in overtime, and when the sweeper fell about 30 yards out, Worthington was able to get in alone on Eagles’ keeper Lauren Mitchell, a junior.
"It was almost the identical ending as last year," Zengel said.

