By Kyle Moylan, Sports Editor
-8HOCKEY- When a team is as successful as Allentown High field hockey, it’s either going to end its season with a trophy or in tears.
"The girls are hurting now," Allentown Coach Mary Ellen McCarthy noted after her team was defeated, 2-1, in a shootout by Holmdel in the championship game of the Central Jersey Group II Tournament this past Monday afternoon.
The ending came in a sort of surreal fashion. Dwanite Briggs scored in the shootout to give Holmdel a 3-1 lead after four shooters, making the fifth shooter for both teams unnecessary. The Holmdel players didn’t react after the goal, though. They waited for about 15 seconds, almost as if they were double and triple checking the math. Then they started to scream for joy.
The reaction on the other side of the field was different. But the way McCarthy sees it, cry today and rejoice tomorrow.
"Our season was a success," McCarthy said. "It was a winning season. A lot of teams would want to be 18-4 and in a shootout for the sectional final. Those teams aren’t here. This was an exciting season. I have a great bunch of girls."
But when a team wins as consistently as Allentown field hockey, it can become difficult to compare itself to just the majority of other teams. Allentown plays with the elite.
Through regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods, it was as good as any team in Central Jersey Group II.
Kasie Nurko, assisted by Briana Gaum, scored Allentown’s goal with 19:16 to play in the first half. Holmdel’s Nicole Sepulverez tied the game with 10:28 to go in the half.
It took several nice saves by both Allentown’s Denise Winkle and Holmdel’s Alex Diekman, but the scored stayed tied through the second half. It also stayed tied in overtime, even with 7-on-7 action on the field. This forced the shootout.
"Going to strokes is a tough position to put the kids in," McCarthy noted. "I’d prefer to continue with the seven-on-seven until you have a winner."
While McCarthy isn’t a fan of having games end on penalty strokes, she was still prepared for it.
"We do them at practice every day," McCarthy said.
McCarthy even had the list of five players to take the strokes down before the game even started.
"The mindset is to go to your favorite spot, do what you do best," McCarthy noted of taking a penalty stroke. "Don’t give it away with your eyes and think positive."
Allentown’s first shot went right at Diekman. The second one went wide of the goal. Nicole Sepulverez and Kristen Davila both put in perfect shots inside the post to put Holmdel ahead, 2-0.
Briana Gaum lifted a shot high and to the right of Diekman to cut the advantage. When Holmdel’s Elise Luccarelli followed with a shot that smacked off the crossbar, Allentown’s deficit was down to 2-1.
Paige Weatherbee shot next for Allentown and her hard shot was blocked by Diekman. When Briggs followed with a shot that got in below the diving Niki Barbaree, the game and Allentown’s hopes of a Central Jersey Group II title were over.
Allentown had lost an emotional contest in the state tournament. If the Allentown players wondered what that was like, they only needed to look at their opponents in the previous two games.
In the Central Jersey Group II opener on October 30, Allentown defeated Jackson Liberty, 3-2, in overtime on a goal by Kasie Nurko (assisted by Rachel Scheuerman). Gaum and Scheuerman scored the Allentown goals in regulation.
"We were not clicking in that game," McCarthy said. "I think we were a bit overconfident, but we found a way to win."
Allentown also found a way to win this past Friday, 1-0, over Red Bank Catholic. Brittany O’Brien scored an unassisted goal. Denise Winkle made 11 saves in goal to record the shutout.
"We played really well against Red Bank Catholic, created a lot of shots," noted McCarthy. "That was a good win."
McCarthy also felt her team played well against Holmdel. When it comes down to a shootout, there isn’t much difference between the team that goes on and the one that goes home.
The field hockey careers at Allentown are over for Brielle Alfieri, Denise Winkle, Michele Najecki, Kristi Langione, Rachel Scheuerman and Brian Gaum.
"The freshman, sophomores and juniors coming up have big shoes to fill," noted McCarthy, who said preparation for the 2008 season started on Tuesday as she discussed possible place for her girls to play and practice in the off-season.
Teams don’t get great by accident. There’s a lot of preparation involved. The success of 2007 for Allentown started the day after another tough playoff loss last season.
"The girls worked as a team and exceeded the goals we had for the season," McCarthy said. "I’m proud of the season we had."
The fact the season had such a sad ending was only because the girls were good enough to play for something so meaningful.
