RFH rally falls shorts in SJ II girls lacrosse sectional finals

BY NEIL BORENSTEIN
Staff Writer

 Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s Kelsey Cuje (l) tries to get around Allentown High School defender Maura McNutt during the May 29 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship game played in Allentown. The Bulldogs’ second-half rally fell one goal short as they lost to the top-seed Redbirds, 13-12.  FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s Kelsey Cuje (l) tries to get around Allentown High School defender Maura McNutt during the May 29 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II championship game played in Allentown. The Bulldogs’ second-half rally fell one goal short as they lost to the top-seed Redbirds, 13-12. FRANK WOJCIECHOWSKI The resilience of the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School girls lacrosse team showed in the second half of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group II finals against Allentown High School on May 29. Down by four goals in the final three minutes of the contest, the Bulldogs strung together a three-goal rally to come within one score of the Redbirds.

Rumson-Fair Haven maintained offensive pressure until the very end, but it could not complete the comeback with a tying goal. Allentown (22-2), the No. 1 seed in the bracket and winners of 20 straight games heading into the finals, held on to capture the sectional championship and a spot in the Group II finals by a score of 13-12.

The Bulldogs, who were the third seed in the South Jersey Group II bracket, finished the season with an 18-6 record.

From the start of the game, Rumson played from behind after the Redbirds grabbed an early three-goal lead. Allentown entered halftime with an 8-5 edge that was made possible in large part by four goals from the team’s offensive leader, senior Alex Moore.

The Bulldogs played better in the second half and outscored their opponents, 7-5, but they remained one goal shy of tying the game and going into overtime despite a late opportunity in the closing seconds.

Senior Kelsey Cuje led Rumson-Fair Haven scorers with three goals in the game. Senior Emily Hayes and juniors Nicolette Dunphy and Mary Scarrone contributed two goals apiece. Seniors Emily Volker and Emily Knapp and junior Bridget Curran added one goal each. Curran’s goal was the 100th of her high school career.

Volker, who had a team-high four points, finished the game with three assists. Curran had two assists, and Scarrone registered one.

Jessie York led the Bulldogs with four ground balls, while junior Courtney Dunphy, Curran and Volker picked up three each. Senior Annie Gilbertson, Cuje and Hayes each had two.

Senior goalie Maddie Mullen made 10 saves in net.

Allentown fell to Summit High School, 16-11, in the Group II finals on June 1. The Tournament of Champions kicked off at Monmouth University on June 5 when Summit played Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child (Summit) in one semifinals matchup and Moorestown High School played Shawnee High School in the other. The winners of those games meet in the finals on June 8 at Kean University.

In order to advance to the South Jersey Group II finals, Rumson-Fair Haven played No. 2 seed Red Bank Catholic (RBC) High School in the semifinals on May 24. The Caseys (20-3) were the defending sectional champions, defeating Allentown in last year’s South Jersey Group II bracket, 17-13, as the top seed.

This was the third time this season that the Bulldogs and Caseys met up, with the Bulldogs winning their last matchup on May 17 to earn the Shore Conference Tournament championship. The Bulldogs also handed RBC its only regular-season loss on April 24.

The South Jersey Group II semifinals remained close during the first half, and the Caseys went into halftime with an 8-6 lead. However, the Bulldogs broke away in the second half, controlling the pace and outscoring RBC, 6-1, to win the game, 12-9.

Mullen made nine saves in the victory, and Nicolette Dunphy netted a team-high three goals. Cuje, Scarrone and Volker contributed two goals apiece, while Curran, Hayes and Knapp added one goal each. Hayes and Knapp also had two assists each, and Scarrone picked up four ground balls.

Sophomore Emily Schissler led RBC’s scorers with four goals, while junior Grace Fallon posted a game-high five points between three goals and two assists.

Rumson-Fair Haven was also victorious against 14th-seed Middle Township High School, 17-1, in the first round on May 18 and against sixth-seed Robbinsville High School, 18-1, in the quarterfinals on May 21.