FIELD HOCKEY
By Josh Lashley, Special Writer
When a sports program completes a season with a winning record, in many cases it’s a telltale sign that the coaching staff and the athletes alike were doing not just one thing, but several things correctly.
When a program has a winning record competing against the kind of opposition that the Northern Burlington High School field hockey team did this fall it makes the accomplishment even more special.
The Greyhounds tallied an overall record of 12-8 constantly going up against several top-shelf teams. They won three games in the Burlington County League Liberty Division, which includes Moorestown, one of the best teams in New Jersey.
Northern Burlington advanced to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III quarterfinal round before losing to Allentown.
“We had numerous leaders this season,” Northern Burlington head coach Katie Ritter said. “We were fortunate to have a strong senior class and all of them really stepped up and led by example. Haile Bell and Morgan Payne were our captains and they were our vocal leaders. They were constantly motivating the team and kept things positive even through our rough moments. Kimmie Kelly, Nikki Kotelnicki and Julia Militch led through action.”
Ritter was encouraged and impressed by the way in which every student-athlete on the roster made a concerted effort to improve themselves as field hockey players, thereby helping the program in general.
“My whole team showed continual improvement this year,” she said. “But the one that stands out the most is Maripat Lissner. She was our center back this season who we moved back from the mid position. She learned a new style of play of containing and explosiveness and did fantastic with it. She became one of our rocks on defense.”
Of course the effort and positive influence that the graduating class of 2015 brought to the Greyhounds’ field hockey team this fall will be missed. But, Ritter is optimistic for the future.
“I have a large, strong junior class with six of our 10 juniors returning as varsity starters,” she said. “I also return a strong goalkeeper in Jessie Lissner who is a sophomore.”
Moorestown defeated Wall Township to capture the Central Jersey Group III Sectional championship.
“To me, the games that stand out the most are our Moorestown games,” she said. “Even though they were losses, they were competitive games.”