Newton field hockey wins H/W/S tournament

An already incredibly successful season for the Newton High field hockey team now has its signature moment.

The top-seeded and undefeated Lady Braves received three goals from Kaitlyn Harding and a goal and an assist from Meadow D’Annibale in earning a 5-2 victory over third-seeded North Hunterdon in the championship game of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Lenape Valley High in Stanhope.

Newton got out to a fast start striking for the first three goals of the game in the opening quarter.

Allyson Maffia scored just 1:08 into the first and was followed by two goals from Harding to stake Newton to a 3-0 lead before North Hunterdon finally got on the board with two seconds remaining.

North Hunterdon then cut its deficit to 3-2 with a goal midway through the second but D’Annibale connected with 32 seconds remaining in the half to push the Lady Braves’ lead back to two goals, 4-2.

“It was so important to get out to a fast start,” Newton coach Ashley Tashjian said. “This team had their eye on it to get here and it was an awesome feeling to watch them go out and win it.”

Harding added her third goal of the game 1:08 into the final period to forge the final score.

Emma Trout and Jaclyn Vena each added an assist while the goalie tandem of Ava Kithcart (six saves) and Abbie Paglia (five saves) anchored the defense.

Harding, who had four goals in Newton’s 7-2 victory over fourth-seeded Voorhees in the semifinal round on Oct. 22, was named the tournament’s MVP.

“Kaitlyn is such a workhorse for us,” stated Tashjian. “And she’s also a phenomenal defender and just works so well front to back.”

Harding, a senior forward, now has 42 goals and 16 assists this season and 129 goals and 34 assists for her career.

Newton, one of only three undefeated teams remaining in the state, was scheduled to host No. 1 ranked Oak Knoll on Tuesday, Oct. 28 before hosting Vernon on Thursday, Oct. 30, to wrap up the regular season.

From there, Newton will look to defend its sectional title.

“If you want to be the best you have to play the best so we scheduled Oak Knoll, which is the top team in the state,” said Tashjian, a 2006 Newton High School graduate now in her fourth season at the helm. “They’re ready for the challenge and for the post-season. They’ve been doing their homework, fine-tuning and jelling.

“We’ll have a target on our backs for sure but we’re taking it one game at a time.”

Newton Cross Country

Alexander Johnson clocked a time of 19:57.10 to place 42nd at the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex championships on Thursday, Oct. 23, in Phillipsburg,

Olivia Youngs led the Newton girls, placing 28th in a time of 22:41.40.

The Newton boys and girls will next compete at the NJSIAA Sectional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Garret Mountain in Woodland Park.