The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 73

Me iPfiilafcclpfna Jlnguirxr SiDorts B8 South Jersey MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2000 www.philly.com Vikings cap perfect season with state Group 4 championship The Eastern field hockey team thumped Morris Knolls, 5-0, yesterday for its second consecutive NJSIAA title. utes to play. Hillman capped the scoring with a penalty stroke late in the second half. Eastern's defense held Morris Knolls (22-2) to just one shot, but Vikings goalie Colleen Bolger was not required to make a save for her 18th shutout of the season. She could sense the train would be making its customary appearance in the second half.

"The Eastern Express came alive again," she said. "The coaching staff made a joke about it midway through the season about calling them that, but it's true. They're a second-half team, and they came out on fire again today after half-time." Kristie O'Donnell got the train rolling with 23:19 left, when the senior deposited her 11th goal of the season and sixth of the "I guess we get a lot out of the halftime talk because we always play better," O'Donnell said. "You can feel the momentum starting to build as soon as we start the second half." Forty-nine seconds later, Banta deked a defender and slipped a shot past goalie Claire Licker for the 3-0 lead. It was her team-high 38th goal of the season.

With the Express running at full force, senior Lisa Kreckel snapped off a quick shot for her 20th score of the year. The goal gave Eastern a comfortable 4-0 lead with 21 min- The Vikings looked like a veteran team on the artificial turf, dominating throughout the game with a 14-1 edge in shots and an eye-popping 22-3 advantage in corners. "This is a great team to play on turf," Heilig said. "Their skills really shine. It's a fast game, and it helps develop their passing game." Despite nine corners in the first half, Eastern could only muster one goal a blast from Lori Hillman with 20:38 remaining.

Heilig, known for her heated half-time pep talks, did not get rattled. the College of New Jersey. "Coaches Danyle Heilig and Gail Shelly always call us the Eastern Express because we always pick it up in the second half," sophomore Shaun Banta said. Eastern finished its season at 23-0 and outscored its opponents by 141-4 in capturing the program's fourth state title. The Vikings' current unbeaten streak stands at a New Jersey-best 44 games.

I ByTomMcGurk I INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF EWING, N.J. The Eastern Express arrived at its final destination right on time. The top-ranked Vikings field hockey team registered three goals in a span of 2 minutes, 19 seconds in the second half and sailed to its second consecutive NJSIAA state Group 4 championship with a 5-0 rout of Morris Knolls yesterday at Cumberland claims field hockey crown i 5 jj I prw Eastern Morris Knolls 4 0 Goate E-Lori Hillman 2. Kristie O'Donnell, Shaun Banta, Lisa Kreckel. Sana: E-Colleen Bolger MK-Claire Licker 9.

Tom McGurk's e-mail address is tmcgurkphillynews.com Panthers capture state title in 2d' 0T Tracy BucholsM scored on a penalty stroke to give Collingswood a 2-1 win in Group 2 field hockey. ByTomMcGurk INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF EWING, N.J. The Collingswood field hockey team proved again yesterday that its games were not for the weak of heart. Concluding a remarkable state tournament run that included two other scintillating finishes, senior Tracy Bucholski buried a penalty stroke with 7 minutes, 3 seconds left in the second sudden-death overtime period as the Panthers defeated Voorhees, 2-1, in the NJSIAA state Group 2 final at the College of New Jersey. The state title was the first since 1993 for the Panthers, who finished their season at 22-1.

En route to the final, Collingswood scored twice in the final 12 minutes of regulation to defeat Camden Catholic, 2-1, for the South Jersey Group 2 title. In the state semifinals, the Panthers rallied from a 2-1 second-half deficit to record a 3-2 double-overtime victory over heavily favored Shore Regional. In that game, Bucholski convert-. ed a penalty stroke with seven minutes left just a three-second difference from her game-winner against Voorhees (21-3). "They certainly dream up ways to win, don't they?" Collingswood coach Sandy Ritter said of her players.

Throughout the hectic times, Collingswood never got rattled. "We learned to play with poise after a 1-0 loss to Haddon Heights on Oct. 11," senior Lindsay Kocher said. "We matured after that loss." Bucholski was a prime example. With the weight of a state title on her shoulders, Bucholski calmly stepped to the penalty-stroke line.

The violation was called when a Voorhees defender illegally used her body to stop Laura Baranski's shot at the cage. Bucholski was ready to take the shot when goalie Nicole Cardamone asked for time. She proceeded to tap both posts and the crossbar in what appeared to be a strategy to put Bucholski on ice. It did not work. The senior calmly regrouped and deposited a shot into the right corner of the cage.

Collingswood would not have been in position for a victory if not for the stellar play of goalie Amy Wallace. The senior turned away three point-blank shots in the first overtime and made a kick save early in the second overtime. Collingswood did not look as if it would need any late-game heroics when Kocher hammered a shot off a corner for the go-ahead goal with 23.17 ieii. iii reguiaiiuu. However, that would not be the Collingswood way.

Things got interesting when Voorhees Vanessa Eulo converted a Dani Scheier pass into the game-tying goal with 3:02 left. Ritter, who kidded throughout the tournament about her frayed nerves, can finally rest. "We've all earned that," she said. Voorhees 0 0 0 0-0 1 Colliogswood Coals: C-Lindsay Kocher, Tracy Bucholski. V-Vanessa Eulo.

Sana: C-Amy Wallace V-Nicole Cardamone Tom McGurk's e-mail address is tmcgurkphillynews.com Junior Dannon Mehaffey notched the game-winner in the Colts' 1-0 victory in the state Group 3 final. 1 By Rich Fisher I INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF 1 EWING, N.J. The Cumberland Regional athletic department may have to tweak its budget to include an item it never had to worry about before. It will not complain, though, since that item is a state championship banner. The Colts field hockey team won the first state title in any sport in he school's history by taking a 1-0 victory over Warren Hills yesterday in the NJSIAA state Group 3 championship game at the College of New Jersey.

I "It's awesome, just a great feeling," said junior center halfback Dannon Mehaffey, whose first-half goal was the difference. "We knew no team had ever won, and we were hoping to be the first ones. It's like a dream-come-true sort of thing." "Anytime you can be the first to do anything in the history of anything is really awesome," coach Jeanne Barry said. "This was just a lot of fun." i The words fun and awesome were repeated often by Barry, whose team had to come from behind in the second half in each of its previous three state tournament games. The script was altered this time, as Cumberland (204) went with a play that worked on opening day against Ocean City, then stayed under wraps until yesterday.

With 18 minutes, 24 seconds left hi the first half, Kelly Driscoll sent a penalty corner to Kristin Conners at the top of the circle. Conners stopped the pass, then slid it to Mehaffey, who was standing next to her. Mehaffey, who has an extremely hard shot, drilled a low one into the cage for the goal that made history at Cumberland. "We practiced it a lot at St. Joe's on Saturday," Mehaffey said.

"We wanted to do it because the shot goes faster on the artificial turf." "The first game of the season Gloucester the Lions were mauled by the Pingry School, 4-0, for the NJSIAA state Group 1 field hockey championship. I By Pete Schnatz FOR THE INQUIRER I EWING Zero. It was a number foreign to the Gloucester field hockey team, whose high-octane attack had scorched opposing defenses en toute to yesterday's NJSIAA state Group 1 championship match. Zero. It is also the number of shots on goal the Lions managed in the first half and goals they ended with in their first trip to the state final.

Usine a voracious ball-control of fense to control play throughout the game, the Pingry School dominated and beat Gloucester, 4-0, in frigid conditions at the College of New Jersey, i In losing for just the second time this season Gloucester dropped a 3-2 decision to eventual state Group 3 champion Cumberland last month the Lions (16-2-2) suffered their first shutout. Afterward, the Lions consoled each other and quietly discussed what a magical ride it had been to reach CNJ's artificial turf for a chance at the program's first state crown. "I believe the nine seniors on this team showed the underclassmen challenges. The Colts won the school's "That was pretty nerve-wracking," Mehaffey said. "They were pushing to the ball.

It was scary." Lindsey Elbirn, Alicia Ghedine and Mehaffey led the defense as Cumberland finished with an 11-1 shot advantage and a 6-2 penalty-corner edge. "I knew about the other team, but I didn't tell our girls anything. I just wanted them to relax and have -jy )) to pass while Warren Hills' Casey Fritts Cumberland's defense took it from there, not allowing a shot on goal until less than 30 seconds remained. Goalie Miranda Riley made her only save of the day on Sarah Moretti's shot from in close, sealing the win and her 13th shutout. Warren Hills (17-5-1), which lost in overtime to Ocean City in last year's final, applied its best pressure in the final minute.

title game said. "It's a great accomplishment to get the program to this point." Gloucester's best performance was turned in by senior goaltender Mindy Myers, who came through with a number of spectacular stops among her IS saves. "Pingry has an excellent attack. They just kept coming and coming," Myers said. "We stood still and didn't challenge the ball enough." Pingry (25-0) jumped on top with 19 minutes, 8 seconds remaining in the first half.

Off a restart in Gloucester's end, a long shot ticked off Myers' outstretched leg, and Courtney Leone was there to tuck the ball in from close range. Trailing by 1-0, Gloucester came out strong to start the second half and gained its first penalty corner of the game. However, the Lions were unable to get the ball near Pingry goalie Margaret Kelleher she was forced to make just two saves and the Big Blue quickly counterattacked to regain momentum. Pingry was brutally efficient on many of its 12 penalty corners, using precise passes to create scoring chances. The most beautiful play came 12:13 after intermission, with Leone sending the corner pass to the top of the circle.

Lea Salese settled the ball, and Meiko Boynton blasted a shot that beat Myers inside the left post. "We felt like we were back in the game, but when they scored that Cumberland's Stacy Dooley (right) tries against Ocean City, I said, 'Look, we're going to try this Barry said. "She had never done it before except in practice for 10 minutes, and Mehaffey scores on it. Saturday, we practiced it for a little bit, so today I said, 'Let's try it So she scored in the first and last games of the season on a play we practiced for about 10 minutes." shut out in The Lions' Dana Marchionne and Bennett (24) console each other. just how hard they had to work and how tight-knit a group this team had become," Gloucester coach Amy Megee said.

Senior forward Maddy Boulden, who repeatedly maneuvered through the Pingry defense but was unable to produce a quality scoring opportunity, wiped away tears as she tried to sum up her experience at Gloucester. "I'm proud of the fact that I put in four years of hard work," she Pi I SARAH J. GLOVER Inquirer Suburban Staff first state title in any sport yesterday. fun," Barry said. "They played awesome, awesome, awesome.

Every one of them. Their passing was right on, stick-to-stick. It was just awesome." Warren Hills Cumberland 0 -0 Goals: C-Dannon Mehaffey. Sans: WH-Alyssa Cannavo C-Miranda Riley 1 Rich Fisher's e-mail address is rfisherphillynews.com they don't get a shot, they can't score. If they can't score, they can't win." Failing to score was a new experience for Gloucester, but the experience of playing in the ultimate game was something Megee and her play-ers vow they will never forget Gloucester 6 0 0 Pingry School 3 4 P-Lindsay Moyer 2, Meiko Boynton, Courtney Leone.

Sana: G-Mindy Myers 15: P-Maigaret Kelleher 2. Pete Schnatz's e-mail address is pschnatzphillynews.com SARAH J. GLOVER Inquirer Suburban Staff Gkmrastei's Rhonda Bennett (rinhtl tries to kfifip the Pingry School's Lindsay Moyer from making a play during the championship game at CNJ. goal, everybody put their heads down," Myers said. Senior attack Lindsay Moyer went on to add a pair of goals for the Big Blue, the last coming on a rebound following Myers' 14th save of the afternoon.

The win was especially sweet for Pingry coach Judy Lee, a 1968 graduate of West Deptford who remembered Gloucester as a bitter rival. As for caging the high-scoring Lions, Lee said, "It's always our goal to shut out the other team. We don't even want to allow a shot on goal If IT.