Field hockey team loses in quarterfinals

The Vernon Township High School field hockey team’s 2023 campaign came to a close with a hard-fought 2-1 loss to sixth-seeded Mendham in the quarterfinal round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey, Group 2 tournament Tuesday, Oct. 31 at home.

The Vikings, seeded third, held a 1-0 lead on a first-quarter goal by Sidney Van Tassel. Mendham (14-5), which lost to second-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven in the sectional semifinals, scored the equalizing goal in the second quarter before taking the lead in the fourth period.

Emily Getz made eight saves in goal for Vernon, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. The team concluded its season with a 16-3 mark.

The Vikings, under the direction of head coach Kieran Killeen, won the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division championship with a 7-1 record and also reached the semifinal round of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament this year.

Vernon (16-3) was led offensively by Bailey Mann (15 goals, 12 assists), Van Tassel (10 goals, 14 assists), Abigail DeYoung (12 goals, two assists), Jalyn Day (11 goals, one assist), Makenna Thomas (eight goals, two assists), Teagan Ressler (three goals), Abigail Mundhenk (one goal, three assists), Abigail Cawley (two assists), Elise Giroux (two goals), Kaylee Free (one goal, one assist), Kayla Jurewicz (one goal) and Grace Tavares (one assist).

Getz, a junior, finished the season with eight shutouts this fall.

Girls soccer

The fourth-seeded Vikings’ season concluded with a 3-1 loss to fifth-seeded Old Tappan in the quarterfinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 tournament Monday, Oct. 30 at home.

Monica Curry made a goal for Vernon, seeded fourth, and goalie Caitlin Hart made 12 saves.

Old Tappan (12-6-2) went on to upset top-seeded Pascack Valley, 2-1. It was scheduled to meet second-seeded Ramsey in the sectional final Monday, Nov. 6.

The Vikings, who finished 15-5-1 this season under head coach Casey Jacoby, forged a perfect 10-0 mark in winning the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Colonial Division championship.

Curry, a forward, completed a sensational sophomore season, totaling 47 goals and 14 assists. She scored three goals or more in 12 games, including two games where she registered four tallies.

Curry will enter her junior season with a career total of 80 goals and 22 assists.

Other offensive contributors this fall included Grace Dobrzynski (11 goals, one assist), Lily Henderson (four goals, eight assists), Kayli O’Rourke (eight goals), Emma Lally (five goals), Grace Duffy (three goals, three assists), Reese Hamilton (four goals, one assist) and Alexis McCarthy (one goal, one assist).

Hart, a junior goalie, finished the season with five shutouts.