Braves lose to Montclair, 2-1
NEWTON. Field hockey team also falls to eventual champion in H/W/S Tournament semifinal.
Newton /
| 21 Oct 2024 | 04:09
The soccer ball and a Newton Brave go airborne in the first period of the game against Jefferson at home Thursday, Oct. 17. The Falcons won, 1-0. (Photos by George Leroy Hunter)
A Jefferson Falcon controls the ball in the first period.
A Jefferson Falcon and a Newton Brave jostle each other while trying to get control of the ball.
The soccer ball bounces off a Newton Brave’s head in front of the Jefferson goalpost.
A Jefferson Falcon and a Newton Brave pursue the soccer ball.
Jefferson goalie Andrew Mohlenhoff had six saves.
In a matchup between two of the state’s top field hockey teams, Newton battled Montclair, ranked No. 15 in the state, down to the wire but lost, 2-1, there Saturday afternoon, Oct. 19.
After a scoreless first period, Montclair broke through when Ceci Cowart connected for the game’s first goal in the second quarter.
Newton scored the equalizer when Kaitlyn Harding knocked in a feed from Jaclyn Vena in the third quarter. The game remained tied, 1-1, before Eliza Larson provided Montclair with the game-winner in the final stanza.
The teams were even in penalty corners, 8-8, with Newton holding a slight 14-12 edge in shots.
Abbie Paglia finished with 10 saves and now has 55 stops this season.
The loss was just the second in the past 13 games for the Braves (12-3). Newton’s only other loss in that span was 3-2 to the eventual champion, No. 8 Warren Hills, in the semifinal round of the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament on Oct. 8.
Harding (24 goals, 10 assists), Vena (16 goals, 11 assists) and Meadow D’Annibale (15 goals, 11 assists) lead Newton in scoring.
The team is scheduled to play host to Randolph at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
Here’s how other Newton teams fared recently:
Boys soccer
Paul Reinhart scored off an assist from Shaun Blasak as Newton secured a 1-1 tie with Kittatinny there Oct. 15.
Newton was seeded ninth for the H/W/S Tournament and bowed to top-seeded Hunterdon Central, 2-0, in the quarterfinal round there Oct. 11.
The Braves (4-10-1) will play at High Point at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24.
Girls soccer
Newton, the eighth seed, lost to top-seeded Kittatinny, 2-0, in the quarterfinal round of the H/W/S Tournament there Oct. 11.
The Braves advanced to the quarters when they prevailed over ninth-seeded Lenape Valley, 4-3, in a penalty-kick shootout at home Oct. 9.
Avery Eigner and Eevie Kankkunen each scored for the Braves in regulation as the teams finished tied, 2-2, through two overtime periods.
Newton (7-6-2) will play host to Lenape Valley at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24.
Cross country
Shane Bickerton placed 27th with a time of 18:09.76 to pace the Newton boys at the NJAC Small Schools Division championships at the Greystone course Oct. 15 at Morris Hills.
Maggie Daggett led the Newton girls contingent at the event, placing 32nd with a time of 22:04.64.