State champions lead final Morris/Sussex girls soccer rankings
Alas, the 2023 high school girls soccer season is over.
Mountain Lakes and Chatham emerged triumphant at the Group championships on Sunday. The Lakers took care of Point Pleasant Beach for the second year in a row, and earned their third Group title in four seasons. The Cougars needed a little bit longer to claim its first Group title since 2004, playing two overtimes and then a shootout to defeat Shawnee in the last of four finals on Sunday night.
The Cougars also won their third straight Morris County Tournament plaque. Sophomore Riley Molbury was named HWS MVP as Sparta earned a measure of revenge in a 2-0 home victory against Hunterdon Central.
After all those highs and lows, here are our final Morris/Sussex girls soccer rankings for the season.
More: Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference girls soccer coaches' postseason honors
10. Morristown (13-5-4)
Juniors Marin Fisher (12g, 8a) and Rosalina Lifreri (7g, 9a) and senior Anna Szporn (11g, 2a) powered Morristown's offense. The Colonials wrapped up the season undefeated in six matches – including a 4-0 shootout win against Montclair – before being eliminated, 2-0 by Ridgewood in a North 1, Group 4 semifinal
9. Morris Knolls (14-8)
Senior Scarlet Brookes had 14 goals and eight assists in the Golden Eagles' inconsistent season, with no winning streak longer than four games. Senior goalkeeper Rylie Jupin allowed an average of one goal per match.
8. Lenape Valley (13-5-1)
Junior Mayla McLean (18g, 8a) and senior Cassis Yappen (10g, 4a) powered Lenape Valley to the NJAC-Freedom title (7-3-1) and the North 1, Group 1 final against Pequannock. Junior Riely O'Brien had a .842 goals-against average and seven shutouts.
7. Madison (17-3)
Madison went undefeated in the NJAC-Liberty (11-0), including a regular-season shutout of Hanover Park. But the Dodgers fell to the Hornets on penalty kicks in the North 2, Group 2 final. Senior Ellison Errington had 17 goals as Madison set a school record with 16 wins.
6. Hanover Park (17-4)
Junior Gia D'Alessio (1.25 GAA) made back-to-back saves to start the shootout as Hanover Park topped Madison in the North 2, Group 2 final, its fifth straight trip to a sectional or other season-ending final. Seniors Courtney Irwin (17g, 8a), Arianna Allonardo (15g) and Sienna Petro (10g, 13a) were the top scorers.
5. Pequannock (20-2)
Senior Shayla Osmanski (16g, 33a) and Alex Ortega (23g, 12a) powered the Golden Panthers to 103 goals – best in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference – and their first sectional title. New goalkeeper Zoe Wizner and the Pequannock defense allowed just 10 goals, second only to Roxbury's nine among NJAC schools. The Golden Panthers' two losses came against Group 4 Morristown in the second round of the MCT and against Group 1 champion Mountain Lakes in a state semifinal.
4. Mountain Lakes (15-7)
The Lakers' junior "Strike Force" – Daisy Duda (11g, 15a), Abby Hawes (17g, 3a) and Maya Ritchie (8g, 4a) – provided offense, experience and leadership to a young roster, which graduated 17 seniors from last fall's Group 1 champions. Mountain Lakes got off to a rough start, with losses in half of its first 10 matches. Three of the Lakers' seven losses were against Madison by a combined 13 goals, a large part of freshman keeper Shea Sutter's 1.29 goals-against average.
More: Mountain Lakes girls soccer captures third Group 1 title in four years
3. Sparta (14-3)
Senior Juliana Dolinski led Sparta's offense with 25 goals and 13 assists, including both goals in the HWS final. Junior striker Abigail Connors (9g, 14a) and senior Abigail Pierson (11g, 6a) also contributed. The Spartans lost back-to-back midseason games to Chatham and had their season ended by Randolph in double overtime in a North 1, Group 3 quarterfinal.
Sparta success! Girls win first Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex soccer, volleyball titles
2. Randolph (18-3-2)
Randolph finished undefeated (11-0-1) atop the NJAC-National. The Rams reached the MCT final and a North 1, Group 3 semifinal. Juniors Jojo Denegri (19g, 7a) and Rylie Van Wingerden (14g) were Randolph's top attackers, with sophomore Carlie Wysocki adding nine goals and a team-high 14 assists.
1. Chatham (20-2)
Chatham wrapped up a triple crown on Sunday, adding the Group 3 trophy to the NJAC-American and MCT titles. Juniors Abby Droner (23g, 11a) and Riley Cross (13g, 13a) and sophomore Amanda Thornton (14g, 9a) led the Cougars' high-powered offense. Senior Amelia Sherman had a 0.824 goals-against average, including a pair in Sunday's shootout.
More: Chatham girls soccer outlasts Shawnee in penalty kicks, wins first state title since 2004
Also considered: Jefferson (13-7-1), Roxbury (10-4-2), Vernon (15-5-1), Villa Walsh (15-6), West Morris (9-5-3).
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: NJ girls soccer: State champions lead final Morris/Sussex rankings
