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Warning Bell Signals Start of 2nd Season for PV Tigers
PV field hockey a win away from 5th-straight title game
by Ray Gallagher
This was supposed to be "the game of the day" as far as Section 1 field hockey goes. Third-seeded Putnam Valley High and sixthseeded Brewster was supposed to be a battle between Putnam County field hockey powers. It never materialized, in part because Tiger junior Megan Warning sounded the alarm with the post-season game of a lifetime.
Coach Toniann Cortina's Tigers (15-3) manhandled the Bears (13-3-1) from start to finish, utilizing a stout defense and opportunistic offense to orchestrate a 6-0 knockout of the Bears. The win advanced the Tigers to the Section 1 Class B semifinals this Wednesday against the No. 2 Somers.
A semifinal victory would likely set up a fifth consecutive Section 1 championship game with top-seeded Rye, which has won three of the previous four championships. The Tigers, with just three seniors, are poised to strike a championship chord.
"Yeah, we want that game bad… if I could just relive the feeling we had when we beat them (Rye) and then went on to win states (2005), I'd give anything," said senior defender Brittany Kinsley, who initiated rush after rush with splendid stick-handling and assisted on one goal. As the No. 3 seed, the Tigers will have to take their act on the road.
"We can't look ahead," Kinsley added. "We need to take care of business game by game, but I'm pumped."
Warning was pumped against Brewster, scoring twice and setting up two other goals for the Tigers, who took a 4-0 lead into the intermission.
Senior Katie Mazin scored the game's first goal. Junior Ashley Morgan added a goal and an assist while Caitlin White scored once for the winners. Reliable junior Erica Fisher, who left the game with a leg injury, set up a goal. Her return to full health will be pivotal to the Tigers' success down the road.
Defenders Kristin Brown Sara Kastuk, Nicole Scott and Kinsley put forth another terrific effort on the back line, as Putnam Valley notched its fourth consecutive shutout behind goalie Jackie Gallagher, who has 11 for the year.
"I love my defense," said Kinsley, one of just two players (along with Morgan) to see extensive time during the 2005 NYS championship season. "We've stepped it up every game. Nicole Scott, our sweeper back there, plays with so much heart. The defense has been awesome and the offense is really starting to connect with each other. Our transfer through the field the last few games has been amazing. It's all coming together at the right time."
The offense, too, was fabulous, using its speed to its advantage on a rain-soaked carpet.
The Tigers are peaking at the right time, according to Cortina, who grew up in Putnam Valley and played field hockey and softball at Walter Panas where she came up one win short of two softball sectional championships.
"The progression from the beginning of the season to where we're at now is what I like to see," the rookie coach said. "The heart and motivation of these girls is amazing. We need to take what we've learned from our losses and play aggressive hockey the rest of the way. I think the dedication of this group is going to pull it out for us.
Cortina, who took over the reins of the Valley's most successful program from former Coach Tracy Parchen this fall, was well aware the program's reputation, and with just three seniors on the club this year she's in a position to keep with the trend of reaching the sectional finals this year and next. But Somers won't be a pushover. The Tuskers reached the state finals just a few years ago, and the Tigers will need to put a solid mark on Lizzy Russo (20G, 7A) if they're going to see Rye this coming Saturday at Lakeland High.
"We've talked about how great that would feel for all of us," Cortina said. "The kids want it, I want it… I've lost in sectional finals twice as a player, so I've experienced that losing feeling. None of us want to feel that again."
Who the heck would? And if the Tigers are good enough to get past Somers and aren't intimidated by the aura of Rye and the four consecutive one-goal losses to the mighty Garnets, they'll never have to worry about it. So go bang the boards, baby!
Visit www.yourdirectrays.com to view Section 1 sports photo galleries, including Haldane and Putnam Valley.
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