Parsippany Hills field hockey turning it around
Parsippany Hills’ 3-10-2 record may seem quite pedestrian, but for a program that had won four games in the past five years, it represents a vast improvement.
Not only are the Vikings, who were 1-18-1 in 2014, more competitive on the field, they’re approaching the game with a confidence and a positive outlook that is readily apparent.
“I’ve noticed a change in the attitude,” third-year coach Alex Polizzo said. “The last few years we were just playing not to get killed. We just wanted to keep the score down and didn’t even try to score.”
Under Polizzo’s tutelage, the team has begun to turn things around. The season started off on a positive note when the Vikings won, 2-1 in overtime over Pope John. Two weeks ago, they won their first Morris County Tournament game since 1985, 1-0 over Morris Knolls in the preliminary round.
“To start the season off like that was awesome, and the team was really excited,” Polizzo said. “They were a little nervous in the county tournament game because Morris Knolls had beaten us 3-0 a week earlier. But they were really psyched. Our motto has been to support each other, and they went on the field and did it.”
Among the key players for the Vikings are junior forward Delaney Bishof (two goals, one assist); junior forward Brittany Bonin (three goals); sophomore Jillian Rogers, a defender last season who was moved to center mid; senior goalie Anne Norwood; and senior forward Barbara Anastasi. Right mid Aleyna Aydin and defender Mia Macarella, both freshmen, have also seen lots of time. The Vikings’ 11 goals this season have far surpassed last year, when the team was outscored 69-3.
Dedication to fundamentals, the addition of a junior varsity team and a new turf field on campus have all contributed to Parsippany Hills’ renaissance.
”We’re not just walking on the field to play,” Polizzo said. “Now we’re playing to win. We’re more aggressive, and we know that we can score and win. I’m always proud, no matter what the score is. They have a good attitude, and it’s nice to see that they bring what we do in practice onto the field.”
Morris County Tournament
The Morris County Tournament is down to the final four, and the semifinal round will take place on Saturday in Boonton.
Second-seeded Madison plays the first game of the doubleheader, taking on Randolph, the sixth seed, at 2:30. Mendham, the first seed, squares off with fourth-seeded Morristown at 4:30.
Madison has won 20 MCT titles, including its fourth consecutive championship last season as the second seed. The Dodgers are strong in all facets of the game. Offensively they’re led by senior midfielder Caroline Turnbull (19 goals, 10 assists), sophomore forward Elizabeth Romano (15, 12) and Stephanie Dellavia (13, 8), a senior forward. Senior midfielder Kaitlyn DaSilva is a multi-faceted two-way player, and her twin sister, Amanda, anchors the defense. Senior goalie Emilie Flamme had registered eight shutouts with a goals-against average of 0.93.
Randolph, led by junior forward T.T. Naslonski (27, 5) extended its unbeaten streak to eight with a 7-1 victory over Morris Knolls on Tuesday. The Rams advanced to the semifinals when Naslonski’s overtime goal gave them a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Montville in a quarterfinal.
“It’s a goal to play Madison,” Randolph coach Linda Cross said. “We’ll have some chances, and our defense will be very busy, but we relish the situation. It’s been a long time since Randolph has been to the semifinals, and I’m very excited for this team.”
Mendham, which received a boost with the return of senior Ally Chapis to an already strong midfield, has benefited from a balanced attack.
“We’re getting a little bit of scoring from everyone on our forward line, and our defense is holding strong,” Minutemen coach Lori Welles said. “We have a good mix of experience and some new players that are working well together.”
Mendham, whose attack is led by senior midfielders Sam DiMaio (13-9) and Tara Litjens, defeated Morristown 1-0 on Wednesday, and 2-1 on Sept. 10.