Princeton stuns R.V. to grab sectional crown
PRINCETON » Mariana Lopez-Ona believed it was just amatter of gettingmore opportunities in the second half.
Really though, it was Princeton’s Lopez-Ona creating more opportunities.
Trailing by five goals early in the second half, the topseeded Little Tigers, led by Lopez-Ona, scored the final six goals of the game with Kathryn DeMilt getting the game winner to stun No. 2 Rancocas Valley, 9-8, on a sunny Thursday in the Central Jersey Group IV final.
The sectional title is the first for Princeton since 1985. The Tigers win snaps a twoyear losing skid to Rancocas Valley in the state tournament. Next up for the surging Little Tigers (13-10), who have won seven out of the last nine, will be Clearview (14-6), which won the South Jersey Group IV crown with a 14-11 win over Eastern.
The state semifinalwill be played on Tuesday atMoorestownwith the first drawset for 4:30 p.m.
“I feel like I’m going to cry,” said Princeton coach Sara Doran, who took the Tigers from a 1-5 start to the sectional championship. “It’s overwhelming and I’m so proud of the girls. We’ve been working really hard and we faced a lot of obstacles this season. I’mso proud they never let things get then down. We kept pushing and we have come to a place where we are confident, we are trusting each other, and
I couldn’t be prouder.”
When the Red Devils scored the first two goals of the second half to make it 8-3, they seemed in control. RV’s Cameron Maruca started the transition with a ground ball and clear to set
up the eighth RedDevil tally.
Lopez-Ona, however, saw her sister, Emilia, win a county title at Princeton and her brother, Johnny, alsowin acounty tournament andshe figured it was now her turn to be a champion.
The amazing comeback started at the 17:18 mark on a ShaylahMarciano free positionshotandthenLopez-Ona reeled off three straight goals to pull to 8-7with 8:02 left in the game. Marciano tied it at 8-8 on another free position shot at the 4:29 mark
“We just realized that this could be our last game and we came out guns blazing and ready to start the game over,” said Lopez-Ona, who finishedwith four goals. “We got more opportunities and we were able to finish better.”
The finish belonged to DeMilt and goalie Grace Reardon, who made a great save on what would have been the game-tying goal with 57 seconds left.
“I was definitely really nervous, but knew it was something I had to do,” said DeMilt, of the biggest and most important goal of her career. “I stayed focused. When I saw it go in I got really excited and I got goosebumps.”
WhileDeMiltwas dealing with goosebumps after her heroics, Reardon displayed ice water in her veins as she made the save that locked up the Tigers win.
Reardon and the Tigers defense held RV scoreless for the final 18:45.
“I was really scared and then it just happened,” said Reardon. “It was exciting. The adrenalin kicks in and you just do it. It’s so exciting and I’m so glad I could do it for my team because they have been so supportive of me.”