Northern Highlands’ reign atop Bergen County continues.
Beating this team as an in-county rival nearly resembles climbing Mount Everest. Scoring a goal against it is just as difficult.
For the fifth year in a row, the top-seeded Highlanders, No. 13 in the NJ.com Top 20, put a goose egg on the board in the Bergen County final and goals from Kelsey Bennett and Ayanna McMaster led the way to a 2-0 win over second-seeded Ramsey in Demarest.
It’s the 22nd county title in program history.
“I came in freshman year, and I had my sister (Belle) to help me out, but then we won, and I really knew we had to keep the streak alive,” said Bennett. “Now this is our fifth (consecutive title), fourth time for me, and I just really believe it’s because of the team. These are my best friends. Everybody puts their heart out, and that’s what I love.”
This has been a thorough run of dominance never before seen in this tournament’s lengthy history.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1977, no program has won five consecutive championships. In this five-year stretch, Northern Highlands is 46-0 against Bergen County opponents and 42 of those wins have resulted in shutouts. The team has allowed just four goals in those 46 games.
Though this group lost an All-State defender in Jenna Livathares to graduation, the defense is just as strong as ever.
Northern Highlands is allowing 0.2 goals per game and this was the eighth consecutive shutout.
“I moved from a three (backs) to now I do a diamond D and they just are all back there to support the team,” said Northern Highlands coach Allison Ege. “We have Caroline who is a big part of our defense, Caroline Kern. She runs it back there. She tells the girls when to swing, where to go, and she is our heart of our defense and she controls it. I’m lucky to have her back there.”
That’s why when Bennett made it a 1-0 game off a corner with 2:12 left in the second quarter, it felt like Ramsey was trying to climb a mountain.
Ramsey goalie Ellie Thumm did her best to keep her team in it and made 11 saves. It was a one-goal game until McMaster struck on a penalty stroke, which Thumm got a piece of, with 7:32 to go in regulation.
“She’s my up-and-comer,” Ege said of McMaster. “She’s only a sophomore, so I’m lucky enough to get her for another two years. Her and Kelsey have worked really well together. Kelsey’s kind of like her mentor, so they work together a lot.”
McMaster, who assisted on Bennett’s strike, is up to seven goals and eight assists this season. Bennett’s tally stretched her team lead to 19.
After winning a divisional title and now another county crown, this team is eager to turn its attention to the state tournament.
Last year the program reached its first state final since 1993 but the run ended in heartbreak against Clearview.
These players haven’t forgotten that and are set on trying to cross their biggest goal off the list – winning a state title.
“We know that feeling, and it sucked,” Bennett said. “We don’t want to feel that way again. We come every day and play like it could be our last. That’s what we put out here, especially our seniors. We played like it was our last county finals. We’re coming for the finals this year, and we’re not backing down.”
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