TOC: Round 1 Win

Congratulations to Newport Harbor Varsity Field Hockey for their 2-1 win over Glendora High School on Tuesday. Goals were scored by Chloe Bagiu and Lindsey Blanchfield with an assist by Grace O’Neill.

The Sailors advance to the semi-finals with a game on Thursday, November 1 at 5:00 p.m. at Harvard Westlake High School. Come show your support and cheer the girls on! JV and Frosh/Soph players are welcome to come on the bus to and from the game. Bus departs from NHHS at 1:45 p.m. Let a coach know if you would like to ride the bus by noon on Thursday.

GO Newport!

TOC Finalists

From the Daily Pilot

Newport Harbor can’t spoil Harvard-Westlake’s undefeated season
By Andrew Turner

Newport Harbor High’s field hockey program has been somewhat dynastic over the last decade.

The Sailors were looking for their sixth title in the last 10 years, but they ran into this year’s most-dominant team in the Los Angeles Field Hockey Assn. Tournament of Champions final.

Newport Harbor struck first, but host Studio City Harvard-Westlake rallied to complete an undefeated season with a 3-1 victory on Saturday night.

Alyse Tran scored the game-winning goal with 10:04 remaining. The senior injector, the initial passer on short corners, jumped into the play after delivering a pass to Rachel Brown.

Brown pushed the ball past a Newport Harbor defender, driving the action closer to the Sailors’ net. Astor Wu sent a pass from the right side of the net in front for Tran, who was able to get her shot past Sarah Sheldon.

“I was absolutely, utterly elated,” Tran said. “It’s crazy because for all of the four years that I’ve been at Harvard-Westlake, this is the one thing that I stayed true to and committed to for the entire four years.”

Sheldon, a four-year varsity goalie for Newport Harbor (18-8-2), made six saves in the match. She made a huge stop on Brown, the tournament MVP, with three minutes to go as she sprinted in on a breakaway.

The Wolverines (20-0) were relentless, though. Wu crashed the net and scored on Harvard-Westlake’s next possession to put the game out of reach.

Newport Harbor broke through to start the match. A crowd of players pursued and batted the ball in front of the net. Kate Davison was the last of four to take a swipe at the ball, driving it past Wolverines goalie Elly Choi for the game’s first goal in the third minute.

Wolverines coach Erin Creznic, who called the undefeated campaign a “once-in-a-career season,” said that Choi had not been scored on all year.

“I couldn’t be any more proud of the way that they played,” Sailors coach Amanda Boyer said of her team. “Their first half of this game was incredible. Scoring the first goal in the beginning was very exciting.

“The girls really played the best that they have the whole season.”

It was Harvard-Westlake, however, who controlled possession throughout. The Wolverines drew six short corners to Newport Harbor’s three before the break.

Nicole Bahar tied the game on the last short corner of the half for Harvard-Westlake in the 24th minute. Tran was the injector, and Mia Reilly drew the assist in taking the initial shot before it was deflected past Sheldon.

“They’re a short-corner powerhouse,” Boyer said. “They play in the circle for a corner because it clears out all the defense. Then you’re only up against three defenders and a goalie. It’s a huge advantage.”

Also in the Tournament of Champions:

Stella Ziegler scored on a redirect off a penalty corner with 8:27 remaining, and Huntington Beach topped Glendora 1-0 in the third-place game.

Nicole Cramer had three saves in the shutout for the Oilers (18-4-4, 9-0-1), who were the Sunset League South champions in the regular season.

Huntington Beach was forced out of the winner’s bracket by Newport Harbor. The Sailors beat the Oilers 1-0 in the semifinals.

TOC Semi-Final Win

Newport Harbor Varsity Field Hockey had a big win on Thursday against the Oilers at Huntington Beach High School in their TOC Semi-Final game. The Sailors won 1-0 with goal scored by Chanse Hill and assist by Kate Davison in the second half of regulation time. Goalkeeper Sarah Sheldon recorded eight saves. Newport faces Harvard Westlake on Saturday for the Championship game at 5:00 p.m. at Harvard Westlake. Go Newport!

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TOC Champions

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As seen in the Daily Pilot:

Porteous puts Tars on top

WESTMINSTER – After 61 minutes of tight-fisted ferocity, it was the power unleashed by one of the most accomplished finesse players on the field that ended the Tournament of Champions field hockey final on Saturday at Westminster High.

Newport Harbor High senior forward Mckenzie Porteous, whose petite physique usually prompts her to operate in space, used those instincts to put herself in perfect position to score the overtime game-winner in the 1-0 triumph over Edison.

The opportunity came about 81 seconds into the 10-minute seven-on-seven overtime period, after the Sailors (18-1-4) sent a ball from near midfield into the attacking zone, where Porteous usually wreaks havoc with her speed and ball-handling ability.

Porteous ran onto the ball and sent it ahead to senior tri-captain Katie Singer, who collected the pass in front, settled the ball onto her stick in shooting position, then began trying desperately to push the ball past Edison goalie Kaylie Thompson, who had come out to take away any comfort zone with which to attempt a shot.

After players from both teams entered the fray to try to move the ball, it popped backward toward the top of the circle, where Porteous was strategically positioned. The Sailors’ scoring leader drew back her stick and whacked a bullet into the lower right corner of the cage to end the scoreless deadlock and trigger a joyous celebration by the Sailors players and their fans.

The goal, just 81 seconds into the extra session, gave the Sailors their sixth T of C crown, their first since 2011, when they last made the final.

Newport Harbor, which lost to two-time-defending champion Edison in the semifinals the last two years, went 2-0-1 in three games against the Chargers this season.

Saturday’s win extended the Sailors’ unbeaten streak to 17 games (15-0-2) since they suffered their only loss, a 1-0 setback Sept. 20 to Sunset League champion Huntington Beach, past which Edison advanced via penalty strokes after a 2-2 deadlock in the semifinals.

Huntington Beach (18-1-3) defeated Harvard-Westlake, 1-0, in Saturday’s third-place game, thanks to a goal by sophomore Elle Saccacio with just more than six minutes remaining.

Newport Harbor, the Sunset League runner-up, took each of the five short corners awarded in regulation.

Thompson made two saves and Newport Harbor goalie Sara Sheldon had one, as the rare crosses that rolled in and out of the attacking area largely found only defenders’ sticks.

But Porteous, whose speed, skill and determination frequently allow her to create her own shots, as well as finish assists from her teammates, said finalizing on Saturday required patience.

“It was kind of hectic,” Porteous said. “I just kind of waited back [near the top of the circle] because I knew if the ball did come out, someone needed to be back there. When that happened, I just shot it and, luckily, it went in. That was the most important goal I’ve ever had; just winning the whole thing for my team and everything. Everyone running and celebrating after was just really special.”

Singer shared tournament MVP honors with Edison senior defender Riley Wester, while Porteous was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Katie Hendrix, a senior defender, as well as senior midfielder and tri-captain Mollie Crook.

Crook and Singer scored goals in the Tars’ 2-1 semifinal triumph at Harvard-Westlake Thursday.

The Sailors’ third playoff win in five days gave Edison, the third-place team from the Sunset League, a 2-2 record in its four straight T of C final appearances.

“I told my players they have nothing to feel badly about,” Edison Coach Rebecca Antongiorgi said. “I’m so proud of this group. Honestly, they reached beyond themselves. I told them I’ve coached a lot of talented groups [in six seasons], but this is the group I’m most proud for, in terms of how hard they fought and the resilience they showed through all the injuries and distractions we had this season.

“That was a great follow-up shot [by Porteous], right to the corner and hard,” Antongiorgi said. “And, it was a great ball into the circle when we were in transition.”

Newport Harbor Coach Amanda Boyer said her team is always comfortable in the seven-on-seven format, a change from the 11-on-11 configuration in regulation.

“We always stress taking advantage in transition, and when you go seven-on-seven, the field really opens up,” Boyer said.

Newport’s defense was led by Hendrix, senior Hayden Allen, junior Rylee Warmington and sophomore Delaney Knipp.

Also noteworthy for the Sailors were midfielders Georgia Yokoyama, a senior tri-captain, sophomore Chloe Baglu, and senior forward Kendall Machado, as well as senior reserves Bridget Nolan, Katie Robinson, and junior Sam Kerrigan.

Senior defender Jordan Marcy, a co-captain along with Wester, as well as junior defender Gretchen Kirkreit and senior midfielder Corryn Cook were additional Edison all-tournament picks.

Huntington Beach seniors Sydney Beale and Lilly Mattes, as well as junior Lindsay Kenefick also made the all-tournament team.