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Ice Hockey

Leah Stecker of Morristown-Beard, right, handles the puck in a game versus Pingry on Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

Relentless Crimson headed to state final

MORRISTOWN _ The puck flew into the net at a rapid pace when Morristown-Beard met Pingry in a NJSIAA Girls Hockey Tournament semifinal. In the opening period, the Crimson erupted for seven goals. The scores occurred within a dizzying span of 10 minutes, 55 seconds. Morristown-Beard certainly was on a mission - to come out ready, an aspect that was lacking recently in critical games. The Crimson, highlighted by Lilli Warnock's hat trick and three assists and Jessica Sperling's hat trick, attacked relentlessly and posted a 13-2 victory over the Big Blue on Wednesday, March 2 at Twin Oaks Ice…
Faith Facchini, No. 9, pictured in a game versus Pingry last season, scored twice to pace the Crimson in their season opener against Chatham.

Crimson know all of the angles

MORRISTOWN _ Facing a 1-0 deficit and without a goal for 36-plus minutes, Morristown-Beard needed a refresher course on angles. Crimson coach Bruce Driver was more than willing to provide one, urging his players to "make the goalie move." With 3:25 remaining in the second period, Faith Facchini heeded the advice, knotting the score. From there, Morristown-Beard, playing with urgency, made it a priority to vary its shots and erupted for four goals in the third period to gain a 5-1 win over Chatham on Wednesday, Jan. 27. "It was a matter of doing things differently," Crimson coach Bruce Driver…
Logan Sutera scored twice for the Crimson in their state championship victory.

Crimson blank Summit for title

NEWARK _ Color the rink at The Rock a bright shade of red, almost purple. Crimson would describe it quite nicely. Morristown-Beard played a basically flawless defensive game and the surging Crimson went on to record a 3-0 victory over Summit in the first girls New Jersey high school ice hockey state championship game on Thursday, March 5 at the Prudential Center. Sophomore Leah Stecker made it 1-0 in the first period for top-seeded Morristown-Beard (18-8-1) as she lifted her 14th goal into the upper right-hand corner of the net.Logan Sutera, a sophomore forward, scored two of the three Morristown-Beard…
Alexa Degan, No. 29 on right, closes in to score the decisive goal in the Crimson's prep final win over Pingry on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Degan's OT score lifts Crimson in prep final

MORRISTOWN _ Playing top-notch defense was Alexa Degan's only role on the ice until this winter. On a whim, three weeks ago, Morristown-Beard coach Bruce Driver requested that Degan, a freshman, kill a penalty in a game versus Chatham and she responded with a short-handed goal, her second career score. She converted against Jen Olnowich, bound for Princeton, who also tends net for the boys squad, and the Crimson gained a 2-0 victory. "That showed us Alexa was capable at forward if we needed her," Driver said. Degan has been beyond capable. In the NJSIAA Prep Tournament final, Degan once…
Morristown-Beard's Jenna Kurz, right, and Princeton Day's Caroline Haggerty go after the puck.

Crimson notch second straight crown

MORRISTOWN _ A three-goal lead didn't put Morristown-Beard at ease in the NJSIAA Girls Ice Hockey Prep Championship game. It sounds comfortable, especially because the Crimson built their advantage, scoring a goal in each period, and held it into the closing stanza. Still, Morristown-Beard, a bit sluggish at the start, worried when Princeton Day School avoided being shut out by receiving a goal from Gia Massari 7:15 into the closing period. Forty-nine seconds later, the Crimson, courtesy of Keegan Heher's goal, were up by three again and feeling much better. And, by game's end on Tuesday, Feb. 13, Morristown-Beard's players…
Morristown-Beard's Keegan Heher vies for the puck with Rye Country Day School's Olivia Weaver.

Detre goal snaps deadlock

MORRISTOWN _ The uninspired warmup and the lackluster first shift made Morristown-Beard defender Anna Bajak feel that things weren't going to go right. "I didn't think we were ready," Bajak said. "No one was pumped. Our warmup wasn't that great. Our first shift did OK, I guess. They set the tone but it definitely wasn't our best." By game's end, Bajak's opinion had changed. A hard-fought 8-7 win will have that effect. Bajak, a freshman, had the equalizer - one of the most important goals of her young career - with 8:13 remaining in the third period and junior center Ally…
The Crimson scored six goals in the third period against Summit.

Fine finale for Crimson seniors

MORRISTOWN _ Devin Blanchard began her final high school ice hockey game feeling anxious and excited. Those emotions lasted for the first period before Blanchard, assistant captain for Morristown-Beard, came to a realization.
Emily Kitchin of Morristown-Beard controls the puck in the Crimson's game versus Pingry.

Kurz sparkles in varsity debut

MORRISTOWN _ Keegan Heher found it "a little harder to hop the bench" when it was time for her to hit the ice. Heher didn't object to working her way around her Morristown-Beard teammates, though. The crowded bench area was very much welcome as was a packed locker room following a season in which the Crimson sometimes had to make do with six players.
Morristown-Beard's Keegan Heher, No. 19 on left, and teammate Kendall Cornine vie for control of the puck with The Hill School's Lexi Grippo.

Mo-Beard hockey still perfect

MORRISTOWN _ The Morristown-Beard ice hockey team's ride back from The Hill School last Friday was a raucous one as the Crimson reveled in their dramatic, come-from-behind win. A pair of third-period goals gave the Crimson their second it-was-this-close win. The rally thrilled them and the noise on the bus proved how much.
Morristown-Beard's Kathleen McNamara skates with the puck as Kent Place's Kathryn Giroux moves in.

Crimson beat Kent Place

MORRISTOWN _ It wasn't unreasonable for coach Bruce Driver to expect another high-level outing from Morristown-Beard the minute it hit the ice. After all, the Crimson had turned in a stellar effort versus Portledge of Locust Valley, N.Y. two days earlier and Driver figured they'd pick up where they left off. Somehow, though, Morristown-Beard went from sublime to subpar.
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