Boys Lax Aims for 3rd TOC Title

After a thrilling five-overtime, 7-6 victory, over seventh-ranked Chatham five days ago to capture their third straight Group championship, Summit has set its sights on something they are used to having in their possession.

A NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title.

Summit (22-0), the top-ranked team in the state, will put its 67-game win streak on the line tonight as they face second-ranked and fourth-seeded Delbarton (17-4) in the nightcap of the TOC semifinals at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium in Union at 7 p.m.

The first semifinal will pit third-ranked and third-seeded Bridgewater-Raritan (18-2) against fourth-ranked and second-seeded Immaculata (19-1) at 5 p.m. Both semifinal winners will square off Saturday for the TOC crown at Rutgers’  Yurchak Field at 3 p.m.

Summit, which is seeking its third straight TOC title, , 9-5, on April 30 in their only other meeting of the season.

With the score tied at 1-1 after the first quarter, Summit exploded for four goals in the second, to take a 5-2 halftime lead. , the hero of the Chatham game last Friday, had three goals and an assist and Nick Kilkowski and Terry McKenna scored two goals apiece for the Hilltoppers. Goalie Pete Badgley made five stops as Summit’s defense held Delbarton to just 13 shots.

Since a 7-6 come-from-behind road victory against Ridgewood on May 10, the Hilltoppers have outscored its opponents, 80-14, in its last six games (including four state tournament contests). Kilkowski leads the team in goals with 60 and Michael Ford has tallied 47. Round has added 34 goals and leads the team in assists with 41. Badgley has continued his stellar play in net with 123 saves and a 2.6 goals allowed average.

"The Chatham game was a hard-fought game and we are looking forward to another hard-fought game," said 13-year Summit head coach James Davidson. "Delbarton is an outstanding program and we know we have to come ready to play."

Senior attacker Mike Ford, who will be attending Middlebury College (Vermont) in the fall, said the team is 100 percent healthy thanks to receiving a first round bye in the TOC.

"The bye for us was huge," he said. "We were able to get some rest and in practice, we were able to simulate some game situations. So the added rest was good for us."

But the rest doesn't mean the Hilltoppers weren't working hard to get ready for the game.

"We worked so hard for this and we know it could be our last shot to get it (to make final)," Ford said. "We just have to go out and play our game like we have been doing all season. They are a great team, a big rivalry and its just going to be a grind it out-type of game."

Delbarton, which has won six straight and 10 of its last 11 games, advanced to the state semifinals, recording a 10-4 victory over St. Augustine to capture the Non-Public A championship on June 2.

Clay Haarmann leads the Green Wave in goals with 40, including 13 in his last six games, and senior midfielder Peter McMullen has netted 29 with nine in his last six games. Over its last 11 games, sophomore goalie John Schisler has allowed just 4.4 goals per game for Delbarton, which is seeking its record seventh appearance in the TOC final and fourth overall state championship.

One last note: 68 games ago, Summit lost to Delbarton at home, 10-6, on April 1 in the 2009 season opener, but eventually upended Delbarton in the final game that year, notching its first-ever TOC trophy.