Prep Field Hockey: Nighthawks fall just short of title

The Del Norte High field hockey team started the year 1-8 before getting on track to advance to its first San Diego Section championship game in school history.

But that is where the storybook-turnaround season comes to an end.

Third-seeded Valley Center nipped the ninth-seeded Nighthawks 1-0 in the San Diego Section Division I final Saturday at San Dieguito Academy.

Jaguars junior Emma Smith knocked in the winning goal with just 15 seconds left in regulation. It was the third time this season Valley Center (19-4-1) was able to beat Del Norte (14-14).

Smith’s score came after a short corner. Bernadette Stehly sent it in from the left side and Smith was able to find the back of the net for just the second time this season to spoil a tremendous effort by Del Norte goalkeeper Sammy Burke.

Despite the loss, the Nighthawks turned in one of the more incredible mid-season turnarounds you will ever see to reach the section championship for the first time in program history.

Del Norte, who was expected to have a stellar year, played tough competition early and took its share of lumps before finally righting the ship. The turnaround started on Oct. 6 with a 2-1 win over Escondido, the first of five straight victories. The Nighthawks would go on to win five more regular-season matches before the playoffs.

Del Norte played four straight one-goal games in the postseason, coming out on the right side of the first three. The Nighthawks edged Westview 1-0 and Bishop’s 2-1 before facing off with Poway Unified School District rival Poway in the semifinals.

Both programs were searching for their first trip to a championship game. It took double overtime before Del Norte could eliminate the Titans with a 2-1 win. Seniors Vanessa Costa and Alexa Angelini both scored goals in the contest, while goalie Sammy Burke made six saves. Burke had a combined 21 saves in the first three playoff games.

But Del Norte could not solve Valley Center. The Jaguars beat the Nighthawks 2-0 in the first meeting of the regular season and won the regular-season finale against Del Norte 3-2 in overtime.

Fourteen seniors played their final game for the Nighthawks, including leading goal scorers Costa and Angelini. It was also the final game for Burke, who turned in a phenomenal career between the posts. She had nine shutouts and allowed only a tad over one goal per game in her senior season.