MaxPreps is pleased to announce that the
Northern Highlands (Allendale, N.J.) Highlanders have officially been named to the 14th Annual MaxPreps Soccer Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard, which is in its eighth year honoring girls soccer.
This is one of the most prestigious team awards in all of high school sports and it is an exclusive honor reserved for 100 of the top teams nationwide. In order to be eligible, a team must win a state championship and be highly ranked in the MaxPreps National Rankings. For soccer, only 20 of the country's best are invited and with nearly 34,000 competing varsity teams, this puts the Highlanders ahead of 99.9 percent of their opponents!
In order to be eligible, the team not only had to be nationally ranked, but also had to win a state championship. Beating Moorestown 1-0 in the
NJSIAA Group 3 state championship contest on Sunday, November 18 marked the completion of an incredible 22-1 season — and earned Northern Highlands Regional an invitation to the Tour of Champions.
After booting the clincher in overtime in the semifinals, Reagan Klarmann came through once again in the title game. The sophomore secured her sixth goal of the year when she finished off a Claudia Dipasupil corner kick near the right post to secure the Highlanders sixth girls state soccer title in eight years, and the ninth overall, at Union's Kean University.
After splitting the title with Wall in 2016, the Highlanders, who also edged Moorestown in the state title contest in 2011 and 2012, won the championship outright in 2018. Northern Highlands Regional won Group 3 titles in 1991, 1992, 2009, 2013 and 2014 before falling to Colts Neck in the championship match in 2015. Sara Ghorashi, who made several fantastic plays on the ball, was credited with five saves in goal and posted the shutout.
Northern Highlands Regional opened postseason play with a 4-0 shutout of Roxbury before upending Wayne Hills 2-0. Then, following a 1-0 triumph over Wayne Valley, the Highlanders kicked in the door to the Final Four with a 3-0 victory over Ramapo. Northern Highlands Regional bumped Middletown North from state championship contention with a 1-0 semifinal win to set up the championship bout with Moorestown.
Tara Madigan's club opened the season with a 1-0 win over Wayne Valley. Then, following a 1-0 triumph over Houston, the Highlanders reeled off six more wins to open the season 8-0. Following a 3-2 double overtime loss to Ramapo, Northern Highlands Regional did not lose again. The Highlanders outscored their competition 65-9 and posted 16 shutouts. Northern Highlands Regional held 22 foes to one goal or less, while scoring a season-high seven goals in a six-goal win over Paramus.
Having won 14 straight contests to end the year, the Highlanders set themselves up for some rather high rankings come season's end. Not only is Northern Highlands Regional the No. 1 squad in the entire state of
New Jersey, Madigan's club is ranked No. 5 In
MaxPreps' National Rankings!
These incredible season achievements have earned the Northern Highlands Regional Highlanders an invitation to the 14th Annual Tour of Champions. Please join us in the gymnasium for the Holiday Hoopla Assembly as we celebrate with the girls soccer team, coaching staff, students and fans on Friday, December 21 at 12:30 p.m.
For more information about the Tour of Champions, please visit the
MaxPreps Tour of Champions site.
