.

There could be a changing of the guard in Henlopen North as Cape Henlopen’s two-year reign is in peril.

Sussex Central (8-8-1) could return to the top in 2002. The Lady Knights return a nice blend of field players as well as an experienced GK. Kim Bausch will pace the attack with Beth Moore in the midfield, Kim Jones and Margie Booth defending and Ashley Jones in goal. SC didn’t allow many goals in 2001 but didn’t score many either. If the offense can pick up the pace the conference could be theirs. Last season SC rebounded from a 1-3 start to win a date with Tower Hill in the tournament.

Caesar Rodney (9-5-3), with Kate Blanchfield, Kristin Ward and Cat Sharp, will be strong in the midfield. All-conference defender Heather Rogers and two experienced goalies, Nina Broyles and Jessica Schultz, should do just fine in the back. Although when it come to GKs, sometimes two heads are decidedly not better than one. The challenge for the Riders will be replacing Courtney Abbott’s 16 goals. Sophomore Casey Howard showed a scorer’s touch last year but she will need help. CR ended the 2001 season winless in their last four.

Cape Henlopen (17-2) has won 35 games the past two years, while winning two Henlopen North titles and making two final four appearances. The 2002 team will be very different, both on the field and on the sidelines, as Coach Ruth Skoglund steps down after years of success. Cape has two gems returning in midfielder Amanda Warrington and GK Nicole Rhodes but there are many holes to fill. Cape ran a high-octane offense the past few seasons. The 2002 model will have to rely on defense but that’s not a problem, the Vikings allowed just five goals in 16 regular season games in 2001.

Milford (12-3-2) ran off eleven straight wins to start the 2001 season and was riding high at #2 in the NJ poll. Then came game twelve, a 4-0 shellacking by Cape. The Bucs lost more than a game that day; they lost a season and would win only one more game before exiting the tournament in the first round. Carrie Greer and Morgan Whalen will have to rally the survivors.

Dover has struggled since Amber Chambers left for Chapel Hill. Playmaker and scorer Susan Neylan will lead the Senators who have many open seats.

Polytech and Sussex Tech will both be better in 2002. But will their improvement be reflected in the standings? The Panthers will look to attacker Sara Zimmerman, midfielder Lindsay Wheatley. The Ravens’ revival, if it comes, will center on seniors Megan Correll and Brandi Lewis.

In "a mixed-up, muffled-up, shook-up world," Lola can always find an island of stability in Blue Hen Conference field hockey. It’s Brandywine or William Penn in Flight A and Concord or Mt Pleasant in Flight B.

William Penn (11-4-2) should regain the Flight A title in 2002. Seniors Stephanie Swain and Annemarie Truitt combined for 20+ goals in 2001. Junior midfielder Nicki Tiberi can also score. Defenders Kim Walker and Laura Dean also return, as does GK Jackie Healy. Sophomore Erin Marihugh, a US U16 team member, should be more visible in 2002.

William Penn visits Brandywine September 25th for the Flight A Championship. BHS humiliated WP 3-0 in 2001.

Brandywine (14-3) was perfect in conference last season while blanking BHC rivals William Penn, Concord and Mt Pleasant. The Bulldogs will miss striker Bryce Jones and sweeper Dana Anderson. High scoring left wing Jamie Zubrow returns but she may play in the midfield between Sarah Brown and Juli Constantine. Lauren Shivone is a good defender. All-conference GK Molly Bevans may be unavailable. Amy Wisniewski will have to supply the scoring. If the offense falters, middle school hot shot Allison Schoch could see a lot of circle time.

Brandywine ran off 12 straight wins in 2001 before stumbling in the tournament. For years Tower Hill provided Brandywine with the ultimate pre-tournament tune-up. Recently Dickinson has assumed that role and the Bulldog’s performance says it all, winless in two attempts with no goals scored.

Newark returns nine starters including goal scorers Stephanie Popejoy and Lindsay Swinger and GK Stephanie Ziegler. The Yellow Jackets will buzz the BHC weak sisters but don’t have enough to threaten Brandywine or Penn. Newark could return to the tournament courtesy of a weak conference and out of conference schedule.

McKean was one half of 2001’s most incredible score, a 0-0 tie with Wilmington Christian (in 2000 WCS won 8-0). Leading scorer Jamie Orensky is back as is Stephanie Bleacher.

Middletown, led by Stephanie Pappas joins Flight A in 2002. Glasgow went winless in 2001. Christiana will field a team. Delcastle is a wildcard. Will they field a team? Will it play a Varsity or JV schedule? Delcastle doesn’t appear on other BHC teams’ schedules.

Henlopen South had Delaware’s most exciting pennant race in 2001. 2002 will see more of the same.

Lake Forest (10-6-1) surprised the field in 2001 and ended Delmar’s three-year reign atop Henlopen South. The very young Spartans won the title with one-goal wins over Smyrna, Delmar and Indian River. The Spartans attack will feature four juniors, Colleen Gleeson, Brittany Touchard, Danielle Vincent and Ashley Garey, and a sophomore, Taryn Neeman. Lake Forest fields an experienced backline that, with the addition of Crystal Layton, might be Delaware’s best. Kasey Dobos Stephanie Ralph and Jennifer Borowski are all very good. GK Ashley Johnson also returns. If the Spartans repeat in 2002, it won’t be a surprise.

For Delmar (9-5-2) 2001 wasn’t a very good year. The Wildcats lost in conference for the first time in years and suffered twin defeats by Cape Henlopen, the second, in the tournament, decidedly one-sided. Delmar can make that right in 2002. The Wildcats return Delaware’s most experienced attacking line in seniors Danielle Twilley, Becca Gum and Jen Hastings. The midfield, led by Tracey Lloyd, is equally solid while juniors Ashley Campbell and GK Kristin Wheatley anchor the defense. The clash between the Wildcat offense and the Spartan defense will determine Henlopen South supremacy.

Indian River (8-7-1) tournament hopes were dashed in 2001 by a mid season, four-game losing streak. Midfielder Brittany Croll is off to F & M but high scoring junior Leigh Ann Ambrose (30+ goals over two years) will be back. Senior midfielder Mandy Richards will be charged with setting the table. Senior Aley Desiderio will be in the cage while senior Cameo Dorey leads the back line. The Indians will be good but not good enough to overtake Lake or Delmar.

Seaford features the scoring sensation Shannon Taylor but the Blue Jays are far from a one-woman team. Midfielder Colleen Hughes and defender Unek Brown can play and Ericca Bell is reliable in goal. Seaford was involved in 2001’s wildest scoreline, a 7-5, OT shootout over Laurel.

Smyrna (12-5-1) is coming off their best season ever but will miss eleven seniors, especially Whitney Wells, now at Richmond, the best field hockey player in the school’s history. Returning starters include midfielder Katie Powell, defender Kathleen Chappel and GK Michelle Van Heckle. Meghan Hanebutt and Mandi Wilson will supply the offense.

Laurel and Woodbridge will bring up the rear. Junior Casey Ralph leads the Laurel attack with Summer Spicer in the midfield. Woodbridge relies on midfielder Dusti Vanderwende and defender Connie Pleasanton.

Flight B of the Blue Hen Conference will see some new faces as A I Du Pont replaces Middletown. In girls hoops and soccer this switch is significant, in field hockey not so.

Flight B’s all conference selections are always "interesting" and in 2001, for the second straight year, the conference’s leading goal scorer was a glaring first team omission. 2002 will see four quality GKs battle for Flight B honors. UNC held off a late charge from Duke and an even later charge from Maryland to sign Concord’s Ashley Judge. Carolina has long harvested DE fieldhockey talent but took a year off in 2001, preferring to sign foreign players.

Concord (12-4-2) unseated Mt Pleasant as Flight B champions in 2001. Some talented midfielders and defenders are gone but Concord returns plenty. Ashley Judge, who watched most of last year’s action from centerback, will actually get to play this year at centermid. Concord’s three leading scorers are back – senior Ashley Rowell and juniors Amy Dencker and Marny Hearn. Twin sister Katie will anchor an inexperienced defense in front of GK Jen Harding.

Concord has significantly upgraded their out of conference schedule this season and the Raiders will have to come out of the gate fast as their season opens with Wilmington Christian, Tower Hill and William Penn before the game #4 conference decider at Mt Pleasant. Last season it took a goal in the final minute for Concord to win Flight B. 2002 should be easier.

A rebuilt Mt Pleasant (11-4-3) was one of 2001’s pleasant surprises. But the rebuilding (especially on defense) continues in 2002 as once again graduation has claimed seven starters. Seniors Megan Dowling, the only returning first team all-stater, and Danielle Stevens will generate the offense. Junior GK Jackie Green was outstanding in her first varsity season but she’ll need help in the back. Angie Boom returns in the midfield.

Concord’s too strong this year but the Blue Hen Conference schedule almost guarantees eight wins, pick up a win or two out of conference and Mount will be back in the tournament.

A I Du Pont has a new coach this season, Cindy DePrisco, who seems certain to make waves in the cloistered world of DEfieldhockey. For years AI’s out of conference schedule has put the four BHC heavyweights to shame but AI has finally had enough. Tower Hill and Wilmington Christian are out; Sanford and Ursuline are in. The last three years versus THS and WCS, AI has been outscored 43-1. Last year’s visit to THS was typical as the Hillers enjoyed a statistical edge in shots, corners and saves of 70-0.

The Tigers as a rule played good D in 2001 but struggled to find the cage. Michelle Williard is an all-conference attacker. Whitney Turnbull and Kylee Trivits are good in the midfield. Val LaRock is an able defender. Danielle Nourie, an all-state soccer player, is a treasure in the cage. AI can’t match up with Concord and Mount but should edge Charter for show.

Charter will win games with defense in 2002. GK Holly Daulton and sweeper Janelle Styons are good. At the other end the Force will struggle.

Coach Mo McGinley is back after leading Dickinson to two wins in 2001, their best showing in years. Eight seniors and a goalie are gone from that team so the Rams may take a step back. The annual mismatch with St Marks (goals are 32-0 the last three years) won’t help morale. Who schedules that game?

Can you believe, once upon a time, twenty-five years ago this season, in fact, the Dickinson Rams were state field hockey champions?

Wilmington Christian (9-4-3) scored almost forty fewer goals in 2001 than the year before yet lost fewer games. Go figure! Out went Danae Chambers’ Flying Circus in favor of a much more deliberate approach that cut goals allowed by a third. Look for more of the same in 2002.

WCS ’01 was very strong down the middle with Jenna Schwind (off to join Danae at Messiah), Eli Cook and Virginia Veenema. Those three, along with several defenders, are gone so 2002 will see many new faces. A solid nucleus returns in attackers Lauren Jones and Jena Zapata and midfielders Whitney Plaster and Michelle Zdeb. GK Erin Frederick who split time in the cage last year also returns. If 2001 is any indication one of the returnees will be playing centerback or sweeper in September.

Last year the Warriors played nine games against tournament teams and the 2002 schedule will be just as difficult. Turf trouble forced WCS to play all their games on the road in 2001, so September’s opener versus Concord will be their first home game in two years. Wilmington Christian’s string of four final four appearance ended in 2001, it won’t resume in 2002 but an invitation to the tournament is likely.

Caravel (12-4-2) is coming off its finest season ever and will have a very different appearance in 2002. Nancy Tokar, a five-year starter in the cage, and Sarah Mills are playing at Delaware. Three other Caravel field hockey perennials have also moved on – Emily Irish, Alexis Niggebrugge and Lindsey Seedorf.

Plenty of firepower returns. Junior Lindsey Niggebrugge led the team in scoring and senior Jen Perno got red hot at tournament time. Likely midfielders are Meredith Brown, of national renown, and Ashley James. Megan Manubay will take over in goal. In the backline the Bucs will be inexperienced.

Caravel played only four tournament teams in 2001. That will increase to five in 2002 as Concord takes Jersey power Woodstown’s slot on the schedule. Caravel threw two tournament shutouts last fall en route to the final four. A Rullo return seems unlikely in 2002.

Red Lion Christian finished its second year of varsity field hockey 8 – 8. The Lions were rampant against other Christian academies and weaker Blue Hen Conference teams, less successful against better competition. But the Lions also took on some heavyweights – Caravel, Smyrna, Milford and Lake Forest. RLC looked very competitive in the William Penn summer league this year and will make their first Turf Bowl appearance this October against Archmere.

St Mark’s, in the Falgowski Era, has made consecutive trips to the Final Four and dominated the Catholic Conference. But 2002 offers the briefest of interregnums for the other CC teams before the third and best (if reports are to be believed) of the "Flying Falgowskis" arrives in 2003. St Mark’s is likely to repeat but Archmere and Ursuline could challenge.

St Mark’s (17-1-2) started eight seniors in last year’s state final. Four of them were all-state players and all four are now playing D1 sports (2 FH, 1 softball and 1 tennis). Any other team would struggle to fill eight holes but the Spartans are always very deep and Coach Eichinger gives his reserves plenty of minutes. The Spartans return three very good starters - midfielders Julia Drewes and Kyra Downing and attacker Jena Boccetti. Kelly McCauley and Lauren Lupinski will contribute offensively. St Mark’s will be untested in the back and in the cage since Melissa Samio will not return as GK.

St Mark’s 2002 will be even more senior-dominated than last year’s edition. St Mark’s hasn’t lost in conference since 1998. That can’t continue in 2002 but the Spartan’s athleticism and athletic tradition should lead them to a fourth consecutive CC title.

Archmere (6-7-3) once the CC field hockey power has been a distant second to St Mark’s in recent years. In a bid to restore that former glory, Pat Appleton, who guided the Auks to the state final in 1992, has returned as coach. Seniors GK Jaime Tosi and sweeper Brenna Dolphin will lead the defense while juniors Kate Dougherty and Jessica Zutz score the goals. The Auks should hold off Ursuline for second but St Mark’s crown seems secure.

Archmere plays a very difficult out of conference schedule and the past two seasons 13 of 16 out of conference games have been against tournament teams. Archmere’s long run of tournament appearances ended in 2000; it may not resume in 2003.

Ursuline (8-5-3) had a good 2001 season and may have played their best field hockey in four 1-0 defeats versus St Mark’s (twice), Wilmington Christian and Friends. Four seniors will lead the Raiders in 2002, Kasey Milliski (A Delaware Sports All-Heart Team winner) and Megan Lacey on offense, Kaitlin Ryan in the midfield and Lisa McCrery on defense. Ursuline has two experienced GKs, juniors Molly Baum and Karyn Keenan (from Delaware Sports fame). Ursuline and Archmere will battle for second.

Serviam Field will make its long-awaited field hockey debut this season. Ursuline needs to improve its out of conference schedule, over the past two seasons, only 4 of 16 out of conference games were against tournament teams. Dropping Dickinson is a step in the right direction.

St Elizabeth features one of the state’s top players in double-digit scorer Ashley Smeltzer. Senior Molly Fouracre and junior Andrea White will help the cause. GK Alison Boyer, who kept the Vikings in games last season, will be very difficult to replace.

Padua features an experienced GK in junior Maggie Simone. Seniors Alicia Nieves and Lindsay Mitchell will provide the offense.

The Independent Conference, in seasons past, Delaware’s finest field hockey conference, only qualified two teams for the 2001 state tournament, their worst showing in years. In spite of the off year, IC coaches selected 70% of the conference starters for all-conference honors. The athletic equivalent of grade inflation! 2002 looks like another down year for the conference. Tower Hill and Friends will battle for the top spot with the other three likely also-rans.

Tower Hill (19-0-1) rides a forty-game unbeaten streak into the 2002 season but in recent years Tower has gotten away from their winning FH formula. Traditionally, THS fields a star or two and a dozen very strong players. Of late the number of stars has risen to five or six, while the number of very strong players has declined. This season, there will only be one star. The search for the supporting cast continues.

The past two seasons, Junior Paige Schmidt has done all that was asked of her. It’s just that all she was asked to do was watch the offense from the centerback position. In 2002, she’ll have to move up to centermid and lead a team missing 60+ goals from 2001 and seven players now on college rosters.

Three seniors return, two defenders, Blair Hewes and Lauren McCrery, and the GK, Megan Mills. Sophomore Nicki White was a double-digit scorer in 2001 but an ACL injury sustained in soccer may limit her productivity. Junior Alex Albright and sophomore Leigh Giacco could help shoulder the offensive load.

Tower Hill allowed only six goals in twenty games last season. Another unbeaten season seems out of the question. Concord has the first shot at them on September 11^th. The Hillers will be hard pressed to repeat as conference and state champions.

Friends (10-5-3) will be a very good team this season, a team whose players would rather be playing another sport (soccer, lacrosse or even ice hockey). Friends returns nine starters and could, and perhaps should, start eleven seniors. GK Jessica Cowperthwait, while preferring hockey of the rink variety, is very good in the cage. Soccer all-stater Caeli Rubens and Colleen Schell are able defenders. Sarah Schmidt is strong in the midfield. If Friends has a weakness, it’s that they’re underpowered up front. Mary Ting, Jamie Jacobs and Jacqueline Mellow can score but rely on others to create their opportunities. Moving Lindsay Moyer to striker would juice up the offense.

In 2001, 12 of 16 Friends regular season games were shutouts, 8 to the good, 4 to the bad.

It’s now or never for Friends. Once this group of seniors is gone, the cupboard is bare.

Sanford (6-7-3) returns three skilled attackers in seniors Leslie Baldino, Rene Spellman and junior Meghan Hihn. Basketballer Courtney Kendall is an all-conference midfielder. Seniors Kim Brown and Beth Keighley are both experienced GKs. Defense and depth could pose problems for the Warriors.

Sanford’s 2001 highlights were dramatic victories over St Andrew’s and Archmere, which began a mid-season, six-game unbeaten streak. Sanford’s out of conference schedule is suspect. Padua is off the schedule in 2002 but Glasgow remains.

Tatnall (4-10-2) was one of 2001’s biggest disappointments. The Hornets’ season was doomed when five experienced players didn’t come out for the team. Jackie Ciconte and Amanda Jacobs will be difficult to replace but the younger players got plenty of minutes in 2001. Returnees include midfielders Cathy Perrotto and Athena Manolakos, attackers Jenny Kane and leading scorer Caitlin Robbins and defender Cindy Frezzo.

Eight of Tatnall’s ten losses were by one goal (including four 1-0 games). Tatnall’s goals scored plummeted from 46 in 2000 to 16 in 2001. Surprisingly their goals allowed also declined.

Sarah Commito will coach St Andrew’s (2-8-6) this year and she will soon learn that, in field hockey, unlike lacrosse, Delaware is not St Andrew’s playground. SAS plays an absolutely brutal schedule, the most difficult in the state. In addition to the eight IC games, in 2001 SAS played the Catholic Conference champion (St Marks), the Flight B champion (Concord), the Henlopen North champion (Cape Henlopen) and the Henlopen South champion (Lake Forest). For good measure, the schedule also included non-conference powers Caravel and Wilmington Christian. The load may lighten in 2002, a partial schedule on the SAS website does not include Cape, Lake and Concord.

The Cardinals almost doubled their goals scored in 2001 while reducing their goals allowed. Lax all-stater and leading scorer Emma Wallace returns, as do Clare Nowakowski and Brandy Bennett. GK Hen Kennedy will be missed.

Since 1999 the highlight of the field hockey regular season has been the Turf Bowl.

This year’s edition will be a three-day, thirteen game extravaganza held the weekend of October18th, 19^th and 20^th at the University of Delaware’s magnificent Rullo Stadium. The action commences Friday the 18^th with four games and continues with five games Saturday and four games Sunday. Bring a cushion! The exact dates and times are not completely finalized but here are nine scheduled matchups:

1. Brandywine v Middletown – Bulldogs determined to keep turf streak alive
2. Brandywine v Seaford – a rematch of 2001’s encounter
3. Mt Pleasant v William Penn - Blue Hen conference showdown featuring Turf Bowl regulars conspicuously absent in 2001
4. Newark v A I du Pont – another BHC game, AI’s Turf Bowl debut
5. Wilmington Christian v Sussex Central – North v South
6. Polytech v Lake Forest – Panthers nice 2001 showing earns return trip
7. Red Lion Christian v Archmere – RLC’s first TB appearance, Auks winless on turf
8. Caravel v Smyrna – Bucs hungry for a Rullo win
9. Tatnall v Concord – two TB III winners

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