The Unknown Field Hockey Observer 9

The Unknown Field Hockey Observer
9-8-05
High School Previews

The Unknown

Henlopen North

CR….Cape…..Sussex Tech

Caesar Rodney’s speed and scoring drew raves in September and October but it was the Riders’ defense that won a state championship in November. When the state’s most prolific regular-season offense lost its way, the CR defense put the opposition in post-season lockdown, allowing just NINE SHOTS in four games. GK Brittney Harding had to make five saves along the way. GK Jessy Johnson, the Riders’ stroke-stopping specialist, faced as many shots in the CR-WCS penalty stroke shootout as Ms Harding faced in 270 minutes of hockey. That’s defense!

Caesar Rodney is set in the middle and on attack. Sydney Leone (1G, 3A), Kate Windett (2, 3) and Kelsie Ward (4, 12) are an all-conference combination in the midfield and Jaimie Brittingham (14, 4), Jori Victory (8, 2) and Madison Leone (4, 4) will produce more than enough goals. It is in the back, with only Samantha Marano remaining on duty, where CR could be vulnerable. The Riders will be a very "senior" team this season. They begin the season as conference favorites and strong candidates for a third straight November visit to Rullo.

Caesar Rodney has won four straight from St Mark’s but their Saturday opener could lose some of its luster if Katelyn is on duty with the US U21s.

Cape Henlopen will need an offensive overhaul to return to Rullo; last year’s seniors accounted for 63 of the Vikings’ 79 goals in 2004 and every one of Cape’s post-season points. Junior Amanda Deloy (6G, 1A) could be the primary attack option. A very experienced, all senior midfield will help, Erin Bailey, Laura Olenderski (1, 1), Laura Layton (2, 2) and Mallory Talbot (3, 2). Junior Jennifer Warren will be a defensive mainstay with Ellery Matthews in goal. Cape will be good, they always are, but not as good as they have been.

In 2004, Dover enjoyed their best season since the Amber Chambers era. Among the incumbents are Galen Giaccone, a proven goal scorer, and Colleen Andrew, an able midfielder. GK Logan Nickerson returns but she will find her third term in the cage more difficult without Jen Zerhusen, Dover’s All Henlopen sweeper, who is out for the season with a knee injury. The Senators will be hard pressed to match last year’s success.

Milford has been on a roller coaster recently, struggling in even numbered years, seeing double-digit wins and post-season play in odd numbered ones. This year should be a good one if the pattern continues and new coach Bonnie Simon certainly hopes it will. Unfortunately, ten seniors are gone from last year’s roster and, apart from defender Megan Malone and goalie Whitney Callaway, the Bucs will be very inexperienced.

Polytech shows promise in 2005. Last year’s team had few seniors so most of the side return, especially up front. Key attackers will be senior Alley Wilson, juniors Lauren Perschau and Chelsea Flores and sophomores Ashley Mullen and Bridget Barnes. Senior Kaisea Caron will anchor the midfield with Ashley Eason on defense in front of GK Meredith Desmond.

Sussex Central hopes to reverse their field hockey fortunes in 2005. Things have not gone well for the Golden Ladies since November 6, 2002, a date which will live in infamy. Senior Amber Serman will lead the SC offense with a little help from her friends, Amy Donovan and Heidi Lingo. The padded pair, Susan Mitchell and Amanda Cordrey, shared the cage in 2004.

Sussex Tech came alive in 2004 with twelve wins and their first tournament appearance.

There are few holes to fill, so prospects for continued success look bright. Tiamia Black (16G, 8A), and Lauren Correll (8, 4) are both all conference attackers. They will be joined by Lindsey Danz (5, 6) and Ellen Rowe (5G), who enjoyed being offensive as freshmen last season. Bethany Pavlik (11, 8) and Lyndsey Ellsworth (2, 2) give the Ravens two very good midfielders. Kristen Burns will be the experienced defender for Sydhee Yeary, the likely successor in goal. In 2004 the Ravens took flight, in 2005 they could soar.

Blue Hen A

A I DuPont has a new coach in 2004. The Tigers return a dangerous attacking threesome in Dana Jamison (9G, 2A), Sophie DeMesse (6, 8) and Kristen Stump (5, 2) as well as a pair of GKs, Leslie Jaffee and Christine Kukich.

Charter enjoyed their best season ever, making the tournament for the first time. Alyssa Pietrobono’s (21G, 14A) arrival from Ursuline was just what the Force needed. However, the 2004 team started seven seniors so it will be a challenge to build on that success. In addition to Ms Pietrobono, other important returnees will be Renne Hadley (5, 7), midfielders Abby Swift and Christine Koenigbauer and defender Sarah Shovestul.

Christiana is expected to field a team.

Delcastle under the guidance of their inspirational coach, Tom Mills, was one of last season’s pleasant surprises. The Cougars returned to varsity play in 2004 and managed seven wins after several years competing at the junior varsity level. Almost the entire team returns led by Tara McQueen (15G, 5A), Gena Reddy (2, 3), Brit Hamm (3, 3), Kate Albanese (5, 3) and GK Alaina Mayberry.

Glasgow won four games in 2004. Key returnees are senior Lindsey Roselli and juniors Kayla Cloutier, Amber Harmon and Becca Johnson.

Middletown will be the Blue Hen A team best positioned to challenge William Penn. The many returnees include Erica Crile (14G, 4A), Libby Grange (8, 6), Amanda Jett (5, 1), Daphne Blakey (4, 2) and defender Ashley Evans (2, 2). Transfer Brooke Tadlock (7, 9), a former Red Lion Christian teammate of Erica Crile will join them. If the Cavaliers’ new coach, Cindy DePrisco, can find a keeper, Middletown could take Charter’s place in the conference and the tournament.

Newark’s 2005 hopes rest on the Slacum sisters, Lauren on attack and Carole in the cage.

William Penn won their second straight Flight A title in 2004 but the issue remained in doubt until a November win over Charter. The Colonials averaged five goals per game through October 1^st but then an offensive funk took hold that lasted the remainder of the season. With the exception of two Blue Hen blowouts, the offense never again scored more two goals, was held to one goal four times and was shut out four times.

Penn has two gifted scorers in senior Tricia Dean (10G, 6A) and junior Blythe Mackie (13, 3). Senior Amber Tank (1, 6) is back in the midfield but the key might be Alli Williams’ successful return to centermid. When she went down with an injury last season, the offensive doldrums set in. Kortney McLaughlin brings varsity cage experience but in front of her, all last year’s senior defenders will be gone. Penn will weather Middletown’s Flight A challenge, then the second season begins.

Independent Conference

Last season saw the beginnings of a Friends’ recovery from the depths of 2003; its continuance in 2005 will depend on the junior class. Watching Friends in 2004 required a program and keen eyesight, as the substitutions came fast and furious, like line changes in ice hockey, with many of the players interchangeable. This season should see Lauren Schmittle (5G) and Elissa Cashman (4G, 1A) on attack, Brooke Sheppard (1G) in the midfield, Katie Hunt (4A) on defense and Katie McEnroe in the net. Ms Sheppard was a sweeping sensation in 2003, when she was the Friends’ defense. In 2004 she seemed uncomfortable sharing the midfield and her form suffered. Fortunately for Friends, this summer at Forbes Field she seemed her old self in the midfield.

Longtime Friends assistant Brian Fahey returns to take the reins. It will be interesting to see if he continues the frequent, frantic substitution style or employs the more conventional "Best 11" approach. The Quakers face a stiff opener Friday; William Penn has flayed Friends the past two years, 4-0 and 6-0. In any case, thing are looking up in Alapocas, Friends will be better in 2005, better still in 2006.

St Andrew’s went winless in conference last season; the offense simply disappeared, as goals scored plummeted from 33 to 11. A troika of attackers returns, Hadley Roach (2G), Behle Holbrook (1A) and Eliot Brady (1G). Senior Katelyn Fanto (1, 1) is back in the midfield with Ashley Panichelli and Nancy Graves on defense. Escaping the Indy caboose will be difficult.

Sanford went unbeaten in three games versus Tower Hill in 2004, dethroning them as Independent Conference champions and eliminating the Hillers from the state tournament. The Warriors enter 2005 as Indy favorites but not Indy locks! It was the Warrior defense that beat Tower Hill, by surrendering just one goal in 220 minutes of hockey. Two of those defenders and the keeper are gone along with midfield monster Kate Herzog.

The Warrior offense, which could manage just two goals in those 220 minutes, returns, Paris Waterman (12G, 3A), Alexis Esbitt (10, 5), Hannah Kuranz (7, 1) and Anna Roosevelt (2, 1). Cassandra Deitrick (4, 6) and Stefanie Moyer (3A) are back in the midfield with Shannon Crowley returning on defense. This season is likely to see

Ms Esbitt named first team all Independent Conference for the fourth time, an extraordinary achievement! Last season’s team advanced to Rullo; this year the sights are set even higher.

Tatnall played the state’s most difficult schedule last season according to the tournament strength of schedule formula. The Hornets return all but three players from 2004 and hope to end a four-year drought that has seen them win but 16 games since 2000. GK Emily Van Wormer will be spending her fourth autumn starting in goal with Amory Ledyard, Ashley Wilson and Anna Aulger protecting. Senior Alex Gomez and sophomores Liza Fragomele and Margaret Selsor constitute the midfield. Senior Ally Schellenger will be the most dangerous attacker. The Hornets hope to move up in the Independent Conference but Sanford looks out of reach.

Tower Hill will field a very different team in 2005 as the Hillers say goodbye to four all state caliber players, their 33 goals and 18 assists, and one much underrated goalkeeper, who allowed just seven goals in 2004. Tower returns six starters, four of them sophomores. Seniors Lizzie Lewis and Chandler Clay have been fixtures on defense; in 2004, they were joined by freshman Anna Teruya. Three sophomores will have to carry the offense, Lauren Ianni (5G, 1A), Lindsey Griffith (2 G) and Caitlin Van Sickle (1, 3).

By Tower standards, the 2004 team, with just 41 goals scored, was very underpowered. It is difficult to envision this group approaching that number, let alone exceeding it. Likewise on defense, only a cockeyed optimist would predict that the 2005 edition would match last year’s seven goals allowed. Tower Hill will be good and opponents will write them off at their peril but at this point, for the first time in memory, the Hillers look like underdogs in the conference and long shots in the tournament.