This is a short feature we’ll be running now that the fall season is over. To put the first trimester of the athletic year into perspective and prepare for the winter, the Banner will run a recap on each Harriton team’s season– including highlights, lowlights, and what we can expect in the future. Next up is field hockey.
Preseason: The field hockey team was flying under the radar a bit approaching the season, but the outlook seemed bright. The girls returned a strong core of junior starters that would try to build off some eye-opening wins in 2010 and make a run at the upper half of the Central League.
Regular Season: The Rams had perhaps the fastest start of any fall team at Harriton, racing out to a 5-1 start and setting up a showdown with league favorite Conestoga. Unfortunately, they were defeated 8-0. Still, they rebounded well down the stretch and finished with an impressive 9-6 record, including wins over rival Lower Merion and a shutout against Upper Darby. The girls became one of the most talked-about teams at Harriton due to their signature high-scoring games, and qualified for the District playoffs.
Postseason: Sadly, after qualifying for the District playoffs, the Rams lost a heartbreaker 2-1 at Octorara. Still, it failed to put a damper on an always-exciting season as the the squad went down fighting to the final whistle.
Key Players: Junior Caleigh Foust was the star, scoring six goals in a season-opening win against Sun Valley and never looking back. The team’s strong senior class, however, was praised for both their skill and leadership, particularly scoring specialist Michelle Horev and goalie Eva Lopez.
Best Moment: There were quite a few to pick from– the opening blowout against Sun Valley comes to mind, as does the berth in the District playoffs. Still, the excitement fueled by the Rams’ 5-1 (and eventually, 6-2) start may have been unmatched this season. It really rallied the school around the field hockey team, possibly for the first time ever. The 1-0 shutout win over Marple Newtown may have been the high point, as the girls showed they could win low-scoring matches as well en route to their fourth win of the year.
Heartbreaker: The loss against Conestoga was harsh, but falling 2-1 in the opening round of the playoffs, with the full support of the Harriton student body, had to be the toughest moment of the season.
Recap: The season was, without a doubt, a huge success for the field hockey team. Lead by Foust and their strong cast of seniors, they took the Central League–and their own school– by storm in the opening weeks of the season. While they cooled off a bit as the season came to a close, the squad was always exciting to watch, and it showed. Fan support for the field hockey team may have been higher than ever before in 2011. Making the playoffs and turning in a strong performance was just a bonus.
What’s Next?: No one’s denying that it’s going to be tough to bounce back from such heavy senior losses next year. The field hockey team seems to be as up for the task as they could possibly be, especially with the return of Foust. There’s a lot of young talent on this team, and it’ll be interesting to see how they can compete in the Central League next year. No matter what, you know The Herd will be fully behind them. This may have been a benchmark year for the team, one from which they can build next season and catapult them to the top of the league standings. It’s far too early to tell, though.
Quotable: “We never give up, and I respect [my teammates] very much for that. Even after yesterday’s loss, we never gave up.” – Caleigh Foust on the never-say-die field hockey mentality.