Squad goals: See our picks for the top 11 field hockey teams this season, plus one to watch
Field hockey season kicks off Friday, and this year looks to be even more competitive than ever, especially in the talent-packed Suburban One League. But it's not only the bigger schools that have found success on the field.
Check out our preseason rankings of the top teams going into the new season, along with a few that could be surprise contenders.
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Souderton
After winning the District One Class 3A championship in 2020, the Indians returned for 2021 with a young team, starting several underclassmen. But it was far from a rebuilding year, as the Indians posted an incredible 20-3 record, going undefeated (16-0) in SOL play. Last season, the Indians earned the No. 2 seed in the District One Class 3A tournament, defeating Neshaminy in the first round before falling to an experienced Garnet Valley team in the second round.
The team will be without graduates Lauren Kenah, who is playing for Virginia, and Reiley Knize, but much of last season’s young team is back with a lot more experience under their belt. Ang Borisow, a defensive midfielder, was an first-team all-state selection last year. Senior defender Lauren Frye, junior defender Ashley Paturzo and sophomore defender Julia Blair, as well as sophomore forward Ava Jones, will all be major contributors again. Defense is a strength for the Indians, who posted seven consecutive shutouts last season, as well as speed on offense.
Council Rock South
The Golden Hawks lost 10 seniors going into last season, but still managed an 11-8 record (11-5 in the SOL) and won the SOL Patriot Division title, before falling in the first round of the district playoffs. This season, the squad is loaded with experience and plenty of returning players.
Junior Megan Rafter is an elite defender while junior forward Kylee Hager is a skilled offensive weapon. Senior back Grace Franchini played varsity for the first time last season and earned a starting role due to her playmaking on the left side. Amanda Green, a midfielder and team captain, is the Hawks’ unquestioned leader.
One new face on the team is head coach Kelly Mason, who takes the reins from Colette Maloney, who was at the helm for just one season.
“We have a new staff, new home field and are looking to build upon the success the team had in previous years,” said Mason.
While playing in the SOL is never an easy task, especially with teams like Pennsbury expected to be much-improved, the Golden Hawks are in good position to defend their division title and make a nice postseason run.
Central Bucks South
The Titans posted a 6-6 record two years ago, and went on to knock off No. 1 Downingtown West and eighth-seeded Wissahickon in the District One Class 3A playoffs. CB South carried that postseason surge over into last year, when it went 14-5 overall (11-4 SOL) and won a first-round district playoff game.
The Titans lost some key players to graduation, most notably Anna Shirley and Julia Cooper, but have a solid core of returning players. CB South's top returners included senior Lily Haag, a versatile two-way threat, senior captain and midfielder Bella Schute, junior goaltender Emma Kraft, and seniors Megan Reilly, Marielle Mauri and Rebecca Zakrzewski. Madison Orr, Erin Kelly and Gianna Carone are expected to have a bigger role this season.
“We look forward to competing in our very difficult league where every game is a battle,” said veteran coach Pat Toner. “If we can fill the holes left by the graduation of some very talented seniors, we should be competitive.”
Neshaminy
Neshaminy has won or shared the SOL Patriot Division title for the last four seasons and they don’t have any intention of breaking that streak now. Neshaminy finished 14-6 last season, the best overall record in the division, and won a first-round game in the District One Class 3A tournament. It was the second year in a row that Neshaminy was ousted in the second round - this time, they had to contend with No. 2 Souderton.
Neshaminy lost a handful of starters to graduation, such as Colette Shardt and Megan Hollenbaugh, but have a solid core of returning players. Senior Avery McGinty, a second-team All-State selection last year, is a fantastic defender, and also contributed eight goals and seven assists last season. Neshaminy will also count on senior midfielder Olivia Roscoe, an All-State Honorable Mention selection, senior goalie Brittany Mattio, and junior Morgan Shaltens, who will play a crucial role on the defense. Sophomore forwards Ava Arbakov and Kasey Rieger cracked the starting lineup as freshmen, and return with a season of experience.
Neshaminy will have to work hard to fend off Council Rock South, and Pennsbury also looks to be a contender this year, but a sixth consecutive Patriot Division title is well within Neshaminy’s reach. “The girls have been working hard — every season, we try to build on the past and continue to improve,” said head coach Jamie Pinto. “With our senior leadership and skilled underclassmen, goals for the season are to win the league, reach Districts and beyond, and continue to work hard and play together as a team.”
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North Penn
The Knights had a nice season in 2020, and followed up with a very nice season in 2021. The Knights finished 13-6 overall, though, due to the ridiculously competitive SOL Colonial Division, ended up in fourth place. In the District One Class 3A playoffs, the Knights won their first-round game and were just a goal away from defeating Methacton in the second round. The Knights did lose several players to graduation, most notably Maddie Waldspurger, a first-team All-State selection who will be playing Division 1 field hockey at St. Francis, and Erin O’Donnell who is playing for James Madison.
But the Knights have a solid core of returning senior starters, led by midfielder Annabelle Smink, goalie Kiera Holt and forwards Catherine McGeehan. There are also a number of young players looking to find their niches on the Knights, including sophomore midfielders Laura Albert, Ashleigh Barwis and Rhyan Poole, and forward Erika Pickford.The Knights’ early-season success may depend upon how quickly the team gels and new players settle into their roles.
The Knights have a tough path, with Souderton, Central Bucks East and Central Bucks South sharing the division, but they have the talent, work ethic and dedication to make a statement this year. Shannon McCracken, the Knights’ 11th-year head coach is looking forward to seeing her team develop and grow this season. “They are focused, excited, and committed to the process of developing and growing as a team. We look forward to competing in our always challenging division and have our sights on returning to district play.”
Central Bucks East
After an exceptional 2020 campaign that ended with a trip to the PIAA semifinals, the Patriots fell back to earth a little bit last year. That wasn’t entirely unexpected — the Patriots had a new coach, lost several senior starters, and had to contend with an unstoppable Souderton team in the SOL Colonial Division. Even so, CB East managed to finish the season 14-6, good enough for second in the division, and made it to the second round of the District One playoffs.
The Patriots again lost a handful of starters to graduation, but have enough returning seniors and juniors to pick up the slack with senior midfielder Allyson Cenci, senior forwards Caroline Suko and Allison Troth and junior midfielders Sienna Valenti and Paige Keller.
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Gwynedd Mercy
Last season saw the Monarchs make it all the way to the PIAA Class 2A championship game, which resulted in a narrow 3-2 loss to Twin Valley, for the first time since 1996. Gwynedd Mercy rolled through the regular season, finishing with a 20-3 mark, and the District One Class 2A tournament, led by senior Alaina McVeigh.
The Monarchs will be hard-pressed to replace the 71 goals scored by McVeigh, who is now playing for Duke. However, the Monarchs return senior goalkeeper Lilly Sweeney, who gave up a remarkable 1.3 goals per game last year, and Sydney Mandato, a Penn commit, who was the team’s second-highest scorer with 36 goals. As a sophomore, Maddie Bogle had a quiet start to the season but became a difference-maker by the end of the year.
The Monarchs will also look for sophomore midfielder Rory Saxon to be a major contributor. The Monarchs will be the team to beat this season, and the players and coaching staff embrace that.
Dock Mennonite
With one senior, Lydia Longacre, on the roster, last season was supposed to be a rebuilding year. For the Pioneers, a ‘rebuilding year’ resulted in a 15-6 overall record, a perfect 10-0 mark in the BAL, and a trip to the state playoffs. As the No. 3 seed in the District One Class 1A playoffs, the Pioneers made it to the title game, falling to five-time defending champion New Hope-Solebury. The Pioneers then knocked off Archbishop Wood in the first round of the PIAA 1A state tournament.
This year, the Pioneers return all starters other than Longacre, and are strong state championship contenders. Three of those returning players earned all-state honors last season — forward Celeste Derstine and midfielder Oliva Zaskoda getting second team, and defender Ainsley Moyer an honorable mention. Dock has an excellent goalie in senior Haley Harper, and other key players include midfielders Sarah Curry, Trinity Landis and Erin Miles and forward Tiffany Oponski.
“We have a senior team that returns all our starters but one, so I’m very excited for the upcoming season and look to return back to states again,” said Michelle Waldspurger, the Pioneers’ 11-year head coach.
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Palisades
Last season was one of the best in recent history for Palisades. The Pirates made it to the District 11 championship game, finishing as runner-up after a close game against Palmerton, and played in a PIAA state tournament game for the first time since 1989.
This year should be even better for Palisades, who return a number of seniors, including multiple starters from last year’s squad. Many of these seniors have been playing together since seventh grade, and will be looking to end their time together on a high note.
Senior Riley Haubert will anchor the forward line, alongside Hailey Stevens and Angelia Rafalko. Dahlia Greenberg, a midfielder, is adept at moving the ball downfield, and will give senior Ashley Amato more scoring opportunities this year.
Julian Kallenbach is a versatile athlete who will play on defense and as a midfielder, while Camilia O’Donnell will lead the defense in the back field, backing up take-charge goalie Alycia DeNato. The Pirates also have some younger players who will be stepping into bigger roles this season, such as forward Lucia Brunton-Dardaris, sophomores EllyAnna Phibbs and Carly Simon.
“I like how the group we have this year is very competitive,” said Kim DeNato, the Pirates third-year head coach. “I am glad to see that there are key leaders who are emerging in each area of the field to help unify the team, on and off the field. Their positive and upbeat attitude will make this a great season. Our goal this season is to push ourselves to make both league and district playoffs.”
Archbishop Wood
Last season saw the Vikings reach new heights, winning their first District 12 championship in team history, and making their first PIAA state playoff appearance in over 20 years. In the PCL tournament, Wood won its first-round game before falling to eventual champion Archbishop Carroll.
This season, the Vikings lost a few key players to graduation, including PCL ‘Goalkeeper of the Year’ Abigail Kearney, and first-team All-Catholic selection Adeline Gori, but will still strive to compete against PCL powerhouses Carroll and Cardinal O’Hara.
New Hope-Solebury
The Lions were nearly unstoppable last season, cruising to a 16-3 overall record, with just two losses in the SOL (13-2). The team won the District One Class 1A championship for the fifth straight season, but fell to Wyoming Seminary in the first round of the state tournament.
The Lions, a smaller team to begin with, lost several players to graduation, most notably Kathryn Thistlewaite (Franklin and Marshall) and Lydia Eastburn (Tufts), but the team still has plenty of firepower. Midfielder Sophia Cozza led the Lions with 17 goals and 14 assists last year and earned first-team all-state honors.
The Lions also return senior midfielder Avery Mendola, who scored the game-clinching goal in the district championship, and senior forward/midfielder Mia Gomolinski, both second-team All-SOL selections.
Teams to Watch in 2022
Win-loss records and playoff appearances only tell part of the story. These teams might not have been at the top of the standings last year, but they are poised for a breakthrough season.
Pennsbury
In head coach Traci Curtis’ fourth season, the Falcons are ready to make the leap to true contender. Last year, the Falcons finished 10-8, winning more games than the previous two seasons combined. The Falcons had plenty of milestones last season, including beating Council Rock North twice and Council Rock South for the first time in three seasons.
The team's losses were much more competitive, with the Falcons believing they had a chance in every game. Much of this can be credited to Curtis and her coaching staff, who have built their program around team culture, on-field and off-field growth, and supporting female athletes.
The team’s returning seniors, who have been there since the beginning, include goalie Jordan Vradenburgh, forward Meg McClure, midfielder Molly Murray, and backs Olivia Graebner and Reagan Ward. The Falcons also have a number of talented sophomores who will be battling for spots.
“The goal we have as a program is to stay true to who we are and remember our purpose and vision,” Curtis said. “We look to compete and gain respect and prove to ourselves that we are worthy of winning against anyone."
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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Fall 2022-Field Hockey Preseason Top Ten Teams in Bucks, Montco
