Field hockey finishes historic run

By Lucas Lee ’21
The varsity field hockey team went 21-0 this season, making them the first undefeated field hockey team in school history. On the road to winning the LAFHA title, they were only scored on three times. The team beat Newport Harbor in the Championship game on, Nov. 4, winning 3-1. Rachel Brown ‘20 also won all-tournament MVP for the league.
Head coach Erin Creznic said that she was pleased with the result and that it is a perfect way to send off their seniors.
“There are two seniors [that have been] on varsity since they were freshman. Most have been playing many years. So, I feel like they finally get the senior year they deserve. We are losing a huge group. However, even after losing 11, we will still have 12 players returning,” Creznic said.
This is the first time the team had gone undefeated. Keeping focused despite all the distractions was also an obstacle the team had to face.
“It wasn’t really a problem; we have 11 seniors on varsity and most of the team is returning so they understand the focus. The newer younger players were more focused. They really didn’t struggle,” Creznic said.
Players also showed their support for the graduating seniors.
“[The seniors] are the face of the team. They basically are the entire team. They are the character of the team. They make up all of the energy they are all outgoing. We are going to miss them,” defender Iris Huang ‘21 said.
Going into the championship game against Newport Harbor, the team’s mentality was very serious as they wanted to achieve their goal of winning the championship.
“We’ve won all of our games, we still have our most important games to come. We try to maintain a serious attitude because if we don’t, we might underestimate the team we’re playing and all our hard work will be useless,” defender Natalie Barnouw ’21 said before the match.
After winning the championship, the team’s general opinion of the season was positive.
“It was fun and amazing.  Before every single game we all rap a ton of songs.  It’s kind of a tradition that we’ve had for a long time,” Huang said.
The junior varsity team went 10-3-2. They said they were happy with their performance and they gained lots of skills. The team finished with a winning record especially with new players joining the squad.
The players had an opportunity to make friends and earn experience for next year’s season. After losing seniors, many players may be promoted to the varsity team. Even with new players they have created a team chemistry that helped them through the end of the season.
“The whole team was so supportive all year. We all really care about playing well together and individually. I made so many new friends, and it was a really great season, and I am excited for next year,” midfielder Sara Maniscalco ‘21 said.
New players were able to improve and experience the camaraderie of the team.
“I really love my team. They are very supportive on a day to day basis and really care about me improving and we will miss all of our seniors, especially Nicolee-Olee-Olee,” goalie Caitlyn Dovel ‘21 said.
The freshman team finished with a record 2-3. The team gained lots of wisdom this year especially for players who played field hockey for the first time. The new players are more accustomed to the sport and the way the game is played.
“I loved how supportive the freshman team was of each other. I love being able to participate in field hockey despite the fact that I didn’t have any experience,” midfielder Skylar Liu ‘21 said.
All the teams gained lots of experience, and the varsity team had an undefeated season.
“It was a really fun season. We do this thing with the varsity, junior varsity and freshman team where we play games for prizes. One night we did cheers. It was so much fun. This group of seniors were great; they made it warm and welcoming,” Creznic said.
The Wolverines look to repeat their success next year.