Congratulations to MAX Field Hockey’s
Week #2 High School Regional Award Winners!
NEW ENGLAND REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: THE DERRYFIELD SCHOOL
Manchester, New Hampshire
Head Coach: Lenny McCaigue
Derryfield in New Hampshire added to their 4-0 start to the season, winning two games last week against Kennett High School (3-0) and St. Thomas Aquinas High School (5-0). They also tallied a 3-0 victory over Kingswood on Monday to move to 7-0 on the season. In only their third season bumped up to the NHIAA Division II level from Division III, former Team USA Men’s National Team Coach Lenny McCaigue’s squad is sitting nicely on top of the Division II standings.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: KATIE GUDEN
Belmont High School (Belmont, Massachusetts)
Freshman – Forward
Belmont High School’s Katie Guden hasn’t let her first experience on a talented varsity team intimidate her. On a squad with a pair of Division 1 commits – AnnMarie Habelow (Louisville) and Julia Chase (UNH) – the 14-year-old freshman has matched those players with her skills in front of the net, scoring in each game this season including a hat trick vs. Stoneham last Monday. She is one of the leading goal scorers with seven in the highly competitive Middlesex League. With four years of club experience, Guden brings a scoring punch to Jessica Smith’s Belmont squad which is seeking to improve on its 16-3-0 2015 season (two of the three loses were to state’s Div. 1 and Div. 2 champions) and a semi-final Division 1 North Sectional appearance.
NORTHEAST REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: STAPLES HIGH SCHOOL
Westport, Connecticut
Head Coach: Ian Tapsall
Staples High School in Connecticut made their debut on our Northeast Region Rankings for the first time ever last week, coming in at the #18 spot and they continue to prove they are worthy. The Wreckers are off to a perfect 5-0 start to the season, including a 3-0 week #2 with convincing 8-0 victories over Fairfield Ludlowe and Stamford and a 5-0 victory over Trumbull. This young team with only two seniors has yet to give up a goal, outscoring opponents 32-0.
CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: AMANDA STRENK/SHYLEA DUKAT
Baldwinsville High School (Baldwinsville, New York)
Junior Forward/Senior Forward
The scoring duo of Amanda Strenk and Shylea Dukat have Central New York’s Baldwinsville sitting pretty at 7-0 on the season. The junior and senior have tallied a combined 30 goals and 22 assists through the Bee’s first 7 games, including 10 goals and 12 assists in their convincing victories over rival Liverpool and Homer last week. Strenk leads all CNY scorers with 16 goals and 9 assists, with Dukat close behind her with 14 goals and 13 assists.
OTHER NOTABLE: A special congratulations to Lakeland High School’s Head Coach Sharon Sarsen for winning her New York state-record 579th game!
PA/NJ REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: EASTERN REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Voorhees, New Jersey
Head Coach: Danyle Heilig
The #1 ranked Eastern Vikings had a 3-0 week that included a 7-0 win over Cherokee High School, a 6-0 win over Washington Township, and the big one that earned them the Regional Team of the Week honors– a 6-2 victory over Oak Knoll School, the current #4 ranked team in the country. Eastern held Oak Knoll scoreless until the last 7 minutes of play. Senior captain Mackenzie Keegan had a huge week for the Vikings, tallying 7 goals and 4 assists, including 2 goals in the first 5 minutes of play against Oak Knoll setting the tone for the rest of the game. Eastern now sits at 4-0 with an unbeaten streak of 137 games.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: MEREDITH ROSS
Conestoga High School (Berwyn, Pennsylvania)
Senior – Forward
Conestoga only had one game last week, but for Meredith Ross it was a big one. The senior tallied 5 goals in the Pioneers 7-1 victory over Radnor High School in a Central League match-up. Her 2nd goal of the game (a penalty stroke) was her 100th career goal. The Michigan State commit now has 14 goals in PA/NJ ranked #18 Stoga’s 5-0 impressive start to the season.
OTHER NOTABLE: Congratulations to Episcopal Academy (Pennsylvania) Head Coach Gina Buggy for being selected to National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame Class of 2016!
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: MYERS PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Charlotte, North Carolina
Head Coach: Erica Adcock
Myers Park in North Carolina is off to an impressive start to the 2016 season. The Mustangs registered 3 more convincing wins last week over West Forsyth, Reagan, and Cardinal Gibbons to bring them to 8-0 on the season. Sophomore forward Megan Frost tallied 6 goals and 7 assists last week and leads Erica Adcock’s squad in scoring with 13 goals and 11 assists. The current #19 ranked team in the Mid-Atlantic Region, Myers Park is looking to be a strong contender for a NCFHA title this Fall.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: ARON LANKFORD
Holly Grove Christian School (Westover, Maryland)
Junior – Goalkeeper
For the second week in a row, we recognize a goalkeeper as the Mid-Atlantic Region Player of the Week. Holly Grove Christian School goalkeeper Aron Lankford registered 3 shutouts on the road last week at Delmarva Christian School, Gunston Day School, and Northampton School. The junior tallied 20 saves last week and now has 47 saves in 5 games, allowing only 2 goals in Holly Grove’s perfect 5-0 start.
OTHER NOTABLE: If we had a Regional “Goal of the Week”- this one would have to take it. Atholton High School (Maryland) beat Catonsville in a barn burner, 4-3 last week. After a successful stroke by Catonsville at 17.8 seconds left in the game to tie it up at 3-3, Atholton’s Tori Raulin lifted the ball to sophomore forward Stephanie Gottwals who dribbled down field past the defense and went one-on-one with the goalkeeper to score the game-winner with 2.8 seconds left on the clock. [Click here to watch the game-winning goal!]
WEST/MID-WEST REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: URSULINE ACADEMY
Cincinnati, Ohio
Head Coach: Mallory Naber Mosko
Ursuline Academy out of Cincinatti went 2-0-1 last week defeating their SWOFHL rival Mount Notre Dame 3-0, Cleveland Hudson High School 5-3 and holding MAX Field Hockey’s West/Mid-West Region #10-ranked team and undefeated Columbus Academy scoreless to a 0-0 tie through overtime. Senior Louisville commit Jillian Shive leads the Lions with 25 goals and 7 assists. Ursuline is now 6-1-2 overall and 4-0 in SWOFHL league play.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: MEGAN RODGERS
Serra High School (San Diego, California)
Senior – Forward
Our West/Mid-West Region Preseason Player of the Year has been nothing less than on-stoppable so far this Fall. The senior captain led her Serra squad to 5 victories last week with 12 goals and 5 assists. Rodgers already has 26 goals and 5 assists on the season after breaking the San Diego section scoring record last year with 60 goals. Her West/Mid-West Region top-ranked Serra Conquistadors are now 9-0 and looking as strong as ever, especially with Rodgers on attack.
To nominate a team or player:
Go to the “High School” tab on the main menu bar and select “Weekly Awards.” Complete the simple online submission form by Monday mornings at 11am to have your players or teams considered.
