Congratulations to MAX Field Hockey’s
Week #1 High School Regional Award Winners!
NEW ENGLAND REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: MT. BLUE HIGH SCHOOL
Farmington, Maine
Head Coach: Jody Harmon
Mt. Blue High School in Maine knocked off two Maine powerhouses and MAX Field Hockey New England Region Preseason Top 20 teams last week. On Tuesday, they defeated #5 ranked Messalonskee High School 4-2 behind a hat trick by junior forward Hannah Minns. On Thursday, the Cougars defeated #8 ranked Skowhegan Area High School, the reigning Class A State Champions, 1-0. Sophomore forward Adelle Foss scored the lone goal on a penalty corner, assisted by Minns. Fifth year Head Coach Jody Harmon’s squad only graduated two seniors from last year’s 10-5-1 team and they now top the Class A North standings with a 3-0-1 record.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: ABBY MERRILL
Winnacunnet High School (Hampton, NH)
Senior – Forward
Winnacunnet’s Abby Merrill didn’t waste time picking right back up where she left off last Fall. The senior forward already has 11 goals and leads the state of New Hampshire in scoring. The 1st Team All-State player and MAX Field Hockey New England Region Preseason Player to Watch has her defending 2-time state champion Winnacunnet squad off to a 5-0 start and on top of the Division I standings. The Appalachian State commit is already looking like a strong candidate for the top player in the state this year as one of just two seniors on Heidi Hand’s Warriors team aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive Division I state title.
NORTHEAST REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: LAKELAND HIGH SCHOOL
Shrub Oak, New York
Head Coach: Sharon Sarsen
After graduating a great amount of talent from last year’s Class B State Championship team, Lakeland has come out right where they left off. The #1 ranked Hornets are off to a 3-0 start, outscoring opponents 17-1. While this start may not seem special for a Lakeland squad we hear so much about, their 3-1 win over Scarsdale last Friday was a bit of a statement game to us. Scarsdale defeated #2 ranked and the 2-time defending Class A State Champions Mamaroneck earlier in the week 4-0. Lakeland was able to put Scarsdale away 3-1 off of 2 goals from Fahey and 1 from senior Cameron Lischinsky to show they remain the top dog in the state. Senior Megan Fahey leads all goal scorers with 5 goals and 8 other Hornets have contributed with goals in this once again balanced attack.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: KERRI THORNTON
Ward Melville High School (Setauket-East Setauket, New York)
Senior – Forward
Ward Melville’s Kerri Thornton is off to a strong start for #7 ranked Ward Melville. The senior has already amassed 9 goals through the Patriot’s first three games, including 2 goals in a 4-0 victory over Bay Shore, 3 goals in a 5-1 victory over Sachem North, and 4 goals in a 5-1 victory over Commack. The 2015 Class A State Runner-ups are poised to make another strong run for the title off to a 3-0 start. Thornton’s 9 goals lead all of Suffolk County and Long Island goal scorers and are already halfway to her 2015 total of 18 goals.
PA/NJ REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: HERSHEY HIGH SCHOOL
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Head Coach: Bri Davies-Price
Hershey High School in Pennsylvania knocked off three of MAX Field Hockey’s PA/NJ Region Preseason Top 20 teams within the last week. After falling in their season opener 1-0 to Wilson West Lawn at home, the Trojans hit the road against some of the toughest competition in the state and country. They tied #8 ranked Lower Dauphin 1-1 on Tuesday, defeated #16 ranked and defending AA State Champions Twin Valley High School 2-1 in OT on Thursday, and defeated #3 ranked and AAA State Runner-Up Palmyra 1-0 this Monday. Head Coach Bri Davies-Price (a former Palmyra and University of Maryland standout) has her Trojans off to a 2-1-1 start and looking like strong competitors and candidates for a spot on the PA/NJ Rankings this week.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: GABRIELLA PONTONE
Northern Highlands Regional High School (Allendale, NJ)
Senior – Forward
Northern Highland’s Gabby Pontone is off to an great start to the 2016 season. The senior has recorded multiple-goals in each of the Highlanders first three games. She leads all Bergen County scorers with 7 goals (she has also contributed 3 assists) and registered her 100th career point last week when she scored a hat trick against River Dell. Pontone has her Highlander squad out to a 3-0 start and looks well upon her way to surpassing the 28 goals and 13 assists she scored last Fall.
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: JOHN CARROLL SCHOOL
Bel Air, Maryland
Head Coach: Alice Puckett
After 29 years of coaching in the public school system, Alice Puckett returns to her alma mater John Carroll this Fall as Head Coach. She inherited the 2-time defending IAAM B Conference Champion Patriots program and already has the squad securing big victories. The Patriots beat #7 ranked A Conference Garrison Forest School 2-1 in their opening game on the road at Garrison Forest. Senior Brooke Hare registered the Patriots first goal and Charlotte Haggerty got the game winner with 15 seconds left on the clock. The Patriots returned to action against local public school rival Bel Air High School (less than a mile down the road). Bel Air was ranked #7 by the Baltimore Sun (John Carroll did not make the Baltimore Sun Preseason Top 15) after winning the 2015 Class 3A State Championship. John Carroll came up with another big win, securing a 3-1 victory off of two goals by senior Emily Stancliff and one by freshman Ellie Bruggeman.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: EMMA GROMACKI
John Carroll School (Bel Air, MD)
Senior – Goalkeeper
While the goal scorers came through in John Carroll’s first two big victories of the season, it was their senior goalkeeper who was the real difference maker. Emma Gromacki registered 15 saves in the Patriots victory over Garrison Forest and 11 saves in their victory over Bel Air. The Lehigh University commit was a leader in the backfield and shutdown some of the top offensive threats in the area.
WEST/MID-WEST REGION
TEAM OF THE WEEK: ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY
Saint Louis, Missouri
Head Coach: Claire Aubel
St. Joseph’s Academy in Saint Louis entered MAX Field Hockey’s Regional Rankings for the first time ever this Preseason and they have already proven they belong there. The Angels are off to a 10-0 start and secured the Pool A Championship of the Gateway Classic over Labor Day Weekend. They knocked off three of MAX Field Hockey’s West/Mid-West Preseason Top 20 teams along the way, including a 2-0 victory over Missouri powerhouse and #5 ranked MICDS, a 2-1 victory over #8 ranked Kentucky powerhouse DuPont Manual, and a 2-1 victory over #15 ranked Illinois powerhouse New Trier High School. The Angels are on their way to being a serious contender for the 2016 state title that MICDS has held onto for the last couple of years. The two squads meet again today, Wednesday, at MICDS.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: SHANNON REILLY
Saline High School (Saline, Michigan)
Senior – Forward
Saline’s Shannon Reilly leads all Michigan goal scorers with 9 goals through her first 6 games. The senior has scored in each of the Hornet’s opening games propelling them to a 5-0-1 start. Her biggest tally came as the lone goal in their 1-1 tie to the #19 ranked Dexter Dreadnaughts. Reilly’s Saline squad returns from a Division 2 State Championship season now playing up at the Division I level and both Reilly and the Hornets have proven they have the offensive fire power to compete with the top teams in the state. Their offense leads the state with 30 goals (averaging 3.75 goals/game) and Reilly has 9 of those goals (averaging 1.5 goals/game).
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.
