PENNSBURY FIELD HOCKEY PREVIEW
The Pennsbury High School field hockey coaching staff is entering into their third year with the program and now that the roots have taken hold, they are starting to feel the growth and notice visible changes above the surface. Head coach Traci Curtis, Assistant Varsity coach Brittany Sheenan, Varsity volunteer assistant Aly Mallon, and Head JV coach Hannah Aker are a foursome dedicated to building something special at PHS and continue to work with their players from the inside out. Hannah Aker is a 2020 Pennsbury graduate and former field hockey captain who has returned to the program as a coach, ready to share her knowledge and love of the sport with the younger Falcons.
Last year the Falcons did not have a playoff opportunity, but the team made the most of the shortened (9-game) season and treasured the opportunity to play during the pandemic. Losing the senior class is a hit to the 2021 team (especially on defense), making the coaches navigate position potential for players in every layer of the field. During tryouts, the staff put in double time selecting a roster that will best fill all of those voids at once, while still working to build a program from the ground up and keep the future in mind. The elimination of the freshman program last season, in conjunction with some players taking the year off from the sport, have made for a very tricky formula, but the coaches are confident that they have the right players in place to get the job done.
Returning senior Sophia Curtis will be a strong leader on defense. She is a selfless athlete who effortlessly gives on and off the field to help make everyone else successful. Seniors Liz Jordan and EB Rafferty return to the program after a year off from hockey and will contribute anywhere they are needed. Meg McClure returns as a junior, bringing her speed, agility, and smarts to the forward line, and junior Jaclyn Gorgo will continue to use strong stick skills and FH IQ to make a difference on attack. Reagan Ward (forward), Olivia Graebner (defense), and Molly Murray (midfield) are also among the standout junior group and will contribute end-to-end in their respective positions. Sophomores, Lily Abraham (midfield), Riley Henderson (defense), and Gabby Darling (defense) have earned varsity roster spots and are putting in the work necessary to get onto the field. Junior Jordan Vradenburgh will lead inside the red zone as Pennsbury’s dynamic goalkeeper. Vradenburgh’s experience, knowledge, and increased confidence in taking charge will allow her to help the Falcons’ young defense stand strong. The coaches look to Vradenburgh for direction and guidance on best practices below the 25 to maximize the defense and stay connected as a unit. Her talent allows this team to be competitive and work through growing pains on the field without skipping a beat.
Others to watch include seniors Pranita Madaka, a smart, consistent contributor, and Jenna Outcalt, a hardworking defender. Senior forward with a great stick reach Lily Morgan and strong, gritty, senior defender Elena Sosa round out the squad for Pennsbury.
Pennsbury’s strengths run throughout the field. We have great attackers, smart players in the midfield, and very strong defenders including our goalie. The cohesiveness of our team will also take us far. These girls are the building blocks of our program that started from a clean slate three years ago. We see the change coming and vision is shared across the board.
Each year the question is how will we handle playing nine of our 18 games on turf as Pennsbury still has a grass field. This puts us at such a disadvantage and is extremely difficult to navigate as the season goes on and we play against high level teams on their home turfs. The girls handle it with grace and know that it is beyond our control and not an excuse, we just have to work that much harder to get where we want to go. We get very creative with practice spaces and do our best to prepare for the different playing surface.
Our goals this season include simply wanting to compete and put up a strong fight against every team we meet. Our Division and Conference are extremely competitive. Having the crossover games against the CB teams will add a level of difficulty to our schedule that we have not seen in a while. Within our Patriot Division, we will have to dig deep and fight in every contest to prove ourselves.
Curtis and crew will work this season to put together a strong defense and talented midfield unit, while taking great care in creating an offense that is quick, smart, and able to finish. Field hockey IQ, quick passing/receiving, and read and react playing will be the focus as this team finds a way to make a mark and begin to redefine Pennsbury Field Hockey.
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