On Tuesday, October 14, varsity field hockey faced the Upper Darby Royals at George L. King Field.
A dull gray sky was washed out by the vibrant tie-dye senior night t-shirts the players wore during their warmup. Family and friends entered the stadium, which was decorated with balloons and posters made for each senior.
The seniors’ dedication and commitment to the team was honored by calling them onto the field alongside their family. The ceremony recognised the team’s three seniors, captain Anna Warley, Katie McGuffin, and Jayna Hucke.
“[Field hockey] is a really one-of-a-kind experience that I don’t think I’ll ever experience again, and I’m so grateful that I got to,” Warley said.
The first half kicked off after members of the Strath Haven Silvertones sang the national anthem. McGuffin gave the Panthers their first goal of the night, which ignited the team’s offense. Her team’s strong passing game, led by quality communication, resulted in McGuffin scoring again in the second quarter. It also allowed junior Kaylin Fava to score her first-ever varsity goal.
“I think the big thing behind a successful team is communication, especially communicating on the field, [communication] can improve anyone’s playing abilities and can help you win,” McGuffin said.
Smiles filled the huddle at halftime as head coach Carley Reid discussed the game plan going into the second half.
The second half started by resting the seniors, but the momentum did not stop. In the span of three minutes Haven scored three times with two goals from freshman Amelia Leggette and another by junior Haley Cline.
“It’s [scoring] really exciting and it makes me super happy. I love working with my teammates to get it into the cage,” Cline said.
An early fourth quarter goal by McGuffin earned her a hat trick on her senior night. Haven ended the game with one last goal from Cline.
“It felt great to score on senior night. I was really proud of everyone who played and especially my shots because I don’t always get to do that,” McGuffin said.
After the game, assistant varsity coach Gillian Gunn reflected on the successful evening and how everything they have worked on over the season had been put on full display.
“This senior class has been so amazing. They really have brought such a family-like atmosphere to the girls. They have really taken everyone under their wing… I hope that someone will be able to continue the tradition of being as positive as they get,” Gunn said.
