Being one of the four undefeated teams across the PIAA isn’t easy.
But just before heading into their last week of regular season play, Susquehannock was able to add another win, and shutout, to their 2022 resumé. They beat Kennard-Dale 3-0, moving the Warriors to a 12-0 overall record.
“It’s awesome,” said senior captain and forward Maggie Grim. “Starting last year, we really hit our peak by going to states. So, ever since then we’ve just had really high hopes, and I think that’s the main reason we’re out to get every game. Because we know we can do it.”
Susquehannock (Class 2A) and Kennard-Dale (Class 1A) are in the YAIAA Conference in District 3. They play in different leagues within the conference: Susquehannock in Division II, and Kennard Dale in Division 1.
“It’s so cool to be in such a small school and still have that kind of record considering we possibly could get to states this year,” said junior and attacking center-mid Lilly Wojcik. “I feel like having that record could really help us.”
Wojcik, wearing jersey No. 23 for the Warriors, is ranked 10 in the MAX Field Hockey Class of 2024 Player Rankings and is already committed to Princeton.
“Just after playing them last time, we know that No. 23 is phenomenal,” said the Rams’ head coach Anna Colvin. “So, we designated a player – Noa Schneider – and she stayed on her the whole time. And we really feel like this game, it really helped.”
Wojcik’s aggressive firepower showed immediately. She scored within the first 30 seconds of the game. Kennard-Dale, however, was able to stop her, and the rest of the Warriors offense, in the second and third quarters.
The Warriors didn’t score again until the second half. Wojcik finally was able to break free in the fourth for a goal. And so did Grim.
“My first one was a reverse hit, and it went in-between the goalie’s pads,” Wojcik said. “My second one there was a deflection off the defender, so I just took it, and I shot it in the left corner. When I’m going into the circle, I usually have a defender on me, so my first thought is to eliminate the defender and then pre-scan to see where the goalie is. From there, I will aim my body and my shoulders so I can get a hit where the goalie isn’t.”
Wojcik’s second and Grim’s goal both were scored in the second half.
“It was very exciting because we hadn’t scored since the first quarter, so it was very relieving to get the second goal,” she said. “It was just a little lift in. When we’re in the circle, my mindset is always ‘Goal. Ball in goal.’ No matter if it’s from me or if it’s to pass to another player to get it to the goal.”
Grim’s goal was on a corner.
“We’ve played (Kennard-Dale), and we won, 9-1,” Grim said. “So, we definitely could’ve got a couple more goals in. They are our rivals, so they were coming after us, especially after they lost. We definitely picked it up in the second half, and I think we learned to work together more each and every game.”
Susquehannock’s head coach said she’s trying to get the team to play as one unit. Her defense hasn’t been put to the test all season, so she’s still working on toughening them up.
“So, they have to use each other,” Sharon McLaughlin said. “You can’t just have one person dribbling down the field trying to get through lines of the other team, so the goal is to pass, and that’s what we’re trying to accomplish.
“We have been working really hard on staying spread out and passing so that there’s a lot of space on the field. They suck in, and there’s less space to play in. So, the goal is to get them to play their positions, stay spread out, and then pass. Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass.”
The Warriors have four back-to-back games from Monday, Oct. 10 to Thursday, Oct. 13. They play South Western, Northeastern, Dover, and York Suburban. McLaughlin predicted that York Suburban would be the most challenging.
“I’m just moving people around, so we see if we have the strongest people in the strongest places,” McLaughlin explained. “Our defense is not the strongest. It hasn’t needed to be the strongest, but we’re getting into a time where it does need to be the strongest.”
After defeating the Rams, the Warriors have earned their sixth shutout this season. Now, they have their sights set on their biggest target: postseason.
“Our goal is not this division,” McLaughlin said. “Our goal is to go postseason and do well in postseason. Obviously, we need to win.”
As for Kennard-Dale, they have games coming up against West York, Spring Grove, Hanover, and Northeastern.
Colvin said her girls played “phenomenally.” One improvement she would like to see is having them score.
“I’m so happy with how they played,” she said. “I felt like they had such great intensity and worked so well together.”
Warriors: 3
- Goals – Wojcik (2), Grim (1)
- Assists – 0
- Penalty Corners – 10
Rams: 0
- Goals – 0
- Assists – 0
- Penalty Corners – 4
