By Angela Watts
Assistant General Manager, Washington D.C.
** Click the
links on the top left, above the video, to access a photo gallery and video
highlights from both Northern Region semifinal games. Also, look below the story
for a full list of the all-Northern Region honorees.
The Styrofoam cups — as has become the tradition– were stuck through the fence high above the fields at Oakton High School Monday night, spelling out the phrase:
“Final 4.”
But what all four teams participating in the Northern Region field hockey semifinals desperately wanted was to be one of the last two standing.
That honor went to Lake Braddock and Westfield, who won their respective semifinal games to not only advance to Wednesday night’s championship game but also, more importantly, earn a berth in the upcoming Virginia AAA state tournament.
The Bruins did so by defeating Annandale, 2-0, to avenge their only loss of the season; the Bulldogs moved on with a 1-0 victory over South County.
Lake Braddock (21-1 overall) last appeared in the state tournament in 2002; Westfield (19-3) in 2006.
“I’m so excited for them because these kids, particularly the five
seniors who have been on this team since they were sophomores, they have done everything for this program in the last three years ,” Bruins’ Coach Diane Miller said of three-year players Laura Brodner, Ann Marie Gambescia, Katie Klatt, Sarah Morehouse and Annie Stephens. “They have talked about this since last year, saying how badly they wanted to go to the state tournament. So I’m happy for all the girls, but those five, in particular.
“I’m just thrilled. I’m speechless, really.”
Lake Braddock controlled the ball — and the tempo — throughout the game, spending nearly all of its time working in front of Annandale’s cage. The Bruins got their first score off one of 11 corners on the night on a shot by Gambescia in the first half, and added an insurance goal in the second half at the stick of senior midfielder Mackensy Medlin.
It was a much closer game on the adjacent field, where Westfield scored off a corner just two minutes into the game when senior midfielder Kat Kendrick fed senior midfielder Kayla German for the shot. The Bulldogs were able to stave off several Stallion shots late to seal the victory.
“It’s a good boost for your confidence to score that quickly, but you’re always hesitant, too,” Bulldogs’ Coach Terri Towle said. “You don’t want everybody to let down at that point because you have another 55 minutes left to play and there is a lot that can happen in that amount of time. So that’s always one of our goals, to try and score first.
“But our defense is very tough, and we’ve been playing smarter and just been getting stronger each game. I’m very proud of our effort tonight.”
Email: awatts@digitalsports.com
All-Northern Region Honorees
First Team
MF Mary Beth Barham, Sr., W.T. Woodson; F Hope Barrazotto, Jr., Yorktown; F Laura Brodner, Sr., Lake Braddock; F Lisa Charney, Sr., Fairfax; D Kelsey Clark, Jr., Washington-Lee; GK Amanda Crider, Jr., Marshall; D Kelly Crider, Jr., Marshall; MF Maddy Curry, Sr., Westfield; F Jessie Gonzalez, Sr., West Springfield; F Haili Hartman, Jr., Centreville; MF Shelley Hoath, Sr., Mount Vernon; MF Katie Klatt, Sr., Lake Braddock; MF Pilar Lopez-Gomez, Sr., Oakton; MF Shelly Montgomery, Jr., W.T. Woodson; D Nadya Muchoney, Sr., Thomas Jefferson; MF Chrissy Radloff, Sr., Yorktown; MF Megan Rea, Sr., South County; MF Olivia Shipley, Jr., Yorktown; MF Annie Stephens, Sr., Lake Braddock; MF/F Shelby Storosh, Sr., Fairfax.
Second Team
D Erica Binzer, Soph., South County; F Rachel Browning, Jr., West Potomac; D Libbie Dean, Sr., Yorktown; MF Rose Dodge, Sr., Washington-Lee; MF Elisa Enriquez, Jr., McLean; MF Julia Fiorio, Sr., Edison; F Ann Marie Gambescia, Sr., Lake Braddock; MF Becca Geist, Sr., W.T. Woodson; F Abigail Jones, Sr., Herndon; MF Kat Kendrick, Sr., Westfield; F Sophie Laas-Nesbitt, Soph., Robinson; F Bailey McDade, Jr., Fairfax; D Kellie McDonald, Sr., Chantilly; MF Chrissy Meoni, Sr., Marshall; F Bobbie Pelham-Webb, Sr., Thomas Jefferson; GK Mariah Peters, Sr., West Springfield; F Jaime Pritchard, Sr., W.T. Woodson; D Alex Richland, Sr., Stuart; D Amy Steinbuechler, Sr., Annandale; D Molly Wolford, Jr., Washington-Lee.
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