Raiders Field Hockey Team Ends Amazing Season at the States

For the first time since 1996, the Scarsdale High School Field Hockey team made it to the New York State Class A finals. The team's road to states began when they won their section quarterfinal and semi-final games, bringing them to the Section 1 finals against Mamaroneck on November 1st. After earning this win, the team went on to the regional finals facing Kingston on November 5th. This regional win brought the team to the state tournament, entering into the state semifinals against section 3's Baldwinsville on November 12th in Binghamton. The team continued their momentum by winning this game, leading to the state finals on November 13th against Shenendehowa. In New York State field hockey, unlike other sports, a team's season is over no matter the outcome of the state final game. A state winner does not go on to play other state champions, so the team ended their amazing run on Sunday the 13th in Binghamton.

Sophomore Emma Schwartz, who scored the second goal in Scarsdale's 2-0 field hockey section win against Mamaroneck on November 1, attributed the energy on the field and the team's preparation to the Raider's success. "We had great energy on the field, and the crowd was really motivating. We have been working really hard all season in preparation for Mamaroneck. We were ready." Feeding off of energy from the crowd, the Raiders were able to dominate a high stakes game against the 2015 state champs. According to Junior Audrey Shaev, the turning point in the game came when Captain Erin Nicholas scored the first goal of the game with no time left in the first half. "After Erin scored, we gained so much momentum which propelled us through the rest of the game. After that, we made sure to keep the pressure on Mamo."

Going into the regional game on 11/5, Shaev noted that the squad was motivated by one word, "States". "We all knew that we were capable of getting there. We had to go onto the field with the confidence to win." The Raiders showed their confidence through their impressive play, defeating Section 9's Kingston 5-0. This win catapulted them to the NYS Semi-Finals at Binghamton. The team displayed their well roundedness and overall strength when four of the total five goals were scored by the squad's two freshman players, Sophia Franco and Liz Scarcella. Franco, who got pulled up to the varsity team for post season play, scored her first goal with just five minutes gone in the game. Scarcella scored another early goal assisted by Nicholas. The two also had goals in the second half, Nicholas putting the icing on the cake with the fifth goal. Another notable contribution to the regional title was the second shutout in a row by the Raider's stellar defense, led by Senior Captain Emma Coleman, Senior Angie Burns, and Junior Goalie Lila Horwood. Freshman Scarcella mentioned that the feeling of playing and succeeding in such an important game was "indescribable". "It felt amazing to be a part of a team that got to go to States. Our team proved our hard work and skill just by making it to Binghamton."

Junior Shaev, who was unable to play in the states because due to an injury in the regional game, said that the for the state semi final game on Saturday 11-12 against Baldwinsville the Raiders were filled with more energy and "positivity" than for any of their previous games this season. "It was such an important game, and we knew we needed to step up". The game went into double overtime, with several momentum shifts throughout regulation play. Emma Schwartz's goal with 5 minutes gone in the half, assisted by Nicholas, contributed to Raider dominance early in the game. A second goal scored by Sophia Franco, also assisted by Nicholas, added to the team's lead. A fast break goal by Baldwinsville challenged Scarsdale's momentum, but strong defense by Emma Coleman and Lila Horwood kept the score to 2-1 at the half. With just four minutes left in regulation time, Baldwinsville put the ball in the net to tie it up, ultimately leading to overtime. Seven players from each team are chosen to take the field in overtime, as opposed to 11 during regulation play. Because of the tight defense on both sides, the game headed into double overtime. Erin Nicholas scored the winning goal in overtime, catapulting the girls to the Class A state finals. Scarcella noted that "Although we were all tired, I could tell that no one was going to quit and that we were all going to play to the very end".

The Raiders left all of their effort on the field during Sunday's final game against Shenendehowa, when this incredible season came to an end. Shenendehowa took advantage of their opportunities during the first half, leading by two goals off of their five shots. Scarsdale, who did not take a shot during the first half, was led by Goalie Lila Horwood and her five saves. The Raiders played strong offense and defense in the second half, forcing Shenendehowa to take multiple timeouts. Erin Nicholas scored her final field hockey goal as a Scarsdale Raider with seconds left in the game, making the final score 2-1. The Raiders fell to Shenendehowa, who are now the reigning Class A State Champions. Freshman Scarcella and Franco described the loss as "Especially hard on our team, but we took it well and showed our sportsmanship. By accepting the loss, we are motivated to work harder and make it back to states next season".

Saying goodbye to several talented seniors is never easy for a team. Nicholas, who has been a strong presence on the field since her freshman year, will continue her field hockey career at Middlebury next fall. She will finish off her Scarsdale sports career by playing ice hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the spring. Several more of the team members are all season athletes. Emma Coleman, the key to the team's defense, will play basketball in the winter and lacrosse in the spring. Jilly Mehlman, whose speed has helped the Raider dominate this season, will run track at Yale in the fall. She continues to run track in the winter, playing lacrosse in the spring. Angie Burns, another key part of the defensive squad, will play lacrosse in the spring, along with Hayley Panessa. Several teammates have attributed the team's success to their cohesiveness on and off the field. "We have been such a close knit team throughout the season. That is the reason why it's so fun to have had as much success as we did". Keeping this mentality, the team is proud of their state finalist title and the ability to come back even stronger next season.