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01/01/2018 11:00 PMFollowing the graduation of All-American field hockey star Francesca Daniels, it would have been understandable if the Valley Regional field hockey squad took a step back in 2017. Instead, the Warriors finished with a better overall record by going 10-4-3-1, a mark that included a six-game unbeaten streak near the end of the season, to help the team earn the No. 2 seed in the Shoreline Conference Tournament. Valley went on to earn a 2-1 overtime win over Westbrook in the semis, before taking a 2-1 OT loss against North Branford in the final.
A lot of Valley’s success stemmed from key moves made by Head Coach Beth Powers to shore up the defense with experienced players who had formerly excelled on the attack. The Warriors were also bolstered by a strong core of returning sophomores who worked hard to get stronger and more skilled in between seasons.
Coach Powers was thrilled with the performance of her players this season. She knew they had potential, but didn’t expect them to realize it so soon.
“My talented sophomore class put in a ton of hard work after their freshman season. They improved their skills dramatically, and it was a huge reason we were successful,” said Powers. “When they stepped on the field as freshmen, I could see that many of them could be talented players, but seeing that and having it come to fruition immediately doesn’t always happen.”
The Warriors also displayed their selflessness throughout the campaign. Coach Powers said her athletes are more concerned with the team’s success than any individual statistics.
“My group is really selfless. I don’t have people complain about where they’re playing. It’s not like everyone wants to be the left wing, so they score all the goals,” Powers said. “They are concerned with success as a unit. They work really hard together to raise their individual play, as well as everyone around them.”
The Warriors’ selflessness started at the top with the team captains like senior Emily Peterson, who didn’t hesitate when Powers asked her to move back to defense after playing on the attack for the previous three years. Peterson, who captained the team alongside fellow seniors Ellen Flynn and Caitlin Smith, received Valley’s Most Valuable Player Award and was named to the All-Shoreline Conference First Team.
“She’s super quick and really hard to the ball. She played right wing and floater for three years and moved back to attacking center defense. It was a very selfless move,” said Powers. “Rarely do you get an attacker to move back to defender, but as a goaltender, I tell my players that promotion on the field is moving backward not forward. Defense wins championships.”
Another athlete who earned All-Shoreline Conference First Team honors for the Warriors was freshman Tory Rider, who won Valley’s High Scorer Award. Powers said that Rider was an integral part of the offense and a joy to have on the squad.
“Aside from Franny Daniels, I have never seen a freshman who took to the game as quickly as Tory. Her skills are still developing, but she just has a great nose to be in the right place at the right time,” said Coach Powers. “She’s unselfish and knows when the pass is the right move instead of the shot. Underneath all that is a wisdom that you can’t teach...Her off-ball movement is outstanding, and she’ll go in there nose first and elbows flying to try to score a goal. She’s a tough kid, super humble, super sweet, and first to volunteer to help out with anything.”
Among the other award winners for the Warriors was All-Shoreline Conference Second Team sweeper junior Olivia Kohlmer, who set a great example for her teammates with her work ethic and a quiet confidence.
“She’s skilled, talented, and quiet. She’s steady and has fantastic footwork,” Powers said of Kohlmer. “I like to think she provides a calming effect on defense...She participates in everything during the offseason to improve her game. She sets a fantastic example for the other kids. She leads by doing.”
Another key component of Valley’s defense was junior Mia Cost, who was the team’s starting goalkeeper. Cost garnered All-Shoreline Honorable Mention, as well as the Warriors’ Best Defender Award. Coach Powers said that Cost had a fantastic year in the cage and deserved all the recognition she received.
“She had an outstanding season with 10 shutouts,” said Powers. “That’s a good season by anybody’s standards. I felt it was important to recognize that.”
Junior Annie Cooper made the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team and also earned Valley’s Team Before Self Award. Cooper was not only an important player on the field for the Warriors, but off the field, she spearheaded an effort to support teammate Leah Bargnesi and her sister Lana, who is undergoing cancer treatments. Cooper suggested the Warriors put together activity baskets for the Bargnesi siblings, so they would have fun things to do together as Lana receives those treatments.
“She came to me with the idea to do something while the team wore yellow ribbons in our hair for most of the season to let Leah know we were supporting Lana. That was not a small undertaking, and she did a beautiful job,” said Coach Powers. “Sometimes it’s not what happens on the field...It’s important to me that these girls remember that there are bigger things in the world than high school sports. For every team I ever have, nothing is more satisfying to me than to have well-rounded young ladies to come out the other side.”
Other Warriors who earned All-Shoreline Honorable Mention were sophomores Riley Millburne, Kate O’Brien, Ruby O’Lynnger, and Elena Peterlik. Even with all the accolades her team received, what stood out most to Powers this season was the way her players supported each other and the compassion they showed for one another. A great example of that was when Powers’s athletes accompanied her to a memorial for former Haddam-Killingworth field hockey Head Coach Patsy Kamerica, who passed away in November. Powers is an H-K field hockey alum who played for Kamercia at the high school.
“I’d like to thank the team for coming with me to Patsy Kamercia’s memorial,” said Powers. “That was a very difficult day for me, and I want to thank them for their support.”
As for the future of the squad, Coach Powers knows the Warriors have another key athlete graduating in Peterson, but given the way they responded this season, she’s hopeful that her team will come back strong again in 2018.
“Moving forward, Emily Peterson will be a gigantic hole to fill, yet my heart is at peace because I know we can do this,” Powers said. “I don’t think we’ll necessarily be more talented. I feel good that if we can remain injury free, we can have a good run next year, as well.”
From the Sidelines
• The 2017 Valley Regional field hockey varsity roster included senior captains Ellen Flynn, Emily Peterson, and Caitlin Smith; fellow senior Caroline Crowell; juniors Annie Cooper, Mia Cost, Olivia Kohlmer, and Francesca Pisanzio; sophomores Iris Chirinos, Jill Devongh, Charlotte Marsden, Riley Millburne, Kate O’Brien, Ruby O’Lynnger, Olivia Pelkey, Elena Peterlik, and Grace Proctor; and freshmen Leah Bargnesi and Tory Rider.
• Beth Powers finished her 12th season as head coach for the Warriors, and her assistant coach is Randy Netsch.
• Valley’s regular-season wins came against Old Saybrook (1-0 in OT, 1-0), Stafford (4-2), Somers (6-0, 4-0), East Lyme (3-0), Waterford (2-1), and Haddam-Killingworth (2-0). The Warriors’ losses were versus North Branford (2-0, 4-2) and Morgan (2-1). The Warriors also played to a pair of ties with Westbrook (0-0, 0-0) and another tie with Morgan (1-1).
• In the Shoreline Conference Tournament, the Warriors posted a 2-1 overtime victory over Westbrook in the semifinals and then took a 2-1 loss to North Branford in the final.
• In the Class S State Tournament, Valley lost a 2-0 decision to Canton in the first round.