Local field hockey teams bow out quickly and quietly

By Arthur Utley
Published: November 11, 2009

History isn't on the side of the Central Region's representatives in the Virginia High School League Group AAA field hockey tournament.

It's been years since the region has had a team advance beyond the quarterfinals. Add another year. Region champion Thomas Dale fell to Lakeland (Suffolk), the Eastern Region runner-up, 2-0 yesterday at Maggie Walker Governor's School.

Cosby, the region runner-up and playing in the state tournament for the first time, had the misfortune of playing longtime power Frank Cox of Virginia Beach, the Eastern champion, on the turf at the National Training Center. The Titans (19-3-1) absorbed a 12-0 beating.

Thomas Dale has won the Central Region title four years in a row. It looked the part last week using quick passes, moving forward as a team and playing sound defense.

The Knights (16-2-1) didn't have the same comfort level yesterday.

"They were tough. They were quick and fast and put us under a lot of pres sure," Thomas Dale coach Beth Jaeckle said of the Cavaliers. "Nothing was easy. I think they took us out of our element. We were not playing our normal game. We were a little nervous, and I don't know why."

Lakeland (20-2) kept the ball in Thomas Dale's end throughout the first half but scored just once. Jennifer Hedrick pushed the ball past keeper Savannah Cummings 13:48 into the game.

Lakeland coach Tara Worley wanted another goal before the break.

"With just a one goal lead you leave them [opponent] in the game mentally," she said, "but you take them when you get them."

The cushion goal provided by Kelsey Smither came with 6:25 gone in the second half.

"I thought our kids adjusted," Worley said. "We play a cleaner game than we did today."

The Knights didn't have the ball much and didn't have many opportunities to strike.

"We were too defensive in the beginning trying to figure them out," Jaeckle said. "We couldn't keep an offensive possession going."