As the junior varsity field hockey team takes the field, there is an air of anticipation for the game ahead. They jog a half-lap around the field, then stretch and grab their sticks. The team begins a passing drill to warm up. Clack! Clack! Clack! The bright orange ball zooms between players. The two goalies start to put on their gear, then go to the goal. The team continues to warm up their passing then they move on to shooting for the last 10 minutes before the game. With two minutes until the start of the game, they all go to the sideline to grab a sip of water and huddle up. Then it’s game time.

Due to COVID restrictions, all sports seasons were shortened this year, including field hockey. This season, the team won three out of their four games, losing only to B-CC, 2-0. The three games the team won were all shutouts because of excellent goalkeeping and defending. 

The team was split evenly between freshmen and sophomores, meaning that most of the team’s players had never played together before. Nonetheless, the team was able to bond. “While improving skills and playing in competitions are certainly important and fun elements of the season, the community that is built amongst the team is what I am most proud of,” head coach and math teacher Madison Averill said.

The team played their first home game on Mar. 19, against Whitman, where they won 1-0. On Mar. 23, they lost an away game against B-CC, and two days after that, the team beat Sherwood 3-0. According to the Wootton Athletics Website, freshman Katelyn Ahn, sophomore Ella Lizondo and sophomore Samantha Goldberg all scored in the Sherwood victory.

Goldberg was the leading scorer on the team, scoring half of the team’s six goals. She scored one goal in each of the three wins the team had. “I couldn’t have done it without the great passes from my teammates,” Goldberg said.

While winning the majority of their games, the team had fun along the way. Players got to know each other well as they battled against other teams in games and worked hard in practices. “When I was a student at Wootton, I played field hockey and many of my teammates remain my close friends today. It is very exciting to see similar relationships being built within the current team,” Averill said

Next season, the team hopes to play a more regular season with more games and more fans. The new class of freshmen next season will provide a challenge for the upcoming sophomores who will lead the team next year. “This season was really fun, and I’m excited to see how the team is next year,” freshman Taylor Auth said.