After winning the inaugural Conference 10 title, the Gloucester High School field hockey team added the first-ever 5A South Region crown to its growing list of achievements last week. The Lady Dukes, at 21-0, now have a state title in their sights.
The Gloucester girls faced Kellam in the regional semifinals on Nov. 6 at the National Training Center in Virginia Beach and found themselves in the unique position of being down, 3-0, at the half. Ultimately, the Dukes got their groove back and pulled out a 4-3 victory.
“We were stale and we were flat,” said Gloucester coach Mike Miller of his team’s first half play. Miller said his players may have been a bit intimidated by the fact that a win would send them to the state tournament. “I challenged them a bit at the half, reminded them of what got them here,” he said and the girls responded by stepping things up in the second half.
Courtnie Greene scored with an assist from Cassidy Goodwin to spark a Gloucester rally at about the 18-minute mark. Kayla Sadler added a second goal with an assist from Maddie Hutson and then tied it with an assist from Tori Harwood with 3:30 remaining.
Miller said the scoring rally put the opponents on their heels and the Kellam players began to bicker with each other. With less than two minutes remaining, Sadler struck the game winner, assisted by Hutson.
“It was probably the most exciting game I’ve ever seen, the most exciting I’ve ever been in,” Miller said. “Basically, we went after every loose ball. It was that kind of never-give-up attitude the girls have. So many people had hands in what we did that day. It was the ultimate team effort.”
With a state tourney bid in hand, the Dukes went on to beat Lee-Davis of Mechanicsville, 3-0, to take the regional title on Friday. Gloucester only allowed the opponents one shot on goal and one corner while earning 26 corners of their own.
“They packed the goal but we finally got some shots to go in. If you take enough shots, some are bound to go in,” Miller said of the failed Lee-Davis strategy of keeping two defenders in the cage with their goalie to prevent any Gloucester scoring.
Harwood was the first to get past the stacked goal protection for a 1-0 advantage at the half. In the second half, Greene scored with assistance from Harwood and Goodwin, and Goodwin scored the third goal unassisted. Miller said, once again, the Dukes had terrific playoff fan support.
He gave his players Monday off to catch up on some homework assignments but expected to be back at work Tuesday preparing for Orange County in the 5A tournament semifinals on Friday at the National Training Center. The Class 5A championship game is scheduled for noon on Saturday.