While it’s still very early in the session, the Gloucester High School field hockey team appears to be starting off on the right foot. 

“We have the right players, the right attitude and desire to get better,” said head coach Mike Miller. The team will be gunning for a return to the state tournament. Last year, the Lady Dukes made it to the state semifinal game, falling to Deep Run, 3-2, in overtime.

Miller, in his 11th year with Gloucester, anticipates the most threatening competition of the season to be Nansemond River and the classic rival of the Dukes field hockey team, Menchville.

Other district teams are at a disadvantage because they graduated many senior varsity players, whereas Gloucester only lost four. All of the major players for the Dukes have been playing together for a year and the starting lineup has only changed by two players, one of which is the goalie.

There are 23 players on the varsity squad and 17 on JV.

GHS was home to the largest pre...