The Gloucester High School field hockey team posted wins on Monday and Tuesday, winning its eighth game in a row to keep the momentum going into the playoffs.
The Dukes defeated Richmond’s Saint Gertrude High School, 7-0, on the road Monday. Gloucester outshot them, 34-5, and earned 13 penalty corners to their three.
Peyton Sutton led the team in goals with three followed by Mackenzi Reece with two and Ayelu Mason and Reese Miller chipping in one. The score was 2-0 at halftime and then the Dukes poured it on after some adjustments and scored four in the third.
Miller, Charlotte Houtz, Reece, Hannah Symonds, Chloe West and Aaliyah Mattocks were credited with assists.
Addy Zabicki and Aurora Duffie shared duties in goal with Duffie earning four saves.
Then the Dukes celebrated their seniors by defeating Heritage High School, 12-0, on Tuesday. This pushed the Dukes over the century mark in goals on the season with 108.
During the game, those credited with goals were Miller, Houtz, Reece, Mary VanFossen, McKayla Clark, Caroline Klink, Maddie Kadel, Zabicki and Hailee Johnston with her first career goal. West led the assist effort with three.
They outshot the Hurricane, 38-0, and held a 10-1 advantage in penalty corners.
The celebrated seniors were Miller, Reece, Kaylee Hall, Abby Junker, Klink, Clark, Duffie, Kadel, VanFossen, West and manager Mady Roady.
“Thank you for all of the wonderful years of memories,” said head coach Joe Dougherty.
Last week, the GHS girls posted wins over Phoebus (16-0), Menchville (3-1) and St. Catherine’s (1-0).
During the Phoebus Pink Out game on Oct. 15, Miller scored her 103rd career goal breaking the all-time record at GHS. She did so in her 71st career game. The team had 14 different scores in the game with Ryleigh Jeffrey and Emily Farrar scoring their first career goals. Peyton Sutton and Mason each scored twice. Miller led the team with four assists followed by Sutton with three. They outshot the Phantoms, 63-0.
The following day, in the next match of the week, they played Peninsula District rival Menchville and won, 3-1. Reece scored twice and Abby Junker added the third goal. Houtz assisted on each goal with Miller collecting one. They controlled the tempo of the game with the midfield and the defense was solid with Junker, McKayla Clark, Caroline Klink and Ellary Miller holding the Monarchs at bay.
The St. Catherine’s game last Thursday was a high-intensity game with a playoff atmosphere. The team has come very far in the past four weeks coming together. Though it was scoreless until early in the fourth quarter, they found a way to put the ball in the back of the net with a breakaway goal by Reece from an assist from Miller. Addy Zabicki played extremely well in the goal making six saves.
The team’s record stands at 14-2 and only one regular season game left at Woodside where they hope to earn their 16th straight Peninsula District championship. They will open up regional play at home on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at home, beginning at 7 p.m. The opponent will be determined next Wednesday at GHS.