This might be the toughest Top 10 I’ve ever had to cobble together. Since this weekly feature began in 2001 when this site was hosted by Yahoo, it’s been very easy to compare every other team in America to the field hockey team playing at Coffins Corner just off Route 561 in Voorhees, N.J. But Eastern High School went 0-2 at the National High School Invitational. And it is a measure of the amazing and consistent excellence of 23 years’ worth of Viking teams that the two defeats were, numerically, the most lopsided since at least 1998.
But instead of being sad about Eastern’s fall back to the pack of teams looking to win the state’s Group IV title, one should be glad The Eastern Era happened. We saw greatness on offense (Ryleigh Heck, Austyn Cuneo) and greatness on defense (Lori Hillman, Alana Barry). We saw greatness in the Olympics with Rachel Dawson, and we also saw what we think are the most members of an immediate family to be capped for a United States national team, as Sarah, Meghan, and Natalie Dawson also proudly wore the American shirt in competition.
There will be great players and teams coming from Gibbsboro, Berlin, and Voorhees again. I think there will be people who will take the results over the weekend, ponder them in their hearts, and use them as motivation to ascend greater heights.
Our RightToRightIsRight.com honorary No. 11 Team of the Week is Lafayette College. The Easton, Pa. college started playing field hockey 50 autumns ago, and has three major trophies to show: the ECAC Division I championship in 1990, 1992, and 1993. This past week, the Leopards defeated their highest-ranked opponent in program history when they beat No. 7 Princeton 3-2 in overtime. And just one thing to add: one of the Lafayette goals was scored by Eastern graduate Sydney Woolston.
1. Delmar (Del.) 6-0
In beating Milford (Del.), Delmar went out to a five-goal lead in a shade in under ten minutes, playing extraordinary hockey. The Wildcats have Dover (Del.) and Selbyville Indian River (Del.) this week
2. Emmaus (Pa.) 12-0
Hornets have Bethlehem LIberty (Pa.) today, then take on Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) this Saturday in what could be a game for the ages if the remnants of Hurricane Ian don’t interfere
3. Pottstown Hill School (Pa.) 7-0
Hill is for real, people. Jennifer Weissbach has her team taking hints from North Caldwell West Essex (N.J.), from which she graduated. And, as it turns out, Hill takes on the Knights on Saturday, weather permitting
4. Houston Kinkaid (Tex.) 8-0
The Falcons ran through the National High School Invitational with a 3-0 record. Their reward? A meeting with Houston St. John’s (Tex.) this Thursday
5. Palmyra (Pa.) 9-0-1
Cougars got by San Diego Torrey Pines (Calif.) 2-1 at the NHSI, and Mechanicsburg (Pa.) looms today
6. Richmond Trinity Episcopal (Va.) 9-1
In a meeting of two strong Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association sides, Trinity shut out St. Anne’s-Belfield (Va.) 4-0 to close out the week
7. Norfolk (Va.) Academy 7-2
Norfolk Academy’s only defeats were to Trinity and to Hill. They’ll participate in the Ring of Honor tournament in two weeks
8. Mechanicsburg (Pa.) 7-2
The Wildcats showed up and showed out at the NHSI, beating Eastern 4-0 and Malvern Great Valley (Pa.) 2-1; but the league shows up again this evening with a matchup against Palmyra
9. San Diego Canyon Hills (Calif.) 13-0
The Rattlers won the Laurie Berger Invitational with a 1-0 victory over San Diego Scripps Ranch (Calif.) This followed wins over Huntington Beach Edison (Calif.) and Poway (Calif.) in the upper bracket
10. Northport (N.Y.) 9-0
The Tigers got an early goal from Julia Cavallo and the lead lasted for 58 minutes in a win over Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.); next Monday’s game with East Setauket Ward Melville (N.Y.) should be their sternest test
11. Lafayette College 3-7
Friday, Lehigh makes the trip over from Bethlehem in a key Patriot League tilt
Who’s out: Voorhees Eastern (N.J.) 4-0 loss to Mechanicsburg (Pa.) and 7-1 loss to Ann Arbor Skyline (Mich.); Kingston Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 4-1 loss to Houston Kinkaid (Tex.); Woolwich Kingsway (N.J.) 3-2 OT loss to Norfolk (Va.) Academy
And bear in mind: Denver Colorado Academy (Colo.) 9-1, Lewes Cape Henlopen (Del.) 5-0, Watertown (Mass.) 7-0, Summit Oak Knoll (N.J.) 5-2, Woolwich Kingsway (N.J.) 7-1, Shrub Oak Lakeland (N.Y.) 9-0-1, Hershey (Pa.), Hummelstown Lower Dauphin (Pa.) 6-1-1
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