After a successful regular season, the Lake Forest Varsity Field Hockey Team finished with a 16-6-1 record. With a number of big wins this season against Loyola Academy and a tie against the reigning champs in Glenbrook South, the Scouts have their eyes set on a State Championship.
The Scouts have played games against opponents that they will hopefully see in playoffs. They played in two games last week against Glenbrook South and Loyola Academy after seeding games were complete, and were able to get a look at potential future matchups. By playing those two tough opponents, the Scouts are well prepared for the upcoming playoffs while also finding their rhythm late in the season.
“We are super prepared. We have played each team that we have a chance of seeing in the playoffs, so we know how to prepare for what they do,” said senior captain Lulu Keil.
The Scouts have gained a lot of momentum towards the end of the season, and have been playing very well. They had a winning streak at the end of their season before seeding ended and were playing some of their best field hockey. Building off of the momentum from the end of the season will be a key for the Scouts to succeed.
“It is definitely challenging to maintain momentum after having a successful season but I am confident in our shared determination and strong work ethic,” said senior captain Maeve Farrell.
The Scouts were also able to get a look at New Trier during the year, and the Trevians were the only opponent in Illinois that took the Scouts to overtime the whole season. The Scouts are looking to use these games as stepping stones to help them compete for a State Championship. Knowing that they can keep it close with one of the best teams in the state gives the Scouts hope as they near their playoff run.
“We’re expecting to make it to the State Finals. We are the only team who has taken the number 1 ranked team and number 2 ranked team in the state to overtime. We are confident that when we play them a third time we can beat them,” said senior captain Ryan Rice.
Due to the team being younger this year, they had to make a lot of adjustments early on. They were able to find a system that works for them and tried some things out towards the end of the season. They have been able to succeed with their early adjustments and have not had too much trouble figuring out their scheme.
“Luckily for us, we are not making a ton of changes to our scheme going into playoffs. We will add some team specific wrinkles as we go through the tournament in terms of defensive play and corner play, but all our major changes were done earlier in the season,” said Head Coach Cat Catanzaro.
The Scouts play in their sectional game on Wednesday at 5:30 at Antioch High School against Highland Park. The Scouts are ready to make a deep playoff run and compete for a State Championship.
