After an exciting 1-0 win over Glenbrook South last Thursday night, the Lake Forest Varsity Field Hockey Team placed second to New Trier Saturday for the State Championship game.
The 3rd-seeded Scouts and 1st-seeded Trevians battled it out for the third time this season. With New Trier winning the first two meetings in overtime, the Scouts sought to avoid a season sweep and become the new State Champions.
“Going into the game, we felt we were the only team in the state that could beat them,” said senior captain Lulu Keil. “We were incredibly motivated knowing that we could compete with a top ten team in the nation. We had so much momentum from our game on Thursday and left everything on the field.”
With an extensive history between the two teams, this State Championship game was no ordinary final. The Lake Forest bleachers were filled with supporters and boisterous chants from both fan bases that continued throughout the entire game. The tension between the Scouts and Trevians was felt by everyone in the stands, and the stakes of the game only amplified the intensity.
The Scouts started right where they left off on Thursday, putting together a strong defensive performance. Both teams exchanged scoring chances in the first quarter, but a corner penalty for the Scouts resulted in the game’s first goal, scored by senior Lilly Stewart. Momentum was with the Scouts early on, helping them close out the first quarter with a 1-0 lead.
Things looked great for the Scouts, but as expected, the Trevians weren’t going to lay down lightly. New Trier dominated the second quarter as they maintained possession for the majority of the 15 minute period.
The Scouts’ defense did their best to prevent the New Trier equalizer, but constant pressure resulted in a goal for the Trevians. Despite very little time of possession in the second quarter, Lake Forest held New Trier to only one goal. Going into halftime, the score was tied 1-1.
Similar to the start of the first half, each team began the second half with some scoring opportunities. It appeared the Scouts had quickly recovered from the New Trier-dominated quarter and were prepared to take back their lead. With solid play from either side for about ten minutes, a string of Trevian chances ultimately resulted in another goal, making the score 2-1 in favor of New Trier. As time expired in the third quarter, the Scouts found themselves in need of a goal to keep their State Champion hopes alive.
To open the fourth quarter, New Trier continued to out-possess the Scouts. However, with only a one goal lead, the Scouts still played with high intensity and great effort. Gaining back some momentum they had lost, Lake Forest put together a couple of good chances but were unable to convert. WIth about nine minutes left in the game, New Trier scored their third goal off a corner penalty, sealing the win for the Trevians.
By a score of 3-1, New Trier will remain as the reigning State Champions.
After the game, both teams were awarded with their trophy and medals for each individual player. Despite falling short of State Champions, Lake Forest is going to be a real contender in the years to come. With only seven of the 23 current players being seniors, state experience is nothing but beneficial to the young team.
As the players seek to improve before beginning their run next fall, team chemistry is already high, and that’s something only experience can teach. The team is excited to see how they will develop into an even bigger powerhouse by next season.
“We have a really solid group of current juniors and sophomores which will be very helpful next season. Even though we are losing some really talented seniors, we have a great group of returners who will continue to succeed,” said junior Campbell Gore.
