Ix and Team Pittsburgh lost 2-0 to Team Harrisburg on Saturday afternoon.
HUMMELSTOWN — The wind was swirling and the temperature was bone-chilling. But none of that mattered to her 200 senior students who gathered at Lower Dauphin Middle School on Saturday for the inaugural Female Athlete News PA Field Hockey Senior Cup.
Eleven Sentinel-area athletes will participate in the event, which is scheduled to conclude with the championship game Sunday at 1 p.m. They were spread out among his three teams, Harrisburg, Hershey, and Pittsburgh, as part of an eight-team field categorized by East and West designations.
“It’s really an honor,” said Team Harrisburg defender Kylee Reiff of Boiling Springs. “The fact that you get to be selected as one of the best players out of your high school and get to play with the best players is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm really grateful to all the players out there. … It was really great. I'll never forget it.”
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Below we take a look at how the FAN Senior Cup was held and what it means for the players.
make history
FAN founder Jana Benscoter hatched the idea for the Senior Cup in September 2022, piggybacking on the concept of the annual Big 33 Football Classic, an all-star game for high school seniors. After a conversation with Donna Stevenson, president of the Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches Association, last year, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.
“That's how I grew up, that's what I know,” Benscoter said. “So I just want to share that with other people. I know that feeling. I know that atmosphere. I've been around this game since the early '80s, right after I was born. And this community has always served a purpose in my life. 'In some way, shape or form. That's why I love the game, but it's about being able to provide opportunities now as an adult. I think, “Why wouldn't you? These girls deserve it. That's what they gave me, and that's what they gave me.'' I want to give it to them. ”
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With the Society's blessing, Benscoter sent out other tentacles. Lower Dauphin stepped in as a host site. Coaches from all over the Commonwealth expressed interest in leading the team. And many people behind the scenes who help with communications, hospitality and officiating pledged their contributions.
FAN distributed invitations to players in January and finalized the list of coaches. Players had until early February to accept invitations before rosters were finalized.
“I received some text messages and pictures of the athletes and they were all smiles,” Benscoter said earlier in the week. “All that matters to me is that they are at the center of the issue and that they are excited.”
How does it work?
The East and West regions each consist of four teams. On Saturday afternoon, each club faced opponents from two divisions, with crossover competition beginning in the evening. The team with the best record in each division qualified for Sunday's title.
Each contest lasted 50 minutes and was divided into a first half and a second half.
“I think it's really great to play with a bunch of seniors from all over,” Redlands Team Pittsburgh midfielder Ashley Doyle said. But now that I'm playing with some of them, it's nice to be with rivals from the same team and see how they play for the final shot. . ”
In between games, players practiced passing and dribbling on the boundaries between both fields. A food truck was also set up outside the main gate, giving players and their families a place to relax while watching the game.
Each team hosted practices and scrimmages prior to Saturday.
“We had a really good practice,” Mechanicsburg Team Harrisburg forward Callie Schober said. “We had to scrimmage and we also had to learn who is best suited where on the field to win games. But the most important thing is to improve your skills and have fun at the same time.”
what it means
Sentinel Area athletes felt a range of emotions as they took to the field Saturday. The most common one was a feeling of pride, but many used the platform in hopes of promoting the sport.
“I can only be here for one game, but for me PA is the pinnacle of American sports, so it was very important to me to be here for one game,” Reiff said. “But I want little girls to come here and watch us play and think, 'Oh my God, I want to be like them.'” I want people to play field hockey. We want to encourage you to play. ”
Some forged new friendships and competed alongside future college teammates. Many grabbed the opportunity to represent their high school one last time.
“I think it’s important for me to represent Redlands in a way,” Doyle said. “It's to show the underclassmen in our school that you can look forward to doing this when you're a senior. Just keep climbing, keep growing, keep playing the sport you love.”
Photo: Mechanicsburg Field Hockey Blank, Redlands vs. Keystone
Mechanicsburg's Mary Olivetti (left) passes the ball around Redlands' Izzy Hockenberry during the first quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium. Pass.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Avery Rutter, left, swings the ball around Redlands' Ashley Doyle during the first quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium. control.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Alana Shimp passes the ball down the field during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Keystone's field hockey game against Redlands Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg front desk Kate Engle carries the ball around Redlands' Maddie Eisner during the first quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Redlands' Josie Ickx, right, takes a shot on goal during the first quarter of Mid-Penn Keystone's field hockey game against Mechanicsburg at Westshore Stadium earlier this season.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Redlands' Ashley Doyle (right) stops Mechanicsburg's Kate Engle during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Redlands' Emma Harris (front) in front of Mechanicsburg's Avery Rutter (back) during the first quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium. Pass the ball.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Redlands' Chelsea Carpenter (left) flies the ball in front of Mechanicsburg's Liberty Olivetti (right) during the second quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Maddie Fishel (center) creates space around Redlands' Peyton Baumbach during the first quarter of the Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium. looking for.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Mary Olivetti (left) and Redlands' Chelsea Carpenter (right) compete for the ball during the second quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Avery Rutter (right) celebrates after scoring a goal in the second quarter of Mid-Penn Keystone's field hockey game against Redlands on Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Redlands center Ashley Doyle drives the ball down the field during the second quarter of Mid-Penn Keystone's field hockey game against Mechanicsburg on Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Mechanicsburg's Kate Engle (right) as Redlands' Maddie Eisner (right) applies pressure during the second quarter of a Mid-Penn Keystone field hockey game Wednesday night at Westshore Stadium. The front line) is looking for an open teammate to pass the ball to.
Jason Marmont, Sentinel
Christian Eby is a sports reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com. Contact him at ceby@cumberlink.com or follow him on Twitter. @eby_sports
