NEHS field hockey set for more success

BY: Sean Moylan Sports Writer
    Since coming into the league in 2001, Patti Nicholson’s New Egypt High varsity field hockey team has dominated the Freedom Division by winning six league titles. Moreover, from 2003 to 2005, the Warriors were Central Jersey Group I champs and the team won the state championship in 2005. Last season the Warriors fell to Haddonfield (which has since gone back up to Group II) in the sectional semi-finals.
    Although New Egypt posted a stellar 10-4-2 record and recorded its 100th all-time win last year, 2007 was considered to be a slightly “off” year by the Warriors’ incredibly high standards. But this season, Nicholson has put together a talented senior-laden lineup which could end up frustrating the rest of the Freedom Division. And New Egypt, once again, should battle it out with Holy Cross for the league title.
    As of Monday night, Nicholson had not picked a starting team but that’s not too unusual. Nicholson is a master at mixing and matching players to always put the best possible team on the field.
    “I’m still looking for my right combination,” said Nicholson, who planned on using yesterday’s scrimmage versus Burlington Township to select her starting lineup. “Scrimmages are for coaching. I try different combinations to see who my starters are.”
    While no official starters have been selected, New Egypt does have nine seniors who should get varsity plenty of playing time this season. Jessie Bernstein, a team captain, Brandi Smith and Lindsay Mann are senior forwards. The club’s senior midfielders are Lauren Siegelski and Laura Sandford, who are both captains as well. 12th grader Caitlin Kelleher is also a team captain who can play in the midfield or as a goalie. Stephanie Partyka, Kaci Hopkins and Kristen Coyne are senior defenders. Coyne, a team captain, has a torn ACL. Smith led the Warriors in scoring last year and Nicholson is expecting another big season out of her in 2008.
    “I like all three of my senior defenders (Coyne, Partyka and Hopkins),” added Nicholson.
    New Egypt is also returning its starting goalie from last year, junior Katie Francis, who is the only underclassman to be selected as a team captain. But she is that good. Junior Andie Fennimore will be used as a back and a midfielder.
    The sophomore players who made the varsity team are Gianna Andruela (forward), Kayla Soles ( forward), Karly Ossowski (midfielder), Emily Bausher (midfielder/forward) and Nicole Coyne (midfielder).
    “I have a nice bunch of seniors, but for them to be successful they’ll have to play well and develop chemistry with the sophomores,” said Nicholson.
    As for team goals, Nicholson leaves it up to her players to set them. The Warriors, however, always have high expectations. Nicholson will be assisted by Joy Kubilewicz and goalie coach Sara Bouroult. Katie Nicholson coaches the Warriors’ freshmen team along with Kubilewicz.
    In recent years, there has been a disturbing trend where junior varsity squads, the backbone of most varsity teams, have been disappearing because of budget cuts.
    Nicholson, who teaches at New Egypt’s middle school, was very pleased to see 52 girls go out for the middle school field hockey team this year. However, she is upset that roughly half of those girls won’t be able to play competitive (against other schools) middle school field hockey this season because New Egypt will only field a varsity team this year, and only 7th and 8th graders can try out for it.
    “The kids want to play field hockey,” said Nicholson.
    And while Nicholson believes that middle school field hockey should be mostly about kids learning skills and having fun, there is also important team bonding that starts as early as middle school. In fact, when Nicholson’s current group of senior players were eighth graders, she used to have lunch with them every everyday. Those girls are great friends till this day and they now form the core of Nicholson’s great varsity team.
    “They are a very close-knit group of seniors,” said Nicholson, who wants to make sure the interest in playing field hockey remains high in New Egypt.
    Look for New Egypt to have another great season. The Warriors are scheduled to open their regular season with a league game at Burlington City on Friday.