By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
Coming off a 9-11 season from which it will return eight starters that are now seniors, the Northern Burlington High School field hockey team seems poised to be very successful.
“We have eight returning senior starters, so we should be very competitive,” Northern Burlington Coach Joanne Hensch said.
Northern Burlington should start a total of nine seniors. Only Jess Petz, the goalie, is a junior. So if this group is going to have a really successful season at Northern Burlington, now is the time.
The senior starters are Lauren Pigott (attack/mid), Jess Kotelnicki (attack/Mid), Michelle Ghaul (attack), Carli DiCioccio (attack), Dana Stefanoni (attack), Kate Pagnotta (attack/back), Ashley Kendall (back), Hillary Moore (mid/back) and Meg Clark (mid/back).
Northern Burlington is such a veteran team this season that it even has three seniors that will start the year on the bench and fight for playing time. They are Lauren Hinkel (back), Jess Aitken (goalie) and Chelsea Cohen (back).
Other girls that should get playing time are juniors Tara Flynn (attack), Melissa Smith (attack) and Jenna Kornstedt (attack).
Andrea Veneziale, a sophomore, is a player that can fill in at several different spots.
Kathy Potts is the assistant coach of the team.
Northern Burlington is scheduled to start the season with a pair of away games, both 3:45 p.m. starts. Northern Burlington will be at Pemberton on Sept. 11 and at Delran on Sept. 14. The home opener will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 16, also a 3:45 p.m. start.
“Our girls have worked very hard in the off season and have come prepared,” Hensch noted. “They are great friends — on and off the field — so this should be an exciting and fun year for everyone.”
