No. 4 Crofton finds answers to tough test
Cardinals head to 3A final via win over No. 7 Westminster
When you’re getting tested, you need to find the right answers — quickly.
Crofton field hockey was tested time and again by No. 7 Westminster in Wednesday’s Class 3A state semifinal at Glen Burnie. But each time, Crofton answered.
The No. 4 Cardinals held off the challenge for a 6-3 victory, earning a trip to Saturday’s state final in only its second year as a varsity program. They will play No. 6 River Hill, which beat No. 12 Marriotts Ridge, 2-0, in the other semifinal, for the 3A state title on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Stevenson University.
“We’re just all so happy. We worked so hard throughout the season and this is one of our goals,” said Crofton’s Charlotte DeForest, who scored two goals in the victory. “From the beginning, that’s what we wanted to do and we’re all real happy to make this a reality now.”
Crofton led 1-0 after a quarter on DeForest’s first goal. But the Owls responded quickly in the second quarter, as Jess Kent buried a shot off their first corner less than two minutes into the frame.
Then came the first Crofton answer. The Cardinals (14-3) first had to figure out how to solve their own problems with corners after going 0-for-6 in the first quarter. Coach Amy Skrickus said she didn’t
even think her team had that many corner plays in its arsenal.
On the seventh corner, a forward was knocked down before shooting, setting up the eighth. Finally, a shot went in, as Kylie Corcoran gave the Cardinals a lead they wouldn’t relinquish about two minutes after Westminster (14-3) tied the game.
“In the beginning, usually we go through the same plays, but in the middle of the game we decided to switch it up and try some different ones,” DeForest said of the corner tries. “Try some different configurations with other people.”
Crofton’s precision with its passing kept the ball moving, giving the Cardinals more time and space to create scoring opportunities.
“It was really helpful to work so well together because we’re a really close team,” Mary-Cate Parks said. “And it really works well when we’re close together both off the field and on because we all know where we’re all going to be.”
DeForest scored her second goal midway through the second quarter for a 3-1 Crofton advantage. The defense made it hold up with solid plays and a great save from Ryleigh Osborne on a close shot from Caroline Beakes off a Kent pass.
“Those are the opportunities that we need to have more of and finish on those opportunities,” Westminster coach Laurie Naill said.
Skrickus meanwhile, was pleased with the effort her defense gave to prevent the Owls from finishing on the chances they did create.
“They all played great,” Skrickus said.
“Emma Beyer was fantastic tonight, our center back. She came out of nowhere, she was going full speed and she was able to take that ball. You can tell she’s a senior and she really wants it. It kind of lifted everyone up and rose to the occasion.”
The teams took turns scoring in the third quarter. Just over three minutes in, Westminster got back within a goal as Kent broke free down the right sideline before centering a pass to Beakes, who knocked it to Miranda Moshang for a score.
This time it took Crofton a while to answer, but eventually, Parks did, slotting in a rebound to make it 4-2.
“Our coaches really kept us to it, made sure we kept fighting because we knew the other team was going to keep fighting and not let down,” Parks said. “So, we made sure to do the same and not give up no matter what.”
Westminster kept coming. Beakes scored off a corner with 1:51 left in the third, but again Crofton answered. With 20 seconds left, Parks knocked another one in, this time off a corner for a 5-3 lead.
“That’s exactly what you want,” Skrickus said. “You don’t want to drop your heads for a second because they’re too good to do that. So we just turned around, took it down to our end right when they scored.”
Westminster’s best chance to get one back in the fourth quarter came two minutes in, but Osborne made a lunging save on a shot from Moshang. Emily Najarian iced the game with a goal with five minutes left.
“I thought it was a good game. They scored first and we answered back and they scored again and we answered back. That’s the kind of game you want to have,” Naill said. “It got away from us defensively, I think, but I can’t ask for anything more than the season we had. County championship, regional title, 14-3 [record].”