By Rich Fisher, Contributing Editor
Top photo: From left to right, the Notre Dame High field hockey captains Grace Marrone, Tori Suschke and Adria Durkin have provided talent and leadership in the Irish’s impressive 3-1 start. Courtesy photo
It wasn’t easy and it was a little nerve-wracking, but Notre Dame High’s field hockey team met the season’s first major challenge admirably this week.
On Sep. 16, the Lawrenceville-based school was forced into overtime before emerging with a 2-1 victory over Allentown. The Redbirds are the defending Colonial Valley Conference Tournament champion and had beaten the Irish three straight times.
“We were very hyped for that game,” veteran coach Cheryl Harris said. “I’m happy it turned out the way it did. That was our big test. We would have liked to have beaten Pennsbury (on opening day) but it was Labor Day weekend and we didn’t have some of our players.”
The Allentown victory gave Notre Dame a 3-1 record entering its Sep. 18 contest. The Irish have outscored foes 21-8 and the strong start is what Harris expected after graduating just two starters last year.
“I’ve had a good feeling about this team for a few years now,” she said. “I knew the strength of this year’s seniors. Most of our lineup consisted of juniors last year, so to have a lot of strong players is really the key.
“Our captains, Tori Suschke, Grace Marrone and Adria Durkin, are natural born leaders and very big competitors too.”
Suschke (5 goals, 5 assists) leads the team in points with 15, and her overtime goal against Allentown was her 100th career point. She’s a natural forward but due to needs on defense she is ND’s defensive midfielder. Her ability to procure steals and send accurate passes up field helps spark the offense.
“We’ve had her on defense the last couple years,” Harris said. “She’s a great flier on our defensive corners and she’s someone we trust with the ball on our offensive corners.”
Marrone was a defender the previous two years but moved to left midfield this season, playing behind her sophomore sister Paige, a starting winger.
“Grace has a drive that can probably go 75 yards, and they’re very controlled” Harris said. “She has skills, she’s a quiet player but a very impressionable person. She’s the sweetest thing, very positive but also a competitor. She’s a good communicator on field.”
Durkin is the right midfielder and a strong motivator.
“She expects a lot of herself but also a lot of the team,” Harris said. “She’ll help people in telling them where to go, and she’s also great in passing and doing what she’s supposed to do.”
Senior center back Claire Hanley is in her third season as a starter (she missed a year with a torn ACL) and Harris feels she holds the entire team together.
“I could not play this defense without her,” the coach said. “She’s great at stopping the ball. If someone is on a breakaway, I depend on her to stop a ball and clear it.”
Rounding out the defense is senior left back Katelyn Brown, sophomore right back Lily Bilfuco and sophomore goalie Cora Guicheteau.
“Katie is just tenacious,” Harris said. “She will follow Marrone up the field and is somebody I can trust that, if she loses the ball, she will recover and get back on defense. And Lily made some huge, huge plays when Allentown was heading for a breakaway. I feel very confident with her.”
Guicheteau shared time with Madeline Razler last year when both were new to the position. Guicheteau’s improvement in the off-season earned her the starting job in goal and she’s averaging nearly 12 saves per game.
“Cora is a true competitor,” Harris said. “Even in practice if someone scores on her, she wants to know how to do it better.”
A pleasant surprise has been freshman attacking midfielder Brynn Souders (3 goals, 3 assists), who has replaced Clem Bowden.
“I didn’t know how we would fill that position because Clem did it so well, but Brynn was a Godsend to us,” Harris said. “She has great stick skills. She knows how to score and pass the ball. She’s exactly what I was hoping for.”
Sophomore center-forward Gabi Franzen (3 goals, 3 assists) “is like the energizer bunny. She will charge the ball on free hits once they pass the ball. She’s my utility player. If I have to take someone out in the midfield, Gabi can field that position and do it well. She won’t get sucked into her old position.”
Sophomore left wing Paige Marrone has displayed strong stick skills and “a lot of clutch play,” having collected a goal and four assists. Senior forward Kelsey Wood leads the team with six goals.
“Kelsey is our fastest player,” Harris said. “She’s someone who doesn’t have all the fancy stickwork but knows how to score a goal. She’s our best cutter on the field. She’s got a lot of energy and passion.”
Nicole Hurley and Ella Stefanisko have also scored goals in an offensive attack that shows no let-up after graduating 25-goal scorer Ella McVey.
It’s a squad with high hopes.
“We’re gonna treat every game like it’s the most important game of the season from this point on,” Harris said. “We have the ability to go all the way this year in the CVC. One game at a time, of course.”