F-F field hockey: Greencastle returns 8 senior starters
Shippensburg Lady Hounds
Coach: Angela Hostetter, 2nd season.
Last year: 6-10-2 (3-6 Mid Penn Colonial Division).
Returning starters: Madison Kline (sr., F, 8 goals, 5 assists, P.O. 1st Team), Desiree Neil (jr., goalie), Morgan Fetter (jr., mid, 2 goals, P.O. 2nd Team), Zoe Holtry (so., for, 6, 5, P.O. HM), Courtney Coy (sr., mid, 7, 4, P.O. 2nd Team), Lexi Alleman (so., for).
Other top players: Rachel Kline (so., mid), Rachel Crowder (so., back), Kourtney Shoap (so., for).
Outlook: "We have a very strong forward line, and we lost five seniors last year, which was our entire backfield line," Hostetter said. "I'm pretty confident in our forward line and those who stepped up on the back line are taking it in stride. We just need to work together as a team and focus on more passing and less driving and running."
Notes: Sophomores Rachel Crowder and Kourtney Shoap stepped up to fill varsity gaps and made "tremendous improvements" in the offseason ... Morgan Ocker will start in the cage for the season opener.
Season opener: Tuesday, at Waynesboro, 4.
Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils
Coach: Becca Farson, 3rd season, 15-20-1 (.431).
Last year: 9-8-1 (5-3 Mid Penn Colonial Division).
Returning starters: Mackenzie Oberholzer (sr., goalie, P.O. 1st Team), Jenna Carty (sr., def), Skylar Sites (sr., def), Morgan Clopper (sr., def), Jean Hart (sr., mid), Alexis Sibbo (sr., mid, 4 goals, 3 assists, P.O. HM), Rachel Marconi (sr., for, 5, 5, P.O. 2nd Team), Lauren Cole (sr., for, 4, 6, P.O. 2nd Team), Sydney Robertson (jr., mid), Brianna Conway (jr., for, 5, 3, P.O. HM), Maria Ricker (so., for).
Other top players: Logan Yaukey (jr., def), Alexis Dougherty (so., for), Micaela Dougherty (fr., mid), Alivia Martin (jr., def).
Outlook: "We're looking really promising," Farson said. "We have a senior class of eight, who are all returning starters, so there's a lot of potential this year. In our two scrimmage tournaments we looked better than we have in the past, which is a good indicator from the start. Our goal is to make it to districts. We lost out by .006 of a point (in 2015), so it's a reminder of what we want to accomplish."
Notes: Greencastle returns one of the area's top goalies in Mackenzie Oberholzer, who averaged more than 15 saves per game. Oberholzer is fresh off a busy indoor season, playing for multiple club teams. Farson expects her to be better than ever for her senior season ... Micaela Dougherty is the only freshman to be pulled up to the varsity level. Farson says Dougherty's endurance, stick skills and "feisty" nature set her apart.
Season opener: Tuesday, at home against West Perry, 4
Waynesboro Maidens
Coach: Kelly Rock, 4th season, 8-40-4 (.192).
Last year: 0-17 (0-8 Mid Penn Colonial Division).
Returning starters: Katie Wise (sr., for, P.O. HM), Sara Gsell (sr., for, P.O. HM), Ana Cuka (sr., mid), Abby Fuller (G), Alyson Klink (sr., mid).
Other top players:, Valencia Florek (jr., mid), Caitlyn Pollock (jr., for), Kaylee Warrenfeltz (jr., def), Kiersten Beard (sr., wing), Kayla Gyorgy (jr., def).
Outlook: "I think they're playing better," Rock said. "They are playing with a little more intensity, and I think they should do well as long as they keep their heads together and play as a team."
Notes: The Maidens graduated just two players, and return a host of seniors with varsity experience. Rock said that core will help the team through another rebuilding year. "They really do seem to be a little more enthusiastic," Rock said. "They want to do well, it's just a matter of keeping their heads in the game and keeping composure."
Season opener: Tuesday at home vs. Shippensburg, 4.
Forbes Road Cardinals
Coach: Carol Cline, 40th season, 424-175-52 (.964).
Last year: 17-4 (9-0 Keystone League), lost to eventual state champion Twin Valley in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals.
Returning starters: Kristina Parsons (sr., mid), McKenzie Gelvin (sr., for, 35 goals, 15 assists, P.O. 1st team), Maiah Mellott (sr., mid), Olivia Hall (sr., mid).
Other top players: Maddie Miller (jr., mid/def), Mara Broadwater (so., for), Brianna Waters (so., def/mid), Lilly Wilt (sr., def), Payton Watkins (so., back), Zoe Cutchall (so., G), Shelby Harnish (fr., mid), Hailey Dodson (fr., mid), Barbie Weese (so., line/mid), Chloe Harrison (so., line), Samatha Henry (so., back), Harlie Strait (fr., G).
Outlook: "Our benefit (from the PIAA reclassification) comes at the end of the season, but we have to get there first," Cline said. "We are traveling further than before, and we are very young. We have to work hard to fool people that we aren't so young. We lost six seniors, so we have to reload and carry on."
Notes: Starting goalie Olivia Hall moved from in the cage to the field for her senior season. Cline said, "Liv is such a smart kid, she can read the field so well, and after all these years with no practice with these specific skills, she looks great." Replacing her in goal is sophomore Zoe Cutchall ... The Cardinals are also changing up their system after losing Mina Wilt, a high back. "We have to change things until we get our youth caught up a bit," Cline said.
Season opener: Tuesday, at home vs. East Juniata, 4.