Assumption 3 Sacred Heart 2 (2022 Field Hockey State Championship)

[Purple88]

I know Field Hockey is likely the lightest followed KHSAA sport their is, but it is actually entertaining to watch once you get the gist of the rules.

I believe ALL teams listed in the state are in or surrounding Jefferson County.

This year's State Championship game will be played at CAL tonight at 7:30.

Assumption Rockets come into this game 22- 5-1.  They are on a 7 game win streak including defeating host CAL 3-0 last Saturday.

The Rockets have strong senior leadership highlighted by SR Tyler Everslage who is committed to playing field Hockey for UofL next season. 

That's a Big Deal for those not familar as the ACC is THE Field Hockey league.

Tyler has an amazing 49 goals on the season and 15 assists.  Both lead the team and I think Tyler leads the State in this category.

 

Sacred Heart Valkyries come into this game 18-9-0.  But don't let that record fool you.  Sacred Heart lost 5 of those games to out of state opponents.

The Valkyries are on a 2 game win streak having defeated Manual 2-0 on Saturday in the semi-finals.

The Valkyries also have strong senior leaders highlighted by SR Sloane Wearren who is committed to playing Field Hockey for Miami of Ohio next season.  Sloane 

has 19 goals and 9 assists.

 

This should be a great game and the weather might be the last perfect night of the season.  Get out to CAL and enjoy it!

My daughter went to school with and played field hockey with Tyler Everslege back in middle school, so I'm pulling for the Rockets!  Who you got?

[Purple88]

Assumption wins the 2022 Field Hockey State Championship last night over Rival Sacred Heart 3-2.

This was a very good game between 2 rivals.  Assumption got out of the gate FAST!  They took the opening possession and sent the ball over the end line where Sacred Heart took over.  But on that attempt to clear their defensive zone they turned the ball over and were assessed a corner penalty (set play) to Assumption.

SR Bella Bergner sent the ball to Tyler Eversledge who earned the Corner who passed to SO Riley Guy who smashed the ball past the Valkyries keeper.  1-0 Assumption.

In the second quarter, Tyler Eversledge put on a show deking multiple Valkyries from mid-field all the way into the scoring Valkryie's scoring zone and getting to the penalty circle where she was fouled.  A stroke penalty (1 v 1 vs the goalie with one stroke on the ball allowed) was awarded to Assumption.  SR Hannah Riddle put the ball cleanly past the Sacred Heart keeper.  2-0 Assumption.  

The third quarter was a bit back and forth with a few scoring chances for each but no cigar.

But early in the 4th, Sacred Heart got a fortunate deflection off the stick of JR Stella Clark into the back of the goal and things tightened up at 2-1 Assumption.

Play continued back and forth with Assumption putting pressure on SHA with under 7 minutes to go in the game and again Eversledge was fouled deep in the SHA scoring area for a Penalty Stoke awarded.  Again Riddle put the ball in the back of the net.  3-1 Assumption.

But Sacred Heart, to their credit wasn't through, they mounted serious pressure around the Assumption goal and was awarded a Corner Penalty, which proved fruitful.  I didn't see who scored that one, but made the score 3-2 Assumption with about 2.5 minutes left in the game.

From there it was frantic energy from both teams desperately trying to gain control.  Neither did and the game ended in jubilation for the Rockets of Assumption.  Their 2nd Field Hockey State Championship in the last 4 years.  

Credit Sacred Heart for fighting the whole way and don't feel too bad for them as they are the 2020 and 2021 FH State Champions.

Congratulations Assumption!

[Tigercat]

It was in fact a great game. I do question the KHSAA for assigning a first year official to the Sate Championship game. As a point of reference, in 27 prior games SHA had one stroke penalty called, and that was in Pennsylvania. And now, 2 in one game?

Anyway, Congrats to Assumption. It was an entertaining game and both sides hustled their fannies off.

[Purple88]

1 hour ago, Tigercat said:

It was in fact a great game. I do question the KHSAA for assigning a first year official to the Sate Championship game. As a point of reference, in 27 prior games SHA had one stroke penalty called, and that was in Pennsylvania. And now, 2 in one game?

Anyway, Congrats to Assumption. It was an entertaining game and both sides hustled their fannies off.

That's interesting TigerCat; I didn't know that about the first year ref.

My daughter plays lacrosse and came to support some of her old field hockey friends.

But I can NEVER recall a game where 2 stoke penalties were called EVER.

I was a good game though and as you said both teams played very very hard and showed alot of skill out there.  

I just wish the game would catch on outside of Louisville.  They would have to put a few divisions in there as the new teams wouldn't benefit from playing the top teams, at least for awhile.

[Tigercat]

I don't understand why it hasn't caught on in Lexington, or especially in Northern Ky as there are several Catholic schools there. The Catholics and the Privates seem to compete the best. Here, Manual, Ballard, and the Oldhams are catching up.

[gchs_uk9]

I appreciate the information. I've never seen a field hockey game in person; I've seen a couple on television. A couple of observations:

• The fields on TV look different than turf fields for football, soccer, etc. Is there a specific type of turf for field hockey? Do schools in Louisville have that? Can you play on grass?
• This looks like it would hurt your back after a while. Bent over the stick but also running (not gliding like in ice hockey) seems bad but maybe that's because I'm 40 years old and everything makes the back hurt!

[Tigercat]

SHA, Assumption, Manual, KCD, CAL, and Mercy have turf fields which are also used for soccer, and in CAL's case, football. No difference. Male and Ballard have grass fields, but Ballard will play on turf on their football field.

The colleges play on "wet" fields. They are watered even during games.

UL has an excellent program. It is strong in the ACC and in Pennsylvania, NJ. NY. St. Louis has it. Big Ten schools play, as well as MAC. UK, Auburn, and a few others have clubs.

SHA goes to Pennsylvania twice during the season to play in a tournament setting with the top teams in the country. That was 5 of their losses.

The ACC FH on the ACC network is excellent.

 

[gchs_uk9]

1 minute ago, Tigercat said:

SHA, Assumption, Manual, KCD, CAL, and Mercy have turf fields which are also used for soccer, and in CAL's case, football. No difference. Male and Ballard have grass fields, but Ballard will play on turf on their football field.

The colleges play on "wet" fields. They are watered even during games.

So can you explain what a "wet" field means? How does that type of field differ from a turf/football field? Sorry for the questions - on a learning quest right now!

[Tigercat]

Purple88. My son spoke with a D1 coach and TV announcer after the game who could not believe the officiating. The guy who made the corner call at the beginning of the game, and then the first stroke, had threatened to remove fans from the SHA Ballard game 4 minutes into the game. Having officiated HS FB for 20 years, rabbit ears are the worst thing you can have as an official.

[Tigercat]

The "wet" field means that it is watered both before and during the game. Apparently gives the ball a truer bounce.

[Tigercat]

Several of the ladies who played on Saturday and then on Monday have college athletic scholarships which may or may not be full rides. Usually partials. My Granddaughter a few years ago had one to a Big 10 school, but like other D1 sports, they own you, and she decided not to go there after signing.

[Tigercat]

I liken this to lacrosse. There should be more interest. The Central Kentucky schools play, but won't play the Louisville area schools. As a result, there are two championships, neither official, and the KHSAA won't sanction.

[Purple88]

On 10/25/2022 at 2:21 PM, Tigercat said:

I liken this to lacrosse. There should be more interest. The Central Kentucky schools play, but won't play the Louisville area schools. As a result, there are two championships, neither official, and the KHSAA won't sanction.

I coach Freshman Girls Lacrosse at Manual.  We had/are having difficulty with our numbers last year and this year with basically all new players at this level due to Covid.  No Middle School Sports for the those 2 Covid Years has decimated the youth ranks.  You have to be willing to coach from brand new at the Freshman Level IMO.  Sacred Heart has a good team as they usually get many club players.  We are going to try to add several Central KY Teams to our Freshman Schedule.  I think those teams will play our Freshman but likely not our Varsity.

On 10/25/2022 at 2:16 PM, Tigercat said:

The "wet" field means that it is watered both before and during the game. Apparently gives the ball a truer bounce.

I was told that the wet fields, where you add water to the field in advance and maybe at halftime of the game, was to create a hydroplane type effect for the ball.  More purest types don't want to play on grass as they feel it doesn't allow for the ball for flow freely, has divets and other imperfections that don't allow the ball to flow fast enough.  All the teams Tigercat mentioned other than Manual are private schools.  Manual raised funds and was successful at building a turf field (Rachel Baker Field).  When I got to Manual, lacrosse wasn't allowed on the field hockey field as we needed on it during the growing season and their words "destroyed" the playing surface of the field.  So building the turf field was a real game changer for both programs.

On 10/25/2022 at 1:44 PM, gchs_uk9 said:

I appreciate the information. I've never seen a field hockey game in person; I've seen a couple on television. A couple of observations:

• The fields on TV look different than turf fields for football, soccer, etc. Is there a specific type of turf for field hockey? Do schools in Louisville have that? Can you play on grass?
• This looks like it would hurt your back after a while. Bent over the stick but also running (not gliding like in ice hockey) seems bad but maybe that's because I'm 40 years old and everything makes the back hurt!

I have always felt back issues would be an issue for Field Hockey and they recently went away from eye protection.  As a parent, I don't like that, but I don't play it either.  I am always amazed that they don't have more eye/face injuries as girls are always back-checking while the ball carrier is looking to hit the ball with their stick.  The backswing is coming back while the defender is coming forward.  

But it is a fun sport to watch!

 

Tiger, I do think the game officiating was questionable at times, but that's on KHSAA and those refs.  The girls just played hard.

[Tigercat]

Thanks for the insight. I, too, would like to see eye protection. I asked the Saint X AD why we didn't play the Lexington schools in Lacrosse. Essentially they won't play us because they can't compete with the Louisville schools.

I am obviously a Saint X guy, but have family ties to Manual. My Father and Father in Law went there. FIL and his brother in HOF. Jerry Mayes is a friend whom I knew from Saint X as AD. The Bakers are friends. I grew up in Germantown and used to sneak in the stadium during the 1959 season. Great team.