Blue Devil Field Hockey Finishes with 5-9 Mark
Falling just a little bit short in a number of games this fall, the Huntington varsity field hockey team compiled a 5-9 record to finish ninth in the league standings. Yet, one thing is clear, no one in Suffolk takes the Blue Devils lightly any more.
Huntington was coached by Jillian Talleur, who was assisted by Aliza Leo and the team featured a group of talented players. Junior Kerry Hicks earned honorable mention All-County honors, seniors Jessica Schulz and Eva Valerio were All-Division and senior Nicole Palmer was named All-Conference.
“When Kerry is on the field, you know it,” Talleur said about Hicks. “She will not give up without a fight.” Valerio shined, too. She “never stops running and can play a complete game,” the coach said.
Talleur didn’t hesitate when asked to pick the highlight of the season. “The team played really well against Smithtown East and proved to themselves that they could go up against any team,” she said. “It built confidence and awareness of how good they could be.”
In addition to the post-season honorees, Talleur pointed to junior Allison Conlon, senior Kaari Casey and freshman Kianna Freitag as the team’s top players. Of the 17 athletes on the roster, eight were seniors. The coach was complimentary toward Conlon, who she called “a solid player and amazing defender” and Casey, who “developed so much from last year and really came through.”
Freitag showed promise at forward and is one of the keys to Huntington’s future. She is “fast on breakaways and is going to be amazing,” Talleur said.
One senior who will never be forgotten is Schulz. “She made a huge sacrifice for the team and became an amazing goalie,” Talleur said. Palmer will also be missed. “She has quick footwork and stick skills,” the coach said. Both players will be hard to replace.
Huntington was probably the best 5-9 team in Suffolk. “They were a solid group of girls that had a tough schedule,” Talleur said. “The seniors grew so much in the past year. The team deserved more wins.”
The Blue Devils will face a tough schedule again next year. The team will consist of a young group of girls. “As long as they are committed, the year should be a success,” Talleur said.
Blue Devil Notes: Senior Alexandra Fulton captained the team along with Schulz, Valerio and Palmer . . . Next fall Huntington will also return to the varsity Sarah Casey, Adelia Federici, Alexandra Kimchy, Catalina Lopez, Faith Maybeck and Jaclyn Scola . . . Seniors Megan Doyle, Daisy Kramer and Christine Russo will be lost to graduation.
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