SportzBuzz - November 2024 | The Buzz Magazines

By Todd Freed, Staff writer | October 27, 2024

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St. John’s midfielder Eliza Perrin is a top playmaker for a Mavericks field hockey team that was ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams to start the season. Perrin will play collegiately for the University of North Carolina. (Photo: Jack Faulk)

With a number nine national ranking to start the season, the St. John’s Mavericks were again a powerful force in girls field hockey. The Mavericks win total early in the season included a high profile 2-0 victory over the conference rival Kinkaid Falcons. For its part, Kinkaid owned an eye-popping number two national ranking entering the early season showdown. St John’s also defeated nationally ranked Conestoga High School of Pennsylvania at the Max Field Hockey National High School Invitational.

“We’re led by a trio of senior captains who’ll also play Division1 field hockey in college,” said Mavericks first-year field hockey coach Emily White. The standout trio includes midfielder Eliza Perrin (North Carolina), defender Chloe West (Cornell University), and Ellie Burger (Brown University). Perrin was also named to the all-tournament first team at the Max Field Invitational.

“Eliza is one of the most skilled ball handlers I’ve ever seen at the high school level. She’s just a phenomenal playmaker,” said White. “Also, Chloe is one of the most solid defenders you’ll find at this age and level. We have so much faith in her in the backfield. As for Ellie, she’s a difference maker on the forward line who creates opportunities on the attack.”

Coming off a season in which the defending SPC Champions finished the year ranked ninth in the nation, the Mavericks remain a big-time power in high school field hockey. “A lot of our girls are playing year-round,” said White. “They train and play extreme hard. Our middle school program is also a great feeder and foundation for our success.”

Kinkaid Falcons goalkeeper Merritt Skubisz was an all-tournament selection at the prestigious Max Field Hockey National Invitational. Also pictured with Skubisz is Falcons sophomore defender Annie Swanson. (Photo: David Shutts Photography)

While St. John’s continues to make its mark on a national platform, the emergence of the Kinkaid Falcons field hockey program has made the area a national hotbed for the sport of field hockey. “I think it’s pretty incredible how this game has grown in the south,” said Kinkaid field hockey coach Jackie Ciconte. “It’s a credit to the girls and the commitment they’ve shown to put themselves right up there with the best teams in the country. It’s just really cool to see both us and St. John’s ranked among the nation’s top teams.”

Much like St. John’s, the Falcons also competed strongly in the prestigious Max Field Hockey National High School Invitational. “We lost a tough 2-0 game to start the tournament to The Hill School of Pottstown, Pa., which was ranked number one in the nation. We hate to lose, but our girls learned a lot from that loss. We closed out the tournament with a great 3-0 victory over The Agnes Irwin School,” said Ciconte. “They’re another national power from Pennsylvania.”

The Falcons lineup is loaded with high-end talent including seven players who’ve either signed or committed to play major collegiate field hockey. Kinkaid senior forward and first team All-American Caroline Raynes will play for the University of Virginia next season, while senior forward Ella Ou is heading to Yale University, and senior goalkeeper Merritt Skubisz will suit up for the University of North Carolina. Skubisz has followed quite nicely in the footsteps of her older sister Annabel, a 2020 Kinkaid graduate who plays goalkeeper for Northwestern University.

If all that weren’t enough, Kinkaid juniors Grace Essalih and Jackie O’Donnell have both committed to Stanford University while fellow junior Cat Rosser will play collegiately at Duke University and junior Courtney Whittaker is heading to the University of Denver.

Impressively enough, four of Kinkaid’s former players competed in the final four of last season’s NCAA D1 Field Hockey Championships including Kyle Massey (Duke), Mia Abello (Virginia), Hope Haynes (North Carolina), and Annabel Skubisz (Northwestern).

“I just think we’re fortunate to have built a foundation that encourages our players to push their limits and embrace challenges,” added Ciconte. “Our girls really care about each other. They’ve created a family-like bond and trust that helps them to be successful both on and off the playing field.”

Editor’s note: Todd Freed is the host and executive producer of H-Town High School Sports, which airs Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on CW39 and Monday-Thursday on AT&T SportsNet SW. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email [email protected].