If Richmond sport fans are looking to find true royalty in the world of field hockey they need look no further than the teams at Collegiate and St. Catherine’s. Over the past 12 years, the two teams have combined to claim eight VISAA state championships and three runner-up trophies. In fact, 2002 was the only year that neither team reached the championship game.

  Collegiate holds the upper hand, with state titles in 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009. The Cougars also were state runner-ups in 2007 and 2008.

  St. Catherine’s took the crown in 2000 and 2005 while being runner-up to Collegiate last season.

  To say that the Cougars have a long and prominent tradition in field hockey would be a drastic understatement. Collegiate first played the game as an interscholastic sport in 1926. In 1930, Constance Applebee, the lady famous for bringing field hockey to the United States, conducted a field hockey clinic at Collegiate.

  “I know there’s a rich, strong history and that it was one of the first girls’ sports that Collegiate had,” said head coach Karen Doxey. “They’ve always had it and they’ve always played St. Catherine’s as well.”

  With such a long pedigree of tradition, this year looks to be no different for either school when it comes to state status.

  COLLEGIATE

  Coming off four consecutive trips to the state championship game which earned them two titles, the Cougars are in a slight rebuild mold coming into this season by only returning three starters.

  “A lot will be dependent on kids that were on the team last year and the JV kids coming up and what they can do,” Doxey said.

  To complicate matters further, senior Ann Wallace Tazwell is the only starter returning on the defensive side of the ball.

  “She’s going to be key because she understands what needs to be done at this point,” Doxey said. “She’s going to really have to be a good teacher, communicator and helper back there.”

  But because it is Collegiate, there is never a lack of talent waiting in the wings. Doxey’s task is getting them to adjust to the varsity sport played at the traditional Cougar level of excellence. “We do have some good athleticism,” she said. “What we really have to beef up is the pure field hockey skills. It’s such a skills sport.”

  Doxey expects senior co-captians Ellen Geho and Becca Martin to be on the move this season. Geho was at midfield last year but may make the switch to defense. Likewise Martin may make the move from forward to mid. But Doxey feels Martin has the talent to play anywhere on the field. “She could go on any line, back, midfield or forward probably,” Doxey said. “Very, very athletic and has gained some good skills.”

  Speedy senior Emily Wright will take up either the forward or midfield position.

  “They’re probably the four core at this point,” Doxey said. “A lot of other positions are up in the air.”

  Other players that Doxey will look to are senior Megan McGhee as well as juniors Austin Pruitt, Ellen Davenport and Kaitlin Letter.

  Doxey feels two elements will serve as keys to the Cougars’ season. The major issue is how well her players gel and communicate. Second will be how well they refine their skills as the season progresses.

  But despite a large number of new starters, the Collegiate tradition continues. “The expectations are probably always high just because we have high standards and we want to play good field hockey,” Doxey said.

  As usual, the Cougars will play a rugged schedule, facing St. Catherine’s twice as well as Trinity Episcopal, Stafford and Frank W. Cox, last year’s VHSL AAA champion.

  ST. CATHERINE’S
  In the see-saw battle between the two private schools, this should be the Saints year to step to the forefront. After beating Collegiate twice during last year’s regular season, St. Catherine’s fell to the Cougars in both the LIS and the VISAA finals to finish the year with a 15-5-2 record.

  But what excites head coach Don Warner is the fact that his team accomplished so much early in their high school careers. “We were young last year,” he said. “We stared five sophomores, perhaps at time six sophomores.”

  The Saints come into this season with a junior-heavy squad, fielding only five seniors. Two of those will trade off at the keeper position and three with start.

  And though young, the St. Catherine players were making their names known across the nation over the summer competing as part of the Junior Nationals, the Junior Olympics, the National Futures as well as playing in the National Indoors Tournament and the Disney Showcase. “We had a lot of girls go out and try to make themselves better,” Warner said.

  Among the players Warner will rely on this season are senior back Helen Warner who has already committed to the University of Richmond. Senior Anna Sauer will provide leadership at the forward position.

  A solid core of juniors will also bring talent, skill and experience to the field.

  Midfielder Kali Vicars is among the best in the country, making the U17 National team. Classmate Amanda Kim will also be in the mid while Abigail Rose and Peyton Smith are at backs.

  Though the Saints return seven starters, Warner said those numbers are also deceptive. “If you peel a layer away, we might have seven three-year starters,” he said. “Two years ago we lost in the league finals with freshmen on the field. Lost in the state semis with freshmen on the field. Last year, with sophomores on the field we lost in the league finals on strokes and the state finals in regulation.”

  By the time the talented group of underclassmen graduate, they could possibly have 80 career wins. “We may not win a championship, but if we win 80 games over four years we ain’t bad,” Warner said.