Field Hockey Preview

As a sophomore last year, South River's Brooke Griffin scored 16 goals and added 18 assists to help the Seahawks to an undefeated regular season. (By Steve Johnson -- The Washington Post)

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Oct. 16: Bethesda-Chevy Chase at Quince Orchard, 3:30 p.m.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase, which lost last season's Maryland 3A title game in overtime, might be even deeper this year with a talented junior class that includes Sunny Cobb and Paige Donnelly, the latter a state indoor track champion. . . . Junior Courtney Tomchick, one of Broadneck's leading scorers last season, stars on an Anne Arundel County contender. . . .

Centennial lost 11 seniors, including standout Sarah Parks, but the Eagles bring back senior forward Kate Heineman and senior goalie Liz Snyder to defend their Howard County title. . . . Chancellor, Virginia A/AA champion in 2006 and a state semifinalist last season, should remain a title contender with eight returning starters, including senior Meaghan Neylon. . . .

After winning the WCAC last season, Good Counsel looks like the league front-runner again behind standout senior midfielder Monica Baumgartner and junior forward Shannon Lechner. . . . Holy Cross, the 2006 WCAC champ and last year's runner-up, has 10 seniors, 9 juniors and 1 important freshman, goalie Jill Genovese. . . .

Second-team All-Met Katie Klatt headlines a 12-girl senior class trying to lead defending Patriot District champion Lake Braddock to its first state title. . . . Senior Alexis Gay and junior Heather Hartman, who combined for 20 goals and 20 assists last season, are at the forefront of a strong Mountain View team, which won the Commonwealth District last season and made the Virginia AAA semifinals. . . . Fresh off the team's first-ever appearance in the Virginia AAA tournament, Oakton goes for two in a row behind senior tri-captains Danielle Filipponi, Christina Nugent and Erin McGartland. . . .

Senior midfielder Kate Nolan and junior goalie Becca Portillo are two reasons why Patuxent is the SMAC favorite again. . . . Poolesville, a 1A finalist last season, graduated All-Met Rachel Stream. But the Falcons have seven seniors, including goalie Megan Foy, and 10 juniors. . . . Quince Orchard, last season's 4A runner-up, has a new coach, Laura Williams, and talented freshman Kelly Baick to go along with senior leaders Brooke Lee and Alissa Peterson. . . .

Severn junior midfielder Avery Burns and Spalding senior goalkeeper Ciarra Delost will lead their teams in the competitive IAAM. . . . Senior Lelan Bailey and juniors Casey Pohlmeyer and Hannah Balleza will try to help Maryland 4A champion Severna Park prove that last year's three regular season losses were a one-year aberration. . . . It will remain difficult to score on St. Stephen's/St. Agnes, last year's ISL and VISAA champion, which returns senior goalie Paula Trahos. . . .

Perennial power Stafford lacks the experience of some area teams, but sophomore Taylor Bailey -- last season's second-leading scorer for the state finalist -- is representative of the Indians' young talent. . . . W.T. Woodson, the defending Liberty District and Northern Region champion, has two big holes to fill after graduating All-Met Lyndsey Butler and the program's all-time leading scorer, Meg Thaxton. The two most likely replacements for those leadership roles are junior midfielder Shelly Montgomery and senior midfielder Mary Beth Barham.

-- Jeff Nelson

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