Sailors won’t settle for second this season

The Newport Harbor High field hockey team have been anxious to get the season started, but more than anything, the Sailors are wanting to finish on top

The team won its division in the Sunset League last year, but came up short in the Los Angeles Field Hockey Assn. Tournament of Champions title match against Huntington Beach.

But for the Sailors, finishing second is not an option this year. That’s because the team consist of 12 seniors, all of whom are planning on making their last season their best season.

As far as they are concerned, it’s their time to win.

The league is set up differently this year and it may pose a challenge for Newport Harbor to repeat as league champions. There will be a Southern and Northern section with Newport Harbor being in the Southern section with Edison, Fountain Valley, Westminster and Huntington Beach; the same Huntington Beach that went undefeated last year and beat Newport Harbor in the title game.

But the girls are confident that loss is only a distant memory. The team has a plenty of depth at each position and a lot of the girls who can play any position, allowing Coach Devon Kelly to throw a number of different looks at opponents.

The team has also improved on their overall ball control and stick skills, which makes the Sailors a threat any time they step onto the field, Kelly said.

The improvements came from a combination of a strong preseason regimen and a lot of the girls playing in the offseason on club teams. It was the first year club hockey had started in the area and has drastically improved the quality of the game.

“That is the how we are going to build a stronger program every year,” Kelly said. “I have a number of girls planning on playing in college and I would hope they continue on and play club in the offseason.”

Captains Shannon Rohan and Elizabeth Tennyson are two of the college-bound players looking to make this season count.

“For myself, I want to personally improve,” Rohan said. “But I really just want us to have a great season and have fun with our team.”

Rohan will be playing midfield in front of the strong defense of Tennyson. The two stars will be leading a group of 23 girls throughout the season hoping to improve or refine the strong program at Newport Harbor.

“The program is getting more well known around school,” Tennyson said. “Last year we had a lot of girls come out to games and we are definitely making a name for ourselves.”

This year is the largest the program has ever been and continual addition of new talent every year is only helping the growth of the program. The varsity team has 12 returning players and several new girls ready to prove themselves.

Many of those girls have been a nice surprise addition to the offense and defense of Coach Kelly’s lineup. Senior forward Terra Giacomaro joined the team this year and is already making an impact on the field among talented players.

Returning Junior midfielder Lauren Chandler is another standout and will help control the middle with her stick skills and decision making ability.

Senior Kylie Shepppard scored the Sailors’ first goal off an assist from Chandler in their season opener Tuesday. Newport Harbor settled for a 1-1 tie against Bonita. The defense will rotate senior Jessica Bass and sophomore Sydney King in and out of goal.