Stafford’s Varsity Field Hockey team, undefeated this season with a 19-0 record, beat the North Stafford Wolverines 2-0 in the Commonwealth District championship on October 25th. After an unforgettable season, districts aren’t enough for the third ranked team in Virginia, it’s time to go big or go home.
Thursday, October 18th 2024, Stafford’s Varsity Field Hockey team closed out their regular season with an impressive 17-0 record. The last time this program won a state championship was in 2006. For five consecutive years, they’ve been knocking on the door by being in the state tournament, but they haven’t quite knocked hard enough.
Assistant varsity coach Beth D’Antuono says “We really believe in this program and hope that we can break the dry spell this season.”
Team practices are designed to challenge the players mentally and physically, especially during the playoffs. One way the team reinforces the theme are timed 200 yard runs, where the players run 200 yards for each game they have remaining in the season. “The run pushes us to lean on each other physically as well as mentally, both of which are almost more important than talent in the postseason,” said Varsity head coach Bryce Barnes.
Every athlete dreams about winning the big game. The team has five seniors, and as their last memories playing for Stafford field hockey, they would love to have a state championship.
There’s no question that the team will be tested physically. They had back-to-back games for districts, and will have more games for regionals and states. On days they don’t have games, they have 3-hour practices to prepare them for the best teams in the state of Virginia.
“These girls have put in the blood, sweat and tears in order to win this season, and they just need to continue to believe that they are champions and can achieve greatness,” adds D’Antouno
With their first regional game on October 30th against Forest Park, it’s now make or break for Stafford. This is what the players, coaches, and fans have dreamed of. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the team. Does Stafford have enough in them to finally knock down that door and win the state championship?
