CHAPPAQUA — If any field hockey team has the right to both grin and cry over the 2025 field hockey season, it's the Quakers of Horace Greeley.
Its only regular-season loss was to 2023 and 2024 state Class A champion Mamaroneck and that was just 1-0.
Then it did what no one could do in 16 straight years and wrestle a Section 1 crown from Lakeland, beating it in the semifinals before topping Rye 1-0 in the final.
But after advancing to the state Class B semifinals, Greeley, despite having an incredible 12-2 penalty corner advantage, fell 2-1 to defending state champion Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake.
Now that's a rollercoaster ride.
The question this year is whether, after losing seven senior starters, including three who gained All-State honors, coach
Sukhi Sandhu will be able to plug those holes to get his Quakers back to the Section 1 championship and perhaps again well beyond.
But when practice opened August 24, returning players expressed optimism.
Names to know
Izzy Concha, Sr., F/MF; Harriet Moraes, So., F/MF; Megan Slomsky, Sr., D; Sienna Tavolacci, Jr., F; Nicole Weyne, Jr., F
Schedule
Sept. 3 at White Plains
Sept. 5 at Brewster
Sept. 8 Pelham
Sept. 10 Yorktown
Sept. 15 at Rye
Sept. 17 Mamaroneck
Sept. 22 Nanuet
Sept. 24 at Lakeland
Sept. 25 at Fox Lane
Sept. 29 at John Jay-Cross River
Oct. 1 at Pelham (Glover Field)
Oct. 3 Somers
Oct. 8 Clarkstown
Oct. 13 at Scarsdale
Oct. 14 Ursuline
Oct. 20 at Pleasantville
Takeaways
Greeley's regular season schedule is top-loaded with strong teams. That might be good or bad. It would seem unlikely that a team that Sandhu characterizes as being in a rebuilding phase will go through the regular season with just one loss, as the 2025 Quakers did. But it also might not be a bad thing for newcomers among the 20 players he plans to roster on varsity to get an early taste of strong competition.
While Greeley doesn't have nearly as many club players as it did last year, it's hardly without talent. Tavolacci was All-State last year as just a sophomore. She is extremely quick and very creative. This includes her shot selection. She has the potential to be one of area's biggest offensive contributors. Last year, she had 30 goals and 22 assists. Despite her youth, Moraes, an All-Section honoree as a freshman last year, will join Tavolacci in a leadership role. Both players indicated they plan to put a lot of shots on the cage and that will be key as the Quakers try to replace a lot of offense lost to graduation.
One thing about Greeley, though. While it has never been a high-scoring team, it has always excelled defensively. It has taken a hit on defense but it has some strong pieces back, including Megan Slomsky. And netminder Darby Robertson is slated to start for a second straight year.
Talking points
"We have a lot of young kids," Sandhu said, adding, though, "I always take a challenge."
"Hopefully, we'll put it all together," he said.
Explaining what her team had learned from last year, Moraes said, "I think our mental game changed a lot (last year) after beating Lakeland for the first time in a while. So, I think just recognizing how hard work is what gets you to those places and it's not name or prestige."
Moraes added her team recognized that "losing people is normal" and wouldn't let the losses predetermine how the season goes.
"I think we have a lot of potential, especially with the freshmen and the sophomores," Tavolacci said, smiling and gesturing toward Moraes. "And I think our tough loss last year (in the state semifinals) is definitely very motivational for us because we're ready to give 110% no matter what and I'm excited for everything else to come."
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Defending title, Greeley field hockey has youth, big game experience
