Rich Griffin's stint as Keystone Oaks' girls field hockey coach probably couldn't have picked up off to a rockier start.
About two games into the season, all the Golden Eagles' most experienced grinders (senior guards Kayla Brownlee and as well as Lexi Mercuri) were sidelined by way of injuries. That left the team banking on a large group of talent with limited by no varsity experience.
"Those three girls were going to be the ones to ride around in our engine, so to speak, " Griffin survivor said. "We had a formula at the outset of the year, but when you lose as much as my partner and i did, we had to reevaluate and choose other ways to compete with a bunch of sophomores and juniors. Even the other experience, Jacie Mangold, was an inexperienced experience.
"But they have been working their tails off in practice and getting game come across, which is invaluable. "
The roster shakeup has been a major catalyst in a very team's 1-11 start. But with Brownlee and Mercuri making their comes to the court, the now-experienced team is looking for a strong second half to a season.
Griffin turned to a large pair of juniors to fill the gap left by the injured seniors. On top of Maryah Agurs, who saw given playing time last season, Alexa Valforte, Haley Johnsen and Amanda Buckley have stepped up.
The Best Eagles have even given given playing time to sophomores such as Kristy Lippert and freshmen such as Keagan Brownlee.
"They are at a new measure and don't understand the speed of the on the web, " Griffin said. "It simple much faster than middle school , Metro. As a 14-year-old freshman , 15-year-old sophomore, it is tough actively playing against 17- or 18-year-old a lady. "
With such a reliance on the subject of youth, the team has struggled to search for consistency.
"We were putting sectors together and then halves, " Griffin said. "We are now playing 3/4. It has been growing. We have been waiting for the minute where it clicks and we overcome the hump. "
The Best Eagles recorded their first send for of the season last week with a 55-49 victory over Brentwood on the road. Valforte led the team with 14 details, and Lippert scored 10.
"It was like waiting for someone to get a gorilla off your back, " Griffin claimed. "It feels like 300 pounds might be on top of you. "
But Keystone Oaks is hungry for more. Every one of the team getting back to 100 percent, it is really ready to surprise some of its Region 5-AAA rivals during the second half the season.
"It was our course of action all along, " Griffin claimed. "We wanted to make a comeback away from where the team has been. As we improve your health, the senior experience will help here young kids who have been growing. We have any lot of scoring sitting on the along with for a long time. We are expecting some good goods soon. "
The Golden Silver eagles travel to Trinity tonight, Thursday, for my 7: 30 p. m. conclude.
Nathan Smith is a staff article author for Trib Total Media. He could be reached at nsmith@tribweb. por meio de or via Twitter @NSmith_Trib.
Join today! Click here for our subscription also offers.
No comments:
Post a Comment