This year’s J. Taylor Finley Middle School field hockey team was comprised of a great group of 23 seventh and eighth grade players who played their collective hearts out over the course of an eight game schedule.
Coached by veteran district physical education teacher Nancy Conlon, Finley was captained by Adriana Abbatiello, Olivia Polinsky and Olivia Spada. Among the 23 players, there were 15 in their first year in the sport.
“This team was very determined to learn the game of field hockey,” Conlon said. “They practiced hard and came together on and off the field.”
Spada and Abbatiello were standout forwards for the team. Eighth graders Kate Barba (forward), Megan Lewis (defense) and Elizabeth Stair (defense) and seventh grader Charlotte Curtain (forward) were also among the top players for Finley.
“Kate Barba is fast and strong with drives that are untouchable,” Conlon said. “Adriana Abbatiello is fast and determined to get the ball to her teammates. Oliva Spada is the heart of the offense, getting her stick on the ball to go our way. Megan Lewis is a quick and amazing defender. Elizabeth Stair is a strong defender. Charlotte Curtain has great stick work and speed dribbling the ball down the field.”
The Finley roster also included seventh graders Rosie Arner, Alexandra Centrone, Alyssa Evans, Janelee Gomez-Hernandez, Rafaella Gregorio, Ariana Lepera, Brittany Lopez Berrios, Jordana Matijak, Aine Rimkunas, Gwendolyn Tittmann and Sophia Weiss and eighth graders Landry Flynn, Lily Froggatt Bale, Natalia Hernandez, Jordana Paniccia and Kaitlyn Sansiviero.
“I have 12 girls returning next year,” Conlon said.