It’s the Blue Devils’ battle cry before every game: “Who do you play for? Huntington. Who do you play for? Huntington.” Senior Abby Pawlak shouts the questions and her teammates answer her. The Huntington girls’ field hockey team went on to respond with a school record 14 victories this fall, but the Blue Devils came up just short in the Suffolk Final Four when second seeded Ward Melville edged the blue-and-white, 2-0.
Huntington (14-4) played a great game against a very strong foe. The Blue Devil defense was remarkable in the first half as the Patriots mounted a ferocious offensive attacked. Carlee Schultz was superb in goal with the senior stopping 10 shots in the game. It wasn’t until 31.3 seconds remained that Ward Melville (17-1) finally managed to hit the back of the cage with the ball.
The Patriots added a second goal in the second half for insurance, but the Blue Devils kept playing hard until the final whistle. Huntington’s sideline mentors Kathy Wright and Allison Conlon coached their hearts out and were exhausted by the end of the game.
Huntington reached the county semifinals by playing together as one unit, with players casting aside individual egos and selfish desires and subjecting themselves to the greater good. That same philosophy has produced a staggering 27 wins over the past two seasons and elevated the sport of field hockey around the high school and community.
The Blue Devils took the loss very hard with tears all the way around. It didn’t get much easier the next day.
“Yesterday was the hardest day in my athletic career,” said Laurel Bonn, who tallied 14 goals and six assists and is a county offensive powerhouse. “It’s heartbreaking to say goodbye to the sport I love most. However, I am so beyond proud of our season and couldn’t imagine playing with any other team of girls.”
Huntington had several scoring opportunities at Ward Melville, but was not able to convert any of them.
“We have such a unique team atmosphere that I am going to miss greatly,” said Erin Scanlon, one of Suffolk’s best defenders. “Our team is so strong and I am so proud of every person because we have all worked so hard to get to the semi-finals. Everyone left their hearts on the field and played a great game. I am so glad to be part of such an amazing team and so grateful to wear the Blue Devil uniform.”
The team’s seniors took the loss especially hard, but managed to put it into perspective and feel good about all they accomplished during their careers.
“Huntington field hockey will always have a special place in my heart,” said Tessie Maerz, who notched six goals and nine assists and is regarded as a Suffolk star. “Being a member of the family we have created is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. I will cherish these memories for my whole life and when I think back on high school, I will always remember my time on this team. Even though we hoped to go further, I couldn’t be more proud of our team. It is very hard to say goodbye to the sport I have loved ever since Finley. I will truly miss it.”