Blue Devils Win National Academic Awards

The winningest field hockey team in Huntington High School history is still capturing honors. The Blue Devils recently learned that 16 players have been tapped for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s National Academic Squad.

The academic squad program “recognizes those high school seniors and juniors who have achieved a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 out of 4.0 or the equivalent through the first quarter/semester of the 2022/23 school year and were nominated by their coach,” according to the organization, which is based in Colorado Springs.

Huntington’s Laurel Bonn, Gemma Cartwright, Laura Curtin, Quinn Fox, Sophie Lange, Tessie Maerz, Markella Markotsis, Kaci McDonald, Kathryn Meagher, Rachel Morina, Ella O’Heir, Jordana Paniccia, Brooke Parks, Abigail Pawlak, Olivia Polinsky and Erin Scanlon were all honored.

Those seniors and juniors who have earned a 3.9 or better have also been recognized as Scholars of Distinction. The group includes Blue Devils Laurel Bonn, Rachel Morina, Jordana Paniccia and Olivia Polinsky.

In its last nationwide survey, the National Federation of High Schools found there are 1,767 high school with varsity field hockey teams and about 56,000 players. New York has 207 high school teams with about 6,300 players.

The Blue Devils won 14 games last fall and reached the Suffolk Final Four round. Huntington is coached by Kathy Wright and Allison Conlon. Hildi Stanford coaches the JV team. Marissa Bergmann is the coach at J. Taylor Finley Middle School.