Huntington Field Hockey Seeded No. 6 in County for 2023

The Huntington High School field hockey team is graduating 14 seniors after winning a program-best 14 games and reaching the Suffolk Final Four. You would think the Blue Devils are entering a rebuilding season and in many ways they are, but the rest of the county believes there is an awful lot of talent returning next fall; so much they have seeded the team No. 6 among 21 Division I squads.

After going 14-4 this past fall, seniors Grace Agrillo, Laurel Bonn, Gemma Cartwright, Laura Curtin, Quinn Fox, Tessie Maerz, Markella Markotsis, Kaci McDonald, Katie Meagher, Rachel Morina, Abby Pawlak, Erin Scanlon, Carlee Schultz and Stephanie Wickey are set to graduate in June.

Returning varsity letter winners include Charlotte Curtin, Sophie Lange, Ella O’Heir, Jordana Paniccia, Brooke Parks, Olivia Polinsky, Elizabeth Stair and Sophia Weiss. Numerous players from this past season’s JV and Finley Middle School teams are also expected to be promoted to the varsity level for next fall.

Varsity coaches Kathleen Wright and Allison Conlon have been busy formulating plans for 2023. Between an off-season league, intramurals and camps the Blue Devils are determined to keep their edge and bring along the next generation of stars.

Suffolk top five seeds include No. 1 Ward Melville; No. 2 Northport; No. 3 Sachem East; No. 4 Bay Shore/Islip and No. 5 Smithtown East.

Huntington is followed in the 2023 seeds by (in numerical order) Patchogue-Medford, Sachem North, West Islip, Connetquot, Newfield, Walt Whitman, Centereach, William Floyd, West Babylon, Commack, Half Hollow Hills, Lindenhurst, Riverhead, North Babylon and Copiague.

Huntington’s returnees are led by sophomore Charlotte Curtin, who tallied eight goals and three assists and was recognized as All-County honorable mention. O’Heir, Parks and Polinsky were all named All-Tournament.

The coaches and players used short quips throughout the 2022 season to motivate and inspire the team, including “Let’s score first;” “One team; one family;” “We got this;” Play to the last whistle;” “Don’t let down;” Replace, slide, get back, send the ball;” “It’s our field;” Who do you play for? Huntington!;” It’s our year,” “You worked hard for this” and “One game at a time.”