H-ton Hopes Summer Field Hockey Makes Difference

The Huntington field hockey program is looking to keep its forward momentum with 20 players on the field this summer.

The Blue Devils aspire annually to be one of Suffolk’s top teams and that’s certainly the goal for 2024 said longtime head coach Kathy Wright. Huntington played in a winter league and is playing summer ball in an effort to keep up with the perennial county powers and to gain an edge on everyone else.

The summer roster includes eighth grader Norah Golden, freshmen Campbell Arthur, Ava Bencivenga, Shea Gilroy, Gabriella Jones, Taylor Ranft and Darcy Rimkunas; sophomores Lauren Dopico, Sophie Hoffman, Elliot Manu, Anastacia Mennuto and Caroline Mitek; juniors Giana Anfolisi, Katie Cocoman, Louisa Skrobela and Sofia Van Arsdale and seniors Alexandra Centrone, Charlotte Curtin, Ella Granito and Sophia Weiss.

The Blue Devil varsity and JV will both begin practicing on Monday, August 26 at 7:45 a.m. on the stadium turf field. The Finley Middle School team will start the fall campaign on Wednesday, September 4 after school.

Varsity coaches Wright and Conlon and junior varsity coach Hildi Stanford are inviting incoming high school students in grades 9-12 to join the team. Previous experience is not necessary. The same goes at Finley where head coach Marissa Bergmann has the welcome mat rolled out for all interested.

“We welcome everyone to join our program and the Huntington field hockey family,” Coach Wright said. “We have a really wonderful group of young woman who have been working hard this summer, preparing for the season and having fun. Everyone is invited to join us.”

For more information contact Coach Wright at coachwright4@gmail.com; Coach Conlon at aconlon@hufsd.edu or Coach Stanford at hstanford@hufsd.edu. Finley players can reach Coach Bergmann at mbergmann@hufsd.edu.

Checklist for Tryouts:

All students must be requalified prior to tryouts for each sports season. The following two forms are to be submitted to the school nurse on one of the listed requalification dates.

• Required NYS Health Examination Form (click for link)

Physical exams can be performed by private doctor or school doctor and are valid for one year.

• Interval Health History for Sports Participation (English/Spanish) (click for link)

A new form is required for each season; must be completed by parent/guardian, signed in ink and dated within 30 days of the start of the season (No earlier than July 29.)

• Parent Consent Form for Athletes (English/Spanish) (click for link)

All students must submit a parent/guardian permission form to the coach on the first day of tryouts.

Huntington High School students interested in playing field hockey are asked to report to the high school nurse’s office on Friday, August 16 at 11 a.m. to submit forms and be cleared for the season.

Those who would like to get a physical exam performed by the school doctor can go to the nurse’s office on Thursday, August 15 at 9 a.m.