Thomas Dale's Loren Favale (right) jousts with James River's Elizabeth Boese.
by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
Field hockey ain't football.
So field hockey halfbacks don't receive the same praise as a football halfback. The next few sentences will change that.
Thomas Dale halfback
Madison Parrish made the play of the game, allowing the chance for teammate
Carrie Jaeckle to score in double-overtime for the Knights' second straight Central Region championship, 1-0 over James River Thursday night.
Under extreme pressure from James River in the first OT, Parrish backed up Dale keeper
Miranda Lojek. Nothing new.
Except Dominion District player of the year
Jenna Taylor got an angle on Lojek. Falling down, Taylor put through a slow, but deadly accurate shot destined for the board and a JR title.
Except Parrish, the only defender in for Dale, was right there to send it out, allowing the Knights to live to see another OT.
"I saw it going in and she made an amazing play," Jaeckle said. "It was unbelievable!"
Parrish also broke up a would-be fastbreak earlier in the OT. Her play, along with the strong presence of Lojek in goal, kept the Rapids from scoring and prolonged a terrific contest.
"It was a good game," James River coach
Slade Gormus said. "I wanted to fast forward so we could get to strokes."
It seemed like it would get there as the time dwindled from the second OT. In stepped Jaeckle.
Julie Robertson (Central District player of the year) passed in the short corner, then
Deanna Smith halted it with her stick as Jaeckle stepped forward, ready to swing.
"I usually take them on the right side," Jaeckle said of the corners.
This time she was on the left.
She hit a solid offering that JR goalie
Grace Herbert tried to kick save with her left pad. It missed and set off a TD frenzy.
Jaeckle, who played the entire contest, should have been the one with the fewest energy cells remaining to celebrate. It was the exact opposite, just like it was in the overtimes.
She even carried an injured
Loren Favale (right knee injury in OT) as Dale accepted the silver trophy. That was before the Knights littered coach
Beth Jaeckle in silly string and doused her with a bucket of ice cold water.
"Over the season, we did neighborhood runs," Jaeckle said, describing her ridiculous stamina. "Typically, I try to push myself in practice. When you know it's for the Central Region title, you just give it all you can."
That's what James River did, and Gormus couldn't be more proud and more ready for the state Group AAA tournament that begins Thursday in Virginia Beach.
Dale will face the Northwest runner-up at 1 p.m., while the Rapids play the Northwest champ at 3.
"We had plenty of opportunities and we just didn't do it," Gormus said. "I want to go represent the region with two strong teams. Do I want to see Thomas Dale in the state final? It would be great for the region."
If Dale makes it, that little known halfback will have something to do with it.