James River coach Slade Gormus led the Rapids to a state championship in 2002.
by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
Over the years the Thomas Dale and James River field hockey teams have been at the top of the class in the Central Region.
The teams' success at the region level though, has not always translated as well at the state level.
The Rapids won the state championship in 2002 but since then a Central Region team has neither won nor been to the title game. The strongest teams generally come from the Eastern Region.
"There are just so many people there [Eastern Region] and they start playing hockey at a much younger age. It is such a strong area," James River coach
Slade Gormus said. "The teams from the north play hockey a little different, it is more aggressive."
Thomas Dale and James River hope to change the perception they can't play with other field hockey teams from around the state starting Thursday when the state tournament kicks off. The Knights face Northwest Region runner-up Mountain View at 1 p.m. and the Rapids meet Northwest champion Stafford at 3. All the games are being played at the U.S. Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach.
"I feel like anytime you don't have to face a team from the beach in the first round it is a good thing," Gormus said. "But it is the best of the best and you are going to have to beat everybody."
The Knights come out of the Central Region as the tournament champion for the second year in a row after beating the Rapids 1-0 in double overtime in the title game. It is also the second consecutive year that Thomas Dale defeated James River for the crown.
"It has been a good rivalry throughout the years," Thomas Dale coach
Beth Jaeckle said. "We know that they consistently will be a top team and that they always have a couple of girls with top of the line skills. It is good for us to play them."
Last season in the state tournament Thomas Dale fell to Maury (Eastern) 3-0 in the first round while James River lost to Frank W. Cox (Eastern) 7-2.
Jaeckle is in only her second year as coach of her alma mater where she was part of a field hockey team that advanced to the state tournament twice. Gormus has been the head coach at James River for nine years and was an assistant with the Rapids prior to that. Under her watch, James River has failed to advance to states only once, in 2001.
Instead of playing on natural grass, like Thomas Dale and James River did all season, the teams will be forced to play on turf at the National Training Center. Many of the Eastern Region teams routinely play on turf throughout the year.
Gormus has had her team practice at the University of Richmond's turf field all week to prepare them for the tournament. It will allow the team to get comfortable with how fast the ball travels and to see what it is like to pass on it.
During the season the Rapids practiced on a field that is Bermuda grass which is similar to turf as far as ball speed but it does not always give the same sure ball that the turf gives.
The turf field may not have as big of effect in the opening round as it might be in the second.
"We play a team from the Northwest in the first round and they don't have access to turf either," Jaeckle said. "It will have more of an impact in the second round if we advance."
Both coaches point to their squads ability to play as team and not just having one individual carry them as the reason for their success this season.
"We have become a really strong team over the year," Jaeckle said. "We have a lot of players who contribute and it helps not having one person to depend on. We always say we are a family and we really enjoy each others company."
Said Gormus: "This has been a total team effort. On different days, different leaders step up. We do have captains but they have bad days too, so someone always has to step up."
That being said, both teams have a couple of players that have stood out throughout the season.
Julie Robertson and
Loren Favale have provided much of the offense this year for the Knights.
"Julie was the player of the year for our district," Jaeckle said. "If I was a coach going against us I would make sure to look out for her."
James River's
Jenna Taylor (Dominion player of the year) and
Hannah Schul are the main offensive threats for the Rapids.
"Jenna does so much for us," Gormus said. "The girls look for her to make things happen but I have always stressed to the team to not put all the eggs in one basket. We can't rely on her all the time."
Regardless of how the teams fair this time in the state tournament, Gormus sees a bright future for field hockey in the Central Region.
"With girls starting to play hockey at a younger age it will start to grow and get stronger," Gormus said. "As a coach I appreciate what they are doing but I want more skill oriented practices with the younger groups. That is what is going to make us better as a region."