THE Collingwood Cavaliers senior girls field hockey team made their fourth provincial AA championship final in a row last weekend before falling to Shawnigan Lake to add another silver to their extensive collection of medals.
The Cavaliers were looking to repeat as champions but ran into a talented and more experienced Shawnigan squad in a 2-0 loss, bringing their four-year finals tally to two golds and two silvers.
This year's Collingwood squad was notable for something they were lacking: Grade 12 players. Stephanie Eggertson, a co-captain who has been with the team since their four-year run began, was the only Grade 12 player on the roster this season. That fact made this season's run remarkable and made next season's outlook even better, said head coach Sara Simpson.
"As a coach I couldn't be more proud of the girls," she said. "It was definitely a disappointing loss but they're definitely very excited for next year."
The team's signature moment came in a 1-0 overtime win over longtime rival Crofton House in the provincial semifinal. Collingwood's Hailey Reeves scored the game winner off a short corner with time winding down in the final OT period.
"There's a lot of passion between us and Crofton - both being private schools there's always kind of a history there - and there was so much emotion in that game," said Simpson. "It kind of felt like a final."
With their tanks nearly on empty the young Cavaliers lost to a top-notch team from Shawnigan in the final.
"The Shawnigan team was stronger on that day and they deserved the win. All we can do is really move forward from this," said Simpson. "Our attitude at the end of the game was very positive. There was room for improvement but they recognized their strengths in that game and that's what they'll take out of it."
Collingwood's silver showing capped off a strong year in which they finished third against bigger AAA schools at the prestigious Bridgman Cup tournament while also knocking off some of the North Shore's dominant AAA teams.
The team was guided by their central core of Eggertson and Reeves in midfield, Leah Frome at centre forward and Katarina Angus at sweeper with strong supporting players on the wings helping to control games, said Simpson, adding that the tight-knit nature of the school helped with team chemistry.
"They always call themselves the Collingwood family and they do resemble that very much," she said. "They're all sisters and they hang out together and they play with a lot of heart and passion."
Simpson also gave kudos to the Rockridge senior girls who made it to provincials for the first time in school history. The Ravens knocked off Saint Thomas Aquinas in a do-or-die playoff game to earn a trip to the North Shore final as well as a place at the provincial tournament, where they finished 10th.
"They did really well," said Simpson. "They were just kind of soaking it all in and enjoying being there and being the best they could."
