Bombers roll out of South Okanagan with 2-2 record to start High School Field Hockey season
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Bring on the High School Field Hockey season.
The L.V. Rogers Bombers jumped into the campaign with both feet, finishing with a 2-2 during the annual trek to Oliver to compete in the South Okanagan Hornets High School Girl’s Field Hockey Tournament.
“The team ended up with a 2 – 2 record, not bad considering we only went with eleven players and three of them were returning veterans from last year’s Provincial Consolation group win in Victoria,” said coach Bruce Walgren.
Walgren said the Lady Bombers started out playing a very fast team from Kamloops.
The Bombers were on the defensive for most of the game continuously stopping multiple Kamloops attacks.
Rookie goalie Ashley Hall, along with defenders Heather Potkins, Isabell Curiston and Ashleigh Mclean did their best to move the ball up to Julia Burkart and Aimee Montpellier in the midfield but the Kamloops ladies were not giving an inch.
Many hard fought battles took place in the back line and midfield.
Kamloops was up 2-0 when some strong checking by Julia Burkart and Amiee Montpellier created a loose ball for Bomber speedster Hanna Quinn to pounce and slide a low shot into the Kamloops goal cutting the lead in half.
It stayed that way for much of the second half until late in the game, when Kamloops had a short corner and netted their third goal and a 3 – 1 win.
“All – in – all not a bad game by the bombers they all played hard and in the end it was just inexperience and a short bench that got us,” said Walgren.
“Next up was the host Oliver, always a tall order to come out with a win against them,” Walgren added.
Even with a short bench and thanks to two Grade 8 girls from Trafalgar Jessica McLeod and Marisa Price, the Bombers scored first when speedy Hanna Quinn got a hold of a loose ball and scored on a partial breakaway.
Oliver then pressed the Bomber midfield and backline and scored soon after tying the game 1-1.
The Hornets then took the lead on a broken play as the lady bombers could not clear the ball and a low hard shot was deflected past the bomber keeper Ashley Hall who had no chance on the play, for the 2 -1 win.
Saturday the Bombers did not start until later in the day and that extra rest seemed to help.
First up was Penticton Lakers.
Rookie Page Meisner scored off of a goalmouth scramble before Hanna Quinn doubled LVR’s lead with some speedy running and great stick work.
Penticton pressed the Bombers and got a goal late to make the game interesting at the end, but strong midfield play from Julia Burkart, Aimee Montpellier and backline play from Heather Potkins, Isabell Curiston, and Ashleigh McLean kept the Lakers at bay.
LVR managed to pull even on the weekend by scoring a narrow 1-0 win over Princess Margret from Penticton.
“Again strong Midfield play by Aimee Montpellier and Julia Burkart along with a solid back line with rookies Isabell Curiston, Ashleigh McLean and veteran Heather Potkins helped rookie keeper Ashleigh Hall preserve a 1 – 0 shutout,” Walgren said.
Potkins scored LVR’s lone goal with a shot after some nice passing by Julia Burkart and Hanna Quinn during an LVR short corner.
“All of the rookies, Keeper Ashley Hall, defence – Isabell Curiston, Ashleigh McLean, mids – Sienna Morningstar, Elissa Centrone, Aimee Montpellier, Jessica McLeod, forwards Paige Meisner, and Maria Gioveolioni played very well and showed great determination on Friday and Saturday, never stopping and always learning from the previous game,” Walgren said.
Next up for the Bombers is a League game on Thursday against the very tough archrival J. Lloyd Crowe of Trail before the Bombers travel to Pass Creek for a Tournament hosted by Stanley Humphries Rockers of Castlegar Friday afternoon and Saturday.
