Colorado Academy senior Sterre Van Ede is the reigning player of the year in field. She and the Mustangs will be after their third consecutive state championship.
File photo by Ray Chen
Unlike the majority of the state's other sports, Colorado features only 13 field hockey teams. That means the power often resides at the top, with fewer teams having the opportunity to sneak up on the favorites.
Essentially, the established hierarchy is difficult to penetrate.
With that in mind,
Colorado Academy (Denver) is seeking a three-peat this season. The Mustangs return the 2013 player of the year in
Sterre Van Ede, who will play at California, and also bring back all-state forward and 2012 player of the year
Julia Murphy, who has committed to Dickinson. Dynamic scorer
Henley Hall also is back and is bound for Middlebury College.
Australian-born Veronica Scott, a co-captain on Australia's national team from 2002-04 and a former assistant coach at Wake Forest, replaced coach Daan Polders this season. She also played and coached professionally in Belgium.
"We're fortunate to have someone with Veronica's experience and professionalism take the role," Colorado Academy athletic director Bill Hall said. "The program won't miss a beat with her at the helm, that's for sure."
Polders led the Mustangs to championships in each of his two seasons – and a combined 33-0-2 record – but stepped down to become the hockey director at Horizon Field Hockey Club in Drexel Hill, Pa. and the coach of nearby Villa Maria High School.
The Mustangs have appeared in the past three state championship games, and after losing the first to
Kent Denver (Englewood) in 2011, defeated
Palmer Ridge (Monument) in 2012 and edged
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) 2-0 last season.
Top storylines• Recent seasons might indicate that Colorado Academy rules the state's field hockey landscape, but not so fast. Kent Denver, which begins the season ranked No. 2 in the CHSAANow.com poll, has corralled nine of the state's 17 state crowns. The Sun Devils graduated two all-state players, but return leading scorer Emma Patterson.
• Colorado Academy has started the season 2-0 with wins against Smoky Hill (Aurora) and Denver East, stretching the Mustangs' winning streak to 26. Their unbeaten streak, including two ties, is at 37.
• Cherry Creek begins the season ranked No. 3. The Bruins and coach Ashley Thompson edged Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) 1-0 in their opener on Tuesday.
• Palmer Ridge has been one of the most emerging squads on the circuit, and that trend should continue even though the Bears graduated their top four scorers. Back in the fold are standout goalie
Cherydn Pettit and senior captain
Ashley Walker. Sophomores
Emily Munn and
Shannon Snediker are having an immediate impact with four goals apiece in the Bears' first two games, both victories.
•
Claire Stemper of
Regis Jesuit (Aurora) was selected as one of the state's two all-state goalies last season despite being a sophomore. Stemper has begun the season in stellar fashion once again, registering a 1-0 shutout of St. Mary's Academy (Englewood) on Wednesday.
•
Denver East's season was up and down last year, as evidenced by the Angels' 7-7-1 mark. But the Angels were the first team receiving votes outside the top five in the preseason poll and figure to compete behind a solid roster led by all-stater
Fiona Sullivan.
Top playersReturning CHSAANow/MaxPreps all-state selections:
Akiko Mitchell, Mountain Vista, Sr.; Julia Murphy, Colorado Academy, Sr.; Claire Stemper, Regis Jesuit, Jr.; Fiona Sullivan, Denver East, Sr.; Sterre Van Ede, Colorado Academy, Sr. (player of the year).
Top upcoming gamesRegis Jesuit at Cherry Creek, Sept. 2; Palmer Ridge at Colorado Academy, Sept. 4; Colorado Academy at Kent Denver, Sept. 12;
Grandview (Aurora) at Cherry Creek, Sept. 30.
