Field Hockey Shines on Youth Day

By Kevin Eickman

Milford’s field hockey team celebrated the growth of the sport at all levels within the community on Youth Day, and it was senior Hannah Zimmerman who stole the spotlight in a commanding 7-0 victory against Appoquinimink High School. Zimmerman’s ball-handling skills were on full display as she netted three goals, leading her team to a decisive win. “Hannah is a special player, but it wasn’t just her today—it was the entire team that made this victory possible,” said Coach Andrea McPike.

McPike has always emphasized the importance of finishing strong, and this year’s team is clearly taking that lesson to heart. The scoring began early in the first quarter when senior Bailey Masten fired a powerful shot from just inside the right-hand side of the circle, which was redirected by sophomore Julianne Dickerson for the game’s first goal just 2:20 into play.
Milford maintained relentless pressure from the outset, and Zimmerman quickly added her first goal just 15 seconds later. Taking the ball at midfield, Zimmerman displayed superior ball control, cutting through the defense and launching the ball past the helpless goalkeeper. “We wanted to make it a point to get out fast today, and that’s what we did. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game. I was really happy with how well they performed,” McPike said.

Masten and Zimmerman continued their scoring spree, helping Milford jump out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Milford’s dominance was evident as they kept the pressure on, effectively setting up in the Appoquinimink end and dictating the pace of play. Although they didn’t score in the second quarter, Milford still held an impressive 4-0 lead going into halftime.
The stats from the game were staggering—Milford took an astounding 51 shots and earned 16 penalty corners. Most notably, Milford’s execution on penalty corners showed marked improvement, resulting in two goals. “It’s something that we’ve really been working on, and the improvement is starting to show. We still have work to do, but I’m happy with our progress so far,” McPike commented.
Zimmerman completed her hat trick in the third quarter, while junior Isabel Betts added another goal later in the same period. Milford rounded out the scoring in the final quarter when sophomore Katelyn Joseph found the back of the net.

While junior goalkeeper Madison Stahl was required to make only three saves, the defense and midfielders played a critical role in the team’s performance. McPike praised the fluidity of the transition game, noting how well the defenders connected with the midfielders, who in turn found the forwards. “The defenders were finding the midfielders, who were finding the forwards. Everyone was working together, and we were very fluid out of the back. This was a very complete victory for us,” McPike said.

Adding to the excitement of the day was the involvement of Milford’s youth teams, who participated in everything but the actual game. The young players were present during the pre-game activities, McPike’s halftime instructions, and even joined in for the victory photo after the game. “We are really building up the program in Milford, and that starts with our youngest players. They were so excited to meet the high school players, who are like superstars in their eyes. They really enjoyed themselves,” McPike shared. “Honestly, I don’t know who had more fun—the youth teams or our varsity squad. It was a very special day for everyone involved, and I loved it.”

The Buccaneers, now 1-1, will host Laurel at 4 PM this Tuesday.