Tonight was a disappointment for Stamford High School and a celebration for Westhill at Boyle Stadium.
The Vikings won their first city field hockey title since 2004 with a 3-1 victory. The biggest winner of all, however, was fans of the sport. And there were many of them out tonight.
This is the strongest Stamford and Westhill have been during the same season in years. The Black Knights have the edge in flash, with dynamic scorer Madi McLaughlin and dominant midfielder Laura Dembofsky, while the Vikings have been riding the finishing power of forward Alli Oakes and a team with few stars but who perform extremely well together.
The Westhill defense was under extraordinary pressure for much of the game as the Black Knights took 16 shots and attempted 12 penalty corners. But Shannon Tallcouch made eight saves in goal and was supported by a strong defensive effort.
Though Stamford lost six starters from last year’s state championship team, it still has all the pieces in place to make another strong postseason run. Right now the biggest concern has to be maintaining confidence as it tries to solve its problems finishing plays.
“I’m disappointed with the result but happy with the effort,” Stamford coach Matt Forker said after the game.
A few skeptics were puzzled by how the Vikings could get two penalty strokes nine minutes apart in the second half, both of which Oakes converted into goals. But they forced the situation with several good counterattacks.
With Oakes having one of the best offensive seasons in school history and her teammates providing strong play all around her, Westhill is a team no one will want to face in the playoffs. And with each win has come increased confidence.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Westhill coach Emily Lisy said. “They have worked hard and I am really happy for them.”
