Starting off the season 8-0 is not something that a team can usually do without attracting much attention.
However, that is exactly what the Broadneck High field hockey team has managed to do so far. Much of that can be attributed to playing in Anne Arundel County, where the Bruins play alongside powerhouses like defending Class 4A champion Severna Park and two-time defending 3A champion South River. Through Monday, Severna Park was 9-0 while South River was 8-1.
Broadneck, though, has the chance to make a statement over the next 10 days. The Bruins play at South River Thursday before traveling to Severna Park Tuesday. Both those games could decide who plays in the Anne Arundel County title game while also impacting potential seedings for the state playoffs. Should the Bruins get on a roll, they have a shot of capturing the school?s second 4A state championship and first since 2002.
“We?re OK with being the team no one watches,” said first-year Broadneck coach Jen Parks, a former assistant and a 1996 graduate of the school. “We have a lot of girls ready to step up and accept the challenges in front of us.”
One of those girls is senior center midfielder Nikki McElwee, who had three goals and six assists through eight games. Parks said McElwee is a great leader on the field capable of making a key play when called upon. Other key contributors are Brigitte Strother (12 goals, 2 assists), Kari Ellen Johnson (7 goals, 1 assist), Lyndsi Jackson (5 goals, 6 assists), goalie Alyssa Cranska (25 saves, 1 goal allowed) and defender Shannon Hanratty.
At the same time, Broadneck must deal with the loss of Lindsay Mitchell (12 goals, 4 assists), who left Broadneck to attend the North American Ice Hockey Academy in Vermont. That is something McElwee said the Bruins should be able to handle.
“This is the strongest team I?ve played on here,” McElwee said. “I have confidence in everyone on this team. It won?t be easy, but if we can beat South River, I think that will set the tone for the rest of our season because it will show us that we can play with Severna Park and beat anyone that we may face after that.”
Strothersaid part of Broadneck?s motivation is to win for Parks, who began her coaching career with the Bruins as a junior varsity assistant seven years ago before taking over for Melissa Quigley this year.
“Coach Parks has worked as hard as us this season, and we want to win as a way of giving back to her for all she has done for the team,” Strother said.
