Allentown High School got off to a slow start in field hockey this season.
The Redbirds were 1-3 through their first four games, including an 11-0 defeat on Sept. 15 to Shore Regional High School, a perennial power in the sport.
But starting with an 8-0 victory over Nottingham High School on Sept. 18, Allentown went 7-2 en route to an 8-5 record while the Redbirds qualified for the Mercer County Tournament.
Allentown, the No. 7 seed out of 18 teams in the tournament, defeated the No. 13 seed in the field, Hightstown High School … on Oct. 13 in the first round, advancing to the second round to play No. 2 seed Princeton High School on …
So, the Redbirds, due to their rebound from a negative start, have a good chance to make the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 3 sectional tournament as well. Allentown is fourth in the section in power points–12 teams make the field.
The turnaround started with a practice drill on a random September day between games.
After another loss, Allentown coach Mary Ellen McCarthy faced a challenge. McCarthy has been coaching field hockey for over two decades, but she could never remember having to deal with such a slow start.
“It challenged me to come up with a new way to motivate them, get them better and to where they want to be,” McCarthy said.
To start practice that day, McCarthy set up a drill called “shooting bonanza.” In the drill, the coach sets up targets all over the field and her players, all players, not just forwards and midfielders, earn points for hitting the targets with shots.
“I set up a variety of targets but unconventional targets. I place them on benches, tackling dummies, prop up cones. There are things they have to go around, shoot in, shoot over, reverse shots,” McCarthy said. “I give points to different shots. Through a hula hoop is a three-pointer. Knocking a cone off a tackling dummy is four points.”
“It is fun. They love it,” she added.
That day, the Redbirds had more fun than they had all year, up to that point.
“They were laughing, challenging each other, asking for another turn, asking to stay later near the end of practice. To see that intensity and enthusiasm when we had been losing was a huge turning point,” McCarthy said. “We promised ourselves from that point forward we were going to get better, move the ball and move forward as a team to improve the situation we were in.”
A few days later, on Sept. 27, Allentown beat Steinert High School, 7-0. Goalkeeper Grace Leard made four saves. Her defense, led by Carleigh Delaney and Katie Roth, prevented Steinert from generating chances. And offensively, three Allentown players, Anna Lasalle, Morgan Vaccaro and Kelly Noon, scored two goals each.
Allentown used the same well-rounded formula for the rest of the regular season. It held four more opponents to one goal or less. It also scored at least five goals in three other games.
Delaney and Roth have anchored a strong defensive unit.
“They move the ball well and are leaders on the field. They have tremendous hits. Carly has a really nice clearing dribble,” McCarthy said. “They’ve helped the goalies settle in. They allow the midfielders to feel confident. They are one of the reasons for the turnaround.”
“But you can’t pin it on one. The performance of the offense has been phenomenal,” McCarthy added.
Senior Kennedy Munster leads Allentown with 12 goals. Lasalle, Noon and Vaccaro have scored seven, six and six goals, respectively. Vaccaro also leads the Redbirds with 10 assists.
But to McCarthy, the process is more important than the results. The Redbirds are executing the coach’s aggressive offensive philosophy, the same philosophy behind the shooting bonanza drill: shoot from literally anywhere on the field.
McCarthy’s favorite stat of the year is that, even in a 4-3 defeat to Robbinsville High School on Oct. 6, Allentown ripped 18 shots on goal.
“One of my goals as a coach was to try to get the team to be more offensive-minded and take more shots. Taking 18 shots is stepping up the offensive game,” McCarthy said. “We’re taking more shots and the forwards are getting better at shooting the ball. They are beginning to believe in themselves and the process.”
With that mindset, plus strong defense, Allentown will be a threat in the county tournament and in the state sectional tournament.
“We need to continue putting offensive pressure on, continue playing solid defense and I need my midfielders to come through with transition,” McCarthy said.
