Honesdale field hockey team plays an inspired match on senior night

HONESDALE — There are times in high school sports, as there are in life, when wins and losses aren’t the ultimate measure of success or failure.

Local field hockey fans witnessed a perfect example of that assertion Oct. 14 when a scrappy young Honesdale squad faced off with a perennial Class AA powerhouse in late season Wyoming Valley Conference action.

Crestwood arrived on the scene ranked fourth in the state and 16th in the country with an overall record of 14-0-1. The Hornets checked in at 6-9 overall and 2-7 in league play.

“We know that we’re going to be out-skilled in this one,” Hall of Fame head coach Becca Maciejewski just moments before the match. “But we’re going to work really hard, play as a team and give it all we have for the whole game.”

More: Honesdale field hockey prepping for another deep playoff run

Also by Kevin Edwards: Goldstein, Beisner and Spry will lead Honesdale’s field hockey team

And that’s exactly what the local girls did. Despite being outgunned at nearly every position, Honesdale trailed Crestwood just 1-0 deep into the fourth period.

Unfortunately for a big Senior Night crowd, the Hornets ran out of gas late in the game and ultimately suffered a 4-0 loss.

“I am so incredibly proud of these girls,” Maciejewski said. “They just played their hearts out against one of the Top 20 teams in the nation. We definitely weren’t intimidated at all.”

Senior swan song

Five battle-tested veteran players were honored during a moving Senior Night ceremony prior to Wednesday’s game.

Jaydan Beisner, Hailey Brady, Caitlin Brescia, Bridget Murray and Chloee Spry have each made key contributions to the program over the course of the past four years.

“This is definitely an emotional night for me,” Maciejewski said. “I’ve been coaching some of these girls almost since they were babies, so it’s really hard to see them go.”

Beisner has been a member of the varsity squad for four years and she’s serving as a captain this fall. Her future plans include continuing her field hockey career at Mansfield University, where she will pursue a degree in radiology.

Brady is a talented multi-sport athlete who also excels in track and field. She’s a four-year varsity player who hopes to continue her academic and athletic career at the NCAA level next fall.

Brescia is another four-year member of the varsity squad who also plays a key role on the track team. Her future plans are to attend Penn State University and study nursing.

Murray has been a varsity player for four years while also playing basketball. Next fall, Murray hopes to attend college and earn a nursing degree.

Spry has been a member of the varsity squad for four years and is currently serving as a captain. She is planning to attend college to continue her field hockey career while studying exercise science.

Exceptional teamwork

Honesdale came into the match-up with Crestwood looking to slow down a high-octane Comet attack.

The visitors struck first, scoring the game’s initial goal with 7:31 left in the opening period. Piper Keenan-Harden did the honors, giving Crestwood a 1-0 lead unassisted.

After that, though, the Hornets ratcheted up their defensive pressure from sideline to sideline. Claire Goldstein led the charge, sprinting all over the midfield and disrupting the Comets’ intricate offense.

It was a calculated move that paid big dividends throughout the game. Thanks to Goldstein’s unselfish sacrifice, Crestwood struggled to generate any consistent offense through the first three periods. It also freed up players like Jaydan Beisner, Chloee Spry and Emmy Wolfenberg to step into much more aggressive roles.

“That’s the main reason we were able to hang so long with a nationally-ranked team,” Maciejewski said. “Our level of teamwork is so much different than anywhere else.”

Maddy Freiermuth also turned in a stellar performance on the back end. The junior keeper delivered one clutch save after another while also thwarting Crestwood on nearly every corner opportunity.

In the end, though, Honesdale finally began to wear down. The Comets broke through late in the fourth period, peppering the Hornet cage with shots and scoring three times.

“What I really love about coaching this program is that we have so many kids ready to step in and lift one another up,” Maciejewski said. “No matter what role I give these girls, they all accept it fearlessly.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Honesdale field hockey team plays an inspired match on senior night