Foothills Council field hockey all-stars announced
By BILL CAIN, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
Eight Johnstown and three Gloversville field hockey players were named to this year's Foothills Council all-star team.
The first team included Johnstown's Gretchen Derwin, Karly Vdoviak and Kendra Cooper, along with Gloversville's Hannah Schuyler.
Johnstown benefited from the front-line play of Vdoviak and Cooper, both of whom are juniors and the leading scorers on the team.
"Without them, we wouldn't have been as successful in front of the cage," Johnstown coach Quinn Swartwout said. "Both of them have strong shots on goal and we can do some pretty advanced corners because of their abilities."
Swartwout said she also was able to move either of them back to center for a different look. Vdoviak finished with 12 goals and five assists, while Cooper had seven goals and six assists. The duo accounted for more than half the Johnstown goals on the season.
In the back, Derwin was the lone senior defender.
"Gretchen was one of my most reliable defenders," Swartwout said. "I could count on her to play hard against a weaker team and I could count on her to play hard against the strongest of teams, especially in our last game against Glens Falls."
A forward for Gloversville, Schuyler was not the team's leading scorer, but coach Jacquie Davies said the consistent starter could spark the front line and had several breakaways up the left side late in the season.
"What she provided up front was, all of a sudden, she would come out of nowhere and get the forward line moving again," she said. "She would carry the ball up the left side of the field better than anyone else. Usually, you move the ball up the right side, but it was nice to have a wing like Hannah who could move the ball up the left side or go up the middle."
Gloversville had junior defender Dana Fettinger on the second team and sophomore goalie Mary Grace Piazza as the last line of defense.
Davies said Fettinger was consistent and reliable in the back and Piazza was often challenged but held her own. Piazza made 259 saves on 305 shots on the cage.
She and Fettinger will be back next season with a host of juniors who gained experience this season, Davies said.
"The bulk of the team was juniors this year," she said. "I'm looking at a large group of returning juniors who, hopefully, will take it to them when they're seniors. They play with a lot of pride and a lot of skill."
Johnstown's senior goalie Adele Friello posted eight shutouts this season and was named to the second team. She is joined by senior forward Marlaina Wing and sophomore midfielder Abigail Heroth. Wing had six goals and three assists, while Heroth had a goal and two assists. Honorable mention was awarded to Johnstown junior defender Viv Panetta and sophomore midfielder Alyssa Brand. Brand had three goals on the season.
Panetta was a halfback for two years on the junior varsity team before being moved to sweeper on varsity. Swartwout said although there are no stats kept on the plays, Panetta was the one clearing the ball away if it ever got behind Friello, making her an indispensable defender.
Getting five of her eight all-stars is exciting, Swartwout said, especially with two junior first-teamers and two sophomores being recognized.
"For Alyssa and Abigail to be recognized as sophomores is pretty awesome and I know they're appreciative of it," Swartwout said. "It makes you wonder what will happen next year because the girls are young and so talented."
2008 Foothills Council All-Stars
First team
Melyssa Woods (midfield, Glens Falls), Lauren Winchell (forward, Glens Falls), Sarah Mason (forward, Glens Falls), Ashley Stanley (goalie, Glens Falls), Gretchen Derwin (defense, Johnstown), Karly Vdoviak (forward, Johnstown), Kendra Cooper (forward, Johnstown), Ashley Doody (forward, Hudson Falls), Courtney Cartier (midfield, Hudson Falls), Breanne Sprague (midfield, Hudson Falls), Melanie Middleton (defense, Queensbury), Megan Fish (defense, Queensbury), Michelle Fraser (defense, Scotia-Glenville), Rachel Feurer (midfield, Scotia-Glenville), Alex Funk (defense, South Glens Falls), Hannah Schuyler (forward, Gloversville)
Second team
Caroline Harvey (midfield, Glens Falls), Kate Gillespie (defense, Glens Falls), Brittany Wilson (midfield, Glens Falls), Shayna O'Connor (defense, Glens Falls), Marlaina Wing (forward, Johnstown), Adele Friello (goalie, Johnstown), Abigail Heroth (midfield, Johnstown), Tia Bucher (defense, Hudson Falls), Ally Macy (forward, Hudson Falls), Erica French (defense, Hudson Falls), Laura St. Andrews (defense, Queensbury), Ali Gazetos (midfield, Queensbury), Jen White (midfield, Queensbury), Arika Adams (goalie, Scotia-Glenville), Brittany Schaub (forward, Scotia-Glenville), Jacquelin Atkins (forward, South Glens Falls), Dana Fettinger (defense, Gloversville)
Honorable mention
Kiley Sullivan (forward, Glens Falls), Pauline Searles (forward, Glens Falls), Brittany Daniels (defense, Glens Falls), Alyssa Brand (midfield, Johnstown), Viv Panetta (defense, Johnstown), Rachel Purdy (defense, Hudson Falls), Elicia Trello (defense, Hudson Falls), Micaele Heil (defense, Hudson Falls), Jessica Quirk (forward, Queensbury), Katie Edwards (midfield, Queensbury), Erin Connelly (forward, Scotia-Glenville), Shannon Flaherty (forward, Scotia-Glenville), Abby Fisher (defense, Scotia-Glenville), Heather Casey (forward, South Glens Falls), Taylor Mancini (midfield, South Glens Falls), Jenna Manney (defense, South Glens Falls), Mary Grace Piazza (goalie, Gloversville)
