VIRGINIA BEACH- Ball speed and timing are two of the many aspects of a field hockey game that can be altered playing on artificial turf.
Such was the topic for many coaches prior to Friday morning’s VHSL state semifinals held at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach, including Tabb’s Wendy Wilson, whose Tigers are more accustomed to playing on natural grass fields.
Wilson’s conversation clearly resonated with her players as it took Tabb all of 25 seconds in their Group AA state semifinal against Region II runner-up Fauquier to properly adjust to the damp, carpet-like surface.
On the Tigers’ first possession of the game, barely 20 seconds into regulation, Melissa Progar drove the ball down the right side of the field and sent a perfect cross to the middle of the circle where a wide-open Aly Harmatz swatted the ball into the back of the cage.
The play set an early tone of things to come as Harmatz, who finished with four goals, and the Tigers dominated from start to finish before running away from the Falcons 8-0.
“That’s always nice,” Wilson said of the immediate goal. “We worked as a team all game, which was good. I was happy with our execution overall. It’s nice to get that first game out of the way and now to be able to just focus on tomorrow.”
Tabb (23-0) will attempt to defend its fifth-consecutive state championship trophy on Saturday against Chancellor, 7-1 winners over Charlottesville in Friday’s other Group AA semifinal.
Wilson labeled Chancellor as the best team she’d seen all season after Tabb edged the Chargers 2-1 in overtime of last week’s Region title game, and said she wouldn’t be surprised to see them again.
“Chancellor is a really good team,” Wilson said. “It’s exciting to know it’s going to be a tough game. Those are the fun ones.”
Similar to the Tigers’ first scoring play, Progar found Harmatz inside the circle 10 minutes later to give Tabb a 2-0 advantage. The duo were clearly in sync and nearly hooked for a third time moments later, but Fauquier goalkeeper Bailey Hilton made a nice glove save to deny Harmatz the first-half hat trick – for the time being.
“They’re really close friends and have great chemistry,” Wilson said of Harmatz and Progar. “They play similar styles of hockey and complement each other well.”
With 12 minutes left in the half, Harmatz took a pass from Hailey Vann and put it in the back of the cage with a back-handed chip from a little over five yards out for her third goal of the half.
Five minutes later, Taylor Omweg scored off Lauren Mitcham’s assist to put the Tigers ahead 4-0 at halftime.
The second half was much of the same as the Tigers continued their onslaught before finishing with a 41-0 advantage in shots.
After Maddie Landers scored off Mitcham’s second assist, Harmatz drilled home her fourth goal of the game to put Tabb ahead comfortably 6-0.
The most impressive goal of the day belonged to Omweg, who blasted a shot from the top of the circle into the back of the cage of a feed from Chelsea Portuese.
Portuese later scored the Tigers’ final goal of the game on an assist from Morgan Ames.
Saturday’s championship will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the National Training Center in Virginia Beach.
Wilson said she’s just fine having to make the trip for a fifth-consecutive year.
“It doesn’t get old,” Wilson said. “Each year it’s a different group of girls you’re sharing the experience with. We just want it to get here.”
What: Group AA State Field Hockey Championship
Who: Region I champ Tabb (23-0) vs. Region II champ Chancellor
When: Saturday, 10:30 a.m.
Where: USA Field Hockey National Training Center (Va. Beach)
