WMHS field hockey team prepping for another season

The West Milford High School field hockey team is set to officially kick off its 2019 season on Sept. 3.

“I have 14 seniors this year up on varsity, (the) largest amount of seniors I've ever had,” said Head Coach Krista Provost. “They are hardworking, understand the team's mission to succeed, and are always putting the team first.”

Provost, who was named the 2017 Coach of the Year by the Passaic County Coaches Association, started as an assistant coach before taking over as head of the program in 2012.

“This off season was non-stop since the 2018 season ended in November,” Provost said. “20 out of 35 athletes did a winter league, 35 girls did a spring clinic coached by WPU coaches and basically all returners attended a 4-day and 3-night sleep away camp at ESU in July.”

Among the returning players are senior captain Kayla Siemer, junior captain Amanda Finke, and sophomores Kayla Healy and Sofia Marotta, a pair Provost referred to as the "dynamic duo."

Senior goalie and 3-year varsity player Emily Sheridan is also returning and, according to her coach, she’s motivated to continue to improve.

Coach Provost described her four team captains, which include Kari Malatak and Zoe Starr in addition to Siemer and Finke, as “all great leaders, hard working athletes with a team-first attitude.”

“They are highly motivated,” Provost said of her 2019 squad. “And after losing to Lakeland High School last year in the (Passaic) county finals, I totally understand why.”

The Lady Highlanders finished last season with a record of 10-4.

The team will look to continue its winning ways when it opens the season at home against Dwight Englewood School on Sept. 3.