The Godwin Eagles field hockey team has been dominant this Fall season. On October 23, the Eagles finished up their regular season with a bulletproof 17-0 record.
During the regular season, the Eagles have scored 87 goals while giving up just four. A feat like this takes dedication, and the team is currently ranked 9th in Virginia and 67th nationally according to MaxPreps.
The team is led by Godwin senior captain Emma Sampson, along with Godwin junior captains Cayleigh Campbell and Brecken Schwartz. To take things to the next level compared to previous years, leadership has played a pivotal role, not just from the captains, but from the players as well. “Being a captain, there is pressure, but because of the teammates I have, it’s easier for me to not have as much pressure in the role and be able to lean 100% on my teammates even as a captain,” said Campbell.
Everyone has to play a role in making the team come together and lead by example, not just the captains. Everyone has to put in the hard work in early morning practices, late nights, and throughout the weekends, constantly giving their all. A player who exemplifies this is senior Mia Fairman, a player whose teammates say she gives “110%” every day on and off the field. The senior class has really helped shape this team into the position they are in today.
Sophomore Zoelie Murphy said, “I think all of the seniors this year really formed this team into a community and are all people to look up to.” The Eagles clicked early and never looked back. Senior Audrey Jones explained, “I think we just came together so quickly and found our chemistry so quickly that every obstacle we faced seemed so small.”
That regular-season dominance punched their ticket to the regional finals against Prince George and secured a berth in the state tournament. However, the Eagles’ dream of a state championship came up short in a tough playoff stretch. In a hard-fought regional championship, Godwin fell to Prince George 2-1, ending their bid for the regional title.
As the runner-up, they advanced to the VHSL Class 5 state quarterfinals on November 4 against Riverbend, where they battled but lost 2-1 in a double overtime thriller, concluding the season with an impressive overall record and valuable postseason experience. Due to the high success levels of the team during this season, the community surrounding Godwin has faith that they will pull through for the state title in future seasons.
While it wasn’t the storybook ending with a state title, the team still had an unbelievable regular season, and as Campbell states, “no matter what happens and how this season ends, we will be right back next year and ready to take it all again!”
