St. Mary’s Academy wins state title

In an overtime victory Oct. 27, the Wildcats of St. Mary’s Academy became state champions in field hockey defeating long-time rival Kent Denver Sun Devils by a score of 2-1 at All-City Stadium in Denver.

For the Wildcats, who closed out the season with a 13-4-1 record, the victory was a long time coming. In the past 12 years, the Wildcats have qualified for a state playoff berth 11 times but have never reached the final game.  This year, they entered post-season play seeded fifth and were not expected to make the championship game, let alone win it.  Head coach Marcene Murphy said when the final whistle blew on this dream season she was at a loss for words.

“Unbelievable is the only way to describe it,” she told the Denver Catholic Register.  “This year our team was led by 10 seniors committed to playing as best they could.  They put the vision in the rest of the girls that they could take state this year.  They never lost sight of that goal.”

But to reach that goal, the team had to work as hard as they could.  It appeared to be the destiny of the Wildcats to play every tournament game down to the wire as their quarter-final, semi-final and state final match-ups each went into overtime.

Murphy said the team was exhausted, but elated at what they had won for their school.

“St. Mary’s couldn’t be more proud of them,” she said.  “They worked hard and never gave up.”