It was a challenging season for the Whitehall field hockey team as they endured a tough early schedule, ultimately gathering some momentum that will benefit the younger players as they move forward.

They finished 6-12 for the 2018 campaign, most of those losses coming at the beginning of the season as they went 1-6 out of the gate. Of those six losses to either conference or division opponents, each of those six teams made the District XI playoffs.

After that rough period, they went 5-4 and began to settle into a good groove. It would have been a big boost to beat their rivals on the final regular season game, but the Konkrete Kids prevailed, winning 2-1 in a tight game.

Head coach Jennifer Bodnar said that the schedule was not in their favor at the outset of the season, and that brought with it some consequences that were difficult to overcome for a young squad. They were outscored 34-3 in their first five games.

“It was hard mentally and physically to bounce back from that,” said Bodnar.

She said that instead of retreating into a posture of defeat, they continued to work everyday in an effort to get better. That effort started to pay dividends in the win-loss column as they racked up this five midseason wins.

“I am really proud that they didn’t put their heads down,” said Bodnar.

That was reflected in the way they played in the second half, and while some of those later games didn’t result in wins, Bodnar said that they played really well against district playoff contenders. They lost by two to the Golden Hawks, and a goal to Northampton.

“We were really competitive at the end of the season,” she said.

She said some unfortunate injuries and illnesses also impacted them down the stretch, losing three of their starters. However, that allowed them to play a lot of other players who gained some valuable varsity experience in those games.

“That’s a positive building block for next year,” said Bodnar.

They’ll lose five seniors, including Emily Wells, Logan Bortz, Sarah Jones, Alyssa Schall and Haley Smith.

Emily Wells had an outstanding Whitehall career, emerging as a strong all-around player whose versatility made her a valuable asset in the Zephyr lineup. Bodnar could plug her in just about anywhere, and used that versatility to bolster their attack on offense or their back line on defense. Wells was named a second team Eastern Pennsylvania Conference all-star this season as a midfielder/forward

Emily Wells was a four-year starter for the Zephyrs and her departure will leave a big void.

“Emily did a great job for us,” said Bodnar. “She was a very consistent player who really dominated with heart and hustle.”

Sarah Jones was another four-year starter for the Zephs. She played with a grit that helped anchor the back line. Bodnar said that it was a real blow to the team when Jones went down later in the year after suffering an injury.

“She really stepped up for us and was a good, consistent player,” said Bodnar. “She worked hard and demonstrated true leadership.”

They’ll also lose Logan Bortz who was the goalkeeper the last two seasons. Bortz had never played varsity field hockey before her junior year, but she settled in well between the posts and gave the Zephs a big defensive boost during her time in the cage. Bodnar said that opposing coaches would praise Bortz’s development in such a short time as they watched her block shots time and again for the Zephs during that span.

“She really kept us in games,” said Bodnar.

Also on that list is Haley Smith whose hard work allowed her to crack the starting lineup. Bodnar said that she was another player who rose to the challenge and played with fierce determination.

Senior Alyssa Schall was in her first year, and while she didn’t see the field as often as her fellow seniors, Bodnar said that she was always enthusiastic and ready to help any way she could. She was extremely supportive and did all the little things that help make a team.

“She was the true epitome of a team player,” said Bodnar. “

Bodnar said that they all had a positive impact on the program.

“I was proud of our seniors,” said Bodnar. “They did a good job of setting the example for the younger group.”

The Zephs have a good number of returning starters, especially on defense that will be a big benefit as they prepare for next season. That list includes Hallie Kern and Joyce Lu who will anchor the back line.

They also return the versatile Maddie Trocki who’s been a starter since her freshman season. The junior midfielder/forward is a solid scoring threat and she will be counted on to be a big part of their attack next season.

Defender Katie Dex also returns, as do forwards Jenna Rohrbaugh and Jennifer Ritter.

Bodnar said that a number of players gained experience at the end of the season, including Alexandra Cook and Brielle Schrey.

Bodnar said that everyone’s ready to go as they prepare for the offseason.

“We want to get to work now so we’re not in the same position next year,” said Bodnar.