Heading into the 2022 regular season, Parkland High School field hockey coach Julie Sikorsky knew her team was going to be young and inexperienced as a whole. But so far, through the first two weeks of the season, the Trojans have stepped up and played like they’ve been there before.

Following a close, one-goal, 3-2 victory in the opener at Northampton on Aug. 26, Parkland won its next three games by a combined score of 23-0, also against Eastern Pennsylvania Conference teams. It has been a welcoming sight for Sikorsky. Even with some question marks based on experience, she knows she has a talented and hard-working roster to coach.

“My girls have been working the ball well, passing precisely and communicating effectively,” Sikorsky said. “They have really connected on and off the field. We have a real sense of ‘team,’ and I think that camaraderie is helping us get the results that we want. It will be so important to see where we stand against teams such as Northampton, Easton, Nazareth. We are very similar to all of those teams, but we are young this year.”

When asked about any players that have met or exceeded expectations early on in the season, Sikorsky mentioned one senior and two juniors who have answered the call.

“Elaina Fragassi, Aurora Gery and Lily Kyvelos have really been stepping up into leadership roles on the field,” said Sikorsky. “They begin a lot of our plays and have zero quit. We have a young forward line who have stepped up and are scrappy in the circle, allowing us to get second and third shots.”

The Trojans (4-0 overall, 4-0 EPC) have faced a break in their schedule with their last two games getting postponed against Easton and Northampton. This week still, they face a tough schedule with Nazareth, the Kids and Liberty in a five-day stretch.

“It’s going to be a tough stretch, but I think if the girls rise to the occasion we can see some more wins,” Sikorsky said. “They have been working hard at practice and getting better every day. Their hard work should hopefully pay off in the weeks to come.”

The Trojans are one of four unbeaten EPC teams through the first few weeks of the season, along with Easton, Nazareth and Emmaus.