WORTON — Kent County likely will send out the smallest, youngest and least experienced high school field hockey team on the Mid-Shore this fall.
On the varsity-only roster of 14, there are two seniors, four juniors, two sophomores and six freshmen.
One senior and one junior are completely new to the sport.
While lack of depth and lack of experience are certainly challenges, the overall youth of the team gives longtime head coach Susan Wright-Taylor and her assistant (and daughter) Maddie Taylor time to rebuild the program at their alma mater.
“Our freshmen have played rec [league],” said Wright-Taylor. “They have some experience, so we’re not starting totally from ground zero.”
For the most part, the group of ninth graders — forwards Clare Gerstung, Nevaeh Blackiston and Mackenzie Walker, midfielders Abby Gallo and Mali Wirth and goalie Abigail Strayer — have played together through the county’s Shore Sticks youth program.
The other newcomers are junior defender Hailey Myers, who has lettered in lacrosse, and senior forward Amaya Spicer.
Senior forward Kate Cannon is the most experienced player on the team, returning for a fourth year as a starter.
The other returnees are sophomores Liza Loller (midfielder) and Taylor Strong (defender) and juniors Grace Gerstung (forward), McKenna Messick (forward) and Tess Fuchs (junior).
Grace Gerstung and Fuchs were new to the sport as freshmen, and last year was Messick’s first year playing at the high school level.
KCHS is home today at 4 p.m. against Crisfield.
The Trojans are coming off a shutout loss at James M. Bennett on Tuesday in their season opener.
“There are still a lot of things we know we have to work on,” Cannon told The Evening Enterprise, “but I like our team chemistry and we work well together.”
