WOODBINE — Kent County’s bid for a state title in high school field hockey ended in the Class 1A quarterfinals on Oct. 31 when underdog KCHS was paired with the big dog, Liberty of Carroll County.
The top-seeded Lions scored what held up to be the winning goal just 2 minutes, 14 seconds into the game, tacked on the insurance goal six and a half minutes later, and led 3-0 after the first frame.
The final tally was 10-0.
Junior Claire Kim, who already has committed to Princeton University, and younger sister Faith Kim, only a freshman, collectively scored eight goals for the winners.
The game was played mid-afternoon on Halloween at Western Regional Park in sustained winds of 18 to 22 mph — with gusts reaching 25 mph. Play was halted twice before intermission when the goal cages were blown over.
This was KCHS’ first state quarterfinal appearance since 2019, and punctuated a remarkable late-season surge.
After an 0-8 start against Eastern Shore powerhouses that included Queen Anne’s and Pocomoke — which coincidentally also advanced to their respective quarterfinal-round games — Kent County won four of its next five games and captured the South Region I title by upsetting higher seeds Bohemia Manor and North East on the road.
Becoming one of the last eight Class 1A public high schools in Maryland to still be playing field hockey at the end of October was no small feat, as noted by head coach Susan Wright-Taylor, wrapping up her 10th year at alma mater KCHS.
“I’m very proud of this season,” she told The Evening Enterprise.
“The girls came together, supported one another — especially when we didn’t think we would have a goalie, not once but twice — and worked hard to get better, and actually did improve.”
Wright-Taylor pointed to the 4-0 upset of Bo Manor, the region’s top seed, in the first round of the playoffs after losing the season opener, 2-1, as a sign of growth.
Kent County won its first region title since 2019.
The Trojans (4-10) also were resilient.
They lost eight games by shutout, sometimes by six, seven and even 13 goals, and as Wright-Taylor acknowledged, “It’s really difficult to play such strong teams and get beat down so much.”
But when Kent County played similarly small-sized teams — such as St. Michaels, Bo Manor and North East — “it’s nice to know we can compete,” she said.
Liberty, however, was in a class of its own this fall.
The Lions finished 16-2, and allowed only two goals over the final 10 games.
After eliminating Kent County in the state quarterfinals, Liberty ousted defending state champion Pocomoke, 4-0, in the semifinals and then defeated Fallston, 6-1, Nov. 8 in the championship game.
Liberty’s only losses this year were to Notre Dame Prep, a finalist in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland’s elite A Conference, and Carroll County rival Manchester Valley, which was a state finalist in Class 2A.
Liberty won its first state title since 2019 and sixth overall [including the 2A title in 2018].
On its way to the state title in 2019, which was its third in four years, unbeaten Liberty eliminated Kent County in the quarterfinals, 8-1. The Lions finished 18-0 that year, while Kent went 6-9.
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In all-star voting by opposing coaches:
Kent County senior Tess Fuchs was named to the All-Mid-Shore (which includes private schools The Gunston School in Centreville and Saints Peter and Paul in Easton) and North Bayside Conference first teams. Fuchs repeated as the Trojans’ MVP.
Sophomore Abby Gallo was named to the All-Mid-Shore and North Bayside second teams.
Freshman Keelyn Clayton was named to the North Bayside second team.
Junior Liza Loller received honorable mention in the North Bayside.
Susan Wright-Taylor shared Coach of the Year honors with Kent Island’s Laura Harding.
Wright-Taylor, and assistant coach Maddie Wright Taylor Kerrigan, are “growing” a varsity-only program that has gone from 11 to 15 players and from one win in the last three years combined to four wins in 2025.
