Sussex Academy crowned Henlopen South champs for first time

Sussex Academy clinched its very first Henlopen South title in field hockey when Indian River’s 1-0 overtime victory over Milford broke a tie in favor of the Seahawks.

Title in hand, Sussex Academy welcomed Division I title favorites Smyrna Oct. 25, for a very real Henlopen Conference Championship game. The Eagles crashed the party and won the game 4-1.

The girls were crushed afterward, having gotten as close as 2-1 in the second quarter when Bailey Mears took a brilliant drive from senior Ryan Lowe and scored on a breakaway, but still celebrated their historic Henlopen South crown. Considering Smyrna won 8-2 in the last meeting, the game also proved the Seahawks have improved as the year advanced.

The key to winning their division was taking things piece by piece, but with a bird’s eye on the future.

“Focusing on who's in our division, taking it game by game, working our game and using the people that we could use to build the team,” said coach Caitlyn Hardy. “We have a very young team – we only have three seniors – so being able to build it and be better for next year too.”

There were some down moments for Sussex Academy, but the girls showed their resiliency and adaptability on their way to a 5-1 record in the Henlopen South.

Sussex Academy finished the regular season as winners of five of the last six games before the Smyrna loss. For their efforts, the squad earned the eighth seed in the Division II tournament and will welcome Sanford at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Hardy is optimistic about her team’s chances, given the closeness of the players.

“The girls working together every single day, hanging out, doing the team dinners, the team bonding … all of that plays a big factor,” Hardy said. “They sit together at lunch at school, and they do things all together at school.”

Sussex Academy’s first trip to the Henlopen Conference Championship may not have gone the way the girls wanted, but it was a major milestone for the emerging program.

“I've been here five years and never seen a championship, so it's really great,” Hardy said. “It's a good feeling; it's good for the school. And we love to host. We love having all the teams here.”