Junior Gabrielle Yore leads the Warriors in a charge down the field against Paint Branch. The Warriors went on to win 6-0. A Good Counsel transfer, Yore has lead the team with 14 goals so far this season.  – Caption

The Lady Warriors have rolled to a 13-0 record in field hockey, earning a No. 9 ranking in the metropolitan area, with impressive wins coming against last year’s 4A South semifinalists Blake (8-2) on September 22 and Springbrook (4-5-1) on September 19.

Juniors Emily Kenul (12 goals) and Gabrielle Yore (14 goals) have been the top scorers for the team, and junior goalie Christina Ricciuti has only allowed six goals behind a defense led by seniors Matta Sannoh and Sarah Loughran.

Sherwood is the highest scoring team in Montgomery County and have proven  that they are no longer  underdogs in field hockey. Hoping to get to their first state playoffs since 1985, the Lady Warriors have secured the title of 4A East champions but will have some tough opponents in the playoffs, that could possibly include powerhouse schools Wootton and Broadneck.

“I expect a lot from the girls and they expect a lot from each other,” said Coach Amy Morse. Under her guidance, the Lady Warriors broke the team record for scoring in twelve games, and currently have 59 goals. Kenul and Yore, along with the other offensive players of the team, work on their stick work daily and run drills to improve passing efficiency, accuracy and speed. In addition to their undefeated season, the Lady Warriors won the Paint Branch Invitational Tournament on September 1, becoming the first Sherwood team to do so.

As the team advances to the playoffs, they already have developed strong bonds between members of the team, which help them to keep their cool during high pressure situations. “I can sense when teammates are stressed or frustrated during a game and I’ve learned that helps no one if everyone feels like that,” said Sannoh. The girls look up to Sannoh, the captain of the team, for encouragement before games and during practices.

Even as they become a force in Montgomery County, the Lady Warriors make sure that it does not get to their heads. Typically, they work hard at practice or games six days a week, usually lasting for three hours each day.

“The team puts in 101-percent effort. We push each other to work hard and always focus on what needs to be improved on,” said junior Haroula Tzamaras, who has scored twice this season. Because of the complexity of their attacks, the girls and Morse are seeing more coaches come out to their games to figure out their strategies when playing games.

“We think in terms of supporting the forward momentum of the ball by ensuring there is support behind the person with the ball,” said Morse.

The Lady Warriors have high hopes and expectations for the rest of the season. Last year, the Lady Warriors called themselves the “Dream Team.” This year, the girls not only have a dream team, but are a real force to be reckoned with.