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Preseason fall sports tryout and practice windows opened on Wednesday, August 14, allowing local high school teams to formally assess their available talent in football, soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country, among other sports.
For some, it was largely rubber-stamping players who had established themselves over the course of the previous season, as well as offseason development. For others, it’s learning to adjust to some unexpected encounters.
Broadneck’s field hockey team, for instance, has a lot of offensive firepower returning. But the Bruins still need to reinvent themselves, as two key defensive-minded players will miss the season due to long-term injuries suffered earlier this year.
It may involve a retooling of formation, or simply sending athletic players from their stable of attackers into other positions where they can more readily help the team.
“We have a lot of depth at the forward positions, and a lot of those girls have the athleticism and endurance you need out of the midfield,” said Broadneck coach Shannon Hanratty. “It’s still early, but it feels more rushed because we have one less week for preparation and our first scrimmage is soon. But we have an extra scrimmage this year, which will help us get people in the right places to be successful and make our system fit our personnel.”
In Severna Park, the Falcons are likewise returning a healthy squad: 14 players are coming back for another year. Early returns look promising, though there is a long road ahead this season.
“They’re hungry, and it’s a great group,” said Severna Park coach Shannon Garden. “This county is the best top-to-bottom for field hockey, and we think we can do well. It’s a lot of next step for these girls to progress from where we were last year.”
Read more about field hockey and other fall sports previews in the September edition of the Severna Park Voice.
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