On Monday, Sept. 22, the Archie Williams girls varsity field hockey team competed against the Marin Catholic High School Wildcats in a Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) matchup. The Falcons played at Redhill, their home field, with temperatures reaching 88 degrees. Despite the 11-0 loss, the Falcons played with determination, maintaining high intensity from start to finish.
Archie Williams junior team captain Finley Heller scored the team’s first goal of the season in their last game against Marin Academy on Wednesday, Sept. 17. The goal lifted team morale and marked a positive shift in momentum, which Finley believes will inspire stronger performances in future games.
“[The goal] really boosted our confidence for games to come,” Finley said.
Starting out the game, junior offensive player Olive Diamond caught a sharp pass and attempted to push past the Marin Catholic Wildcats’ defense, but was quickly stopped.
Although the Falcons struggled to get anything going offensively and trailed by three points in the second quarter, they maintained strong possession with clean passing and confident ball movement. Their communication stood out, helping to connect plays and drive the offense. The team continued to press forward with consistent attacking efforts. In the first quarter, Archie Williams’ Falcons lined up to stop a corner kick by the Wildcats, blocking it at the last second.
“The heat was really intense today, and a lot of our players are out sick right now, so we didn’t have a lot of subs,” said Archie Williams junior team captain Sophie Macdonald.
Sophie anchored the defense, taking on multiple one-on-one challenges and playing a crucial role in shutting down Marin Catholic’s offense. In the second quarter, Sophie Macdonald blocked a goal and attempted to bring the ball up the field. Despite her efforts, Marin Catholic led 5-0 at halftime.
Since the Archie Williams varsity head coach couldn’t make the game, JV girls field hockey head coach Trina Perot stepped in to coach both teams. She took on the challenge and led each squad with confidence and dedication.
“I think that the heat is a lot for everybody, and it’s always hard when there’s changes last minute, both with coaching and with players. So I think, given all of the circumstances, [the team] played really hard and came out and gave it their best,” Trina said.
On Monday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m., the Falcons are set to face off against Tamalpais High School in an important MCAL match. The game will take place at Red Hill, giving the Falcons the advantage of playing on their home field.
