Now What? Field Hockey Teams Turn To Youth

On the strength of their big three, Broadneck’s field hockey team has been a perennial power the last three seasons. Senior-heavy Severna Park won it all last season.

But those players are all gone in 2025, leaving each program to navigate some inexperience before heading into the teeth of this fall’s campaign.

The upshot for these two programs is that the county as a whole appears to be in the same boat, giving everyone time to negotiate the growing pains and coalesce into a more formidable version of themselves when October rolls around.

Broadneck

After a state championship, a semifinal appearance, and a return to the championship game in the last three years, Broadneck graduated their decorated seniors and will turn to a squad with about a dozen varsity players but light on experience.

The scoring may fall to seniors Alyssa Lewis and Charlotte Robertson, along with junior Caroline Miller and sophomore Cate Imber, each of whom saw minutes last year and will have to grow into a larger role. Miller and Laurie O’Leary, a sophomore defender who received all-county honors in 2024, are the lone returning starters.

Coach Shannon Hanratty called the returning group “coachable and eager. Lots of new faces (with) lots to learn and gel together, but eager to take it all in and see where this team can go. … We have a lot of room to grow but a lot of hardworking players looking to rise to the occasion and step up to fill the needs of the team.”

Broadneck starts the season with a big test, facing Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) power Archbishop Spalding on September 6.

Severna Park

After leaning heavily on seniors to win the 3A state title last season, the Falcons return to the 4A ranks with a squad that will feature just two seniors.

Longtime coach Shannon Garden expects contributions from juniors Emerson Clarke, Ryleigh Connell, Addie Hill and Izzy Scarfo, as well as sophomores Sophia Weber and Grace Redmond, all of whom saw time on varsity last season and will step into larger roles.

Garden suggested that despite new faces, chemistry and a hard-work mentality are already team strengths that can get even better as the season progresses.

Severna Park has two-time defending 4A champion Crofton in their region, and the two will play their regular-season matchup on September 25 in Severna Park.

Note: Information for Severn School and Archbishop Spalding was not received by press time.