Providence Day field hockey wins NCISAA title
After Providence Day won the state field hockey team, two senior stars reacted and the Chargers coach got emotional BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
Miki Osherow turned toward the stands and gave Providence Day fans the No. 1 signal.
There were still 10 seconds left in the Chargers’ state championship field hockey game Saturday against visiting Charlotte Country Day, but the outcome was obvious.
After more than two decades of near-misses, the Chargers had finally broken through. They were N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association champions.
Behind a solid defensive effort and a pair of first-half goals, Providence Day blanked Charlotte Country Day 2-0, earning the school’s first-ever field hockey state crown and capping an undefeated season.
“It feels so, so good to see us win this championship,” said Osherow, who has coached Chargers’ field hockey for 21 years, the last 13 as head coach. “These girls worked so hard for this.”
The CISAA has owned the state field hockey championship during the past decade, winning nine of those 10 years. Charlotte Latin had five titles and Charlotte Country Day three more.
Providence Day came close, losing the championship game in overtime last year to Charlotte Country Day and finishing second in 2016 and 2017.
The Chargers (12-0) left little doubt this time.
They dominated play, controlling the ball for about two-thirds of the 60 minutes. When the Bucs (7-5) threatened, the Chargers made big plays on defense. Sophomore goalkeeper Elizabeth Tegeler got the shutout, making two big saves midway through the second quarter, when her team was clinging to a 1-0 lead.
Leading the offense was senior Grace Stokes, with a goal and an assist.
Her pass to Emily Ritchie resulted in the Chargers’ first goal, just four minutes into the game. Then, with about 3:30 remaining in the second quarter, Stokes stole the ball and raced downfield on a breakaway, beating Buccaneers’ goalkeeper Zella Thomas.
Stokes and Ritchie led the offense all season. Stokes finished with 12 goals and eight assists, and Ritchie scored 11 goals.
“Our offense played very well in the first half, but not so much in the second half,” Osherow said. “I’m not sure … perhaps they were being too careful, wanting to hold on to the lead. But the defense really did the job all game long.”
THREEE WHO MATTERED
Grace Stokes, Providence Day: Stokes, a junior, had a goal and an assist.
Leah Horwitz, Providence Day: Another junior forward, Horwitz was near the Charlotte Country Day goal throughout the game, setting up several shots for Stokes and Emily Ritchie.
Zella Thomas, Charlotte Country Day: Thomas had a strong game in goal. She is a sophomore and leads a large group of returning players for the Buccaneers.
WORTH MENTIONING
▪ Miki Osherow grew emotional after the game, talking about the sadness she felt that her father, Bill Bingham, wasn’t there to see it. Bingham died suddenly in September, and Osherow said he was among the Chargers’ biggest fans. “He would have loved to see this,” Osherow said.
▪ Four of Charlotte Country Day’s five losses this season were to Providence Day.
▪ The Buccaneers became the first team this year to shut out Providence Day in the second half.
▪ Don’t look for either team to falter next season. Providence Day has 21 of 25 players returning. And Charlotte Country Day returns 16 of its 24 players.
THEY SAID IT
“We started working on this in April. There were a lot of practices, a lot of effort. --
Providence Day senior Grace Stokes..
After Providence Day won the state field hockey team, two senior stars reacted and the Chargers coach got emotional BY LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
Miki Osherow turned toward the stands and gave Providence Day fans the No. 1 signal.
There were still 10 seconds left in the Chargers’ state championship field hockey game Saturday against visiting Charlotte Country Day, but the outcome was obvious.
After more than two decades of near-misses, the Chargers had finally broken through. They were N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association champions.
Behind a solid defensive effort and a pair of first-half goals, Providence Day blanked Charlotte Country Day 2-0, earning the school’s first-ever field hockey state crown and capping an undefeated season.
“It feels so, so good to see us win this championship,” said Osherow, who has coached Chargers’ field hockey for 21 years, the last 13 as head coach. “These girls worked so hard for this.”
The CISAA has owned the state field hockey championship during the past decade, winning nine of those 10 years. Charlotte Latin had five titles and Charlotte Country Day three more.
Providence Day came close, losing the championship game in overtime last year to Charlotte Country Day and finishing second in 2016 and 2017.
The Chargers (12-0) left little doubt this time.
They dominated play, controlling the ball for about two-thirds of the 60 minutes. When the Bucs (7-5) threatened, the Chargers made big plays on defense. Sophomore goalkeeper Elizabeth Tegeler got the shutout, making two big saves midway through the second quarter, when her team was clinging to a 1-0 lead.
Leading the offense was senior Grace Stokes, with a goal and an assist.
Her pass to Emily Ritchie resulted in the Chargers’ first goal, just four minutes into the game. Then, with about 3:30 remaining in the second quarter, Stokes stole the ball and raced downfield on a breakaway, beating Buccaneers’ goalkeeper Zella Thomas.
Stokes and Ritchie led the offense all season. Stokes finished with 12 goals and eight assists, and Ritchie scored 11 goals.
“Our offense played very well in the first half, but not so much in the second half,” Osherow said. “I’m not sure … perhaps they were being too careful, wanting to hold on to the lead. But the defense really did the job all game long.”
THREEE WHO MATTERED
Grace Stokes, Providence Day: Stokes, a junior, had a goal and an assist.
Leah Horwitz, Providence Day: Another junior forward, Horwitz was near the Charlotte Country Day goal throughout the game, setting up several shots for Stokes and Emily Ritchie.
Zella Thomas, Charlotte Country Day: Thomas had a strong game in goal. She is a sophomore and leads a large group of returning players for the Buccaneers.
WORTH MENTIONING
▪ Miki Osherow grew emotional after the game, talking about the sadness she felt that her father, Bill Bingham, wasn’t there to see it. Bingham died suddenly in September, and Osherow said he was among the Chargers’ biggest fans. “He would have loved to see this,” Osherow said.
▪ Four of Charlotte Country Day’s five losses this season were to Providence Day.
▪ The Buccaneers became the first team this year to shut out Providence Day in the second half.
▪ Don’t look for either team to falter next season. Providence Day has 21 of 25 players returning. And Charlotte Country Day returns 16 of its 24 players.
THEY SAID IT
“We started working on this in April. There were a lot of practices, a lot of effort. --
Providence Day senior Grace Stokes..
