For the second straight season, the Oakton Cougars field-hockey team ran the table with a perfect 12-0 record in the Concorde District and winning regular-season and tournament championships.
On its home field, top-seed Oakton (17-2) nipped the No. 2 seed Madison Warhawks, 1-0, in the Thursday (Oct. 24) title match of the girls high-school field-hockey tournament. Rachel Sweeney scored the game’s only goal early in the second quarter.
Madison (15-3) made strong pushes to score early and late in the match, but could not break through.
Oakton also defeated Madison by a goal each time in two regular-season matches.
“Anytime we play them, we know it’s going to be competitive,” Oakton coach Erin Keenan said. “We knew the match would be a big challenge. I have to give credit to our defense, because Madison is so good and has good scorers.”
Oakton was 2-0 in the district tourney after the top seed earned a first-round bye, and has won nine straight matches. The Cougars defeated the No. 4 seed South Lakes Seahawks, 4-1, in the semifinals.
In the semifinal, Sweeney scored three goals, Lindsey Calder added the other and Gigi Liu had two assists. Maura Farrell and Taylor Zimmerman shared the win in goal, as they did in the championship match.
The Cougars returned 14 players from last season’s team. “A lot of the returners saw the success from last season, and want and are eager to do more,” Keenan said.
Oakton broke through and won the district tourney last fall for the first time since 2005.
Sweeney, Liu and Calder are among top scorers and players for Oakton along with captains Avery Dekoven and Marisa Rubano, Taryn Knepper, Isabella Ingro, Callie Pregman, Daniella Rubano, Darby Fogarty, Elizabeth Segar and Bailey Zimmerman.
Madison also received a first-round bye and was 1-1 in the tourney, defeating No. 3 Westfield, 3-0, in the semifinals. Savanah Coleman scored two goals and Reagan George one. Teagan Hastings and Claire Casto had assists and goalie Sophia Khan made six saves to earn the shutout.
Coleman, Hastings, Casto, George, Skylar DeLacy, Casey Shiring, Isla Murphy and Emily Bell are among Madison’s top scorers, with Casey Pendry and Caroline Berry top defenders.
Defending champion Oakton and Madison now advance to the 6D North Region tournament.
For Oakton, Dekoven was chosen as the district’s Player of the Year. She made first-team all-district along with Calder, Segar and sisters Marisa Rubano and Daniella Robano. Sweeney and Liu were chosen to the second team.
