Dialog reporter
Several Catholic high schools open field hockey and soccer action this weekend. Those who do are previewed below. The remainder commence early next week. As we have done in the past, The Dialog hopes to post those schedules each week as a sort of viewing guide.
Field hockey
Friday
Concord at Archmere, 3:45 p.m. The Auks went 11-4 in 2016, reaching the state tournament, but they were left with a bad taste in their mouths after a season-opening defeat at Concord. Edit: This game has been rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 11, at 3:45 p.m.
Archmere’s top returning scorers are juniors Lauren Ross and Caroline Donovan and senior Delaney Dearing. They will get support from a roster comprised mainly of juniors and seniors. Mady McDougal is back in net.
The Auks face a typically tough schedule, with visits to Wilmington Charter, Friends and Tower Hill. Padua, Caravel and Sanford travel to Claymont.
Ursuline vs. Delaware Military Academy, 3:45 p.m. at Kirkwood Soccer Club. Ursuline begins its quest to return to the state tournament against the Seahawks. The Raiders went 8-6-1 in 2016.
A healthy core returns for Ursuline. Junior Jordan Kenney is the top goal-scorer back, and she will get support from a number of players, including freshman Juliana Copeman, junior Anna Shearer and senior Teddie Elliman. Junior Jane Lyons is a rock on defense, and Cleo Troy returns as the goalkeeper.
On the schedule are home tilts vs. St. Andrews, Padua, Caravel and Wilmington Charter, while the Raiders will travel to Friends, St. Georges and Padua.
Saturday
St. Mark’s at Newark, 11 a.m. The Spartans seek to erase the memory of a 4-11 season in 2016, opening at Newark. Kendra Schweizer, a second-team all-state selection last year, returns, as do Emily Collins, Clare Estes and Kaylee Bonvetti. Melina Carradin was between the pipes in 2016.
The venture for St. Mark’s in 2017 includes home games vs. Tower Hill, Caravel, Ursuline and Padua. The Spartans visit Caesar Rodney, Padua, Archmere and Ursuline.
Soccer
Friday
McKean at St. Mark’s, 3:45 p.m. The Spartans kick off the school’s 2017-18 athletic campaign looking to improve on last season’s 8-5-4 record, which included a win in the Division II state tournament. To do so, however, they will need to replace several graduated seniors.
This is still a veteran team that brings back senior Peter Coker, who had 10 goals last season, and classmate Ryan Donovan, a defender who scored three times in 2016. Matthew Ziomek looks to continue to make his mark after a standout freshman campaign in which he netted five goals and assisted on seven others. Junior Eric Ludman saw some action last season as the backup goalkeeper and will be the Spartans’ last line of defense.
The challenging schedule includes home games against Wilmington Charter, Newark, Caravel, Salesianum and Newark Charter. St. Mark’s takes to the road to battle Archmere, St. Elizabeth and William Penn.
Saturday
Caravel at Archmere, 2 p.m. A pair of playoff teams from 2016 meet to open the season in Claymont when the Buccaneers visit Archmere. The Auks will be looking for something closer to the 2015 season, when they reached the Division II semifinals, but it will be a tough road.
That begins Saturday against a foe that is perennially in the top 10. The Auks return some great offensive firepower, including seniors Zach Dainton and Brian Neill, junior Will Schatzman and sophomore Andrew Rosenbaum, who burst upon the high school soccer scene a year ago. Senior John Prosceno will be between the pipes for the Auks.
After Caravel, Archmere welcomes St. Elizabeth; the Vikings are always a tough opponent. Other home games include St. Mark’s and Sanford. The road will be a challenge, as the Auks visit Delaware Military Academy, St. Andrew’s, Wilmington Charter, Newark Charter and Salesianum.
Walter Johnson (Md.) at Salesianum, 3 p.m. The Sals aim to pick up where they left off last November, when they earned their seventh straight state championship with 2-0 win over Appoquinimink at a cold, wet and windy Smyrna High School. Playing a slate full of tough out-of-state foes, they have the weapons to get it done again.
Top XI selections seniors Gavin Ford and Bryce Wallace anchor Salesianum, which has just six seniors on the roster. Support comes from juniors Tommy McGrail, Casey Kurlej and John Leonard. Expect others to emerge as the season progresses; there are seven sophomores on the squad.
After the opener, the Sals are scheduled to fly to North Carolina late next week for a pair of games unless the remnants of Hurricane Irma make that impossible. They have home matches against Dematha Catholic (Md.), St. Augustine (N.J.), Appo, Kingsway (N.J.) and Archmere. The road includes stops at Caravel, Wilmington Charter, St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.), St. Mark’s and C. Milton Wright (Md.).
