Eastern’s Mackenzie Keegan (Photo: Scott Anderson, Courier-Post)
Eastern High in Voorhees, N.J., the most dominant team in high school field hockey for more than a decade, is the obvious choice to occupy the top spot in the debut of the USA TODAY High School Sports/MAXFieldHockey.com Preseason Super 25 for the 2015 season.
Eastern finished 27-0 last season and was the New Jersey Tournament of Champions for the third consecutive year. The team outscored its opponent 321-14 and won its 16th consecutive Group IV championship.
RELATED: Complete preseason Super 25 field hockey rankings
Despite graduating nation’s career leading scorer Austyn Cuneo, coach Danyle Heilig returns tons of talent, including senior midfielder and Penn State commit Madison Morano, Rutgers commits Allana Gollotto and Nikki Santore and junior Mackenzie Keegan. Morano and Keegan played on the U.S. U19 national team this summer.
Palmyra, the Pennsylvania AAA state co-champions are No. 2. Coming off a 23-2-1 season, Palmyra graduated team leader Katie Dembrowski, a Penn State signee and first-team All-American but has upperclass talent returning led by Dembrowski’s sister, Jess. Jess, a junior midfielder, is a UConn commit. In its first season in AAA, Palmyra was district runner-up to Lower Dauphin and crowned state co-champion with Penn Manor.
MORE: Details on the partnership between MAXFieldHockey.com and USA TODAY High School Sports
Frank W. Cox High in Alexandria, Va., enters the season at No. 3 after winning the 6A state championship. Despite the loss of midfielder Emma Haupt (University of Virginia), the team returns a number of young players and should again be a force.
Division II state champion Watertown (Mass.) did not allow a goal last season and checks in at No. 4. The school graduated a special senior class that won four consecutive championships (the program’s sixth straight overall) and never lost a game. That group includes Boston Globe Players of the Year Alexandra Doggett (Boston U.) and Emily Loprete (Holy Cross).
RELATED: Super 25 Preseason Regional Rankings
Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Pa., rounds out the top five. The Inter-Ac League champions were 26-1-0 last season.
Among the top 25, 13 states are represented, led by Pennsylvania with four and New Jersey, New York and Virginia with three apiece.
For more high school field hockey coverage and preseason team and player features, visit MAXFieldHockey.com