Spartan field hockey has been consistently churning out win after win, and title after title for several years now. The field hockey team currently holds one of the most impressive streaks of championship titles in school history, dating back to when the school was founded.

In the last four years the Spartans have won four District XI AA titles and one Colonial League title. While consistently having this much success could ruin some teams, Coach Adrienne Searfoss has not let the success get to her and her team’s head, especially for a team that consistently creates all-state players such as Lizzi Clemmer and Elise Ashford.

Here we have a team that expects to win and maintain success as one of the top programs in the area year after year.

“The girls wanted to go undefeated and not allow any goals scored,” Coach Searfoss said. “Those were the goals set for this season.”

“Our main goal is to get the ‘five peat,’” starting goalkeeper Jenna Cyr said of the team’s desire for a fifth consecutive championship. “[It’s] going to be a tough goal, but we’re hoping to get that.”

Maintaining this success is not an easy task. The tough level of competition in the district can only be compounded more by the fact that every year the team sees a turnover of starters and playmakers due to graduation.

According to Coach Searfoss approximately each season the team will lose four to six seniors, many of whom often held crucial roles on the team. This means that each year a different group of young players will step up to fill the holes left by the graduates.

“I think as the girls progress from ninth to twelfth grade, they take on a lot of different roles and understand that it is hard work to maintain and sustain such a high level of excellence, and they want to be the team that continues that,” Coach Searfoss said. “That is how we foster the continued tradition of success.”

That success is one of the reasons that the team is able to fill the vacancies quickly and effectively. The players understand coming into their freshman year that it is a very competitive team, and so they work hard to accomplish each season’s championship aspirationsIt is not always easy though to plug and play players into the holes left by graduates, because often times these seniors held positions that provided a catalyst for success both on and off the field.

One of the players that has began to fill a leadership position is senior Justina Mendez.

“Justina Mendez stepped up very nicely, came into preseason really demanding of the girls, and really wanting to do well,” Coach Searfoss said of her standout defender. “She stepped into a center back position where she is directing the girls in front of her, and [makes] sure that everyone is organized and ready to go.”

It’s not only seniors stepping up; so are several juniors and sophomores. One of the most impressive young players on the Spartans’ roster comes from sophomore Meghan Reese. Reese is the team’s leading goal scorer and is currently the second leading point-scorer in the valley.

Junior Jenna Cyr has also been in a pivotal role as an underclassman for the Spartans this year. Jenna started last year behind one of the top defenses in the Lehigh Valley. This season she is third in the valley in save percentage with a very impressive 85 percent.

While the coach has the ability to quickly place players in a position where they can consistently perform, other conditions are beyond the team’s control. Southern Lehigh must also get through Moravian Academy to achieve their goals.

Beating Moravian has been a struggle for Southern Lehigh. Tough league play is one of the driving factors as to why Spartan field hockey has not won the Colonial League title since 2011. Last year Southern Lehigh lost to Moravian in a crushing defeat in the Colonial League finals. However, the Spartans stormed back and went on to beat Moravian in districts and win the District XI crown. Currently, the Spartans’ only loss of the season came at the hands of Moravian.

“They have a had a very good team recently and really strong players and so that is one of the teams that poses a big threat,” Coach Searfoss said.

Spartan field hockey is one of the best programs in the school and the valley. Boasting an impressive title streak and a huge win percentage, the team manages to continue with its drive to be the best through not only their coaching, but from the desire to be the best that each class hands down to the next. Success is this team’s tradition.