Hudson Valley Summer Field Hockey Opens Play

PUTNAM VALLEY, N.Y. – The Hudson Valley Field Hockey Summer League will start its 11th season Monday.

The league, under the guidance of founder Sharon Sarsen, runs for six weeks, with games scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

There are three divisions – Varsity, Open and Junior Varsity/Modified. This is the first year for the JV/Modified division. The varsity playoffs begin Monday, Aug. 6. The title game will be played Thursday, Aug. 9.

“I hope that quality of good teams and officials makes it attractive,” Sarsen said. “I also think the surface is best for field hockey, and that helps, too.

“I had the open division around 2007 and '08. I think I skipped it for a year and then brought it back in 2010. I love that the older girls have a place to play.”

The 17 teams in the varsity division are divided into two pools – Pool A and Pool B. The nine teams in Pool A are John Jay-Cross River, Horace Greeley, Harrison, Yorktown, John Jay-East Fishkill, Pleasantville, Pawling, Ossining and Lakeland Green. Pool B consists of Lakeland Gold, Walter Panas, Putnam Valley, North Salem, Mahopac, Hen Hud, Briarcliff and Carmel.

Lakeland is the defending champion. Last year, Lakeland defeated Ossining in the varsity title game.

The open division has six teams. Many of the girls are former Lakeland and Section 1 players. The six teams are Hudson Valley, Putnam Valley, Ossining Alum, Team Relentless, W.W. Team Fockey and T.T. Relentless. Last year, former Lakeland standout and current U.S. Olympic Field Hockey team member Melissa Gonzalez returned to play.

Lakeland has two teams entered in the JV division – Hornets I and Hornets II. They will be joined by Carmel and John Jay-East Fishkill.

 

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