Lake Forest High School's varsity field hockey team shut out Deerfield 5-0 in the state playoffs and will play Latin School of Chicago in the Sectional Finals on Friday, Oct. 23.
The result, first reported by The Forest Scout, puts the Scouts one win from advancing toward the state championship. MaxPreps lists Friday’s game for 6:30 p.m. A venue was not identified in the listing.
The lopsided playoff opener gave Lake Forest a chance to test new strategies before the stakes rise. Junior Reese Bolton said the Deerfield game helped the team try different approaches for future opponents. "That game definitely prepared us to be more organized for our upcoming games," Bolton said.
The Scouts' focus has already shifted to Latin. The team has been studying game film on Latin's roster, scouting individual players and their style of play. Junior Kate Buettner said high-intensity practices and film sessions help the squad know what to expect.
"Watching game film is also a huge thing we do leading up to games and making sure we know all their dangerous players and their style of play," Buettner said.
Senior captain Katherine St. Amand has kept the locker-room message simple all year. She said each player has an important role and the team's success depends on holding one another accountable. St. Amand described the team's motto as playing disciplined and doing your job.
The matchup carries extra weight for seniors. For several players, the postseason represents the final stretch of competing alongside friends they have played with since elementary school. St. Amand said the squad has had one goal since the beginning of the season: reaching the state championship.
Friday's Sectional Finals against Latin School is the next step.
