By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
Field hockey is still a new sport for the Fluvanna High School Flucos. Field hockey is definitely a skill sport in that players need to be able to be able to control the ball with a flat stick while running at full speed. Albemarle High has been playing field hockey for years, while most, if not all, of the Fluco players have had far less practice time and far less playing experience than the Patriots’ players. Therefore, it is no surprise that the Flucos were not able to handle the Patriots at home on Sept. 30.
Albemarle got off to a fast start, scoring three goals in the first five minutes of the first quarter. The Fluco defense settled down and played the Patriots evenly during the middle of the first quarter, but the Patriots got their offense together and scored two more goals in the final four minutes of the quarter.
Albemarle scored early in the second quarter for a 6-0 lead and twice more in the middle of the second quarter for an insurmountable 8-0 lead at half time. In the third quarter, the Flucos were able to hold the Patriots scoreless, despite the fact that Albemarle had a number of scoring opportunities as a result of penalties on the Flucos.. At the end of the third period, the game was called due to the rule that requires one-sided games to be ended after three periods.
Fluco Head Coach Jennifer Payne noted after the game that the Fluvanna program scored its first ever win earlier this year when they topped the Louisa Lions 3-1, at Louisa. Payne said that her roster includes nine seniors and seven juniors, and that she adds sophomores to the roster when no JV game is scheduled. Seniors Claire Barnett and Ava Amato are the team captains. Payne cited senior Shayleigh Simms and Barnett for their good play on defense for the Flucos. She also noted that senior goal tender Jordan Drumheller has been playing well. Amato and juniors Teagan Bower and Gracie Clifton played well on offense against the Patriots.
The Flucos played Louisa for a second time on Oct. 5, this time at home. On Oct. 12 they will be at Monticello High, and on Oct. 14 they will host Orange County. On Oct. 19, they travel to Western Albemarle. They are home on Oct. 21 against Charlottesville High. They finish their season on Oct.26 at Albemarle High.
