Clarke’s field hockey team was in unfamiliar territory to start this season.
Not only did the Rams have a new coach with Lily Fox taking over the program, but after years of continued success, began the year by losing five of their first six games.
Unwilling to give up, they’ve had the run of a lifetime since then, winning eight straight entering the postseason.
"It's tough to bounce back from that, but my girls always kept their heads high," Fox said. "It's not fun losing, but I think it made us work harder and realize that if we want to be one of the top teams, we need to put in work everyday practice. They always came ready to go and excited to play. As a coach like that's all I can ask for."
When she first took over, Fox didn't want to rock the boat too much.
But as the losses continued to pile up, there were glaring issues that Fox could no longer ignore. She realized that rather than avoiding the unfamiliarity, embracing it was the only way to turn the season around, and made the bold decision to drastically alter the lineup.
"I was definitely concerned," said Fox. "It's tough when you have a lot of talent on a team and are unsure where to put people so they will play their best. A lot of times, girls come in expecting to play certain positions, but I see them somewhere else. At times I questioned if it was the best thing for the team."
Maintaining possession in transition through the midfield was Clarke's biggest issue early on. Its passes weren't connecting, and the ones that did rarely turned into scoring chances. That all changed when Fox moved junior captain Madison DeLeon from forward to center midfield.
"We weren't utilizing her enough," Fox said of DeLeon. “She's not only just a powerhouse on offense, but she's great at controlling the ball, and she sets up a lot of plays in the midfield that lead to scoring opportunities. She has a great vision of the field, which is why, ultimately, we wanted to move her to that spot."
The change began to lead to more in other areas. After the Rams were held to just five goals in their first five games, they've scored a combined 24 goals during their winning streak, with Ayala Abate, Erin Frank, and Sophia Sforza leading the way offensively. Sforza scored off an assist from DeLeon last Friday as the Rams topped North Shore, 1-0.
Clarke's defense improved as well. With the help of senior captain Rosanna DeStefano, Katerina Rivera, and Rebecca Palumbo all playing in front of her, goalie Rebekah McGrady has allowed just one goal in that span.
"Since we started winning and figuring things out, our confidence has gotten so much better," said Fox. "The overall attitude of the team is better. It makes practices more fun, and games are more enjoyable."
Clarke (9-5 overall) will try to keep the moment going when it hosts New Hyde Park to open the playoffs.
