Capital Gazette 2023 field Hockey All-County: Player of the Year Kylie Corcoran gave her all to lead Crofton to another title

Crofton field hockey coach Amy Skrickus can still “vividly” replay her star, Kylie Corcoran’s game-winning goal from last fall’s state championship. It’s a visual she believes will last with her forever.

“But I’ve never seen her rise to the occasion more than during the state semifinal this year,” Skrickus said.

Corcoran drew equal awe and fear from her opponents in her three-year varsity career, never more so than this season. It’s what led her at last to be named the Capital Gazette’s 2023 field hockey Player of the Year. But she, too, is fallible.

Leading up to the semifinal, Corcoran lined up to take penalty strokes and missed. Before that penultimate state round, Skrickus asked Corcoran if the chance arose, would she want to take the stroke against Broadneck?

Corcoran took the chance to improve instantly.

Competition-wise, the state semifinal was the true championship for the Cardinals. The score was closer, the separation of skill more hairline, the euphoria even harder to tame after it was over. They took down the defending state champions and the fellow All-State caliber players that bested them in the regular season and county championship already. They’d go on to handily thrash Winston Churchill to secure their second-straight title a few days later.

In some ways, that game was the pinnacle of Corcoran’s career.

“She was locked in. I knew she was ready. She nailed that. And then you could just see she was not going to let it down,” Skrickus said.

But on the other hand, there might be no single “greatest game” for Corcoran. Consistency is her greatest quality, from Broadneck head coach Shannon Hanratty’s perspective. She was the same way back when Hanratty coached her on the club side.

“She has moments where she knows to do the background stuff and she can read opportunities and turn it on,” Hanratty said. “That’s what’s cool. It’s consistent growth and consistent building. She’s been dedicated to this sport her entire life and it shows.”

With such an imposing reputation already surrounding Corcoran before the season’s start, the pressure to overcome her own standard was present. Yes, this talented girl unleashed 37 points and attained a state title for her team as a junior, but what could she do to be even better — especially with every opponent actively drawing up triple-teams against her?

Before the season, Skrickus let her know, “You don’t have to do this all by yourself,” she told her 17-year-old star. “It’s on the whole team.”

Technically, Corcoran’s output declined from last fall to this one. Her goals (21) remained the same. Her assists dropped from 16 to nine. But no one could deny that Corcoran’s stick played a role in nearly every shot that hit the back of the net.

“She can beat multiple people if she needs to, but she can also find a crazy open pass that nobody else can see and get it up to her teammates,” Skrickus said. “Teams will make it hard on her, but she’s so skilled that it doesn’t change the way she plays.”

When it comes to Corcoran, it hardly mattered what the other team was doing to her. Corcoran was going to do what she liked.

Her scoring wins most of the accolades, but it went in tandem with her defense that earned Corcoran a spot on the All-State first team as a midfielder. When Corcoran shipped her goal in the state semifinal, her attention turned fully to blocking any from Broadneck — many from corners.

The Bruins factor in Corcoran on the goal line just for corners as much as Ryleigh Osborne, a future Maryland keeper and widely considered the best goalkeeper in the state. Corcoran’s defense is just that unmatched. Once, after a defensive save, Hanratty joked with her, “Did you grow a third arm to stop that shot?”

“What makes her such a balanced player is how smart and sneaky as a defender she is. She picks apart those defensive set ups when the ball’s on the stick, and it makes her a better defender,” the Broadneck coach said. “Great players are great players on both sides.”

At age 4, competitive spirit instilled in Corcoran when started chasing soccer balls — well enough that her mother and Crofton field hockey assistant coach, Katie, reckoned she might go on to be a fantastic soccer player. She switched passions at 7, donning a mini South River jersey made by her grandmother and “drill” against the great Seahawks players like Brooke Griffin during her mother’s tenure as head coach.

“She doesn’t back down to anything and always gives it her all. She’s just done that since she was born,” said Katie Corcoran, who added she made sure that field hockey stick was in her baby’s hand from birth. “She does not like to lose.”

For her final season, Corcoran focused all her motivation to be for her teammates’ welfare, success and happiness. That, beyond accolades, was what stood out to her mother and coach the most.

“She is a great leader. She really gets the team excited and prepared and knows her role as a captain. I watched her grow through school, helping carry this young team to this point,” Katie Corcoran said. “It’s what I’m the most proud of.”

Tears understandably escaped Corcoran when she waited with her teammates for her medal and their trophy after the state final. Her teammates assured her they weren’t going anywhere. Over time, the sweet grief has dulled.

That night, after the post-championship adrenaline surrendered to sleep, Corcoran looked through the pictures from the day and couldn’t remember ever feeling sad.

“I had the best four years. Something I’d dreamed of was always winning the state championship, and we did that,” she said. “Yeah, I was upset. But I was also happy that we accomplished everything we wanted.”

Coach of the Year

Amy Skrickus, Crofton

Four years into her tenure as the Cardinals head coach — three years in the team’s varsity era — Skrickus already has two state titles under her belt. Unlike last year’s Class 3A close call, this year’s Class 4A crown came in dominant fashion, 5-0. After falling to Broadneck by a goal during the regular season, Crofton got the better of the Bruins in the 4A state semifinal. Three of her players were named to the All-State first team. The Cardinals finished the season 16-2.

“I’m so proud of the girls and what the they were able to accomplish this season. It wasn’t easy and they had to work hard for it,” Skrickus said. “After winning last season, they knew they wanted this season to end the same way. Since we moved to 4A, we knew the path to a state championship was going to be different than last year and we would have different challenges. We had our setbacks, but we learned and grew and came back stronger each time.”

All-County first team

Olivia Feeley, Crofton, junior, forward

With 11 assists and 10 goals — two of which came in the Class 4A state final — Feeley was another constant on the field for the Cardinals, especially in the postseason.

Skylar Gilman, Archbishop Spalding junior forward

The IAAM All-Conference and All-State first team selection — a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year — hit payday in nearly every game with seven assists and 14 goals, including five game-winners for the IAAM A Conference championship runner-ups.

Raleigh Kerst, Broadneck, junior, forward

One more goal was all the first team All-State selection needed to break the Bruins’ single-season record, a feather in her return season after missing most of 2022 to injury. The coaches’ All-County first team selection and Ohio State field hockey commit also added nine assists. She is a finalist for All-State Offensive Player of the Year by state coaches.

Ava Wooster, Southern, senior, forward

Her seven assists and 21 goals — four of which came in the region championship — earned her a spot on the coaches’ All-County First Team, as well as a total of 49 goals and 20 assists in the three years of her career.

Faith Everett, Broadneck, junior, midfielder/forward

Considered by her coach one of the “most skilled and versatile players on the team,” the Maryland field hockey commit fired a backhand shot 28 seconds into the Class 4A East Region Final as one of her 16 goals this fall. The All-State first team and coaches’ All-County first team select also had nine assists.

Katelyn Kearns, Broadneck, junior, midfielder/forward

Balance was Kearns’ characterizing quality with 14 goals and 13 assists, the only Bruin with double-digits in both categories this fall. She was a coaches’ All-County first team pick as well.

Ava Boland, St. Mary’s, freshman, midfielder

The IAAM All-Conference pick led her Saints to the program’s first IAAM B Conference title since 2018 as the go-to on offense, finishing with 12 goals and eight assists. She fired the game-winners in the semifinal and championship games.

Mady Quigley, Broadneck, senior, midfielder

“The quarterback of the momentum on and off the field” to coach Shannon Hanratty, Quigley turned in eight goals, nine assists and two defensive saves, was named to the coaches’ All-County first team as well as the All-State first team, where she is a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year by state coaches.

Chloe Page, Broadneck, junior, midfielder

The Syracuse field hockey commit was only one of two Bruins with double-digit assists (12), which she combined with nine goals. Her defense is so notable that Hanratty said if she were playing against her, she would advise her players to avoid that part of the field at all cost.

Ava Zimmerman, Severna Park, senior, midfielder

The “fast and feisty” defensive midfielder was “crucial” in corner units as well as transferring the ball out of the backfield and to the right sticks at the right time, while also doing a good bit of scoring her own for the Class 3A state semifinalists: eight goals and six assists (and no cards).

Stella Bumgarner, Archbishop Spalding, junior, defender

The Duke commit also played a major role in the Cavaliers’ nine shutouts, serving on both corner units and as the main stroker, going 7-for-7 in her career. She had seven goals and three assists, and made the IAAM All-Conference team and All-State first team.

Bree Riggs, Crofton, junior, defender

The All-State first team and coaches’ All-County first team selections displayed patience and a knack for containing and slowing down opposing top attackers to make her one of the most talented defenders in Maryland.

Jilly Lawn, Archbishop Spalding, junior, defender

The two-year captain, committed to Miami (OH) to play with her older sister, made seven defensive saves alongside two goals and two assists, earning her spots on the IAAM All-Conference team as well as the All-State first team, where she is a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.

Emma Weber, Severna Park, junior, defender

The nucleus of the backfield stacked 13 defensive saves, directing the team’s defense from man-to-man, zone, cover and corners while also popping in six goals and making 11 assists. She was named to the coaches’ All-County first team and All-State honorable mention.

Mia Moody, Broadneck, junior, goalkeeper

While the team recorded nine shutouts, Moody herself posted 12 — that’s how badly the Bruins needed her in the cage. The coaches’ All-County pick made 38 saves and gave up 11 goals — two of which were penalty strokes. One of her saves was on a stroke.

Ryleigh Osborne, Crofton junior goalkeeper

Skrickus and the state coaches seem to agree: “Ryleigh is the best goalie in the state.” Osborne, the public school addition to the All-State first team and finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, recorded a 92.9 save percentage with 92 saves on 99 shots, with shutouts in the state semifinal against defending state champion Broadneck and in the state final.

All-County second team

Charlotte DeForest, Crofton junior forward

Emily Najarian, Crofton senior forward

Mary-Cate Parks, Crofton junior forward

Dakota Smith, Glen Burnie senior forward/midfielder

Sydney Day, Severna Park junior forward/midfielder

Karryn Dean, Crofton junior midfielder

Jackie Kerner, Crofton sophomore midfielder

Kelly Webber, South River junior midfielder

Marisol Torreyson, Archbishop Spalding senior midfielder

Avery Ruckman, Archbishop Spalding senior midfielder

Finley Davidson, St. Mary’s freshman midfielder

Grace Frankl, Severn junior defender

Kaydence Augustin, North County senior defender

Kelcie Gannon, Chesapeake senior defender

Lyla Poknis, Crofton junior defender

Amanda Giebels, Severna Park goalkeeper

Honorable Mention

AACS: CJ Summa, senior midfielder; Annapolis: Maggie Moylan, sophomore midfielder/forward, Emily Jewell, senior defender, Ellie Cameron, senior defender; Chesapeake: Hannah Haberkorn, senior midfielder, Austin McFarland, sophomore midfielder, Delaney Miller, senior midfielder, Molly Parker, senior midfielder; Glen Burnie: Violet Dyer, senior forward, Sydney Green, junior goalkeeper; Indian Creek: Izzy Sussman, sophomore; Old Mill: Tori Martz, junior midfielder; Severn: Cari Davis, sophomore goalkeeper; South River: Kamryn Lee, senior defender; Southern: Brenna Kadjeski, senior midfielder, Addie Jones, senior goalkeeper