2023 high school field hockey preview

SALISBURY, Md. – There are a number of major storylines across Delmarva as the field hockey regular season gets underway.

Three dynamic championship teams look to defend their crowns.

Delmar, Smyrna, and Pocomoke will all look to retain their titles in 2023.

Delmar continues their dominance in DIAA field hockey, winning a seventh state championship in a row. The Wildcats move on without two five-time state champions: Josie Hollamon and Maci Bradford. Can the Wildcats make it eight straight led by senior Baylie Phillips and junior Jordyn Hollamon.

The Smyrna Eagles pulled off the upset of the year in field hockey, shocking 5-time state champion Cape Henlopen in overtime of the DIAA Division-I championship.

Smyrna celebrates after Kirsten Johnson’s overtime goal.

Senior Kirsten Johnson’s diving redirection goal to win the title was her last play in an Eagle uniform. But Smyrna is in good hands, as Bree Moffett leads the Eagles into 2023. Moffett is listed as a top 100 player in the class of 2026 players to watch nationally.

Speaking of the Vikings, they have a small senior class with just four players listed on their roster, but they will be powered by a dozen juniors. Expect Cape Henlopen to be back in that Division-I title game, and challenging Delmar for the title of best in the state.

The Warriors celebrate a goal in their 2022 1A state championship game.

In the Bayside, Pocomoke won the title in 1A in the first year under the lead of Casey Hickman. The Warriors won their second straight title thanks to the stellar play of senior Marli McDorman.

McDorman now plays in Division-III for Salisbury university, but Dakota Trader is back to bring her fire to the Warriors in her senior year.