By Andy Loigu

Last fall, in what had been regarded as a “rebuilding” season, the Warren Hills field hockey team won the championships of the Skyland Conference, the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex tournament, and the section title in North Jersey Section 2 Group 3. 

Before wrapping up those crowns, they earned win number 700 in the glorious history of one of the state’s most respected sports programs.
Like Ohio State football, Warren Hills field hockey does not rebuild, it reloads.

Forward Simryn Desai emerged to become a second team all-state performer (selected by nj.com) with a 20-goal, 5-assist season. She was a “bridge over troubled water” to keep the team winning and returns to lead the offense while a gritty defense makes the Blue Streaks a well balanced and formidable unit.

Once again, followers in the area expect Warren Hills and Voorhees to continue their local rivalry with a meeting in the H/W/S final. The two teams are like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers in the days of Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Jerry West and Magic Johnson, you just knew, every year, that they’d be matched up in the NBA Finals.

Voorhees lost a lot of players from last year, but always plays tenacious defense and is tough to beat. Their most experienced player is Grace Schiavo, a back line defender who nj.com chose third team all-state. She will be asked to step up to the midfield and do more shooting and scoring this year while the rest of the team establishes their roles.

TRIBUTES 

In addition to all the complications that the covid pandemic has imposed on the sports world in 2020, fans of my generation have mourned several deaths of players who we hailed as heroes during their glory days.

Some of the lost legends are Gale Sayers, Lou Brock, Al Kaline, Tom Seaver, Wes Unseld, perfect-game Don Larsen, and hockey superstar Henri Richard. If you are over 60, I’m sure you have many memories of these “larger than life” household name athletes.

Back in the days when I had a media credential for Philadelphia Phillies home games, I saw Lou Brock hit a home run. I went to Veterans’ Stadium expecting to see him steal a few bases. “I’m getting older,” Brock joked, “hitting the ball out is more economy of effort to score a run.”

I saw Al Kaline’s 3,000th career hit in his hometown of Baltimore in 1974. Even though the home team Orioles were in an exciting September pennant race, “Mr. Tiger” Kaline was cheered enthusiastically by the Baltimore fans, appreciative of the hometown connection and happy to share in the big moment.

Unseld was both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the NBA after joining the last-place Baltimore Bullets and leading them to the best record in the league. I got to interview him late in his career, even though I was warned that the media had nicknamed him “no news” because he gave lackluster interviews.

I found him to be a serious, intelligent man who understands that there is more to life than just ballgames. He was more than happy to talk about off the court and off season activities to make life better and provide opportunity for inner city youths.

RIP to all the heroes who have inspired us.

Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.