They’re back. A year after St. Mary’s Academy’s championship opened the door to the idea that maybe field hockey no longer belonged in the firm grasp of Kent Denver, the Sun Devils noticed the beam of light peeking through and politely closed it again.
And Kent doesn’t look to be answering knocks any time soon. The Sun Devils return their trio of all-staters — Krista D’Alessandro, Lucy Dikeou and Hayley Kraus — as well Molly Coates and Mandy Raeder, who both earned honorable mention nods.
“Everyone down to the equipment manager, I’ve got one of the best environments here,” Kent coach Kathy James said.
Last season’s title brought the Sun Devils’ total to eight in the 13-year sanctioned history of the sport. With nine of 11 starters back, Kent is the favorite to win again.
“Basically, we’re looking at the season as picking up where we left off,” James said. “Instead of focusing on some of the fundamental things, we’re already stepping it up to more strategic components.”
The Sun Devils do have a middle school feeder program — a fortunate advantage, James acknowledged, in terms of developing talent. But they also have history on their side.
“Kent, what they have going for them is just that legacy,” Denver East coach Julie Stephens said. “Those girls are able to have that experience functioning at that level.”
But if championships have become commonplace, so has James’ favorite mantra: “Showing up with the name ‘Kent Denver’ on your jersey isn’t going to secure this win.”
Winning at Kent has become tradition — D’Alessandro and Kraus both called it an “expectation” — but it isn’t assumed.
“We have won before, but that’s not the team that’s playing right now,” Dikeou said. “It’s us. If we want to win, we have to do it ourselves.”
Those aiming to unseat Kent include Palmer Ridge, the No. 3 seed in last season’s playoffs which bowed out in the first round, and perennial powers Colorado Academy and Cherry Creek.
“It’s just a matter of us developing to surpass (Kent’s) level, the other teams throughout the league,” said Palmer Ridge coach Paul Lewis.
Denver East, which fell to Kent in last year’s final, loses 10 seniors, but has 78 kids in its program this year, while Smoky Hill and Mountain Vista could also threaten.
“I think a lot of these teams, for whatever reason, are just able to get really, really strong,” added Stephens, East’s coach.
Ryan Casey: 303-954-1983 or rcasey@denverpost.com
Post Preps/field hockey preview
Outlook: Kent Denver, with three all-staters and nine of 11 starters returning, is unquestionably the team to beat. Two years ago, St. Mary’s Academy pulled Kent back to the field. Can it happen again? Cherry Creek (Bailey Zerr) is probably the biggest threat, especially with goalie Anya Gersoff in the fold. Don’t sleep on Colorado Academy (Michaela Schuette, Paige Maney), Palmer Ridge (Kaili Simmons), Mountain Vista (Akane Strader) or SMA (Stephanie Gugliemo).
Top five teams
1. Kent Denver
2. Cherry Creek
3. Colorado Academy
4. Palmer Ridge
5. Smoky Hill
Returning all-state players
Krista D’Alessandro, Kent Denver, Sr.
Lucy Dikeou, Kent Denver, Jr.
Hayley Kraus, Kent Denver, Sr.
Kaili Simmons, Palmer Ridge, Sr.
Akane Strader, Mountain Vista, Sr.
Bailey Zerr, Cherry Creek, Sr.
