The field hockey team has punched its ticket to the state championship game for the first time since 2019.
The Raiders defeated Mount Notre Dame 3-1 in the state semifinal game Thursday. Junior Eleanor Miller scored Shaker’s two second-half goals, one in each the third and fourth quarters.
En route to the final four, Shaker won the Northeast district of the Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament by defeating Stow-Munroe Falls, Hawken and Hudson. Mount Notre Dame was the Southwest district champion.
Senior midfielder Josephine Rich is very happy with the result. “It was super rewarding seeing this team win the semifinals,” Rich said. “I am beyond proud of everyone’s effort and determination.”
Spectators numbered 495 for the game at Hamilton Field, the athletic field of Thomas Worthington High School, in Worthington, about 17 minutes north of Columbus.
Neither team dominated momentum in the first half. Sophomore Nina Yacovone was able to score first, less than six minutes into the game. Mount Notre Dame tied it up in the final moments of the second quarter.
However, after halftime, the Raiders controlled possession. Mount Notre Dame would not take a shot in the second half, while the Raiders took six in the half and dominated overall shots on goal, 12-3.
The Raiders will face the tournament host Thomas Worhtington Cardinals in the final tomorrow at 1 p.m. Fans can watch the game streamed locally at Van Aken District Market Hall.
The Cardinals are defending the state title after winning it back-to-back in 2022 and 2023. They defeated the Raiders both years in the semifinal round.
The Raiders fell to Thomas Worthington during the regular season this year, 2-0 on Sept. 13.
Senior midfielder Elena Girault said the team is ready to play Thomas Worthington again. “We’re really planning on staying composed, focused and playing Shaker field hockey. We know our strengths as a team, and trusting the hard work we’ve put in is key,” Girault said.
Girault said that the team has been dedicated to returning to state competition since preseason. “We’ve been focused on states since June and we really believe in ourselves that we can do it,” Girault said.
Thomas Worthington has shut out all four opponents so far in the OHSAA tournament. The Cardinals defeated Upper Arlington 2-0 in Thursday’s other semifinal contest after the Raiders advanced to the final.
Senior goalkeeper Lily Dreyfuss said she is thrilled to get a chance to compete for the state title. She said, “I am very proud of the team and so excited that after four years of making it to the state semifinals, we advanced and we’re pumped for Saturday.”
Eliot Call contributed reporting.
