Junior field hockey captain Zoie Garnett, a centerback, helped lead the Raiders to a 9-0 start.
A three-year varsity player and first-year captain, Garnett said effort has paid off; she attributes her leadership to her work ethic. “Hard work and really working in the off season got me to where I am today,” Garnett said.
Junior defensive midfielder Liz Wilson said Garnett is a natural leader. “She communicates so much and supports you on and off the field,” Wilson said.
Head coach Ashley Boorstein said that Garnett has been vital to their team’s success. “She’s a huge component, always speaking out of the backfield to organize the defense,” Boorstein said. “She’s super aggressive and explosive in the way she defends, which creates confidence among all of her teammates.”
Garnett applies her aggressive defense in an unorthodox position called “free Hallie.” Typically she would play centerback, marking one opponent. Instead Garnett doesn’t defend anyone specifically; she covers a zone underneath the 25-yard line to double team opposing players to get the ball faster.
The Garnett-led Raiders defeated rival Thomas Worthington 2-1 on Sept. 12, then defeated Bishop Watterson Sept. 13, the third-ranked team in the nation according to MaxPreps. The MaxPreps algorithm, which determines rankings based on a team’s win-loss record and the quality of teams beat, then ranked the Raiders No. 1 in the nation.
The Raiders have reached the state semifinal game for 13 consecutive years but have not won the state title. Garnett said that past defeats fuel the Raiders to make it back to states. “We all know that we have unfinished business,” she said.
Garnett said “Whether it’s the way we practice, or a warm-up for a game, everything is focused on the prize.”
Said Garnett, “Every day I try to get 1 percent better than the last day.”
This story appears on page 11 of the Sept. 26, 2025 print edition.