The Peters Township Indians Field Hockey team left the field last year heartbroken; but driven after a 0 – 1 overtime loss to Pine Richland in the WPIAL Championship.
“After last year’s WPIAL championship loss, I felt driven to come back the next season… I knew we were capable of redemption and could make it to the championship game for a second year, and win this time,” said captain Serafina Forlini. “Last year’s loss fueled us and gave us experience and knowledge for what to do this time around.”
Last week, the Lady Indians once again hoisted a trophy, but this time engraved with the word champion.
This year was a fresh start for the Indians, moving down from class 3A to 2A. Peters had been playing in the 3A class for years, a division dominated by a Pine Richland team that has won six straight WPIAL championships. The 2A Division was not much different, run by a Penn Trafford team that had won eight straight championships entering the 2024 season. On the outside, it seemed like Peters would settle for second again; on the inside, the team was poised for a championship run. Freshman goalie Julia Anderson took over the reins in net, and the two captains proved to be the leaders the team needed to make the next step.
Forlini was a second year captain, and the first player to receive the honor as a junior. Anna Kokozynski was a four year varsity starter and first year captain.
“Being nominated captain was an honor, and working everyday with the girls I love made it super easy on me,” said Anna Kokozynski. Together, they made the Indians a championship level team.
The season opened at home vs Mount Lebanon, a formidable non-section opponent. The girls fell 3-2 in overtime, a shock that Forlini said they needed, “When we lost our first game, even though it wasn’t a section opponent it made us work even harder. It brought us back down to earth and kept our heads focused on one game at a time.”
The girls went on to win the next two before falling to Pine Richland 4-0. Playing competition such as Mount Lebanon and Pine Richland, the two WPIAL Finalists in 3A this season, allowed the Indians to be prepared for their first year of section play in 2A. The preparation paid off, leading Peters to a 11-1 section record and section championship.
“Regardless of classification, there is competition. Penn Trafford (2A) had the longest consecutive streak of WPIAL titles, more than Pine Richland (3A)”, said Forlini. “We even had a section loss this season, proving that there were tough competitors. We fought hard, beating some of the top teams in every class, not just 2A. The proof is in our overall record; our placement in 2A does not take away from hard work.”
The section championship slotted the Indians at number 1 in the playoff bracket, with a date vs Latrobe for a spot in the WPIAL Championship.
With a clear path to gold, everybody on the team worked harder to reach their goal. “Once we knew who we’d play, the practices just got even more intense. Everyone worked extra hard and took that extra step to make sure we were prepared,” Forlini said.
Three goals and sixty minutes later, the team was now just one win away from avenging last year’s heartbreaker. On the other side of the bracket was Peters’ only section loss this season, Fox Chapel. Similar to their semi-final match, the Indians suffocating defense and quick offense proved to be too much for the foxes, as another three goal performance put Peters Township on the mountain top. For some, it was a full circle moment; finally reaching the goal of gold. For others, it was their first experience in the WPIAL Championship; and it sure was a great one. For all of the players, it represented the hard work, adversity, and most importantly, family they’ve become. For the first time in half a decade, the Peters Township Lady Indians are WPIAL Champions.
