The Archbishop Mitty Field Hockey Team has been one of the most successful programs in the CCS since its inception, spanning eight CCS titles over its history and ranking number two in California according to MaxPreps. This past November, the team added yet another championship to their belt with a 1-0 win against Christopher High School.

Last year, Mitty finished with a 10-5-3 record in the league, but lost in their first playoff game to Leigh High School. Learning from their past mistakes in the off-season, the squad improved both the mental and physical aspect of their game. Throughout the spring, many members of the team played club field hockey, which kept them active and honed their skills. They were able to stay in shape by going to workouts throughout the off season. Senior Morgan Caldera, who led the team in goals and assists, explains, “During the summer, we lifted and conditioned multiple times a week with Coach Nichols.” With all this practice and improvement, both the players and the coaches expected great things from Mitty Field Hockey this year—and the team did not disappoint.

Mitty started the season off with a six-game win streak and finished with an amazing 20-2-1 record, not losing a single game since September 27! The team’s first loss came against Los Gatos High School in a close 3-2 match in the beginning of the season. However, when Mitty matched up with Los Gatos again, they were able to send the game into overtime, ultimately ending in a 1-1 tie. The team’s second loss of the season was against Saint Francis High School, 2-1. During the their next matchup against St. Francis, however, the team was able to conquer their rivals in an exciting 1-0 victory. Clearly, the team’s success in these rematches is indicative of the overall progression they were able to make throughout the season.

Of course, not everything went perfect for the team this year. During the cold season that affected so many in the Mitty community, many of the players on the team got sick. This caused many key players to miss practices and games, but the team kept pushing forward. Players stepped up, and those who were sick did their absolute best to get healthy by the time playoffs rolled around, sometimes even playing sick in order to get the team the win. This dedication and competitiveness is what made the difference in the final games of the season and allowed them to qualify for the playoffs.

In the playoffs, the Monarchs first played Saint Ignatius, who they managed to beat 2-1. Their next playoff game, against Gilroy, was very close, but the Monarchs managed to squeak ahead courtesy of a great goal by Caldera.

The Monarchs had reached the finals–the summation of all their efforts this entire year–with the Christopher High School Cougars standing between them and a ninth CCS championship. They showed up, and they did so in a spectacular fashion. Just minutes into the second quarter, Junior Tiana Osuna scored a phenomenal goal off a corner, giving the Monarchs the lead. Despite the Cougar’s fierce offensive assault, the Mitty defense held strong, winning the CCS Championship 1-0. Caldera recalls, “It felt surreal because all that we did prior and throughout the season led up to this game. Everyone was very excited afterwards and we were all proud of one another for achieving our ultimate goal. As a senior, it means a lot to end on such a high note and to see the team grow so significantly throughout the season and battle through playoffs.”

About half of this year’s championship team was made up of seniors who will be graduating this year. Next season many of the underclassmen and current juniors will have to step up to take their place. However, with the determined, gritty culture that Head Coach Justina Williams has instilled, there should be no doubt that the Monarchs will maintain a high level of success and excellence next year as well.