Massey Basketball: Streaks In Skirts- GHS Field Hockey Was a State Power

1970’s- Adding Girls Sports

In the Fall of 1972, Galesburg HS added girls sports. For the school year of 1972-3 GHS competed in volleyball, basketball, bowling, badminton, track, softball, and field hockey. The IHSA provided a unique schedule which seemed to offer two fall season so athletes could play both volleyball and field hockey if they chose.

For the 1973-4 school year, GHS added swimming and tennis.

In these early years, each team played a limited schedule. Some teams only playing 4 or 5 contests. In badminton, in this area of the Illinois, only Galesburg and East Moline had teams. Galesburg’s schedule was just playing matches vs. East Moline.

The IHSA gradually started running State Tourneys and Meets.

1972-3- Track, Tennis

1974-5- Volleyball

1975-6- Swimming, Golf, Softball, Field Hockey

1976-7- Basketball

Galesburg HS Field Hockey

GHS started to Field Hockey in 1972-3 school year. It was played late in the Fall. The coach for Field Hockey was Terri (Swackhamer) Hoehn. The GHS Reflector shows 19 girls on the first team. It is interesting to note that none of the girls sports teams had their pictures in the “Sports Section” of the yearbook, but were included in the activities section.

The 1973 GHS Reflector illustrated the limited resources given to girls sports at this time when they said, “…the girls have worked hard to raise money for their activities.”

In 1973-4, the number of girls playing Field Hockey grew to 24. The first two years, Galesburg had losing records. In this second year, they played only 5 matches and went 1-4 on the season.

In the early years, it does not appear there were a lot of schools playing Field Hockey. Games were played against Pekin, East Moline, Monmouth, and Davenport West.

In 1974-5 (Year #3), the Streaks took off. GHS went a perfect 6-0 during the season. This was the year that the GHS Reflector moved girls sports from the activity section to the sports section. Sadly, there was no State Tourney series for this group. Historically when a GHS team has gone undefeated but the IHSA has not run a State Tourney, the undefeated team has been labeled the “Mythical State Champs.” This was done for years with the GHS 1956 Football team. In that light, the ‘74 Field Hockey team can be labelled the “Mythical Field Hockey State Champs.”

1975-6 Field Hockey Third in State

The Streaks in the Fall of ‘75 had a dominant season. On their way to an impressive 9-2, the Streaks only once gave up more than 1 goal in a match. Five times they shut out their opponents, and five times they gave up only one goal.

Only Davenport West managed to score more than 1 goal. The Streaks split with the Falcons during the season, winning 2-0 and then losing 3-0. West was the three-time Iowa State Champions.

After finishing the regular season 6-1, Galesburg won the Sectional with a 2-1 win over Farmer City.

The Streaks advanced to the State Finals that were held at New Trier West High School. The two favorites in the Finals were New Trier East and Rockford West. Both these schools had been playing Field Hockey for longer than GHS. New Trier East entered the State Finals having been undefeated four consecutive season, while Rockford West had not lost a match in six seasons. So while the Streaks had a great season, they were going to match up with the powerhouses of Illinois Field Hockey.

In the Elite 8 matchup, the Streaks could not score vs. New Trier East. But the GHS defense did not allow New Trier to score either as goalie Kelly Lange and the Streaks defense shut them out in regulation.

Overtime in Field Hockey was handled by have five players from each team going one on one vs. the goalie. In the first overtime, neither team could score, so the match remained 0-0. In the second OT, Carla Huddle and Ann Conover made goals. Lange shut out 4 of the 5 shots from New Trier East to allow the Streaks to a 2-1 double OT win. This was New Trier East’s first loss in four years.

Things didn’t get easier for the Streaks as they faced Rockford West, who had a six season undefeated streak going. Galesburg was not able to keep the magic going, as they lost 1-0 to West. It was the first time that West had been held to only one goal, their star was averaging 4 goals per match.

Rockford West went on to win the Illinois State Championship.

While there had to many stars for the Streaks team, looking thru the old GHS Budgets and the Galesburg Register-Mail, names that are mentioned:

Kelly Lange was the goalie that was leading the stellar defense. Cathy Colvin, Candy Roberson, Carla Huddle, Ann Conover, Jody Hertenstein, and Julie Davis are all mentioned for scoring goals. Barb Knapp and Debbie DeGraff are mentioned as part of the defensive group. Barb Knapp went onto get a Field Hockey scholarship at Western Illinois and is in the WIU Athletic HOF.

The Streaks Final Four finish has been lost in GHS history. They are not in the GHS Athletic Hall of Fame.

Players’ Memories of 3rd Place Finish

Barb Knapp Lindquist

I was not intimidated going to the suburbs. I was probably naive enough to not realize how big of a deal it was. We knew we worked hard to get there.

I remember the staying in a hotel, but not which one. I didn't have any experience traveling with anyone but family. I do not remember what restaurants. I don't recall any special treatment going to state. It was like another away game.

We were successful as a team due to the amazing athletes that made up the team. Almost all of the players were involved in multiple sports.

I was happy to be involved in organized sports. It was such a new concept. I had older sisters that didn't have the same opportunities. After winning the first game at state was an amazing feeling.

Debbie DeGraff

I don’t remember any of the logistical details. I also don’t remember any special treatment for going to State, other than that the trip obviously required multiple days. I was not intimidated about traveling to Chicago suburbs because I had done so many times. I was, though, intimidated by playing the top schools.

We had a lot of very talented athletes at a time when girls had no opportunity for training/coaching before high school. I was not especially skilled at field hockey, but many on the team came by it naturally. I particularly remember Kelly Lange’s prowess as goalie. Her skill and fearlessness were crucial to our upset of New Trier East in the quarter-finals.

Tied 0-0 at the end of regulation time, we had two rounds of OT penalty shots. No one scored in the first round. We scored twice in the second round (Carla Huddle and Ann Conover) while NTE scored only once.

Ann Conover

As far as my experience with field hockey, it was very interesting. We were very curious. When we first put on our uniforms, which were kilts, turtleneck sweaters, high socks, and shin guards. We felt kind of awkward and weren't sure that we really belonged. However, after we went to our very first field hockey game and everyone was dressed like we were, we really embraced the sport.

I played as a wing. I loved to run, and that was part of field hockey. I also really liked hitting the field hockey ball really hard and seeing it go extremely far. We played in the fall, and it was the most beautiful part of the year. We had to play together, sending the ball to each other, and teamwork was important.

I remember one time I raised my stick, but it wasn't above my shoulder, and a girl was bending over an opponent, and I hit her right where her eyebrow was. It just split that skin open, and she was bleeding all over the place. I felt bad, but I also knew I hadn't done anything wrong.

Qualifying for state and field hockey was a huge deal. We were extremely excited. We also knew that we were underdogs, and nobody really had heard of Galesburg. I think we wanted to prove something, to prove that athletes from a small town could compete with the best of them.

The bus trip going to the Chicago area was a lot of fun, and being in the hotel was a great experience.

I remember when we went to New Trier, we were very aware of the fact that all the teams came from very exclusive and expensive Chicago communities, and we were seen as kind of these small town girls. They weren't impressed with us until we started winning.

Ann’s description of the over-time shootout…

One person from our team could be chosen to hit the ball against the goalie. Everyone else kind of stands and watches. I hit the ball, and I scored the goal, and we won. I was so excited. We were all excited, it felt great.

1976-7 Streaks Are Back Again

The ‘75 third place finish was great, and the ‘76 Streaks Field Hockey team nearly duplicated. Despite having a 4-4 season, the Streaks won the Sectional again.

With a Sectional Championship, the Streaks again were in the Elite 8. In this quarterfinal matchup, Galesburg lost to Edwardsville. Edwardsville would go onto finish second in State.

The IHSA had run a State Tourney Series in Field Hockey two years, and the Silver Streaks had gone to State each of the two years.

1977-8 No More Field Hockey at GHS

Sadly, although GHS had experienced tremendous success in Field Hockey, the sport was dropped for the 1977-8 school year.

When most schools started up girls sports in the 1972-3 school year, each school decided how many sports to offer for girls and which sports to offer. Because many colleges had previously offered club field hockey teams, field hockey seemed like a good sport to add. For whatever reason, not many schools added field hockey.

For Galesburg, there were just a few teams available to play. As more teams dropped field hockey, there were even fewer to play. So while field hockey was a great sport for GHS, it just got to where opponents in the area were gone.

The IHSA and Field Hockey

The IHSA continued to run a State Tourney Series in Field Hockey, but the last year for IHSA Field Hockey was the 1981-2 school year. So the last IHSA Championship was in the Fall of 1981. The IHSA ran a State Series for 7 years. The IHSA dropped the sport because of a lack of growth.

Field Hockey in Illinois Today

There are approximately 20-25 schools in Illinois who still compete in field hockey. Most of the schools are in the north shore suburbs of Chicago, schools like New Trier, Loyola, and Lake Forest. There are also schools like Glenbard West, Oak Park, Antioch, and Deerfield.

These schools have their own association for field hockey and run their own “Illinois Field Hockey State Championship.”

It is interesting that many of the top players in these field hockey schools are recruited by the Ivy League schools and other prestigious eastern schools to play field hockey for them.

1972 Streaks