Bomber Success at the Max Field Hockey Invitational

Last weekend, the John Burroughs Field Hockey team had the privilege of attending the Max Field Hockey National High School Invitational in Philadelphia.  Max Field Hockey is a platform that includes player rankings, high school rankings, and awards. This tournament featured the top high schools across the nation, including teams from Texas, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Missouri. The team has worked incredibly hard to earn a #13 ranking in the country and thus got its first invitation to this prestigious tournament.

The team left on Friday, September 19th, excited to play new competition. Senior captain Sophie Buchowski, prior to the tournament, said she was “really excited, it is always fun to play new teams, and their style of play is different.” She added, “It is great to play in a stress-free environment, and it is a chance for us to try new things, take risks, and use this time to connect as a team.” The team was excited to play on Saturday. 

The Bombers slept in Saturday morning, and after a quick breakfast, they loaded up the van and headed to the fields to play against Garrison Forest School. Garrison Forest, from Maryland, is ranked 14th in the Mid-Atlantic region. The team arrived at the Proving Grounds complex, home of Villanova field hockey, and began their warm-up, anxiously awaiting game time. The anticipated competition did not disappoint, but the Bombers still put on a great show. The game got rolling with a counterattack play made by senior captain Kate Logsdon. She ran the length of the field and was able to find sophomore Lila Merlin in the circle for a shot and a goal. This quickly got the bombers fired up. Maintaining the attack, the bombers netted three goals in the first half. The strong attack only strengthened in the second half. Kate Logsdon and junior Finnley Desloge both found the back of the cage and helped the bombers achieve a total of five goals. The attack was not the only notable aspect of this game; the defense remained consistent, barely allowing the Grizzlies to enter their attacking circle. This game was an excellent start to the successful tournament.

Next, the Bombers would face off against the #22 school in the nation, Penn Manor. Penn Manor, from Pennsylvania, was sure to make for great competition. It was a tight match in the first and second quarters–both the Comets and Bombers had many scoring opportunities, but it remained 0-0. 

Notably, during halftime, Penn Manor attempted to rattle the Bombers. It was brought to the referee's attention that the unstoppable Tessa Zwicker’s black-and-blue jersey was illegal. The coaches from Penn Manor attempted to ban Tessa from the game because of her jersey; they knew she was a threat. This, however, did not deter the bombers; it only made them hungrier. Selflessly, senior Nylah Johnson offered Tessa her jersey. Despite having dealt with conflict, the Bombers took the high road through compassion and selflessness. 

The second half brought even more competition. During the 3rd quarter, the bombers made a strong play through the midfield, and the ball found the stick of sophomore Finley Rose McGowan, who scored with a strong push into the goal. Minutes into the 4th quarter, the Bombers' hard work paid off once again. With a great feed from Kate Logsdon, Lila Merlin found the back of the cage with a reverse shot from the left to the bottom right corner. This was exactly what the bombers needed to seal the win. The bombers stayed scrappy and won the game with a final score of 2-0, making it the second shutout of the tournament.

This win was very exciting and validating for the team. After the game, they were rewarded with a Shake Shack dinner and headed straight to bed to recharge for the final game of the trip. 

Sunday brought a fun final day of field hockey for the weekend. The bomber faced off against Montclair– #19 in New Jersey. Although the team was tired, they put on a great show for the final game. Senior Reese Rafferty got the scoring started with a rebound from a corner, and continued to score two more in the game for a hat trick. Kate Logsdon and Finnley Desloge also netted goals. This was a great way to end an undefeated, exciting tournament.

The Bombers have a few games left before they enter the postseason, including a highly anticipated game against the talented St. Joe Angels on October 15th.

By: Lila Merlin '28

Edited by: Lexi Schoenecker '26