Four field hockey players from the Farmington Valley will be playing in the U-16 national club championships in July in Manheim, Pennsylvania.
Avon High sophomores Megan Gilbey and Ava Calma are members of the HTC field hockey club that finished second at the USA Field Hockey regional club championship tournament in New Hampshire earlier this month.
Granby High sophomore Avery Bryanton is on the HTC club along with Kathryn Mason, a Massachusetts resident who plays at Ethel Walker in Simsbury. HTC’s U-16 club has players from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.
Gilbey and Calma played on the Avon High varsity team last fall, helping the Falcons win their first CCC South championship. Avon (14-4) advanced to the Class M semifinals before they lost 1-0 in triple OT to Sacred Heart Academy. Gilbey and Calma each earned All-CCC South honors while Gilbey was named to the All-State team.
HTC was undefeated through the semifinals at the regional tournament with a decisive 4-0 win over Seacoast United to secure a bid to the national tournament. HTC dropped a 2-0 decision in the championship game to Northeast Elite. The top two teams from each of the eight regions around the country qualify to fill out the 16-team bracket at the national tournament.
The national tournament will be July 11-13 in Manheim, Pa., home of the U.S. women’s field hockey program.
The tournament is the premier championship event of USA Field Hockey’s Futures Program, the sport’s Olympic development pipeline. Held annually since 1990, the tournament brings the top female field hockey players from across the country. Selected athletes will be evaluated again at the tournament for an opportunity to make the Junior U.S. Women’s National Teams.
