Paige Feick was perhaps Bel Air field hockey’s loudest voice on the field this season. One of the only voices with more command is her mother’s.
Parents coaching children is common in high school sports. What’s rare is the relationship between Karen Feick, a Bobcats assistant coach, and her daughter between the lines. They prevent bias and other detriments from seeping into their interactions or their team’s play. Back and forths — where Paige does call Karen “Mom” — about strategy were often key in Bel Air’s 10-win season.
“Paige comes off the field and they’ll be talking about corners,” Bel Air head coach Megan Lukasavage said. “Karen will be like, ‘I think corner A will work.’ And Paige will say, ‘It’s not going to work, Mom, because this girl is coming here so we need to do corner C.’ They’re really good communicators and I think that really helps us.”
Feick took strides on and off the field entering her senior campaign, culminating in being named The Aegis’ field hockey Player of the Year.
But making the feat even more impressive, Feick feels she’s even better at another sport. Lacrosse, not field hockey, is actually the senior’s favorite. She’s committed to Division I Temple to play it, but remaining a two-sport star in high school has been a priority.
She played both, plus basketball, growing up and faced a decision upon entering high school. One needed to take priority over the other, and she chose lacrosse. But that didn’t mean she had to stop playing field hockey. There’s similarities in the two, and playing both helps with the other.
“Playing sports just helps you,” the senior midfielder (defender in lacrosse) said. “In basketball to lacrosse, the footwork is the same. From field hockey to lacrosse, the drive, stick work, the offensive move, the IQ — it just connects.”
Feick took another jump between last lacrosse season and this fall. She scored 20 goals and tallied 22 assists this field hockey season, up from 15 goals and 16 assists as a junior and team-highs in both categories. That leap was in part driven by her designation as captain, as voted on by the rest of the team before every season opener.
Knowing she had the trust and respect of the rest of Bel Air field hockey, Feick felt more comfortable taking on a leadership role for the Bobcats. She orchestrated captains’ practices, led her own drills alongside her mother and Lukasavage, and was unafraid to speak up in-game if something felt wrong or if she had a suggestion.
“Being a captain and having all my friends support me really allowed me to improve,” Feick said. “My freshman year, I had great captains, so I wanted to pass it down.”
Feick’s field hockey career more or less wrapped up at the season’s conclusion, but her athletic career is far from over.
The spring season awaits.
All-Aegis first team
Lilly Burns, Fallston, forward, senior
Burns posted eight assists and four goals during the Cougars’ run to the state semifinals.
Mollie Fialcowitz, North Harford, forward, senior
Fialcowitz led the Hawks in both goals and assists this season.
Bella León, Bel Air, forward, senior
León’s 10 goals and four assists paired with Feick and Maeve Alliger to form an imposing front line for the Bobcats.
Annie Minoglio, John Carroll, forward, senior
Minoglio led the Patriots with eight goals this season, including a score in the IAAM B conference championship game.
Maeve Alliger, Bel Air, midfielder, senior
One of Feick’s top teammates, Alliger was a key cog in one of the area’s top scoring offenses.
Sam Bender, John Carroll, midfielder, senior
Bender helped the Patriots reach the IAAM B conference championship game this season.
Layla King, Fallston, midfielder, sophomore
King’s 12 goals and 12 assists in just her second year helped push the Cougars to the state semifinal.
Kaylee Dillard, Fallston, defender, junior
Dillard’s 20 goal-line saves helped anchor Fallston’s stingy defense.
Julian Feurer, Bel Air, defender, junior
Feurer did it all for the Bobcats, posting three defensive saves, five goals and two assists.
Jillian Gallano, Perryville, defender, senior
The Panthers held their opponents scoreless in seven of their nine wins courtesy of a back line led by Gallano.
Camie Nguyen, Havre de Grace, defender, senior
Nguyen led a stifling Warriors defense that produced four shutout victories this season.
Phoebe Hennessey, C. Milton Wright, goalkeeper, senior
A four-year varsity starter, Hennessey saved 235 of the 263 shots taken against her — a dominant 89% rate — including three games with 30 or more saves.
Second team:
Sadie Atkinson, Harford Tech, midfielder, junior
Lucy Bates, Patterson Mill, forward, senior
Josie Bianco, John Carroll, goalkeeper, junior
Michaela Blackburn, Edgewood, midfielder, junior
Sophie Deibler, North Harford, defender, junior
Imala Grant, Aberdeen, forward, senior
Olivia Huddler, Edgewood, goalkeeper, senior
Olivia Parker, Fallston, midfielder, senior
Autumn Rutkowski, C. Milton Wright, defender, freshman
Maddie Tunney, Patterson Mill, midfielder, senior
Macey Walls, Perryville, forward, sophomore
Tressa Will, C. Milton Wright, midfielder, freshman
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