Upper Arlington field hockey fends off Columbus Academy for first title

Maybe the adrenaline and elation from just having won a state championship doubled as a painkiller, but Sloane Bunker did not show the slightest sign of a limp after the OHSAA field hockey final Nov. 7 at Thomas Worthington.A key defensive presence for Upper Arlington, the junior midfielder took a few shots off her shins at critical points against Columbus Academy, including during a flurry of four consecutive corners for Academy midway through the fourth quarter.But UA’s defense stood strong, as it has all season, fending off a late charge from Academy to post a 3-1 win for the Golden Bears’ first title.“I got hit on the far side of the field, then I started getting charley horses, but I’m all good though,” Bunker said, gesturing to another place on her shin she was hit during a state semifinal win over Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame on Nov. 5.Still, Bunker, a Miami University commit, wanted to be in the prime defensive spot against Academy’s top player, Georgetown commit Katie Neviaser, with the season on the line. UA (17-5-1) turned away all four of the corners and held on from there.“Katie is super good,” Bunker said. “She is going to take that fast shot, but I told ‘Homie’ [UA coach Homero Pardi], I was ready to put my body on the line and yep, I got two [shots] on my [right] shin, which is what I wanted.”Senior forward Caroline Overmyer assisted on UA’s first goal, from sophomore Charlie Rogers, and scored the eventual game-winner late in the first quarter.Academy senior midfielder Charlotte Kurtz made it a 2-1 game with 5 minutes left in the third, giving the Vikings (18-3-1) their first of only three shots on goal.UA sophomore forward Anya Haney gave the Bears insurance with 12:16 left off a deflection from junior midfielder Emmy Archer.The Bears won their first final in three tries, having lost in 1990 and last year, and became the 12th consecutive state champion from the Columbus area.UA finished the year on a six-game winning streak, allowing only one goal in four postseason games.The Bears also defeated Academy 3-1 on Sept. 16 – the Vikings’ most recent loss entering the final – but that night, Academy scored the first goal. Not letting that happen again was at the forefront of UA’s game plan.“They threw everything they had at us [in the fourth quarter]; they had us on the ropes,” Pardi said. “It paid off to get that two-goal lead in the first quarter and manage it from there.“Our pregame meeting was about striking first and making sure to build that lead as quick as possible. It’s easier said than done, obviously, but it worked.”Rogers scored off a corner, fed by Overmyer’s team-high 17th assist. Overmyer also led UA in goals with 13.“We practice corners a lot, so just playing out the whole corner has been a real focus,” Overmyer said. “Even if it doesn’t go right the first time, finding a way to get a shot off is super important.”UA sophomore goalie Peyton Garvey made two saves and senior Lila Parish stopped one shot for Academy, which saw a 12-game winning streak snapped. The Vikings were seeking their 13th title in their 25th tournament appearance, both state records.“We had to try to press with whatever we could, throw everything we could at them,” Academy coach Jacque DeMarco said, wiping away tears. “They had really strong defense today, which made it tough, so we were just trying to figure out the puzzle.”The final was the fifth in six years between central Ohio teams and 13th all-time. At least one local team has reached the championship game in 28 consecutive seasons.“We definitely had our ups and downs,” Bunker said. “At the end, we brought it all together like glue and we were just working like a machine.”High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Upper Arlington field hockey fends off Columbus Academy for first title