After winning back-to-back state championships for the past two years, the girls’ varsity hockey team is readying for another repeat win. Together, they are entering the season with confidence, chemistry and the expectation of the third title.
Captain Charlie Harr ’26 said the team has learned that winning at the greatest level derives from their trust in one another. Players relying on each other and creating a standard together have built their unity over the last few seasons. For the 2025-2026 season, the captains are focusing on ensuring that everyone remains motivated and pushes themselves to be the best athletes they can be.
“As the season is just beginning, we are trying to get lines together to know who we could be playing with for the rest of the season,” Harr said. “Figuring out who works well together is an important process and in the right direction of winning more and more games”.
Team bonding is a huge proponent of the girls’ success, but conditioning and strengthening also play a great role in their skills. Assistant Captain Ruby Lenhard ’26 discussed how the players have been physically preparing for the season.
“Our preseason skates went very well; everyone who wasn’t playing a fall sport showed up, which helped them with preparedness for the season,” Lenhard said. “We also have workouts at RAMP Athletics or at our rink; these are very driving.”
The team has also gained some new additions, as in players for this year who haven’t experienced the excitement of the state championship title. Sydney Eickhorst ’26 joined the varsity team this year and is hyped to be a part of the commitment to win the third one.
“Everyone (players and coaches) talks about winning all-state, and it helps guide me in my preparations for the championship,” Eickhorst said. “Having off-ice practice, where we all hang out together, makes the team so much more fun and will help strengthen us.”
With the leadership from the experienced captains and energy of the first-year players, the team is overall ready to tackle another huge accomplishment for the third year. Heavily influenced by the team bonding and motivation for the title ownership, they could outdo themselves for another year.
“The key to winning two state championships is definitely our chemistry and belief in each other,” Harr said. “If you don’t trust your teammates to try as hard as they can, you can’t expect them to lead you into a championship game.”
