Germantown Academy's Sammy Popper tops list of Pa. field hockey stars to watch
As a freshman in 2015, Popper scored 44 goals while shattering the school record of 26 goals in a spectacular rookie season.
Germantown Academy junior Sammy Popper sits atop an impressive list of players to watch in Southeastern Pennsylvania for the 2017 field hockey season.
Popper has already put up some astonishing numbers over her first two seasons with the Patriots. As a freshman in 2015, Popper scored 44 goals while shattering the school record of 26 goals in a spectacular rookie season. She followed that up with 56 goals in 2016, including a six-goal performance in the team's final game of the season against rival Penn Charter. Her sixth goal in that contest also marked her 100th career goal.
Germantown Academy head coach Jackie Connard took over as coach of the Patriots during Popper's freshman season. In their first year together, Germantown Academy posted an impressive 16-7 record and lost in the semifinals of the PAISSA tournament to Episcopal Academy. In 2016, the Patriots went 14-7 and lost in the quarterfinals of the PAISAA to Agnes Irwin.
Connard and Popper both agreed that winning the Inter-Ac title is the main goal for the 2017 season.
Despite the departure of last year's strong senior class, Popper expressed confidence in senior co-captains Colleen Carrigan and Maddie Cooper and veteran goaltender Hannah Santos. Popper headlines a small junior class that also consists of Maddie O'Hara and Sophie Worrell.
"Obviously we lost a lot seniors this year," Popper said. "We've come a long way since the start of the preseason."
A member of the U.S. under-19 national team and women's indoor national squad, Popper gained international experience before she arrived at Germantown Academy, traveling to Belgium as part of the U.S. under-17 national team when she was in eighth grade. Popper acknowledged that the level of play overseas is "totally different" than high school.
But the humble Popper uses her wealth of knowledge and experience to help mold the younger players at Germantown Academy. Popper even went to the lengths of giving some of those players lessons over the summer, according to Connard.
"It's really fun to be a leader," Popper said. "I love to teach the younger girls on the team."
Connard said it's every coach's dream to have such an unselfish and talented player as Popper, who elevates the level of play around her.
"When you really watch her as a player and get to know her as a teammate, you get to see who she is an athlete and a person," said Connard.
Popper has already accepted a scholarship to play college field hockey at Princeton University.
Other Players to Watch:
Conestoga midfielder Charlotte de Vries
Graduation Year: 2019
Club: WC Eagles
College Commitment: North Carolina (field hockey)
Last season, de Vries recorded 44 goals and 20 assists in 24 games. A first team All-Central League selection, de Vries helped lead Conestoga to a District 1 Class 3A title. The Pioneers eventually lost to Penn Manor in the quarterfinals of states.
Episcopal Academy goaltender Bridget Boyle
Graduation Year: 2018
College Commitment: Drexel (lacrosse)
Boyle and the Churchwomen advanced to the 2016 PAISAA title game after a successful season. Boyle recorded 19 saves in the championship game against Notre Dame – an overtime thriller in which the Irish came out on top. Boyle finished the season with an impressive .900 save percentage. She shares the net with Boston University recruit Caroline Kelly.
Villa Maria Academy midfielder Lindsay Dickinson
Graduation Year: 2018
Club: Horizon FHC
College Commitment: Connecticut (field hockey)
Dickinson scored 17 goals and dished out 22 assists in 23 games last season for the Hurricanes, who lost in the semifinals of the PIAA Class 2A state tournament.
Unionville forward Katie Anderson
Graduation Year: 2018
Club: WC Eagles
College Commitment: Michigan (field hockey)
Anderson led last season's team with 31 goals and 22 assists over 24 games. The Indians fell to Palmyra in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 3A state tournament.