While it’s not true that any of the Southeastern District field hockey coaches actually drove over to Old Dominion University and locked Katelyn Smither in her dorm room to keep her from coming back to torment them one more time, it’s safe to say that no one outside of Lakeland was too sad to see the two-time District Player of the Year graduate in June. Now it’s up to the Lady Cavaliers to replace the irreplaceable.

&uot;It’s a new change,&uot; said coach Tara Worley, who won her second district Coach of the Year award. &uot;The group’s stepping up and picking up where she left of.&uot;

Just as Smither did in her first year, Lindsay Cutchins splashed onto the district scene last season, becoming one of the top scorers in the district on her way to becoming the First All-District team’s only freshman.

&uot;I just feel like I should strive to get better and go farther,&uot; Lindsay said. &uot;We practice hard, so we can play hard.&uot;

Her older sister Kelsey, who recently won a spot on both the U-21 National team and the Junior World Cup team, was the district’s top goalkeeper last season, not allowing a district goal all year. This year, she and fellow seniors Stephanie Owen, Nicole Klee, Melissa Dunn, Katie Daughtrey (all of whom also made All-District last season) and Erica Rimasse hope to close out their careers by taking Lakeland to its fifth straight district regular season and tournament title.

&uot;It’s kind of unbelievable that I’m a senior,&uot; Kelsey said. &uot;It doesn’t feel like it at all. Before, I was more of a supporting character; now I’m a leader.&uot;

But even after losing just one district game in the past four years, the Lady Cavaliers have been stopped short a game from state competition, falling to Princess Anne in regional competition all four times.

&uot;Like any year, it’s going to take a lot of hard work,&uot; Owen said. &uot;It doesn’t matter what the past seasons have been like; nothing’s going to be given to us. Our goal is to get to the point we got to last year and surpass it.&uot;

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com