VIDEO, PHOTOS: Early struggles have turned into late-season success for Middle field hockey team

Posted: October 22nd 2025

Layla Hagan (left) and Allie Brady (center) celebrate a goal by Addison Shagren (right) in Middle Township's 3-1 win over Vineland Tuesday.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com 

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The Middle Township High School field hockey team endured some difficult times over the first month of the season. 

Those struggles seem to be in the team’s rear-view mirror now.

The Lady Panthers won their fifth straight game Tuesday afternoon behind a 3-1 victory over Vineland on the program’s Senior Day. The win brought Middle’s record to a 6-7-1, certainly a respectable mark when you consider the team started the season with just one win and one draw over its first nine games.

“I know it can be hard to stay motivated when you’re losing a lot, but we kept telling them we knew they were a good team and that things would turn around, and now we’ve won five straight,” Middle coach Janina Perna said.

When Julia Clarke scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season off a netmouth scramble less than three minutes into the game, Middle appeared as if it was on its way to an easy win over Vineland (11-5). But the Fighting Clan equalized early in the second period. Shortly thereafter, however, Addison Shagen tallied to give Middle the lead for good. The Lady Panthers enjoyed most of the possession in the second half and finally grabbed an insurance goal through Abbey Cappelletti following a corner insert late in the third quarter.

Some of Middle’s early struggles can be attributed to the fact that the team competes in the Cape-Atlantic American Conference, the league’s top division that features such heavyweights as St. Joseph, Hammonton and Ocean City. Middle also faced talented teams such as Rancocas Valley and Seneca in non-league competition.

“I think we really challenged ourselves at the beginning of the season,” Perna said. “This was the hardest schedule we’ve had in the 15 years I’ve been here. I think playing those teams has made us step up our game and that has helped us over the last couple of weeks.”

Seniors Clarke, Cappelletti, Allie Brady and Natalie Stoltz and freshman Kendall Hunter have been among the team’s standouts. But Perna was quick to spread credit across the entire roster.

“I feel like all of them have stepped up their game from the beginning of the season to now,” she said.

Middle is next in action Thursday with a non-league game at West Deptford.