Extremely small in numbers but not in heart and effort, Middle field hockey team doing its best to compete in CAL’s top conference

Posted: October 8th 2026

Middle Township's Elle Curvan defends against a Timber Creek player during a field hockey game earlier this week.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

We tend to judge the success of sports teams by how many victories and championships are attained.

It’s a flawed observation.

A perfect example of why is what’s going on with the Middle Township High School field hockey team this fall.

The standings show the Lady Panthers took a record of 5-5 into Thursday’s road game at powerful St. Joseph. It’s a mark that would suggest mediocrity.

Middle, however, has been anything but considering its circumstances.

The team had the services of only 12 players at the start of the season, meaning it had only one substitute for a sport that requires 11 players.

Recently, due to a couple of injuries, Middle even competed in games with 11 and even 10 players. The team was expected to have just 10 available again for the game against St. Joseph.

“That fact that we’re winning any games is mind blowing to me,” Middle coach Janina Perna said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls if we were going to be in this situation. They don’t make any complaints. They just show up every day to play. And the thing is, we have some talent on the field, too. They love to play with each other. They haven’t let the whole situation get them down.”

Middle is being as competitive as possible while competing in the Cape-Atlantic American Conference, considered the top division in the CAL. The conference features the likes of St. Joseph, Ocean City and Hammonton, long considered three of the top programs in South Jersey.

Despite the challenges of competing against that type of schedule with a limited roster, Perna said she wouldn’t want it any other way.

“They’ve held on playing in the top conference, running the gauntlet with all these really good teams,” she said. “For years, we fought to get in the top conference, and we’ve done well to stay in it the last three years.

“I want us to play with the best, and the best teams in our league are Hammonton, Ocean City and St. Joe. I don’t care if we lose. I just want to play good hockey. I want to see our girls learn to compete against good competition, especially for those who want to play at the next level.”

Practice can be a challenge, Perna said.

“We’ve definitely had to be creative,” she said. “Every drill is a conditioning drill because we have so few (players). We’re limited in the kinds of game situations we can go over. We try to make the best of the situation and be more creative in how we’re practicing. No one can complain about a lack of reps, that’s for sure.”

One of Middle’s players with a chance to play at the college level is senior Layla Hagan, who scored a wonder goal with just 35 seconds remaining to lift Middle to a 2-1 win over Timber Creek on Monday. Hagan used a reverse chip from just inside the scoring circle to find the upper corner of the goal.

“Personally, I wasn’t having the best game but I knew I had a chance to help us win when I got that shot,” said Hagan, who’s receiving interest from a variety of Division II and III college programs.

Hagan and junior goalkeeper Frankie Taylor have been two of the team’s standouts. Hagan leads the team with seven goals and four assists and Taylor has recorded 154 saves in 10 games entering Thursday.

“Frankie and Layla have been our leaders, and they’ve played exceptional hockey for us,” Perna said. “They could go and start and be good players on just about any team. Layla, in particular, has played phenomenal hockey. That game-winning goal against Timber Creek was one of the best high school shots I’ve ever seen. She’s just playing incredibly.

“Frankie, she’s been amazing in goal. She’s getting pelted with shots in a lot of our games and she’s made some savers you just don’t see at this level. She allows us to maybe take some more risks offensively because she’s so strong back there.”

Other team members include seniors Elle Cruvan, Ally Shute and Sophia Vitti; juniors Reghan Adoranto and Mia McGarrity; sophomores Isla Berkey, Emmy Hagan, Kendall Hunter, Hedley Kendall; and freshman Ashley Stolz. All have contributed greatly in some way, shape or form.

Having limited numbers on the roster has helped the players develop a strong connection with one another.’

“It’s been pretty difficult but the girls I get to play with make it all worth it,” Layla Hagan said. “We’re such a team. We only have 12 girls, but we push hard every single game.”

Middle took a modest two-game winning streak into Thursday’s game with St. Joseph. One day after the victory over Timber Creek, Middle won a road game, 2-1, against Millville despite playing with just 10 players, with two out with injury.

“It makes us feel pretty good that we can still win some games,” Layla Hagan said. “Last week we had three games and we lost every single one of them, but then this week we came out and started winning. It feels a lot better knowing we can still do this.”