Graduations and two losses in their first three games clouded the early picture for Gilroy field hockey. But the team jelled and put together a strong regular season, led by captains Kamryn Krejdovsky, Annelise Lerma and Addison Tait, along with a deep roster from sophomores to seniors.
The squad then excelled with a playoff performance for the ages to stamp their name in school history. Gilroy defeated Los Altos, Stevenson, Archbishop Mitty and Leigh to reach their first Central Coast Section playoff final since 2011.
In the championship match, the Mustangs lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to St. Ignatius.
Maxpreps ranked Gilroy third in the state of California in their final standings. State rankings do not go back very far but it is likely this third-place achievement is the best finish in school history. Maxpreps listed 25-1 Bishop’s of La Jolla at the top, with SI second and Gilroy third.
“In the beginning of the season, we lost so many seniors,” Krejdovsky said. “We started a little rocky and built it from there. We took it a game at a time. We worked every game. We didn’t expect we would be here (at the final).”
On Sept. 10, St. Francis beat Gilroy 1-0 and six days later, Willow Glen bounced the Mustangs 3-1 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mt. Hamilton Division opener. Things slowly began to come together after that.
“We grew a lot as a team,” Tait said. “We learned how to play together. We adapted to new players and players in new positions.”
The Mustangs persevered through a toughened league schedule, fighting against strong teams from Willow Glen and Leigh, along with usual neighborhood power Christopher.
The team improved as the year progressed. Highlights included a season sweep of city rival Christopher. The Mustangs rolled 3-1 on the road and then 2-0 at home.
“We got behind their defense,” Krejdovsky said, after the first match. “And our center mids were able to shut everyone down. We amped up our energy and our communication.”
At CHS, Gilroy’s Emma Moreno scored twice and Tait tallied once. Moreno cashed in a rebound with 35.9 seconds left in the opening stanza. After an Ella Miura rocket tied the match for the Cougars, tipped goals by Tait and Moreno just before and after halftime produced the 3-1 win.
“Our off-ball movement was great and it was the best game all season on corners,” Gilroy coach Adam Gemar said. “We’re all friends when we play Christopher. They want it as bad as we do and it’s a great game.”
In the second match with CHS, Krejdovsky and Kiara Prophet scored, with Anadela Martinez picking up an assist.
The Mustangs qualified for the postseason, their 16th straight CCS playoff appearance. Gilroy opened by drilling Los Altos 4-0 at home. Lerma and Allisa Schwender each scored two goals as the Mustangs dominated the Eagles.
“Everyone played well,” Gemar said. “Our back center mids Addi (Tait) and Hailey (Moncada) were great and Kam (Krejdovsky) had two of the assists. It was a great team effort. We are building on every game and getting better.”
After a strong run by Tait produced a scoring chance midway through the first quarter, Lerma pounced on a loose ball and fired a shot high up into the net for a 1-0 lead against Los Altos. Schwender scored on a rebound early in the second quarter. Just before halftime, Krejdovsky intercepted a pass and created a chance that Schwender converted on a shot to the right side.
“I think we did a great job passing around the backs and getting behind the defense,” Lerma said.
Late in the third quarter, Tait initiated a short corner play to Krejdovsky. She connected with Lerma and it was another goal.
“We killed it,” Schwender said. “Our communication was great.”
Stevenson entered the quarterfinal on a 10-0-2 win streak. On the coast in Pebble Beach, Krejdovsky scored off a Tait assist for the decisive goal in a competitive match.
Next on the agenda was longtime rival Archbishop Mitty, a constant thorn in the side of the Mustangs. Unofficial Maxpreps records indicate the Mustangs entered the match with a 2-16-1 overall record against Mitty, and having not won since Sept. 19, 2016.
That was all erased on Nov. 9 at Leigh High, as Gilroy defeated their nemesis 1-0. The goal came from Tait on a Krejdovsky assist in the second half.
There was more to come in this historic month. In the CCS semifinals on Nov. 13 at Willow Glen High, Gilroy beat Leigh 1-0, as Krejdovsky scored the winner off a Tait assist.
Early in the season, the Longhorns had beaten the Mustangs 2-0. The league rematch went to Gilroy 2-1 in overtime. On this afternoon, Gilroy won the rubber match and a ticket to the championship game.
On to the finals. On a sunny Saturday, Nov. 16 at Del Mar High, St. Ignatius edged the Mustangs 1-0 for the championship. Olivia Van de Braak scored for the Wildcats in the second quarter and the Mustangs could not find an equalizer.
Gemar cited sophomore goalie Lea Kim for a standout game. In many contests, she faced few shots but SI had many attacks and Kim sparkled, keeping the game within reach.
“They outran us today,” Gemar said. “It was just a 1-0 game; that’s not bad. In the bigger picture, we started the season really struggling and we didn’t think we’d make it to the final.”
After tears, hugs and photos, the Mustangs settled into heartfelt goodbyes and some perspective on a historical run—one that will go into the history books of a Gilroy program with decades of excellence.
Lerma paused to cite how teamwork and personal connections led to the joy in the game, along with winning results.
“The thing that makes Gilroy different is that everyone cares about everybody else,” Lerma said. “We love each other. We work hard and do it for the other person. And we always stay on the positive side.”
Improvement through the regular season paved the way. The amazing playoff run of 2024 goes down in Gilroy history.
