By Brad Spahr

This season has already been the most successful one that the Avon Grove High School field hockey team has enjoyed since they made the transition from the Southern Chester County League to the Ches-Mont League a few years back.

And there is still a long way to go and plenty to look forward too.

The Red Devils are 8-2 overall so far this fall and with a 6-1 mark in the Ches-Mont they currently find themselves sitting in a three-way tie for first place in the league's National Division with Downingtown West and Downingtown East.

"We're very happy with how we're playing so far," said Avon Grove head coach Sandy Leiti. "We have 11 seniors on the team so we anticipated that we were going to do well. But with our division in the Ches-Mont always being so tough, you never know what these teams are bringing back exactly, so we didn't know quite how well we would do. We've just been going one game at a time, one step at a time."

Avon Grove has won eight of the 10 games it has played so far this fall. The Devils aren't far off from being undefeated either. One of their losses came against Downingtown West, by a score of 2-1, with the Whippets netting the game-winner with just over two minutes left in the game. Avon Grove's other loss was in overtime to Radnor, who is currently unbeaten in the Central League.

Out of the two teams it is tied with for first place in the Ches-Mont National, Avon Grove has lost a close match to Downingtown West and won a tight 1-0 game over Downingtown East.

They know they can play with anybody in the league.

"Our goal since the beginning of the season was to make it to the district playoffs. We haven't done that since 2005," said Leiti. "We need to finish in the top-three in the Ches-Mont to get there. To win the Ches-Mont would be icing on the cake."

Leiti said Avon Grove has been led this season by a number of players including senior Ali Smith (right back), senior Kelsie Stanley (left back), senior Kate Colagreco (midfield), senior Sammie Christopher (forward), senior Emma Lamontagne (forward), senior Maria Miller (forward) and senior Charlotte Mabon (forward).

"Having 11 seniors, they work so well together. They always know where each other is going to be," said Leiti. "There are a great group of girls on this team. They are so focused and so far it's been a very fun season."