The Field Hockey Meijer State Games was held in mid-June at Rockford High School. The heat was oppressive, the competition was on fire, and the EGR Field Hockey team was sizzling. The modified, 7v7 format, shortened games were enough to make any mortal wilt. However, the girls from EGR withstood the heat and the fierce competition to set themselves on a path for great success in the Fall season. The team was comprised of four Seniors (Ellie Hilgendorf ('26), Isla Westra ('26), Addie Storrs ('26) and Farzona Umonjonova ('26)), two Juniors (Peyton Astrauskas ('27) and Carly Conway ('27)), three Sophomores (Camilla Volovlek ('28), Evie Paul ('28) and Morgan Scheffler ('28)). This group was a mixture of last year's Varsity and JV squads and even included one player coming back to competition after a lost season due to injury. They found a way to gel together as the day progressed and as the competition heated up on the field. In the first 24-minute game, EGR faced off against last year's Fall season Division II State champions, Chelsea. With a mostly Varsity squad as an opponent, EGR played them tough. It was not until midway through the 2nd half that Chelsea was able to slip a shot past Hilgendorf. That was the only goal of the game and not the note EGR wanted to start the day on, but it would only get better. This was also the only goal allowed in the three morning games EGR played. In the second and third games, the girls started to exert themselves with a staunch defense led by Westra and Umonjonova. It seemed that any time one got beat (and that was not often), the other was there to support and thwart any further attack by the opposition. Pair that with the play of Hilgendorf between the posts and it proved tough for any opponent to gain any traction the rest of the day. And on the opposite side of the ball, the offense started to produce with chances and ultimately goals. Against Hudsonville, Astrauskas accounted for 3 of the 4 goals in the 4-0 drubbing. The Rockford B team proved a tough foe, but EGR was able to net two goals and walk away with a 2-0 win. As the temperature on the field rose, the lunch break came at just the right time with two difficult opponents standing in EGR's way of making it to the podium. Once play resumed in the afternoon, EGR took on perennial contender, Grosse Pointe South. In a spirited contest, the Lady Pioneers slithered home two tallies, one in each half, to secure the 2-0 win with one game remaining in the round robin portion of the tournament. Without any break, and the heat on the field reaching 100 F, EGR had weary legs as they faced their cross town rivals in the Rockford A team. Even though the girls rotated on and off the field to catch their breath, they had a lapse that led to a goal from Rockford. EGR put on as much pressure as they could muster to try and regain some balance, but there was just not enough time on the clock. So, the girls had to sit and wait for the result of the final game. With all the scores in, EGR got what they wanted most...another opportunity to challenge Chelsea for the top of the podium in the 2025 Meijer State Games. The Gold Medal match was a rematch of the first game of the day and had more at stake. It was a spirited and no less competitive, although the heat of the day and the weariness from five games prior showed for both teams. Chelsea was able to whisper one past the EGR defense for a 1-0 lead toward the end of the first half. EGR shifted their formation in the second half to throw more offense at a weary Chelsea defense, the EGR girls put a lot of pressure on goal with Storrs tipping one just inches from the post and Paul surprising everyone by getting behind the defense and another opportunity that could not find a home in the back of the net. The Bulldogs held on for the 1-0 win and the gold medal, but the EGR girls proudly accepted their silver medal, not satisfied, but proud of the effort they had displayed. With that Silver medal, the EGR girls have been invited to compete at State College, PA next summer in late July and early August in the USA State Games on the Penn State University campus. If they go, they will compete against the top three medalists from each of the other states offering Field Hockey as a State Game sport. Look for good things to come after such a positive result from this pre-season tournament.