Hammond and Oakland Mills have been back on their heels so much, sometimes it's hard to remember how to generate forward motion.

Each school draws from an area that is not considered rich in field hockey talent. Kids don't come to high school knowing how to play, they are picking up a hockey stick for the first time as a ninth-grader.

Entering the week, Oakland Mills hadn't won a game all season, and Hammond had captured just one. Both sides had absorbed lopsided losses, and neither team was proficient at producing goals. This similar footing is what made their Oct. 6 meeting one that each team had been looking forward to.

And for added spice, Hammond's new coach Angie Skellchock was Oakland Mills' junior varsity coach last year.

"It's always tough to play a team that you have coached," Skellchock said. Yet her new team beat her old team, 1-0, in a game that was close all the way. Leslie Brand had the single score of the day; Sarah Blake was credited with the assist.

Brand's goal gave Hammond its second win of the season. Earlier, the Golden Bears beat Wilde Lake, 3-0.

The loss left Oakland Mills frustrated. The Scorpions are still trying to find a way to finish on offense. This was the ninth time they have been shut out this season.

"We all wanted to show her (Skellchock) that we have grown," Oakland Mills senior Katy Rennenkampf said. "Today was frustrating because we came in and we didn't play our best. ...We have the heart, but we don't come out and execute."

"It's hard to lose to a team that is very comparable to your play," Oakland Mills coach Amber Myers said. "And it is hard to lose to a team when you know that your team can play better."

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