Palmer Ridge ‘s field hockey belongs to Regis Jesuit Colorado Springs High School Sports

AURORA – Palmer Ridge Sr. Hannah Hermann was often called Abby at school, but not strangely in field hockey practice, even though she played a place recently vacated by her older sister.

I stepped straight into his shoes, Hermann said.

The double team captain has made his mark on the Bears program over the past three seasons.

Bears coach Mallory Cuccio guided Hermann when he himself was in high school and now a senior downtown player cleared the game. Hermann impressed as an incoming freshman and has started every game since then leading the team in scoring as a sophomore.

He always had this nice, balanced, composed presence about him, Cuccio said. Ever since he was a freshman, he has been our anchor and he is someone we can always trust.

Hermann stabilized the bears (3-1-1) at times when they received Regis Jesuit on the road on Thursday and fell 2-0 to the defending state champion.

Ellie Johnson and Emily Bradac scored the goals of the Regis Suite. Goalkeeper Lauren Halenkamp saw the ball slip safely away from him, but the Raiders turned around and scored. The hosts added the sum insured less than five minutes later.

Regis Jesuit (4-0) has not scored any goals this season yet. The Bears goal was abandoned after about six minutes.

We got our heads a little, Cuccio said.

We returned in the fourth quarter. We put more pressure, we just couldn’t go back. Wed little dug a hole a little.

The bears planned to use the defeat as teaching material before taking Arapahoe on Tuesday.

We learn more from defeat than from victory, Hermann said. It will help us become a better team in the long run.

Hannah hopes to follow Abby at the Air Force Academy, her plan from elementary school. First comes one more promising season at Palmer Ridge.

We can’t keep that weight on our shoulders, Hermann said of the first loss of the season on Thursdays. We have to let it go.