Garrison Forest’s Ella Kokinis showed Friday why she will be one of the toughest field hockey attackers to contain this season.

The senior scored four goals to lead the No. 3 Grizzlies past No. 9 Hereford, 4-1, in the season opener for both teams in Parkton.

Kokinis displayed a variety of skills and scored a goal in each quarter. Seemingly always in the right spot to redirect passes from her teammates, she also created space to set up her own shots.

“She was really strong and she’s really a fast player and confident,” said Hereford senior goalie Bailey Berquist.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

In the first quarter, Kokinis scored on a drive from the top of the circle. Then, she clipped in a long drive from Sophie McAvoy, before scoring on a spin move. She finished off her day with a goal off a pass from Alex Jordan with about five minutes left in the game.

Garrison Forest first-year coach Mimi Smith said she asked a lot of Kokinis as a veteran scorer who plays on the forward line and in the midfield.

“I had a talk with her yesterday about what I needed her to do and she did it,” Smith said. “I told Ella that we needed a leader on the field and that she needed to step up and lead the team and I think she’s doing that.”

Kokinis, who has committed to Northwestern, had little to say about her own exploits after the game, stressing the teamwork that led to the goals.

“I’m so proud of everybody,” she said. “There’s not just-one-person-on-the-team. Everyone is working for each other and I think we really did a good job of that, making sure that we were passing the ball and that we were really playing as one, as a team.”

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Friday’s game was the first meeting since 2018 between two of the best field hockey programs located in Baltimore County. The Grizzlies were finalists in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference last season after winning in 2019. The defending Baltimore County champion Bulls were Class 2A state finalists. They won their last state title in 2016.

The Grizzlies, ranked No. 6 in MAX Field Hockey’s Preseason Mid-Atlantic Region Top 20, dominated the first quarter but managed to slip only one shot past veteran keeper Berquist, who had 14 saves in the game. Kokinis’s first goal came on a penalty corner with no time left on the clock.

“I think we really played well as a team even though we started off a little hectic,” Kokinis said. “Mimi told us to take a deep breath and just play for each other and just [be] calm and play simple and I think that’s exactly what we did and we really took control of the game.”

After Kokinis boosted the lead to 2-0 early in the second quarter, the Bulls struck back quickly. As Garrison tried to clear the ball about a minute after that goal, Hereford’s Kayla Owings intercepted a pass near the 30-yard line and the Bulls moved the ball into the scoring circle where a Garrison foul gave them a penalty corner.

Katie Burks sent the ball off the line to the top of the circle where Lydia Bennett drove it with such velocity past Garrison goalie Alyssa Klebasko that her attempt to reach it came a bit too late.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

However, the senior goalie, who is committed to Maryland, didn’t let anything else get past her. A third-team MAX Field Hockey All-American last season, Kelbasko finished with five saves, three in the fourth quarter.

For coach Caitlin Duvall’s Bulls, the loss was disappointing but not all bad.

“I think it’s a great learning experience,” Berquist said. “Garrison is a really good team and I think it’s great for us as a team to work on every aspect. I think it’s good for us to come together as a team and know what we need to work on, but I think overall we looked pretty good and really held our own.”

The Grizzlies also found a few things to work on, but they enjoyed winning their first game, especially after dropping the season opener last year to Severna Park in double overtime.

“Oh, it’s perfect,” Kokinis said. “Going off of a win, we’re really preparing ourselves for the season and I think it’s a great jump start.”

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

NO. 3 GARRISON FOREST 4, NO. 9 HEREFORD 1

GF  1 1 1 1 — 4

HER 0 1 0 0 — 1

Goals: GF—Ella Kokinis 4; H—Lydia Bennett.

Assists: GF—Sophia McAvoy, Alex Jordan; H—Katie Burks.

Saves: GF—Alyssa Klebasko 5; HER—Bailey Berquist 14.

More From The Banner