The heat was on for OHS Field Hockey on Thursday (Oct. 24) as they played against Eureka in the first round of state. After a nail biting first half, Eureka finally scored with 1:32 left in the second and held on for a 1-0 win.

“It was heartbreaking,” goalie Sam Gindler (12) said. “I lost my footing on the water turf and they were able to beat me. It was tough for all of us, especially the seniors.”

Despite the loss, Gindler believes it was their “best season to date.”

“We were able to get higher in the standings and we even competed against harder teams,” she expressed. “We also won the Winkelmann award.”

Mike Winkelmann was a well-known field hockey ref. He was known not only for his kindness towards coaches, players, and parents, but also his constant smiles and winks. Earlier this year, Winkelmann passed away from an apparent heart attack that left the field hockey community heartbroken.

After his passing, local administration came together with an award in his honor, gifted to the team who held respect towards their team, coaches, and administration on and off of the field.

According to the players, it was a rewarding experience to get recognized. “We have always been a ‘clean’ team,” Gindler said, “We have been taught by our coach Christina (Gambaro) to always be modest no matter the score, and to be rewarded for that is an amazing feeling.”

The field hockey team will accept this award Nov. 2 before the State tournament.

The team finished the season with a 10-7 record.

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