By Pete Borello

Few players on the St. Francis High field hockey team played the sport during the summer that followed the program’s inaugural season in 1998.

The number of Lancers joining a summer league has increased each year since then, with players realizing that’s the time to hone their skills and get in shape for the fall high school season. This past summer you couldn’t keep most of the St. Francis players off the field.

“A lot of them played club over the summer and got better through experience,” St. Francis coach Kathy Lincoln said. “It took some of the average kids and allowed them to play a lot of hockey, which is vitally important. Now they’re ready to step in.”

Some of these players are now starting on a team that lost 12 members of the 2000 squad to graduation.

“We may not be as athletic as last year,” said Lincoln, whose team is off to a 5-1 start, “but we’re better hockey players.”

The Lancers return four starters from a season ago, including all-league selection Stephanie Grejtak.

A third-year starter, Grejtak anchors the defense, according to Lincoln. Another returner, Tammi Shuer, “has also done a great job on defense,” the coach said. Rounding out the back row are new starters Leslie Maglione and Brittany Follett, both juniors.

In goal is first-year player Lindsay Harris, a senior who previously played volleyball for St. Francis.

“She’s a great athlete, but still a little raw when it comes to goalie skills,” said Lincoln, in her fourth year as coach. “But she’s doing a good job for us.”

Harris’ backup is junior Maggie Haley, the younger sister of last year’s goalie Beth Haley, who has graduated.

The midfield features returning starter Jenna Long and talented sophomore Nicole Ng. Senior Long is the playmaker on the midline, Lincoln said, and “is playing extremely well.” The coach said Ng anchors the middle and “has tremendous stick skills.”

Up front, St. Francis is led by returner Gina DeMaestri, who leads the team in scoring. DeMaestri, fellow senior forward Melissa Martindale and Long each scored in the Lancers’ 3-0 home win over Lynbrook on Oct. 2.

The Lancers also get a boost off the bench from players like forwards Sarah Gualtieri and Gaelle Schaller, along with defender Christina McGrath.

“We have real balance and utilize a lot of players,” Lincoln said of her 20-player roster. “This is one of the deepest teams I’ve had in terms of real hockey skills.”

The past two seasons St. Francis reached the semifinals of the Central Coast Section playoffs, falling to Los Gatos both times.

Last Thursday the Wildcats got the best of the Lancers again, winning 2-0 at home in a BVAL Mount Hamilton Division match. The loss dropped St. Francis to 1-1 in the division.

Although Lincoln said she wants to take this season one game at a time, she does expect her team to contend for the division crown.

“It should probably come down to us, Mitty and Los Gatos for the league title,” Lincoln said. “I’d like to think we have the talent to do it.”

The Lancers host Saratoga at 3 p.m., Thursday.