It was another successful season for the Whitehall field hockey team as they made appearances in both the league and district playoffs.

The Zephyrs finished the year at 17-5 and were 12-2 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, the two losses coming at the hands of Emmaus. They scored 63 goals this season while only surrendering 25. They also recorded eight shutouts during the season.

It was another impressive season for the Zephyrs who welcomed back former head coach Jennifer Bodnar and rewarded her with berths in both the EPC and District XI Championships.

They made it to the semifinals in both those tournaments, and each time it was Stroundsburg who delivered the knockout blow.

Their success on the field was reflected by their postseason honors as four players were named to the EPC all-star team, including Cara Bonshak who was a first-team selection, while Taylor George, Kylee Cunningham and Rachel Schannauer were all members of the second team.

But they were also supported by a strong team at both ends of the field, including Kayla Nailor in goal, defenders Vita Marks, Rachel Hibshman and Hayley Yandrasitz, midfielder Emily Wells, forwards Kassidy Cunningham and Caitlin Cunningham, to name a few.

Bodnar said that the 2015 season for her personally was a lot of fun.

“I definitely enjoyed coming back to the program,” she said.

Easing her transition back to the coaching ranks was longtime assistant coach Jim Kurtz, who joined her again this season as an invaluable member of her staff. She was also aided by coaches Mariah Alston, Steph Norman and Erinn Bonshak this season.

Bodnar said she was really proud of her team, especially how they started, reeling off nine consecutive wins. They also played well against a succession of undefeated teams down the stretch, losing to Emmaus by only three goals and Crestwood by a goal. They finished that run by defeating Moravian, handing the Lions their first loss.

“We were in every single game,” said Bodnar. “There wasn’t a game in which we weren’t competitive.”

Leaving the program will be seniors Vita Marks, Hibshman and George. All three started the entire season and their impact was vital to the team’s success.

Bodnar said that George’s switch to the midfield was the catalyst they needed to control that part of the field and get their offense rolling.

“She was a firecracker in the midfield,” said Bodnar. “She went hard on every play.”

While Hibshman may have been one of the quietest players on the team, her contributions on defense were loud and strong. Bodnar said that she gained confidence in herself as the year progressed.

“She turned into a strong defender for us,” said Bodnar.

Finally, Vita Marks, a co-captain on this year’s team was a leader on and off the field, said Bodnar. Her play also grew by leaps and bounds as she took an active role in getting into the offense as well.

Bodnar also said that Marks was usually the first one to arrive and the last to leave, making sure that everyone had their proper equipment and anything else they needed.

“She really took on that leadership role for us,” said Bodnar.

That experience will be hard to replace, but the Zephs have a strong foundation in place that should keep them strong heading into next season.

Returning for the Zephs will be their entire forward line, including Bonshak and the Cunningham trio. It’s an area that will be strong once again. They’ll also have Nailor back in goal after posting a tremendous season, said Bodnar. Schannauer will anchor the defense and they should be strong in that area as well.

Bodnar said they’ll be looking to develop new players and that this offseason will be very important for the growth of those who will be looking to break into the varsity line-up. They have a lot of talent in the system and they just need to get that game experience. She also said that they’ll continue to work hard during the offseason, getting sticks into the girls hands as often as possible.