In a few ways, Anna Filchner knew this could be a big year.

She was among 11 seniors on Northampton’s field hockey team this fall. More importantly, Filchner felt comfortable with herself in the program.

“Last year, we had nine seniors and we had a good year,” she said. “But we had our coach leave us and we all knew we had to pick up the pace.

“This year, we have a new coach and the transition has been really smooth. We have really come together as a team and we have a great chemistry. We have really connected with our juniors.

“I feel like everything has really come together this year for me as I feel good and very settled out there.”

Filchner’s play as well as her teammates easily have reflected their feelings. The Konkrete Kids began district play in the 3A bracket as the fourth-seed and host fifth-seed Whitehall.

Northampton will begin the postseason with a 13-5-1 record. They dropped a 3-2 decision to Easton in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference opening-round game.

Like most of her teammates, Filchner began playing field hockey in seventh grade. At the time, she was only playing softball.

“I saw it and figured that I would try it,” she said. “It was something different from what I was used to as there was a lot of running and agility work. The running part eventually wasn’t that bad and I knew I had to work on my stick work. In middle school, I struggled with my stick work, but in high school, it got better. That was the biggest adjustment for me

“Eventually, everything came naturally.”

Filchner adapted and became one of the team’s steadier defenders.

“Anna (Filchner) has really worked on her game,” said head coach Carrie Saul. “Anna is a stalwart defender, and I can count on her to shut down offensive rushes early on the field. She also is an excellent student-athlete.”

Off the field, Filchner is a member of the school’s National Honor Society and the German exchange program. She spent three weeks in Germany, an experience she soon won’t forget.

“It really opened my eyes to a different culture,” said Filchner about her trip. “There are so many things there that we don’t realize and how we live our life differently. It also helped me with social skills, which meant being able to talk in front of people.”

Filchner hasn’t made her college choice, but she plans to pursue a degree in biology and pre-med, a career choice that was spurned by her mother being a veterinarian.

However, field hockey won’t be placed on the shelf. Filchner plans to extend her career and also enjoy the moment.

“I have been talking to some coaches,” said Filchner. “I don’t want to go too far away, but I want to keep playing. But we all feel like we can make this a long postseason.”