Eagles Make Sure Decker's Milestone Is Secured

In 19 seasons as a head coach of the West Deptford High School field hockey program, coach Linda Decker has missed just one game.

That one absence caused quite a debate around West Deptford, as it came last Monday during the Eagles’ 4-0 win over Audubon. The victory was –until it turned out it wasn’t.

Decker was on a cross-country flight back from her son’s wedding when the Eagles recorded the victory. Since Decker wasn’t there for the game, West Deptford Athletic Director Tim Cammarota confirmed that her win total remained at 299.

On Monday, Decker wasn’t sure where her win total stood.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” Decker said. “I don’t think there has been a precedent set for this.”

The debate did not have to last long, as West Deptford defeated Haddon Township, 6-1, on Monday, ending any confusion.

For Decker, whether Monday’s result was win No. 300 or 301, the only thing that mattered was that her team took a step forward.

“I don’t really think about it,“ Decker said. “Three-hundred wins is very nice and it’s nice for the girls that it is a part of them, but really, every game is important to me. I don’t think about the number building up over the years. I figure if you stay here long enough, you are going to get it.”

Decker may have underscored her importance, but her players did not.

“I’ve only been here three years, and I don’t know if she is excited, but I’m really excited to be part of her 300th win,” said junior Rachel Krott. “It feels great to give it to her and be that team that gives her that achievement."

Junior Amanda Hojnowski concurred.

“It’s an awesome experience to share with her, and I’m glad we were the team that was able to give it to her,” she said.

Decker said the milestone is a credit to all of her players, current and past.

“I will tell you this, I didn’t play in one of them and I didn’t score one goal,” said Decker. “I’ve had some good players over the years, and I am very fortunate to be coaching them.”

Monday’s result was never in doubt; Krott scored two minutes into the game to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead, and Hojnowksi scored twice more in the first half, putting the Eagles up 3-1 after the first session.

West Deptford continued to pour it on in the second half. Justine Oldt assisted on a pair of Brooke Brown goals in the opening five minutes of the second half to help the Eagles pull away. Hojnowski added a goal in the game’s final minutes to complete the hat trick.

The win puts West Deptford at 9-4 with the playoff right around the corner. The team has had some ups and downs through two months, but the players are confident they are where they need to be at this point in the year.

“I think we learned what we were doing wrong and changed it up,” said Hojnowski. “We are definitely ready for the playoffs to come. We're excited.”

Krott said the key to success is everyone being on the same page.

“I think that we are playing as a team together, and that’s what is going to make the difference, is if we play as a whole and not individually,” she said.