THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411190612
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIENNA, VA. LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
Kirsty Hale grabbed her gear and sauntered toward the Cox High field hockey bus - wet, tired, and nearing the end of a long, successful career.
Cox had just survived a 2-1 Group AAA semifinal victory over McLean and eased one game closer to winning a sixth straight state championship.
Hale has been a part of the two previous championships, but winning this one is something special to the senior co-captain.
The thought that this one almost didn't get a chance to happen brought her to exhaustion.
McLean scored early and held much of the momentum until Cox finally got on the board and eventually captured a 2-1 win.
``The most important thing I was thinking about was how much we've put into this,'' said Hale, the second-leading scorer in state history - second only to junior teammate Kim Miller.
``All the work, the team, coach (Nancy) Fowlkes, all the practices. How many hours has it been? Winning (in today's 11 a.m. championship against Bayside) would be the grand finale.''
While she and her teammates are quick to point out that everything Hale does is for the team, she can take considerable credit for the championships she has been a part of.
She can relish the fact that Cox has outscored opponents 104-3 this season, setting a standard of dominance that might never be matched.
``She is the most complete player I've ever coached,'' Fowlkes said. ``She takes being a captain seriously, and she feels personally responsible for the things that aren't going well. She wants to fix things and she goes out of her way for that.
``She cares very little about her own stats.''
Hale has scored 42 goals this season - second in state history for a single season and behind Miller, who has 48 - and has 88 for her career.
But what isn't seen on paper is her unselfishness, leadership, and ability to do things on a field that most players only hope to do.
``I love her not for her skills, but for her heart,'' Fowlkes said. ``In 22 years of coaching, you can't pick a favorite.
``But she's right up there.''
Hale's talents have attracted the attention of most Division I schools, although she has narrowed her choices to Virginia, Duke and Princeton. She plans to major in pre-med.
``It's kind of a little-girl dream of mine, to become a doctor,'' Hale said, trying her best to warm up from the cold, wind-driven rain that has drenched the first two days of the state tournament.
``And I want to play big-time college hockey.''
But for now, there is one milestone that needs to be reached. Should Cox win today's championship, it would become the nation's No. 1 team in consecutive and overall state titles.
For a senior who has been a part of helping her team get to that point, today is a very important one.
``It means the world to us,'' she said. ``It is everything for us now, the biggest day in our lives.
``Playing in these conditions has been very frustrating. But we'll all feel better after a hot shower and we can regroup for Bayside.
``This is it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Kirsty Hale...
by CNB