Ashlee Boullianne
Junior Emma Whisler passes the ball during the PeCo game against Susquenita.
Newport Buffalo field hockey is looking forward to another successful year, led by seniors Taylor Barr and Korimae Reisinger. The hockey team is also under new administration – former assistant coach Alyscia Rose, now head coach, will take charge for the 2025 fall season. Though she may be the fourth coach in the past four years, Rose plans to leave her mark by working with the girls to be well-rounded players. “We plan to grow as a team and focus on good fundamentals. Our practices are designed to maintain intensity and practice how we would play in a game,” Rose explained.
The Lady Buffaloes went 19-6 last year, making it to the PIAA Class AA State Semifinal game against county rival West Perry. Some of the Buffalo power will transfer into the college field. Alum Gracyn Shutt went to Delaware Valley, Makenna Buffington went to Frostburg State, Delaney Greene went to East Stroudsburg, and Adison Geer went to Ohio. Reisinger is currently committed to playing for the Mansfield Mountaineers in the fall of 2026.
The team will begin the season with a scrimmage at Camp Hill to gauge their competitive level on Aug. 20. The regular season will begin with the Perry County tournament against Susquenita at Susquenita on Aug. 23. They will follow that game in either the championship game or the consolation game.
Closing out August is an away game at Selinsgrove Area on the 26th.
To open September, the team will play at East Juniata on Sept. 2, at home against Greenwood on Sept. 4, and at Susquenita again on Sept. 9. Later, they will resume Tri-Valley League play with a home game against Line Mountain on Sept. 11.
On Sept. 13, Newport will readd Honesdale to their schedule with a game at Susquenita. Buffaloes are projected to win with the 8-1 defeat last year. During the next week, the team will travel to Big Spring on Sept. 15 and Forbes Road on Sept. 16. Forbes Road has proved to be an easy team for the Buffaloes to silence with their score from last year, 12-0. To conclude the week, they will host East Juniata on Sept. 18.
Newport will return to the county to play at Greenwood on Sept. 23 and against Susquenita on Sept. 25. This year, without cancellation, Newport will play at Lewisburg Area on Sept. 27th. In the fall of 2023, Newport met Lewisburg in the PIAA Class AA state playoffs and fell 1-2. The team will close September with an away league matchup against Line Mountain on Sept. 30.
To finish the season off, Newport will play against Forbes Road on Oct. 2 and at Bishop McDevitt on Oct. 4.
Reisinger and Barr are looking forward to a great season. “Definitely continuing on our streak from last year. Making it to districts and hopefully states. Making sure to fulfil the positions that Ella and Gracyn have left,” Barr remarks on what she’s looking forward to. “Being a good leader in the backfield,” she added. “Score more, and be more offensive than we were,” noted Reisinger.
Both seniors see a change in their athleticism between last season and this season. “Stepping up a bit more as a leader, and starting as goalie. Focusing on uplifting and making sure I’m talking to my defense,” Barr explained. “I’m more open to change, and seeing new things, and trying new things… offensively looking around, seeing all the open spaces and being more communicative,” Reisinger added.
Viewing ahead to the season, both Barr and Reisinger see teams that they are looking forward to matching up against. “Definitely looking forward to PeCo this weekend. Hopefully, it will be a good tournament like it has been the past couple of years. It’ll be very competitive… West Perry, Greenwood, and Susquenita throughout the season,” Barr listed. “Looking forward to playing Susquenita… and Greenwood since they are very tough competitors,” Reisinger added.
When things get tough, something isn’t working right, or an athlete just isn’t feeling their best, it’s hard to stay on track. Barr and Reisinger have things that remind them to keep going. “My teammates and coach continue to tell me to keep going… their uplifting attitude and words,” Barr stated. “What I want for the future of the team and myself… the goals I have and all of us as a team have for the season,” Reisinger shared.
Barr and Reisinger want to set a tone for the 2025 fall season. “Memorable, a comeback and underdogging it. We lost a lot of our team last year… our team can grow and adapt from those changes,” Barr mentioned. “I agree with Taylor, even though we lost so many, we are a young team and can persevere. We will have some wins and losses, but overall we’re going to grow as a team together,” said Reisinger.