It was a spectacular season for high school field hockey in the St. Louis region. From a thrilling Gateway Classic to a Lafayette Tournament decided in 1v1s, to a pair of overtime classics in the state semifinals, it was a season of heart-stopping, jaw-dropping moments. These lists of players, sponsored by Athletic Republic, excelled this season and continued to establish St. Louis as a haven for field hockey talent.
Forwards
Kate Logsdon, senior, John Burroughs
Scored 25 goals and distributed an area-leading, 24 assists for the state champion Bombers. Logsdon excelled against top competition, accumulating 33 points during the Gateway Classic, the MAX Field Hockey Invitational and the Bombers’ playoff run. In her career, Logsdon amassed 86 goals, including 25 multi-goal games and 18 game-winners. A member of the U-21 USA Field Hockey Junior Nexus Championship roster, Logsdon will play college field hockey at the University of Virginia.
Vicky Derdoy, senior, Ladue
The leading point-producer in the St. Louis region, Derdoy scored 33 goals and added 21 assists for the Rams, earning Suburban Yellow Conference Player-of-the-Year for the second consecutive season. She produced 12 multi-goal games and four hat tricks in helping Ladue win 16 games, earn the No. 5 overall seed and make a return trip to the state quarterfinals. During her career, Derdoy amassed 76 goals, 41 assists and 17 game-winners. She will play at the University of Albany.
Victoria Noble, sophomore, MICDS
The area co-leader in goals, Noble proved that her outstanding freshman season was no fluke by depositing 33 goals and adding 13 assists for an MICDS team that won 20 games and earned the No. 1 seed in the state tournament. Noble, a second-team All-Region selection by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA), has produced 17 multi-goal games and eight hat tricks in her first two seasons, including a four-goal explosion in this year’s state quarterfinal against Ursuline.
Lila Merlin, sophomore, John Burroughs
The Bombers leading goal scorer, Merlin excelled during the postseason by netting eight of her 26 goals. She produced a hat trick against Westminster, the overtime game-winner against Villa Duchesne and a two-goal, two-assist outburst in a 5-0 state championship victory over St. Joseph’s. A member of the U-16 USA Junior National Team, Merlin has accrued 40 goals, 26 assists and nine game-winners in her brief high school career.
Midfielders:
Hannah Ponciroli, sophomore, Villa Duchesne
The second leading point-producer in the STL-area, Ponciroli scored 32 goals and added 17 assists to earn co-Player-of-the-Year honors in the Girls Independent Schools League (GISL). Her speed, vision and stickwork made her a dynamic force both offensively and defensively and helped Villa Duchesne go 16-5-2 and earn a No. 3 seed in the state tournament. An NFHCA first-team All-Region selection, Ponciroli has accumulated 52 goals, 44 assists and 14 game-winners in her two seasons.
Katy Chapman, senior, John Burroughs
The Metro League Player-of-the-Year, Chapman regularly delivered highlight-reel plays as the quarterback of the Bombers. She scored 11 goals, added 21 assists and consistently turned a stellar defensive play into a sudden transition opportunity. A member of the U-18 USA National Team and an NFHCA first-team All-Region selection, Chapman will play at the University of Virginia.
Mallory Jerlecki, junior, MICDS
A second team All-Region selection, Jerlecki scored nine goals and added 23 assists, placing second in the STL-area in that category. She distributed multiple assists six times, including a four-assist performance in a victory over Ursuline. For her career, Jerlecki has scored 30 goals and added 59 assists. She will play at Boston College.
Defense:
Sophie Buchowski, senior, John Burroughs
The captain of the Bombers defense, Buchowski was also a force offensively, producing 14 goals, 14 assists and seven game-winning goals as a defender. She saved her best work for when it mattered most, scoring a goal in seven of the Bombers’ final 10 games, including a goal and two assists in the state championship victory over St. Joseph’s. The first-team All-Region selection will play at Yale University.
KK Dooley, senior, St. Joseph’s
A force on both offensive and defensive corners, Dooley earned GISL co-Player-of-the-Year honors by captaining a St. Joe’s defense that surrendered just nine goals in its first 19 games. She scored playoff goals against Marquette and Ladue and kept the Angels’ season alive by scoring in the final round of 1v1s during a dramatic state semifinal victory over MICDS. She will play at Fairfield University.
Margot Leary, senior, Villa Duchesne
Captaining a defense that struggled early in the season, Leary helped Villa Duchesne yield only six goals during its final 12 games against in-state opponents, propelling the Saints to a No. 3 seed in the Missouri state tournament and a state semifinal berth. She added six goals and 10 assists, including the second multi-goal game of her career in a win over Ladue. She will play at Wake Forest University.
Finnley Desloge, senior, John Burroughs
A powerhouse defender who also contributes on the attack, Desloge scored 12 goals and added 16 assists in helping the Bombers earn their second state title in three seasons. She accumulated four goals and four assists against high-level competition at the Gateway Classic and MAX Field Hockey Invitational and is a member of the USA Field Hockey Junior Nexus Championship Roster. She will play at Boston College.
Goalie:
Bri Raak, senior, Kirkwood
The Defensive Player-of-the-Year in the Suburban Yellow Conference, Raak placed top five in the STL-region in save percentage (.828) and total saves 202. She stopped 32 shots against Villa Duchesne, 29 against St. Joe’s and 25 against MICDS. Raak was stellar in a 19 save, 2-1 victory over Westminster and made nine saves in a 2-1 overtime win over Cor Jesu – the Pioneers first ever win over the Chargers. She will play at Maryville University.
Players of the Year: https://metrosportsstl.com/2025/12/08/field-hockey-players-of-the-year-logsdon-chapman-combine-unique-talents-to-arrive-at-same-destination/
2nd Team: https://metrosportsstl.com/2025/12/08/metro-sports-stl-2nd-team/
3rd Team: https://metrosportsstl.com/2025/12/08/metro-sports-stl-3rd-team/
Photo Gallery from Field Hockey Season: https://benvessa.smugmug.com/Field-Hockey/2025-Season