Ella Anthon has a routine during the final week of October.
Play two games, hoist a plaque, wear a medal, pose for photos, rinse and repeat.
A four-year varsity starter, Anthon has a remarkable 14-0 record in postseason play during her career, and the Villa Duchesne senior captain will enter SportPort International in Maryland Heights with a chance to make history.
No. 4 Villa Duchesne (15-4-2), the three-time defending state champion, will play top-seeded John Burroughs (18-0-2) in the first semifinal matchup at 4 p.m. Thursday.
No. 2 St. Joseph’s (14-4) and No. 3 Cor Jesu (15-4) will face off in the other semifinal at 5:30 p.m.
A St. Louis-area team has never won four consecutive state titles in field hockey, and thus, no player has accomplished what she is hoping to do, claim an unblemished 16-0 record in playoff competition during a high school career.
“All these teams are super skillful, and we believe that whoever works the hardest, hustles the most and gives it that extra 10 percent will be the team that wins it all, and we want that to be us,” Anthon said.
Anthon has been a major contributor in each of the previous three Saints’ championships. As a freshman, she was an important defensive presence for a team that compiled an undefeated, 14-0 record and surrendered only three goals all season.
As a sophomore, Anthon compiled 10 goals and 10 assists, including a goal in both the semifinal and championship game victories. She provided the insertion during corners and continued to excel as a defender, helping Villa Duchesne shut out all four playoff opponents.
“It’s just so much more pressure. You lose and your season is over,” Anthon said. “We love each other so much and have so much fun playing together. We’re willing to do anything for it not to end.”
As a junior, Anthon accumulated seven goals and five assists and helped the Saints reach the state title game. For the first time, Anthon had to wear her garnet-colored road uniform on championship Saturday with the Saints earning the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
But against top-seeded John Burroughs, Anthon appeared to be everywhere, making block tackles, intercepting passes and turning defense into offense in a convincing 5-0 victory over the Bombers and a third consecutive state title.
“Playing with Ella makes field hockey easy,” junior captain Katie Crump said. “If I lose the ball, she’s right back there to do some Hail Mary tackle to get it back. She’s a playmaker, and we would not be where we are without her.”
Helped by Anthon’s defense, leadership and 14 assists, the youthful Saints have reached a familiar destination at SportPort this season. But their path to a fourth consecutive medal ceremony will be treacherous.
Villa Duchesne (15-4-2) arrives as the No. 4 seed, the lowest ranking of the four remaining teams – all of which have defeated the Saints during the regular season. Their first opponent is undefeated John Burroughs (18-0-2) – a team that has not lost since the 2022 championship game.
“I think we may be underestimated because of how young of a team we have, but when playoffs start it’s a new season,” Anthon said. “We don’t like to reflect on who we beat and who we lost to. We’re going to work as hard as we always work, and we know what we’re capable of.”
The Saints employ five freshmen and five sophomores in their rotation, many of whom will be experiencing a state semifinal environment for the first time.
To them, Anthon offers this advice:
“You just have to leave everything on the field. Just give it all you got, and if you do that, there’s nothing more you can do,” she said. “Everything you’ve put in all season, that feeling of accomplishment makes it all worth it.”
The championship game will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Anthon hopes that when the final whistle signals the conclusion of the 2023 season, she and her teammates will share another celebration upon the water turf at SportPort.
And she is well-versed in the routine.