Field hockey notebook

New kids in class

New Hyde Park didn't knock on the door; it burst through like Kramer.

The Gladiators, who moved up to Class A this season after reaching the 'B' semifinals, opened the year with impressive wins over defending county champ Massapequa and elite North Shore en route to a 3-2 start. And New Hyde Park's Michelle Polizzano and Lisa O'Callaghan are among Nassau's scoring leaders.

Talk about making an entrance.

"[The big wins] gave us a lot of confidence," coach Kori Brocking said. "But in the same respect, there's still a lot of work to be done so we can't get too crazy ... It's something new for us, but we'll rise to the challenge."

All in the family

It's cause for a double-take, seeing a tall blonde girl maneuvering the field in a No. 15 Ward Melville jersey. Could've sworn Georgia Holland graduated!

She did, and that's Emma Holland, fresh up from junior varsity and unafraid of trying to fill her sister's shoes.

Georgia was a first-team All-American, a Long Island Player of the Year and a member of the Olympic Development Team. She led the Patriots to three Long Island titles and a state championship. So some pressure has to come with wearing that number, right?

"I don't think so," said Emma, a sophomore defender. "I want to keep the tradition going and, hopefully, I get some good luck from the number."

Coach Shannon Watson said Emma "reminds everyone of Georgia in her work ethic and game sense."

Georgia, a freshman at Yale, said the two never discussed the number being passed down, "but I had a feeling she might've [wanted it] and the girls kind of reserved it for her. It's nice that she did it."