"The Opponent's Poll": Mid Penn Keystone Field Hockey Teams Rank Each Other

If you watch college sports, you're probably familiar with the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. The AP Poll brings the rankings of college sports teams from media, and the coaches have coaches rank the top in the country, but they've certainly never had the athletes actually rank their competitors. At 2023 Media Day at Cumberland Valley High School, I did just that.

The Mid Penn Keystone division is arguably the best division of high school field hockey in the United States. It's produced countless Division I talent, and just this year holds two defending state champions, a runner-up and plenty of college commits. They ranked each other ahead of the season, here's how it went:

Hershey's ranking

1. Hershey

2. Palmyra

3. Lower Dauphin

4. Red Land

5. Mechanicsburg

6. East Penn

Lower Dauphin's ranking

1. Lower Dauphin

2. Palmyra

3. Hershey

4. Red Land

5. Mechanicsburg

6. East Penn

Mechanicsburg's ranking

1. Lower Dauphin

2. Palmyra

3. Red Land

4. Hershey

5. Mechanicsburg

6. East Penn

East Penn's ranking

1. Hershey

2. Palmyra

3. Lower Dauphin

4. Red Land

5. East Penn

6. Mechanicsburg

Red Land's ranking

1. Palmryra

2. Lower Dauphin

3. Red Land

4. Hershey

5. Mechanicsburg

6. East Penn

Palmyra's ranking

1. Palmyra

2. Lower Dauphin

3. Hershey

4. Mechanicsburg

5. Red Land

6. East Penn

The biggest stand out was Mechanicsburg, being ranked 5 on 5 lists, and 6th on East Penn's list. Mechanicsburg is coming off a historic season, winning the 2A state championship to lift the first state trophy for the Wildcats in any team sport. But, Mechanicsburg is losing so much talent, including Ohio State's Cam Standish and Gracyn Catalano, who delivered the game winner for the Wildcats in the state title game, that it sends them all the way down to a lower spot in the division. But, the Mid Penn Keystone has certainly proven that you can finish lower and still make waves in the postseason.

Hershey was another interesting ranking because of the variety of spots they were ranked. Hershey and East Penn both ranked the Trojans #1, but other teams like Red Land and Mechanicsburg had them at #4. Hershey reached the District 3 championship in 2022, losing to the 2A state runner ups, Palmyra. After their 2nd place in Disticts, Hershey lost in a 2-1 overtime game to Villa Maria Academy, who then went on to lose 1-0 to another Keystone team in Mechanicsburg.

The Averages

1. Palmyra- 1.6

2. Lower Dauphin- 2

3. Hershey- 2.6

4. Red Land- 3.8

5. Mechanicsburg- 5.2

6. East Penn- 5.8

Palmyra wins the first ever Mid Penn Field Hockey Opponents Poll!