Lakeland’s field hockey team placed six players on the 2010 All-Eastern Region team, all on the region’s first team, led by senior Kelsey Smither winning Player of the Year and head coach Tara Worley being honored as the Coach of the Year.

Smither, a midfielder, set a new national record for assists in a four-year high school career. Smither broke the record two matches ago and she has 119 assists as a Lady Cavalier through Tuesday’s win for Lakeland in the state quarterfinals.

Smither’s committed to a scholarship offer from Old Dominion. She’s already earned spots onto U.S. Junior National Teams, at the U19 and U21 levels, for 2011.

Worley coached the Lady Cavaliers to their first Eastern Region championship last week. In her 12^th season, she’s led Lakeland to 11 straight Southeastern District regular season titles and 10 straight district tournament titles. This season is Lakeland’s second straight trip to the VHSL Group AAA State Tournament.

Seniors Kendell Combs, Jennifer Hedrick, Taylor Young and Megan Johnson earned first-team honors, as did freshman defender Kristen Vick. Vick is the only freshman on the first or second team.

The Lady Cavaliers (21-0) face Stafford (23-0), the Northern Region champion, in a state semifinal match Friday at 1 p.m. at Virginia Beach’s U.S. Field Hockey National Training Center.

All-Eastern Region field hockey

First Team

Forwards

Lauren Cheatham                        Denbigh, sr.

Kendell Combs                        Lakeland, sr.

Jessica Diaz                        Western Branch, sr.

Casey Dinardo                        Cox, jr.

Jennifer Hedrick                        Lakeland, sr.

Brooke Hiltz                        First Colonial, so.

Kristen Reitano                        Princess Anne, jr.

Midfielders

Amy Abernathy                        Princess Anne, sr.

Carly Atchison                        Cox, sr.

Tollie Bell                        Maury, sr.

Emily Leonard                        First Colonial, jr.

Kelsey Smither                        Lakeland, sr.

Taylor Young                        Lakeland, sr.

Backs

Blair George                        Princess Anne, sr.

Megan Johnson                        Lakeland, sr.

Ellen Ross                        First Colonial, so.

Bianca Velez                        Kellam, sr.

Kristen Vick                        Lakeland, fr.

Goalkeeper

Megan Hept                        Hickory, Sr.

Player of the year

Kelsey Smither, Lakeland

Coach of the year

Tara Worley, Lakeland