One grew her love for the sport by viewing athletics through three different lenses. The other grew admiration and optimism through adversity and heartache.
Marie McCracken is a three-sport standout at Ephrata. She’s pledged to Penn State for field hockey but maintains her competitive edge with basketball in the winter and track and field in the spring. Her pitch passion flowered in her freshman season.
Campbell Shelley couldn’t pick up a stick in her debut or sophomore campaigns. A torn ACL derailed the James Madison recruit’s first two falls. When the cleats melted into the turf last season, an unrivaled appreciation filled the then-junior.
Swan songs are upon the Mountaineers duo. It’s their turn to lead the charge and carry the mantel. It’s an honor, a reward that’s been forged through separate stories and packed tight with peaks and valleys and a myriad of twists and turns.
“They, individually, have had different paths the last three years,” Ephrata field hockey coach Joy Rice said. “We were just talking about how each class kind of has a different feel. I think for them, they’ve had the experience of being around teams that were really successful, and then some years that were still a little bit emerging onto the competitive scene. But they have put in the hard work in the offseason, both with hockey and in their other sports, so I think they have just matured so much in the last three years.
“I’m excited for them, and I’m thankful for them.”
The excitement and thanks trickles down through the program. McCracken and Shelley are the outstanding leaders on a youthful Mountaineers outfit. In fact, they’re poised to be the lone seniors in the starting lineup.
Rice said she expects each to bring a unique perspective. McCracken understands the commitment to controlling all facets, having run point on the basketball court since she was a freshman and doubling as a District Three track medalist and a PIAA qualifier in the long jump. Shelley knows the uphill battle of returning from injury and the exhale that follows when a full season is logged.
“It was just very rewarding to get a season in,” Shelley said. “It really felt like an accomplishment. And now leading into my senior season, and having committed to JMU, it feels like another accomplishment. I’m just very appreciative and very grateful.”
The appreciation is mutual between McCracken and Shelley. Guiding the next crop of talent couldn’t be done without the other. They, too, recognize the different influences they can convey.
“Pushing others around me, that’s something I want to do,” McCracken said. “I just want to be more intense and intentional with the way that I approach everything.”
One crossover in McCracken and Shelley’s voyages: winning. Ephrata qualified for the District Three tournament each year they’ve held a roster spot and advanced to the PIAA dance in 2023. Losing records have been an anomaly.
McCracken was the sparkplug of the Mountaineers last fall, reaching All-State status in Class 3A while producing 19 goals and 10 assists. Shelley, despite missing the 2022 and 2023 seasons, was a voice of reason and support on the sidelines until her anticipated comeback last year — when she deposited 15 scores and nine helpers in 17 starts.
“Everyone seems excited,” McCracken said. “Everyone seems ready to get back into it. We’re kind of coming into it, not with low expectations, but with perspective. We want to be humble, come in with our heads low and just ready to work.”
Ephrata enters its second loop in Lancaster-Lebanon League Section One play — categorized as a bloodbath by those in local circles. The Mountaineers also acclimated to Class 3A competition last fall after a long run in 2A.
Cohesion, communication and unity have never been more important. A small fish in a big sea, the Mountaineers are sizing up their “second round.”
“There’s really no pressure on us,” McCracken said, “but I think we can get the pressure on ourselves. We just have to come in better and ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.”
Last fall felt like the test run, the tune-up. Even with a younger corps, the Mounts believe the tools are in place to send a shockwave or two through the league.
And not every linking piece is confined to the field.
“I think we do a good job at not taking anybody for granted, because we need everybody,” Rice said. “We don’t have a deep bench for varsity, and often, we end up having to play numbers down for JV. We welcome everybody. It’s super diverse, but it also brings a lot to our team — the different personalities and skills and things that people are into. And that’s something I’ve appreciated about Ephrata and being a smaller, big school.”
It’s all for the love of field hockey.
Bouncing the ball on the hardwood and soaring into a sand pit helped McCracken ignite her enthusiasm. Attacking with perseverance, to reach the light at the end of the tunnel, was Shelley’s calling.
“With field hockey, no matter what circumstance I’m in,” McCracken said, “I’m always having fun.”
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