Athletes of the Week Nov. 29

Lina Frederick

Lina has come a long way as someone late to the sport of field hockey. She began as a B team player for Rebecca Pepper at Milford Middle School and ended her career at Cape as a center back, where she was chosen first-team all-state. Lina was a three-year starter at Cape, where she was part of three state championship teams. Lina is heading off to Salisbury University next year to play lacrosse; she is also considering field hockey at a Division III school where athletes can still play both. Coach Kate Austin said: “Lina was a four-year member of the varsity. Her communication and organizational skills led to the success of her defense this year. Lina has a tremendous dedication to making her teammates better, and she sets the example of what hard work looks like each day at practice. Lina played an integral role in keeping the team composed during the state championship game.”

Avary Miller

Avary was one of three Cape Region field hockey/lacrosse players who returned from Sussex Academy to the Cape mothership on team bonding day in August 2022. Avary is a hockey-first two-sport athlete and is also the top distance runner inside both programs. “The Biz” was one of four captains on Cape’s 2024 state championship team and was voted first-team all-state. Her stick skills, speed and motor that’s always screaming at high RPMs made her a force coming down the right side. She won the ball that went to Kailey McMahon then to Teagan Baker for the game-winning goal in a 2-1 state championship victory. Coach Kate Austin said: “Throughout the season, Avary made big plays in big games, and the state championship was no exception. Avary caused turnovers in the championship that led to corners and goals. Her work rate throughout the season was impressive, and we knew we could count on her to create big plays with her dynamic presence.”

Atia Sabbagh

This sophomore is a workhorse stalwart playing center midfielder for the Cape field hockey team. Atia is a team captain and was chosen first-team all-state. Her defensive save in 2023 off a corner sent the team trophy to the Fred Harvey bus. In 2024, she spent games doing the dirty work in the middle of the field. Atia plays for the WC Eagles out of Lancaster, Pa., one of the top club teams in the nation. Coach Kate Austin said: “Atia is a smart and skilled defender with great vision to transition from defense to attack. She saved her best game for the state championship and was dominant in the center of the field to constrain Smyrna’s best players. She has been the only sophomore selected as captain during my time at Cape.” Atia was also chosen NFHCA second-team all-region.   

Macy Steinwedel

Macy was one of two seniors on the 2024 state championship field hockey team. She’s a long and leveraged athlete who plays with fluidity. She’s a scorer who frames shots. She was dangerous on the front line, at times camping near the front post. Macy had six goals through the first three games of the season, helping a young team get off to a great start. Macy is committed to Old Dominion, where she will play lacrosse next year. Coach Kate Austin said: “Macy started the season scoring a lot of goals. The second half of the season, she became more of the unsung hero. She worked extremely hard in the middle of the field to control possession and was often tasked with marking the opposing team’s best player. Macy played with poise and control in the state championship, and handled marking one of the best players in the state with confidence.”