This past season was a special one for Fairports field hockey team as they finally beat their rival, Webster-Thomas, in the sectional finals after losing to them two years in a row.

One reason for their success: goalie Sara Cook or Cookie Monster as shes known on the team. Although she was just a sophomore, Cook had a phenomenal season, achieving personal bests of a .68 goals against average and a .89 save percentage and attracting the attention of college coaches.

She has already begun to make Fairport history, becoming the first goalie to be named to varsity as a freshman and only one of two players ever at Fairport to be brought up in her freshman year.

It was nice winning sectionals, Cook said. It was kind of like getting the monkey off our back because we lost to Thomas the past few years. And our team got along really well, so it was nice to accomplish our goal as a team. Theyre my family, and we all just really loved each other last year.

Fairport coach Sharon Sparling attributes Cooks success to her commitment.

Shes totally involved in field hockey and being a goalie, Sparling said. The biggest asset she has is dedication. As a seventh grader, she was my goalie and she has continued to improve the whole time.

Pamela Morris Keenan, the second Fairport coach, echoes Sparlings sentiment on the talented netminder.

Sara is a dedicated, driven player with a great deal of skill, Keenan said.

Another aspect of her game that has helped Cook is the aggressiveness she has from her days as an ice hockey player.

Im so much more aggressive in field hockey because of ice hockey, and it made me a better overall athlete because it makes you more aggressive and teaches you to work with people, and Im more competitive, Cook said.

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Field Hockey: "Cookie Monster" aims for more in 2012