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12/10/2024 11:39 AMSometimes when a player enters the varsity spotlight as a freshman, they are simply looking to garner a few minutes and gain valuable in-game experience down the road. Yet Ellie Meyran’s first-season time went well beyond that threshold, as she made personal history for the Branford field hockey team and played for a state crown.
Following time with basketball and lacrosse, Ellie started out with field hockey around sixth grade after being encouraged by her now-high school Head Coach Pete Frye. She fell in love with it and made an impact right from the jump by setting the new single-season program record for goals by a freshman with 28. This also went along with nine assists in helping the Hornets reach the Class M State Tournament final as the top seed after a 16-5 overall campaign.
“It is such a super fun and competitive sport. I love the team I play on, and they are so much fun,” says Ellie. “I was very surprised that I set the record, but I was extremely happy I earned it. My teammates set me up to do it by giving me the ball. I could not do it without them. The defense also helped me by getting the ball back for us, allowing me to get the ball more.”
When it comes to her preferred methods to strike, Ellie loves the classic one-on-one matchup with the keeper in the open space. She explains, though, that she can also be more patient and methodical by racing around behind the cage for the crash.
“I love scoring on breakaways,” says Ellie. “I also like to sweep the ball into the top right-hand corner. Another way I like to score is to pull around the goalkeeper to make them dive, and then I flick it in once they dive.”
Being at the top tier of the turf on any given play, Ellie gets to collaborate with midfielders and defenders behind her to strengthen her goal-scoring probability.
“I love being able to work with everyone because as a forward, you get the ball from midfielders and defenders,” Ellie says. “It is also great when I work with other forwards, and then they help me out a lot when I pass the ball with them. Eliza Giordano was also a big help for me this year in helping me learn the forward position.”
Ellie sticks to the tried and true adage of staying upbeat and optimistic when things may seem to be going south. She adds an X-factor of maturity by knowing to only harness concentration on things within her grasp.
“When things get tough, I always have a positive self-talk with myself,” says Ellie. “I also know to focus on only the things I can control. I block out all of those other things out of my control.”
More than just building upon her personal record-setting season, Ellie is eager to see her team reach even greater heights. They did embark on yet another deep playoff push to the championship clash, and the Hornets look to emerge on the winning side in 2025.
“I am looking forward to next season a lot,” says Ellie. “We had a super good year as a team this past fall, and we want to get back to the SCC and state finals and win them next year. We lost some good seniors, but we will have a strong team still. We are bringing back a lot of people that have more experience now.”
Branford field hockey Head Coach Pete Frye marvels at not only how Ellie seamlessly moved over from the midfield, but also how swiftly she took down the eight-year old record with the Hornets. She became so heralded for her efforts that even her opponents gave her the ultimate sign of praise by having her be their top assignment on defense.
“Ellie was a wonder to behold this year. She came up from our Walsh Intermediate School team playing a midfield position. We asked her to take on a principal scoring role as our center forward this year, and boy did that turn out to be one of our better decisions,” says Frye. “Branford's freshman scoring record stood at 20 goals, and it was achieved in 22 games in 2016 by Molly Zaffino. Ellie scored her 21st goal in her ninth game this year, an almost unheard of pace. Teams began to specifically game plan to try to stop her in the second half of the season. It was one of the best offensive seasons Branford field hockey has ever witnessed in its long and rich history.”
Ellie’s impact on Branford this fall reached far beyond any scorebook, adds Frey. She stood out as someone who looked to better herself daily, even if by the slimmest of margins.
“But more than just scoring, Ellie brought a new energy level to our team. Her work ethic sets a new standard. She works just as hard every practice as she does every game,” says Frye. “Ellie is an athlete that is always looking to improve 1% each and every day, and this is the key factor in any athlete becoming elite. As good as she was on the field, Ellie is an even better teammate. She brings a quiet confidence that is infectious and is beloved by her teammates–whether we were watching her crush a conditioning run or witnessing her many, often breathtaking, goals this year. We can't wait to see what she has in store for us all next year.”
With a wind of self-confidence at her back after one of the best rookie runs in the SCC, if not the state, in recent memory, Ellie looks to humbly build on it. She will not rest on her laurels and has already started diligently preparing for her sophomore slate.
“I have gained a lot of confidence from this year, which is helping me prepare for next year,” says Ellie. “The preparation will help me have hopefully an even better year next season. I also think playing and preparing in the offseason will help me and get to that next level with my game.”