A deep postseason run and a Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) first-team selection in her junior season was not enough to please senior Riley Peterson. She entered her senior year motivated and worked vigorously throughout the offseason to reach one specific goal.
“My goal since I got to Redwood was to win Player of the Year. So after [my junior] season ended, I worked hard on my draw skills and with a running trainer,” Peterson said.
She also gained insurmountable experience while playing for the Irish National team at the European Championships in Prague.
“I faced incredible competition in Europe, especially against opponents much older than me. That helped me develop some great skills and knowledge,” Peterson said.
Her diligence paid off, as she won 120 draws, or faceoffs, for the Giants, and her improved stamina allowed her to play the entirety of every single game. This success, along with her improved knowledge of the game, allowed her to finally achieve her goal of winning MCAL player of the year.
Junior Presley Pewitt has been Peterson’s teammate on varsity for two years, and can attest to Peterson’s ability as both a player and a leader
“She’s always been such a talented player, with her speed and athleticism, but this year she’s become a great leader. She really inspires us and leads by example,” Pewitt said.
Fueled by the sting from the previous year’s MCAL championship loss to Marin Catholic, the team exacted their revenge this year, triumphing over the Wildcats in overtime of this year’s MCAL championship game. Peterson’s leadership skills shined bright, rallying the Giants back from a 4-0 deficit despite competing two players short for most of the game due to penalty infractions.
Peterson and the Giants took another deep run into the North Coast Section (NCS), beating Cal High and Marin Catholic again before losing to San Ramon Valley in the championship. Despite the loss in the championship, Peterson remains proud of her and the team’s accomplishments.
“We had such a great run this year. Beating Marin Catholic has been a huge goal for us and we were able to do it twice. And obviously, I’m ecstatic that I won [player of the year]. I feel like I left my mark on this team and this program throughout my time here,” Peterson said.
Peterson plans to take her talents to Brown University in the fall of 2024 while continuing to play for the Irish National team and maintaining sky-high ambitions.
“My next goal is to win an Ivy League championship and then hopefully qualify for the Olympics in 2028,” Peterson said.
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