Daily Pilot High School Female Athlete of the Week: Hendrix’s stick stirs success
Katie Hendrix not only likes to see a plan come together, she savors being a catalyst in bringing it to fruition.
She plans to one day accomplish that in international business, having chosen the major of international supply chain management at Arizona State, where she will be part of the Sun Devils first women’s lacrosse team.
But just now, the Newport Harbor High senior is the stick that stirs the drink for the Sailors, who are emerging as arguably the strongest team in the program’s history.
Hendrix had a game-high four goals in the Tars’ 9-7 win over Back Bay rival Corona del Mar High on March 24. It was Newport Harbor’s first Battle of the Bay triumph since 2009.
Three days earlier, Hendrix shared the team lead with three goals in a 14-12 victory over St. Margaret’s.
The Sailors (8-3), who are not part of a league this season, have won five straight games heading into Tuesday’s clash with Los Alamitos at Estancia High.
A four-year starter, Hendrix’s role as midfielder allows her to be in the thick of things for the Tars.
“On offense, she is often the ball-control girl,” Newport Harbor Co-Coach Matt Armstrong said, “a point guard of sorts. She is able to score herself, but is also able to set up teammates. In transition, she is a smart player who is good at reading plays and getting a lot of interceptions. And being an important part of our defense, she has been dominant there as well.”
Hendrix, an All-Sunset League defender who helped Newport Harbor win the Tournament of Champions (equivalent to the CIF Southern Section playoffs) in field hockey last fall, said she has worked hard to become a well-rounded lacrosse player.
“I’ve been playing 12 months a year for about six years,” said Hendrix, one of two team captains for the Sailors, who has competed for several club programs. “Even during field hockey season, I was playing lacrosse. I love lacrosse, so putting that much time and effort into it doesn’t bother me at all. I’m happy to try to improve my skills and master a skill I didn’t have before.”
Armstrong, who also praises Hendrix’s leadership abilities, said she was one of the better players on the team as a freshman, and has only solidified that status since.
“When she was a freshman, you could see her figuring it out,” Armstrong said. “Now, she has figured it out. If you watch her, she has a little bit of swagger and style of play that distinguishes her from the average players … She is definitely a physical player with or without the ball, who is not afraid to engage a defender one-on-one. And she is a classic ankle-breaker. A girl will be defending her and she will make one quick move that will make the girl fall down and [Hendrix] will blow by her.
“When she was a sophomore, we were playing Foothill in a playoff game that we lost. But when the game was still close, she came in really hard on a crease roll and made a move that caused this Foothill girl to lose her balance so hard, Katie was called for a charging foul, even though she never even touched her.”
Hendrix, as needed, has a hand in most things for the Sailors.
“She’s a vocal leader and she likes to be in charge,” Armstrong said. “She has no problem talking to [teammates], whether it’s in the huddle, on the field or in warmups. She’s a very intense competitor and that sometimes comes out in her leadership style. She does everything she can to motivate the girls around her.”
Hendrix required more prompting to discuss her strengths on the field.
“I like going to goal and I like playing defense,” she said, “so being a midfielder is the best of both worlds. Plus, I like being able to take draw. I like being able to succeed in all aspects of the game.
“By wanting to win and succeed, it does have more of a leadership position,” said Hendrix, who boasts a 4.4 grade-point average. “I know what I have to do and what we have to do as a team in order to get to a place where we can compete for a championship. Having won the T of C in field hockey and being in the lacrosse playoffs last year, I’ve learned that it’s super awesome going to the championship and it’s super awesome playing in the championship, and helping a team have that common goal of winning.”
Katie Hendrix
Born: June 1, 1999
Hometown: Newport Beach
Height: 5-foot-7
Sport: Lacrosse
Year: Senior
Coaches: Matt Armstrong and Kaleigh Gibbons
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite movie: “Top Gun”
Favorite athletic moment: “Beating CdM [a 9-7 victory in the Battle of the Bay contest on Friday at Peninsula Park].”
Week in review: She scored a game-high four goals against Corona del Mar and also shared the team lead with three goals in a 14-12 win over St. Margaret’s on March 28.
Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
