The H-List: 25 most distinctive high school nicknames

The 25 most distinctive high school field hockey nicknames

Given the hue and cry every time a professional sports team picks a really bad nickname to make it distinctive from the usual Lions or Tigers or Bears (oh, my!), isn't it refreshing to see civic pride in school teams whose names were picked for perfectly good reasons 100 years ago and retain their local quirkiness even today? Here are 25 unique nicknames given to field hockey teams:

Nickname School St. Report

Obezags Annapolis Key School MD "Gazebo" spelled backwards; distinctive campus feature

Villa Novans Woonsocket RI Named for the main street in town

Fighting Clan Vineland NJ Logo is a kilted Scot; perfect for this sport!

Koncrete Kids Northampton Area PA Honors area manufacturing

Shipbuilders Morse ME Regional manufacturer of large vessels

Mawrtians Baltimore Bryn Mawr MD A play on the school's name

Wreckers Westport Staples CT Refers to 1920s football game with rival Norwalk

Headless Horsemen Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow NY Honoring the literary legend of Washington Irving

Snails McLean Madeira School VA Taken from the school's motto

Valkyries Louisville Sacred Heart KY Named for the Norse female warrior race

Amazons Louisville Collegiate KY Named for the Greek female warrior race

County Seaters Belvidere NJ Belvidere is the county seat of Warren County

Bubblers Boiling Springs PA A play off the town's name

Trevians Winnetka New Trier IL Named for a geographic feature of its German sister city

Stateliners Phillipsburg NJ Located on PA border, once was a member of PIAA

River Rats Ann Arbor Huron MI A nickname bestowed by an opponent was adopted

Caxys Lake Forest Academy IL Greek onomotopoiea for the sound made by a tree frog

Galloping Ghosts Abington PA Honoring legendary football player Red Grange

Auks Archmere Academy DE Rotund bird isn't found anywhere else on the high school level

Acorns Morgan Hill Live Oak CA Named for the school

Cubs Washington Georgetown Visitation DC School unites "Tigers" and "Bears" intramurals under varsity name

Thunderbirds Dearborn Edsel Ford MI Student body found T-bird a better car to represent school

Little Dutchgirls Annville-Cleona PA Named for location, in Pennsylvania Dutch country

Honkers Yuba City CA Oddly enough, city is billed "Peach Bowl of the World"

Dodgers Madison NJ Not sure of the New York suburb ever had trolleys

BONUS: TOP FIELD HOCKEY-SPECIFIC NICKNAMES

Ants Centereach NY School nickname are the Cougars, but a stylized ant has adorned gear because of motivational saying regarding teamwork by former coach Nancy Cole.

Porkers Walpole MA School nickname are the Rebels. Porker nickname given by English observer of how players hunched over the ball while dribbling. Home field is the Porker Pen.

Nickname	School	St.	Report
Obezags	Annapolis Key School	MD	"Gazebo" spelled backwards; distinctive campus feature
Villa Novans	Woonsocket	RI	Named for the main street in town
Fighting Clan	Vineland	NJ	Logo is a kilted Scot; perfect for this sport!
Koncrete Kids	Northampton Area	PA	Honors area manufacturing
Shipbuilders	Morse	ME	Regional manufacturer of large vessels
Mawrtians	Baltimore Bryn Mawr	MD	A play on the school's name
Wreckers	Westport Staples	CT	Refers to 1920s football game with rival Norwalk
Headless Horsemen	Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow	NY	Honoring the literary legend of Washington Irving
Snails	McLean Madeira School	VA	Taken from the school's motto
Valkyries	Louisville Sacred Heart	KY	Named for the Norse female warrior race
Amazons	Louisville Collegiate	KY	Named for the Greek female warrior race
County Seaters	Belvidere	NJ	Belvidere is the county seat of Warren County
Bubblers	Boiling Springs	PA	A play off the town's name
Trevians	Winnetka New Trier	IL	Named for a geographic feature of its German sister city
Stateliners	Phillipsburg	NJ	Located on PA border, once was a member of PIAA
River Rats	Ann Arbor Huron	MI	A nickname bestowed by an opponent was adopted
Caxys	Lake Forest Academy	IL	Greek onomotopoiea for the sound made by a tree frog
Galloping Ghosts	Abington	PA	Honoring legendary football player Red Grange
Auks	Archmere Academy	DE	Rotund bird isn't found anywhere else on the high school level
Acorns	Morgan Hill Live Oak	CA	Named for the school
Cubs	Washington Georgetown Visitation	DC	School unites "Tigers" and "Bears" intramurals under varsity name
Thunderbirds	Dearborn Edsel Ford	MI	Student body found T-bird a better car to represent school
Little Dutchgirls	Annville-Cleona	PA	Named for location, in Pennsylvania Dutch country
Honkers	Yuba City	CA	Oddly enough, city is billed "Peach Bowl of the World"
Dodgers	Madison	NJ	Not sure of the New York suburb ever had trolleys
BONUS: TOP FIELD HOCKEY-SPECIFIC NICKNAMES
Ants	Centereach	NY	School nickname are the Cougars, but a stylized ant has adorned gear because of motivational saying regarding teamwork by former coach Nancy Cole.
Porkers	Walpole	MA	School nickname are the Rebels. Porker nickname given by English observer of how players hunched over the ball while dribbling. Home field is the Porker Pen.