Hicks, D-Y finally topple Watertown
BRAINTREE — There’s a common saying in sports that all records were made to be broken.
History was made last night at Braintree High, with Dennis-Yarmouth emerging as the beneficiary. Abigail Hicks sniped the game-winning goal with 3:13 left as the Dolphins halted Watertown’s legendary 49-game postseason winning streak with a stunning 2-1 victory in the Division 2 field hockey state semifinals.
FIELD HOCKEY
“It’s crazy,” Hicks said. “We’ve been working for this all season, and being able to do it is insane.”
For the first time since 2009, there will be a new team representing Eastern Massachusetts in the Div. 2 state final. Senior Lucy Agurkis put Dennis-Yarmouth (20-0-3) in front, 1-0 with 18 minutes to go in the first half.
However, as it has done time and again over the years, Watertown (20-1-1) responded. With 14 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders struck as Olivia Lampasona corraled a pass from Allison Kennedy off a corner before rolling it into the Dolphins net to tie the contest, 1-1.
With the game on the line, and with countless others swarming her, Hicks managed to find the ball rolling just in front of the Watertown net before delivering the dagger. Freshman Kayla McGaffigan was credited with the assist. The win avenged Dennis-Yarmouth’s 1-0 loss to Watertown from last year’s state semifinals.
“They’re a confident group of players,” Dolphins coach Mary O’Connor said. “They were so determined to get to this spot again, and that there wasn’t much that was going to get in their way, which they proved. It’s exciting, knowing Watertown’s history but I’m just super excited for my team.”
It’s the first trip to the state final for Dennis-Yarmouth since 1987, when Karen Olander coached the Dolphins to a title. Olander still roams the sidelines as O’Connor’s assistant.
“We’ve had these kids since they were in eighth grade,” Olander said. “And when they came in, I said to Coach O’Connor, ‘These are the kids. When they’re seniors, they could win this whole thing.”
Dennis-Yarmouth will face Greenfield in Saturday’s state final at WPI.
Meanwhile, Watertown is set to graduate four seniors.
“Of course I’m proud of the seniors,” Watertown coach Eileen Donahue said. “And I’m proud of the whole team and their success. And I wish Dennis-Yarmouth the best as well.”
Division 1
Corissa Amaral is making up for lost time.
Playing in her third game back after being sidelined with pneumonia, the senior scored less than four minutes into the contest as Somerset Berkley went on to defeat Masconomet, 3-0, in a Division 1 state field hockey semifinal last night at Braintree High.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to come back,” Amaral said. “I was so happy to be finally get to back to playing.”
The early goal was something Raiders coach Jen Crook has been waiting to see from her troops. In recent tournament contests, the Raiders (22-1) struggled offensively at the outset.
“It was something we talked about,” Crook said. “I’m just so proud of this group.”
Somerset Berkley held a wide territorial edge in play throughout the entire contest. Had it not been for the stellar play of Masconomet freshman goalie Ainsley Gruener (12 saves), the score could have been more lopsided.
The Chieftains (19-2-2) held the fort for most of the remainder of the first half before Alex Millar, one of two boys in the Somerset Berkley lineup, scored the first of his two goals on a backhander in front.
A two-goal lead for a team that has allowed just seven tallies in its previous 22 contests is a pretty bet. The Raiders allowed just one shot on goal in the final 30 minutes and the only penalty corner the Chieftains had was nicely defended by Megan Salsinha.
“Our defense has been pretty rock solid all year,” said Crook, whose team will take on Nashoba in Saturday’s state final. “To give up only seven goals shows we’ve shut people down.”