Scholastic Notes

New England region

MASSACHUSETTS

NOTRE DAME ACADEMY TAKES WALPOLE TO THE BRINK

This year, the Walpole (Mass.) Porkers have not just been defeating its opponents in the Bay State Conference's Herget Division, but waylaying them. Walpole put itself in position for its first outright divisional title since 2001 when it swept rival -- and state Division 2 champion -- Dedham (Mass.) in regular-season games.

Walpole got itself prepared for the Division 1 tournament the best way it could -- scheduling defending champion Worcester Notre Dame Academy (Mass.) in early October. In 2005, Walpole blasted the Rebels 6-0. But in 2006, the Porkers needed a 54th-minute goal from Alex Guisti to salvage a 1-1 draw. Notre Dame

"We actually had opportunities for a second one and didn’t capitalize. I guess you could say we didn’t finish," Walpole coach Marianne Murphy tells The Daily News-Transcript. "It was good for them to play a good team on turf."

Notre Dame took the lead in the 39th on an Elizabeth Hurley putaway from inside the stroke line.

“What makes the difference when we play teams like Walpole is our ability to work together as a team, and find each other on the field,” Notre Dame captain Annika Bannon told The Worcester Telegram. “Although we came out with a tie, I think we played great. We’re improving with each game.”

MAINE

MAINE FINALS SEE VETERAN TEAMS WIN AGAIN

There was a lull of more than a week between the state semifinals and the championship tripleheader in Portland. That was because of a monstrous rainstorm which, if it had been several degrees cooler, could have kept even hardy Mainers paralyed for days.

What the week's layoff did was give teams time to get healthy and allowed teams familiar with state tournament glory to narrow their focus.

Such was the case with Class A champion Skowkegan (Maine) which won its sixth straight state championship with a 4-3 win over Gorham.

The final scoreline was a bit deceiving; the Indians had a 4-1 lead with a quarter of an hour to go.

"Well, it was exciting at the end," Skowhegan head coach Paula Doughty tells The Portland Press-Herald. "This is hard to believe. I mean, I think people just think this is easy. This is not easy."

Indeed, Gorham made a game of it with goals in the 53rd and 57th minutes. But Skowhegan didn't allow a single shot after the proximity goal.

"We gave them a run," Gorham head coach Amber Hatch tells The Press-Herald. "I�m glad for the girls that the score reflected more what kind of a team they�ve been all season. I didn�t want people to think it was easy for them."

York (Maine) also found itself on the wrong end of a one-goal match, just like it has the past two. And once again, the Wildcats lost to Belfast (Maine). Belfast ended the 2006 season with a 54-game winning streak, tied for 16th all-time.

The lone goal of the match was scored by Jillian Ross in the 11th minute of play on a rebound. But the York Wildcats applied vise-like pressure on Belfast for the remainder of the match. Belfast didn't get off a shot in the second half.

York couldn't put in its chances, forcing only seven saves from Belfast, including a defensive save by Helen Berry in the 22nd minute.

"I was just like, 'Keep your stick down,' " Berry tells The Press-Herald. "And I just pushed it out."

In Class C, East Corinth Central (Maine) used a wilting barrage of 14 second-half penalty corners to outlast Auburn St. Dominic's (Maine) 2-1. Sophomore Rachel Trafton's stunner two minutes from the final horn sealed a second straight state title for Central.

The goal was scored on a Central High corner. After Chantel's Randall's shot, Trafton arrived at the same time as the rebound.

"We practice that all the time," Trafton tells The Press-Herald. "I feel I�m pretty good under pressure. But I�m there to score all the time."

WINSLOW STUNG INTO ACTION BY ROCKLAND

The Winslow (Maine) Raiders have been in a down season in 2006, having finished the regular season at 7-7. And in a Class B preliminary game against Rockland, the six-time state champions fell behind by a goal in the 57th minute.

That woke up the team's pride and echoes from the past. It also woke up attacker Lauren Nivison, who scored two goals in 40 seconds to give Winslow a 2-1 win and a date with two-time defending state champion Belfast.

"I told them that I'm not one bit disappointed by the way they played," Rockland head coach Sue Hurley tells The Knox County Village Soup Times. "I think we surprised Winslow today. I can't ask for anything more from my team."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

HOPKINTON OUTLASTS BERLIN IN MARATHON CORNER SHOOTOUT

The penalty corner shootout is a tiebreaker which is fit for the New England work ethic, if not for New England's weather and chilly evenings.

For it was at Berlin (N.H.) where Hopkinton (N.H.), the No. 5 seed in the Class M-S quarterfinals, had to outlast its host through twenty rounds of penalty corners after regulation and golden-goal overtime. That's 40 "half-innings," which may also included corner restarts because of defensive infractions.

It may be the fairest tiebreaker this side of the college football overtime, but it can drag out just as long, especially in a game which saw no goals throughout. But finaly, in Hopkinton's 20th corner chance, an insertion from Brooke Porter, stickstopped by Amber Travers, was sent in by Brittney Dow.

The Hawks must also give praise to its goalkeeper, Brooke Sedgley, who was credited with 12 stops.

She was unbelievable tough in the corners," Hopkinton coach Patty Connolly tells The Concord Monitor. "She took control."

MASCOMA RUNS INTO WINNISQUAM WALL

The early-season surprise in New Hampshire for the first third of the season was Canaan Mascoma Valley (N.H.), who put up 42 goals in its first four matches, including a 12-0 win over Gilford (N.H.).

But waiting in the wings for Mascoma was Tilton Winnisquam (N.H.), which has won three state titles in the M-S classification.

That championship heritage paid off for head coach Len Lavin and the Bears as they prevailed 1-0 on a 57th-minute penalty stroke by Phylicia Martel.

"The younger kids found out what it takes to win," Lavin tells The Concord Monitor. "We weren't real optimistic, but the kids really worked for it."

RHODE ISLAND

CHARIHO TURNS TO ALUMNA FOR ANSWERS

Wood River Junction Chariho (R.I.) won a state championship in 2005.

Thing was, it wasn't the field hockey varsity that accomplished it. Far from it: the varsity has won seven and lost 56 games the last four years, including last season's woeful 1-12-3 campaign.

But when the school's JV team was on the field, good things happened. That's why Johannah Price, last year's JV coach, took over the head coaching reins for 2006.

It's definitely a dream come true," Price tells The Chariho Times. "I've always dreamed about coming back to coach this team and share what I have learned. They've never had a coach that's actually played before, so I'm pretty excited about that."

It will be an interesting time for the Chariho varsity, since the Division II title race in Rhode Island will be wide open. Last year's tournament finalists Woonsocket (R.I.) and South Kingstown (R.I.) both have moved to Division I, leaving Division II with just 13 teams.

CONNECTICUT

SIMSBURY FINISHES REGULAR SEASON WITH PERFECTION, GRIT

Pam Hammersmith wouldn't have it any other way. In order to seal its top seed in the upcoming Class L playoffs, Simsbury (Conn.) would have to confront longtime rival Glastonbury (Conn.) and play five minutes shorthanded because of a yellow card.

No problem. Abbey Healey and Emily Buda had goals 90 seconds apart deep in the second term for a 2-0 win.

"It was a huge game," Buda tells The Hartford Courant. "It was intense and nerve-racking, but we stuck together and played as a team."

The Simsbury defense took it from there. Through the Glastonbury match, Simsbury has yielded a single goal all season whilst scoring 47.

For last year's notes, click here.