The seasoned Mascenic field hockey team looks every bit the contender once again this fall. Last year’s runners-up graduated just three players and their combined experience showed in their home-opening 1-1 tie against a strong Gilford team Thursday.
“Gilford, they are a solid program, for years,” said Mascenic head coach Selena Shaw. They always have been and they’ve always been really deep…We knew that it was going to be super tough, and we were looking to put a tough a tough game against them, and we definitely did that.”
The Golden Eagles struck first on an Abi Lyman first-quarter score and held the lead for about seven minutes before Grace Matson responded for the Vikings and tied things up off a Kiahna Farrey assist. From there, both goalies were flawless, as Gilford’s Madi Breton (14 saves) threw herself all around the box to keep the Vikings out and Mascenic’s Evelynn Shippee (25 saves) showed why she’s one of the division’s top keepers.
“I thought both goalies kept both teams right in the game,” Shaw said. “They both had some amazing saves, and that’s fun to see because the goalie is such an overlooked position so many times. To have to battle it out in key situations, that was awesome.”
Both teams seized momentum at times, with Gilford controlling the third period and Mascenic taking a series of corners in the fourth, but neither team could get it over the threshold in regulation or overtime, and the game ended in a draw.
“They were definitely one of the first challenging teams we played,” Farrey said, “and their skill level pretty much matches ours, so we knew that we had to bring our top game today too. They had the fast passes. They know how to pass around, shoot the ball. So it’s good to have a competitor like them.”
It’s the type of tight game against a good opponent that the Vikings grew accustomed to in last fall’s playoffs, where they won a couple overtime thrillers before losing to St. Thomas in the Division III final. Most of last year’s players have returned and they’ve brought last year’s lessons with them.
“We know we can’t stop,” Farrey said. “There were a lot of games where we would wait back and then we’d come back in the end of the quarter and it worked. We would win, but we want to start early and get the push on earlier. So this year we’re definitely looking to start the game early — first minute. We always say first and last minute. We want to start the quarter fast and end the quarter fast.”
Farrey and Shippee are Mascenic’s steadfast captains, leading the way by example.
“They’re the ones who put the work in on their own time,” Shaw said, “and during team time, they never take a play off.”
It’s a mature team beyond the captains, with nine playoff-tested juniors. Hailey Saari brings pure grit to the offense, along with speedy Iris Traffie, standout soph Matson and newcomers Reese Alix and Eden Traffie; Eleanor Haavisto, Ashlynn Blood and Mallee Aho join the senior Farrey in the back.
The Vikings are off to a 2-0-1 start, and have their sights set on another trip to the finals.
“We do have high expectations, but I think that we can meet them,” Shaw said. “I have a team that’s willing to work. They love playing together. They love working hard. And they’re all about going out and just having fun out there.”
The Vikings are at Derryfield Friday.