Hawks look for first title in 30 years
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Hudson - Led by a quintet of returning senior starters, three of whom serve as tricaptains, the Hudson High field hockey team is attempting to accomplish something for the first time in nearly 30 years.

The Hawks entered play this week with a 5-3-4 overall record, which included a 4-0-3 mark in Mid-Wach C league play. All that stood between Hudson and a league title was a game between Mid-Wach C foe Lunenburg, at Lunenburg Oct. 17.

Should the Hawks wear the Mid-Wach C crown this year, it will be their first league title since 1978, when they competed in the Midland League, which combined with the Wachusett League in the late-1980s to become the Mid-Wachusett League.

"This success has been the result of a lot of hard work on the part of the players," Hudson coach Kathy Ekdahl said. "We've really struggled the last three seasons but I could see the potential the team had. We've been building toward this."

When the team started 0-3-3 however, it appeared to some that this season was going to end up a lot like last season, when the Hawks were 5-11-3.

"Even in the slow start, I saw we were a different team," Ekdahl said. "Teams we lost to last year by 3-0 and 4-0 scores we were losing to 1-0, one on a last-second goal. Some of the teams that beat us soundly last year we played to a 0-0 or 1-1 tie."

Ekdahl is in her sixth season as the Hawks varsity coach. She played high school field hockey at Wayland High and college field hockey at Holy Cross.

Part of the reason Hudson has five wins and a tie since its 0-3-3 beginning is Ekdahl's tweaking of her starting lineup, moving senior tri-captain Rebecca Mongeau from the center-midfield position - a defensive position - to the center-forward position - an off ensive position.

"Off ense has been a problem over the years, but not this year," Ekdahl said. "And while Rebecca's not scoring a lot of goals for us, she is setting her teammates up. She's quite a playmaker. She has great stick skills and she is easily the fastest female athlete Hudson High has."

Mongeau is joined in the starting lineup by fellow seniors Chrissy Grote, Megan Carter, Stephanie Pertarb and Liz Serrentino. Grote and Carter are midfielders as well as the other two tricaptains, while Pertarb is a forward and the Hawks' leading scorer (four goals, an assist), and Serrentino plays a back position and is the core of her team's defense.

Juniors who have started and/or seen significant playing time include center-back Sarah Matthews, back Lauren Brecken, sweep Sarah Sprague, forward Megan Avery, goalie Marla Caram and center-midfielder Nikki Meuse.

Caram, who also started in goal as a sophomore, has posted six shutouts this season and allowed just nine goals in 12 games.

Sophomores Jackie Bonner and Sarah Caragian have also started this season for the Hawks - Bonner at forward, where she's recorded three goals and an assist - and Caragian at sweep.

Other contributors have included junior Samantha Chaves and sophomores Arianna Silva and Rose Mullane, Chaves and Silva are defensive players, Mullane is a midfielder.

The Hawks are attempting to qualify for the Central Mass. Division 2 Field Hockey Tournament for the first time since 2003.