By John Orrell, Contributing Writer
Marlborough / Grafton – Sophomore Colin Hennessey’s desperation swipe of a loose ball in the closing seconds of regulation time found the back of the Nashoba Regional High School net to lift top-seed Marlborough High (19-1-1) to a stunning 2-1 victory and capture the Central Mass Division 1 field hockey crown at Grafton High School on Nov. 11. The dramatic finish set off a frenzied celebration with legions of team supporters on hand joining in the excitement.
The Division champion Panthers now travel to West Springfield High School on Tuesday, Nov. 15 to take on Longmeadow High School in state semifinal competition. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
“We worked so hard during the season and all our hard work ends up for this special day,” said senior co-captain Jill Petrie. “It really showed that we all wanted this, that we really cared. We played our hearts out and did it in the end.”
“It’s always hard to beat a team twice so we changed our game plan up,” explained head coach Angela Chouinard, referring to her team’s earlier season win over third-seed Nashoba. “We practiced hard all week. We made new plays and we persevered and did what we had to do to throw them off their game so we could get the upper hand.”
Marlborough, playing in its first-ever field hockey title matchup, connected on the game’s only first half tally when freshman Jacqueline McKinnon laced a bullet that swept past the Chieftain goalkeeper to put her team up early on. The up-and-coming freshman admitted that she felt good about her shot on release but didn’t realize that she had scored until moments later.
“I got the ball and shot it with all my might and hoped for the best and I closed my eyes because I didn’t think it was going to go in,” said McKinnon. “Then Jill Petrie came over and hugged me and that’s when I knew it went in.”
Nashoba, seeking to retain its District title, would even things at 1-1 in the second half setting the stage for a fierce finish and neither team would disappoint. With time winding down in regulation, it was clear that the next score would be decisive and it was then that Hennessey stepped in for the clincher.
With just 4.2 seconds remaining, Hennessey dove for the ball in the left circle and managed to swipe it home rapid-fire while a stunned Nashoba team looked on. Hennessey’s heroics send the team on to state competition with amped up confidence and determination.
“Abigail (Larson) pulled up the right side and made a couple of moves heading for the far corner and then she tossed it into the circle,” explained Hennessey of his biggest high school goal to date. “I saw my chance and ran up and just backhanded it far right corner. I knew I had to make the commitment or we weren’t going to win.”
“I’m not sure he was aware of how much time was on the clock,” Chouinard said. “We were screaming 30 seconds, put it in and it still looked like they were moving slow. He knew he had to be inside that circle and he swept it right in.”
Also huge on the day was the superior play of junior goalkeeper Sarah Popivchak who knocked down shots at critical times to keep her team in contention.
“They (Nashoba) had a lot of chances but our team kept fighting all the way to the end,” said Popivchak of her team’s performance. “When they scored it was nerve-wracking, but I had no doubt that my team would come back and that’s just what we did. I just remind myself that I have a team behind me backing me up. We just pick each other up and keep going.”
“She played an incredible game in net today,” added Chouinard. “Her feet were together. She was kicking the ball, clearing the ball and her defense was supporting her by taking it out for her. We couldn’t have asked for a better game out there.”
The Panthers advanced to the title game with victories over Worcester’s Notre Dame High (1-0) and Algonquin Regional High School (2-1) with defense and goalkeeping dominating. In the matchup with rival Algonquin, senior Mariah Berry knocked home the decisive overtime goal to send her team onto its first Central Mass. Division 1 final.