Charlie Breitrose
Watertown High School field hockey players Gabby Venezia, left, and Catherine Connors signed letters of intent to play for Holy Cross and Stonehill College, respectively.
Two members of the Watertown High School field hockey team will continue playing the sport when the move on to college next year.
Monday afternoon, Gabby Venezia and Catherine Connors signed letters of intent to play in college. Venezia will be playing at Holy Cross, while Connors will join the team at Stonehill College.
Watertown Head Coach Eileen Donahue thanked Venezia and Connors for their leadership this season, along with fellow co-captain Olivia Lampasona, Venezia and Connors were good examples to their teammates, Donahue added.
“Both played any position they were asked to play, they always put the team’s needs ahead of individual needs,” Donahue said. “They only knew one way to play, it was to play all out.”
Charlie Breitrose
Watertown High School Athletic Director Ryan Murphy introduces the two WHS athletes who will be playing in college next year.
The seniors finished their career with three Div. 2 State Championships, four Div. 2 North Section Championships, and four Middlesex League Freedom Championships. The lost only two games over their four years at WHS.
“Just amazing accomplishments to be a part of,” Donahue said.
They also had individual honors. Venezia was named a Middlesex League All-Star for three years, and this year was the league MVP. Connors was a two-time Middlesex All-Star.
Both have family ties to their college choices. Venezia said the Worcester-based college has become a familiar place for her.
“I just grew up always visiting. My cousin (Lauren Sutherland) went there, my sister (Olivia) goes there now,” Venezia said. “I’ve always gone there, it’s just a comfortable place for me.”
Next year, Olivia will be a junior, so the Venezias will have two years playing for Holy Cross together, just like they did for the Raiders.
Charlie Breitrose
Parents and teammates take photos of the two letter of intent signees, Gabby Venezia and Catherine Connors. They are posing with Watertown Head Coach Eileen Donahue, behind right, and assistant coach Michelle Tavener.
Connors said she loved Stonehill the fist time she stepped on campus.
“Then I went to a clinic and I fell in love with the coach and the program,” Connors said. “The girls were so nice, and the coaches were so amazing.”
She will be playing with her cousin and former Watertown standout, Michaela Antonellis.
Connors said she plans to study health science at the Easton-based college.