Two Watertown High School seniors, Ally Kennedy and Aurise Tattrie, will continue their field hockey careers when they head to college next fall.
Monday afternoon, the pair officially signed letters committing their choice of colleges — Vermont for Kennedy and UMass Lowell for Tattrie — in a ceremony held in the Watertown High School Gym.
Kennedy verbally committed to play for the Catamounts after her sophomore year.
“I love the environment there,” Kennedy said. “I like the cold. The mountains and scenery are really beautiful and academically it is really good.”
She got to know the team and coaches over the summer during a camp held at Vermont.
Tattrie said UMass Lowell is a good fit for her.
“I just knew I wanted to play at a Div. I program and I felt like UMass Lowell was the best fit for me,” Tattrie said. “I really like the coaching staff and all the girls were really nice.”
She is not sure what she will study in college, but may look at criminal justice.
Both players were part of Watertown teams that won two state championships, three North Section titles and four Middlesex League titles, said Watertown Head Coach Eileen Donahue. This year the pair served as co-captains for the Raiders, and were both named not just Middlesex League All-Stars but also All-Conference and Co-MVPs of the League.
“Ally played a lot of positions for us, offense, offensive corners, defensive corners, stroker, midfielder,” Donahue said. “She did what ever it took to help the team win. She’s a great leader along with Aurise.”
Of Tattrie, Donahue said: “Aurise has been one of our best backs that we’ve ever had in the program. … She is a very strong leader, encouraging, tough, expectations were high for everyone, assisting people on the team and providing advice to our coaches as well.”
Kennedy finished with 66 goals and 63 assists during her WHS career. Tattrie, who missed a year with an ACL injury, had 10 goals and 23 assists, and was part of the defense that allowed the fewest goals in the Middlesex League. Donahue said the team has led that statistic for the past 20 years.
Kennedy is the third sister to have graduated from WHS, and go on to play field hockey in college. Her eldest sister Kourtney is a junior at UConn and middle sister Jonna is in her sophomore year at Boston College. Donahue noted that BC is in the NCAA Final Four. The Eagles plays North Carolina in the semifinal at Wake Forest, N.C. on Friday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m.