WORCESTER — Most games, Watertown High School’s field hockey team spends a majority of the time attacking the opponents goal, but in Saturday’s MIAA Div. 3 State Final the tables were turned. Despite facing an onslaught from Sandwich’s attack on Saturday, the Raiders emerged as the 2-0 winner and claimed the program’s 22nd State Title.
Watertown Head Coach Eileen Donahue expected the game played at Worcester State to hinge on the play of her team’s defense, as well as making the most of their own corners on the offensive side.
“Our team defense definitely helped out today. We took one of our forwards and put her in the back — one of our top scorers — and she came up huge for us: Caroline Andrade,” Donahue said. “But it was our team defense, the leadership of our captains — Rachel Egan and Adrainna Williams — and the whole team was fantastic. It was a very intense game, but you have to focus and we were fortunate to get through this. Congratulations to Sandwich.”
Neither team scored in the first quarter, but Sandwich had most of the opportunities, including seven corners. Watertown had an offensive surge early in the second quarter. The Raiders earned a string of corners and on the fourth one Andrade found the back of the net 2:53 into the second.
“(The insertion pass) went to me, I slipped it to Rachel (Egan) and I just went in and we just kept pushing it and kept shoving it on the net,” Andrade said. “We never gave up on it.”
Watertown expected to play a tight defensive game, so scoring first provided a boost, Williams said.
“That was huge — just to get a little bit of the pressure off,” she said. “Now we are up, but we still have that 0-0 mindset that we had during the entire game, but it was definitely a relief to have the first goal.”
Sandwich almost tied it up immediately, but freshman goalie Brooke Lambo kicked the ball away. The teams went into halftime with the Raiders holding one goal lead.
The Blue Knights continued to pile on pressure in the third quarter, but despite several more corners they could not get on the scoreboard. Less than two minutes into the final quarter, Watertown got some breathing room when sophomore Kaylee Master tipped in a ball that deflected high into the air above her head.
“It was off a corner shot. I inserted and I stay on post, so when Caroline Andrade shot it I just tipped it in,” said Master, who had a hat trick in the State Semifinal. “This is what we worked for all season. We practice it every practice, so it is just instinct by now.”
On the next trip down the field, Sandwich nearly scored, but the ball was cleared by the defense before it rolled over the line. The Raiders defense held strong, completed the shutout, and an unbeaten 22-0 season.
The Raiders celebrated on Coughlin Memorial Field after winning the Championship. For the seniors, it marked the end of a perfect career, from the win-loss standpoint. Egan said she was proud of the team.
“It feels great. I was just so excited we were able to win (the Championship) for the fourth year in a row. It was just a perfect ending to the season,” she said.
Watertown and Sandwich have built a field hockey rivalry, with the teams clashing during each of the last four State Tournaments. The Raiders have won all four meetings, but this year was tough, Egan said.
“I’d say it was more of a challenge this year,” she said. “I think we were in our defensive end a lot, but we have worked really hard this year to make sure that we don’t let it get past our 25 (yard line) and if it does, get it straight out.”
Another key, Andrade said, was the team’s work ethic.
“It was really a team effort. We just all have so much endurance throughout the whole game, ” she said. “We do so much conditioning. It really pays off at the end. None of us are tired. We barely sub. It is just a team effort. We really just push through and kept moving no matter how hard the other team is, we know we can win and we just keep pushing.”
The win added to Watertown’s unbeaten streak. When asked about winning the 97th straight game, Donahue said, “I don’t know. I am just happy, and focusing on this one win.”
