Field Hockey Notebook: Bishop Guertin facing toughest test of successful season
The Bishop Guertin High School field hockey team had high expectations before this season, and the Cardinals have done more than live up to them. The undefeated green and gold have what might be their biggest challenge yet this week when they host another undefeated club in Pinkerton. For coach Stev
The Bishop Guertin High School field hockey team had high expectations before this season, and the Cardinals have done more than live up to them.
The undefeated green and gold have what might be their biggest challenge yet this week when they host another undefeated club in Pinkerton. For coach Steve Duprat and his group, it’s all about the preparation.
“We just need to have the mentality to be ready,” he said. “We need to play from the first whistle on.”
The surprising Cardinals have soared after falling in the first round of the playoffs last season. The seventh seed was knocked off by No. 10 Exeter, 3-2, and that ended any potential run.
In 2017, however, Bishop Guertin is back at the top of the table.
The Cardinals, 8-0 this season, have relied on a stingy defense and they’ve won close contests. It hasn’t been the toughest of schedules, with the most notable opponents coming in the form of Londonderry and Merrimack.
Wednesday night, however, is going to be a different story.
The Cards are facing an Astros team that has allowed just one goal all season. For a Guertin offense that hasn’t blown the doors off in its game, it might be a tall task.
The focus for the Cardinals isn’t on the opponent, as Duprat’s group focuses on constantly improving themselves, and those efforts have them clicking in every area of the field.
“I’m not sure entirely what’s done it,” he said. “There’s a lot of players stepping up. They had high expectations this season, and they’ve been accountable to them.”
Goalie McKenna Leazer has been a star in net, and one of the main reasons the Cardinals run has gone so far this season.
“She’s been excellent,” said Duprat. “She has such a desire to win every game.”
The offense has had its moments behind sophomore Sarah Coyle and senior McKenna Gosselin. Duprat said Coyle has a lot of experience playing field hockey for her age, and Gosselin has been finishing her opportunities and putting in a lot of goals.
Gosselin is also one of eight seniors in an upperclassmen group that also has seven juniors.
“It helps having the leadership,” said Duprat. “Two years ago they were in the semifinals as sophomores, and are seniors now. They didn’t know what to expect, and now in those situations, they know what to do.”
Other scorers, such as Katie Lupo and Grace Goyette, have made contributions to the offense. On the defense, it’s been the group of Caroline Carey, Britney Pearson and Alyson Pollard leading the charge in front of Leazer.
The defense is younger than the offense, with several first- and second-year players, but they’ve held their own.
“There’s a lot of young players on that backline,” said Duprat. “But they’ve all done a really nice job.”
The Cardinals will learn a lot about themselves and where they stand in the state following the tilt against the Astros. The two are the only remaining undefeated teams in Division I.
One way or another, Wednesday will be telling as far as how far the Cardinals might fly.
Players of the Week
- Annie Kew, Manchester Central: The Little Green got past crosstown rival Manchester Memorial 7-1 last week, and Kew contributed three goals in that victory.
- Khaliyah Ellis, Pinkerton: The goalie, who has allowed just a single tally against all season, made seven saves in a 1-0 victory over Londonderry late last week. It was her seventh shutout in a row.
- Kellie Ryan, Gilford: With four goals in an 8-0 win over Littleton, Ryan continues to rank as one of the state’s top scorers.
Games of the Week
- Pinkerton (8-0) at Bishop Guertin (8-0), Wednesday, 6 p.m.: It might be the game of the year in Nashua on Wednesday night. The Astros will head into Stellos Stadium and try to hand the Cardinals their first defeat of the season.
- Merrimack (5-3-1) at Winnacunnet (7-1), Wednesday, 4 p.m.: The Tomahawks of Merrimack will have one of their biggest tests yet when they head to Winnacunnet.
- Manchester Central (3-1-2) at Londonderry (4-4), Wednesday, 4 p.m.: The Little Green are playing well, and the Lancers are looking to get on a roll after a tough 1-0 defeat to Pinkerton.
- Derryfield (7-0-1) at Hanover (5-2), Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.: Derryfield is still undefeated, and will have to face a team in Hanover that has become a looming threat in D2 on the road.
Top 15 (record, last week)
- Pinkerton (8-0, 1st)
- Derryfield (7-0-1, 2nd)
- Bishop Guertin (8-0, 6th)
- Winnacunnet (7-1, 3rd)
- Timberlane (7-1, 4th)
- Windham (7-1, 7th)
- Souhegan (7-1, 5th)
- Gilford (8-1, 9th)
- Manchester Central (3-1-2, 8th)
- Kennett (6-3, 10th)
- Pelham (8-0, 11th)
- Merrimack (5-3-1, 13th)
- Londonderry (4-4, 12th)
- Plymouth (3-2-1, NR)
- Hanover (5-2, NR)
