John Stark field hockey headed back to D2 final after win over Hanover (video)

EXETER - There was one thing the John Stark Regional High School field hockey team had going into Tuesday's Division II semifinal that its opponent couldn't match.

Experience.

The two-time defending division champions were playing in their third straight final four against a Hanover program that was there for the first time since 2019. When the Generals ramped things up in the second quarter, things started to snowball for the Bears.

Third-seeded John Stark scored all three of its goals in the second quarter, with two from senior Jillian Fredette, and the Generals did enough in the second half to hold off No. 7 Hanover for a 3-1 win at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

The win sends John Stark to the D2 final for the third year in a row, where it will look to become the first team to three-peat in Class I/D2 history against No. 1 Hollis Brookline at 7 p.m. Saturday at Bedford High School.

"The familiarity of this field helps us out a lot," John Stark senior Adie Bolduc said. "We weren’t that nervous coming in because we’ve been here before. We know what we have to do to get the same results and I think we showed up and did that."

Addison DeCew got the scoring started for the Generals (15-3) on a penalty corner with 9:36 remaining in the first half and Fredette added her two goals off scrambles in front of the goal for a 3-0 lead at the break. Bolduc and Caylin Worthen each had an assist for John Stark and goalie Rowin Ledy finished with eight saves.

"We came out so strong," John Stark coach Cassidy Huckins said. "Three goals in the first half is so impressive and we had that energy. Second half, they scared me a little bit because Hanover came out even stronger because they wanted to win. We did, too, but they had a good fight the whole game."

Hanover (11-7-1) got one of the goals back in the third quarter, as Joia Collins scored off a rebound on a corner to make it 3-1 with 7:21 remaining in the frame. But despite keeping the ball on the Generals' half of the field for most of the half, the Bears couldn't get any closer.

Gwen Riordan finished with 11 saves, all in the first half, including a sequence early in the second quarter, when the game was still scoreless, where John Stark had a flurry of shots. The senior goalie made six saves and then kicked the ball clear of the circle.

But the Generals regained possession, got back in the circle and forced a penalty corner, one of nine in the first half for John Stark. On the corner, Bolduc slipped the ball across the top of the circle to DeCew, who sent a shot in that got past Riordan to make it 1-0.

"We were going to try our best and go as hard as we can, it doesn’t matter how the other team plays," Fredette said. "After that first goal, we were able to build up the energy and keep it going."

With under six minutes to go in the quarter, Worthen brought the ball toward the circle from the right, near the end line, and found Fredette, who knocked the rolling ball past Riordan to make it 2-0 with 5:44 to go in the half.

Fredette almost it a three-goal lead moments later on a corner, as the ball came to her with a wide-open net in front of her. But Riordan dove back across and got her stick down to block the shot before Fredette to get the ball over the goal line.

"Their goalie was phenomenal," Huckins said. "The momentum there was amazing. Our corners were strong (Tuesday) as well and we executed them very well. That first goal is what we needed to get the other two goals going."

Fredette did make it 3-0 with 1:38 left until halftime, putting in a rebound on the far side after Riordan had made a save on a shot by Worthen.

Hanover had a pair of corners to open the second half, but John Stark was able to clear the circle on the first one. On the second, Ledy stopped a shot from Sophia Mancini, but Collins was there to get control of the rebound.

With Ledy down trying to make a stop, Collins was able to flip a shot into the goal to cut the lead to 3-1 with 7:21 left in the third quarter.

But although the Bears would have their chances over the final 22 minutes, they wouldn't get any closer.

While the Generals will prepare for their third-straight title game, their coach will get her first experience there.

"It’s crazy, as a first-year head coach coming into it," Huckins said. "This is the same team though that’s been here for three years. I love that I get to be a part of it and bring them to the last game. They know how to pass and play with each other. It’s very impressive and I’m very proud of them."