HOLDEN — Wachusett Regional High School varsity field hockey head coach Kerry Berry has come tantalizingly close to fielding a state championship team over her years at the helm for the Mountaineer girls. Most recently was just a season ago, when the 2022 squad (17-4-2) advanced to the Division 1 State semifinals only to bow out to 21-1 Walpole High.
The chase is on again, as the green and white face off against Acton-Boxborough on Sept. 6 at Hal Lane Field. Could this be the year that everything falls into place for Berry and her squad, who are ready and anxious to go?
“We have a strong core back this year,” Berry said. “So it’s been nice to pick up where we left off. People came into the season in shape and ready to go. I feel like this year’s team is ready to go further than they did last year, so they have a positive and enthusiastic mindset. The players who are first time on the varsity will enhance what we already have, and I feel like we have a deep bench.”
“We want to win a title badly this year. Being our last year before we graduate, we want to hopefully make it all the way this year,” said senior co-captain Ella Perry. “We’re getting started with hopefully a win under our belts. I think it really gets the flow of the team going and starts us out in a positive note, which I think is really important for the season. It’s critical to have a positive team mindset, and we have to take every game seriously because our schedule is pretty tough this year.”
“Last year we won the Central MA championship, and this year we hope to do it again,” said fellow co-captain and senior Kaleigh McGurl. “Collectively as a team, we want to win States, especially being our last year playing together as a team.
“I like the way we can work together and find each other. Even though it’s still early, we know how to find each other and maintain our possession. I feel like we’re maintaining the focus of what we need to do to accomplish what we want to this year.”
This may be one of the most cohesive squads assembled by Berry, who has had her share of quality players who have made her teams a joy to watch over the years. Competing together has helped put this team in a place that should be a lock to go high in playoffs. But first things first.
“Even though it’s really early, I’d say that we’ve bonded a lot more than in past years,” said senior co-captain Lindsey McGurl, twin of Kaleigh. “We’re more solid as a group like friendship-wise, and I feel like we’re all on the same page.
“Last year we had a bad start, because in our first game we lost to Chelmsford, but having a fast start drives you to keep going. It helps bringing the momentum up, and that was what made us able to push last time.”
“Strong leadership is very important because people take their cues from them,” said Berry. “If captains are upbeat and enthusiastic, it trickles down to the entire team. These three have been enthusiastic and positive so far.”
“If we get off to a fast start then our heads will stay up, and we know there’s more to come as the intensity is there,” added Kaleigh McGurl. “We need to start our games strong. Even if they score first, we need to keep our heads up and try to find the back of the net no matter what. We can’t get upset with each other. We need to work off each other and not against each other.
“We have so many friendships on the team. That’s why we’re able to mold quickly as a team this year, which is affecting our play in a positive way.”
All three captains have committed to taking their talent and skills to post-grad levels, with Perry attending Endicott College while the McGurl sisters head to UMass-Lowell.
Members of the 2023 Wachusett Regional High varsity field hockey team are Kaleigh McGurl, Lindsey McGurl, Ella Perry, Teaghan Steele, Sydney Marshall, Lillianna Mitchell, Somer Staiti, Lillyana Bumpus, Kendall Grady, Ella Guertin, Emerson Johnson, Halle Remillard, Lily Saben, Lily Staiti, Annabel Stow, Lillianna Chaisson, Jordan Jarvi, Julia Kirton and Lizzie Sawyer.
