Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/sports/page/66/)
When the Watertown High School field hockey team takes the field for the MIAA Div. 2 State Final Saturday it will be both in familiar and unfamiliar territory.
Read the preview bellow. Follow the action from WPI live here beginning at at 10:30 a.m.:
Game over – Watertown wins 5-1! Nine straight titles! 3 minutes left: Watertown running the clock out.
In its first year, the Watertown girls swim team will be competing at the MIAA State Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend.
WHS has combined with the existing Arlington team to create a co-op team and the Arlington-Watertown squad has had some successes. Last weekend, the team competed in the North Section Meet at MIT and scored 40 points and placed 15th overall. “This is a huge improvement over last year’s team that finished 20th,” said head coach Adlar Su. Freshman Lily Barker, who is from Arlington, placed third in the 500 free with a time of 5:22.37 and ninth in the 100 free with a time of 51.55. Arlington-Watertown’s 200 free relay swam a 1:52.01, finished 12th and qualified for the State Meet.
LYNN – The Clippers took the wind out of Watertown’s sails with a goal just a minute into the MIAA Div. 3 boys soccer State Semifinal, added a second a few minutes later allowing Norwell to hold on for the 2-0 win at Manning Field.
The Raiders finish their season on a run deeper than they have been since 2013, when the team also made the final four in the state. Watertown boys soccer coach Frank Cacia said it was an uphill battle after falling behind the South Section champs. “To come out flat, give up a goal then another goal. the second goal, it was unfortunate,” Cacia said.
BRAINTREE – Dennis-Yarmouth gave the Watertown High School field hockey team a run for their money, but the Raiders made an early goal stick as they won 1-0 the State Semifinal and are on their way to their ninth straight MIAA Div. 2 State Final. From the first whistle, the Dolphins showed they could threaten the Watertown net, and had two early corners, but the Raiders took the ball down the the field and senior Sydney Poulin got the space she needed to put the ball in the back of the D-Y net 5 minutes into the game. “(Poulin) just kept staying with the play and found her opening. It’s nice to get that early and to hang on,” said Watertown field hockey coach Eileen Donahue.
The School Committee selected Watertown High School’s new mascot, or logo: a shield with a large W and Raiders written across it. The Committee unanimously chose the shield from the four concepts brought forward by the Watertown High School Mascot Screening Committee in October. Other ideas were a knight on a horse, a knight behind a shield and a knight’s helmet. Town Council President Mark Sideris proposed that the shield be the choice. “We’re not going to make everybody happy tonight, so we have to make the decision that is best for the Watertown Schools,” Sideris said.
Three outstanding Watertown High School athletes made it official Monday, they will be taking their game to the next level. Two field hockey player and a track and cross country runner signed their letters of intent during a ceremony in the Watertown High School Gym. Jonna Kennedy
Watertown’s field hockey goalie Jonna Kennedy will be playing for Boston College next year. She has been part of three state championships and hopes to win another one this week. Watertown field hockey coach Eileen Donahue said her goalie played both for the varsity and JV her freshman year. Sometimes playing with such a talented team in front of her can mean little action, but Kennedy responds when called upon.
{The date and time of the State Semifinal game was updated on Nov. 13 at 12:23 p.m. after changes made by the MIAA.}
LYNN – Watertown’s opponent in the North Section final was a very familiar foe, and after losing a game that decided the league title, coach Frank Cacia told his team they could not lose another game and title to Melrose.
Sunday evening, Watertown senior Mehmet Yagcioglu broke the deadlock with 21 minutes left of the North Section final at Manning Field, and sent the Raiders on to to the State Semifinal with a 2-0 victory. “I knew I had to fake the goalie because I saw him coming out,” Yagcioglu said. “And that was my weak foot.” Cacia said he changed his strategy in the second half to send more players into the attack, and have midfielders make runs into the Melrose penalty box.
{The date of the field hockey game has been changed and the soccer information has been updated at 12:19 p.m. on Nov. 13}
Watertown High School athletes are competing in the post-season, and not just for team sports.
Cross Country
Emily Koufos competed against the top runners in schools of Watertown’s size in the Div. 5 Eastern State Championships and finished in fourth place. The performance came on the heels of winning the Middlesex League meet. The WHS senior ran a time of 19:11.95 over the 5K course at the Wrentham Developmental Center on Saturday.