Everett field hockey falls to Waltham, Haverhill to start season

By Joe McConnell

The Everett High School field hockey team, under first-year Head Coach Sabrina Wright, dropped a 5-0 decision to Waltham in the home opener at Seven Acre Park on Sept. 6, 5-0.

“Our freshman goalie and last week’s honorary captain Willins Julien saw about 34 shots on net and 24 penalty corners,” said Wright after the game. “As a freshman goalie, he really left it all out on the field, and only allowed five goals, while facing 34 shots altogether, plus 24 corners. That was an extremely impressive performance in my book. I’m excited to see him grow.”

Two days later, the Crimson Tide fell to non-league Haverhill, also at home, by a similar score.

“We played as a team in this game and looked so much better than our first game against Waltham,” said Wright. “Haverhill was just a half-a-second quicker than us. But I was extremely impressed and happy with the team I saw out there in this game. They should all be proud of themselves.”

“I think our biggest hurdles were the heat and early season jitters,” added Wright. “But at the end of the day, the most important thing is that after each game these players can hold their heads up high and say, ‘even though we lost I still had fun out there,’ and if they can do that, then I have done my job as their coach.”

The Tide has since taken on Northeast Voke, another non-league foe, on Wednesday, Sept. 13 (after press deadline).

Peabody then comes to town later today (Sept. 15) at Seven Acre Park, starting at 4 p.m. “This is a game I’m looking forward to,” said Wright, “because my coach, when I played for the Prime Field Hockey club, is Peabody’s new head coach [Jillian Tobin]. So, for me to play against my coach that has taught me so much is a very full-circle moment, and it should be a lot of fun.”

Everett will begin next week at Wakefield to face the Warriors on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 4:15 p.m., before heading back home to go up against Greater Lowell the next day at Seven Acre Park, starting at 4:30 p.m. They will close out the week versus host Haverhill in a rematch on Friday afternoon, Sept. 22, at 4:30 p.m.