St. Mark's - last game

Sunny, cold, lots of excitement on the Southborough campus as two schools came together for the final game of the season. The first half was probably the best half the Groton girls have played this fall. They mostly dominated the play, and they scored first when Freddie Tobeason and Angelina Joyce combined on a give-and-go before the midfield, then Freddie ran the ball down the side of the field and passed to Angelina, who was in perfect position to gather and shoot, driving the ball hard into the back of the goal. The girls stayed strong throughout the half, making good connections with each other, with some beautiful passing, some solid support, and aggressive play – beating the other team to the ball, dribbling with control and speed, poking and jabbing very effectively to regain possession. The second half began equally well, but St. Mark’s picked up their level of play and took full advantage of their strong skills, often one step ahead of the Groton girls. And their block tackles? Enormously effective. The Lions scored all four of their goals during the second half. A bit discouraging for the Groton team, but to their credit they played hard to the final horn. Eliza Turner played her best game of the season. Freddie and Angelina both had several long runs up the side of the field. Cassidy Thibodeau was strong in the mid-field, cutting for the ball and using her speed and quick stick to control and grab the ball. Layne McKeown held down the defense solidly in the middle of the backfield and made numerous runs through the middle to distribute the ball to the attack. As the season comes to an end, it is important to note that the record may not be the best description of the team; many of our losses were very close games. This has been a great group of girls with whom to work, and a talented core will return next fall. Of course, we will miss the skill, experience, and leadership of the five seniors – Alyna Baharozian, Maggie Cheever, Angelina Joyce, Imani McGregor, and Layne McKeown. The three captains, Alyna, Maggie, and Layne, have had their work cut out for them, working hard to keep their teammates focused, positive, and having fun, all season. A special shout-out to managers Garvel Cassamajor and Andrew Pearson for their work on the sidelines and for helping us keep track of details all fall.