"Every player on our team played like a champion," said head
coach Heidi Hill, who also led the Highlanders to their championship in
her first season as head coach in 2008.
"To come into a hugely
intense, big-time environment like the finals at the UVM stadium, and
have these players do exactly as the coaching staff asked, is so
satisfying. We're just so excited to take home this championship, and
I'm so proud of each and every player on our team. They all wanted this
so badly, and it's really just amazing," she continued.
All-Star
senior and tri-captain Sophie Lisaius got things rolling for the lady
Highlanders as she scored a beautiful goal on a blazing shot taken from a
penalty corner pass from fellow senior and tri-captain Sarah Reid.
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Both
Lisaius and Reid were sophomore members of the Harwood team that
notched a perfect, undefeated season in which they captured the crown in
2008. Both girls played big roles in landing the title this year,
ultimately earning them spots on the 2010 Vermont All-Star/Twin State
game team.
Said Lisaius, "I can't tell you what a big deal this
is for all of us. I thought winning it in 2008 was unbelievable, but to
end up with the title in my senior year is just so, so special, and one
couldn't ask for a happier ending!"
But Otter Valley wouldn't go
away lightly, and they tied the game 1 to 1 minutes later on a ripping
shot that snuck past standout senior and tri-captain net-minder Chelsea
Delphia, who was also a starter on the 2008 championship team.
Then,
Highlander freshman Katie Martin snapped the 1-1 deadlock at 19:06 of
the first half on a rebound scramble goal in front, and the lady
stickers never looked back. And, before the half ended, senior Sarah
Reid drove home the insurance goal on a rebound in front of the Otter
Valley net that had come from another well-earned penalty corner to put
the Highlanders in the lead for good, 3 to 1.
As the second half
unfolded, the Harwood team showed no signs of letting up, and they
continued to play a very disciplined, well-positioned and defensive
style of play, which kept Otter Valley from getting back into the game.
As the strong contingent of black-and-gold-clad Harwood Union
faithful fans cheered them on in the chilly stadium, the clock slowly
ticked away, and when the time finally ran out, Harwood had won it again
for the second time in just three years.
Senior Sarah Reid
said moments after the victory, "This is just an incredible team of
girls that really loved each other, and we all wanted to win the
championship so badly, and it's just really incredible that we pulled
together and actually won it all. What a day for Harwood field hockey!"
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Harwood girls' soccer makes history
On
Saturday, November 6, the Harwood girls' soccer team made history. With
a 1-0 win over Milton at Randolph High School in the finals, the girls
earned the first-ever state championship in the program's history.
This
was a magic run to the championship. Despite losing nine seniors from
last year's team that lost to Milton in the finals in penalty kicks,
this 2010 team never mentioned the word "rebuilding." With so many new
players, including four freshmen in the starting lineup, this team came
together at the right time in playoffs.
The run to the
championship for the number-four seeded (9-4-1) Highlanders started with
an impressive opening round win over number-13 Otter Valley on October
28. Led by sophomore scoring leader Laura Moore's three goals, Harwood
went on to a 5-0 win. This allowed the team to host #5 Hartford on
October 30 in the quarterfinal round. Once again, Laura Moore found the
back of the net and despite the cold, wet and overall miserable weather
conditions, the team held strong and held on for the 1-0 win.
With
this win, it was on to rival Montpelier. In a rematch of last year's
semi-final, Harwood was up against the number-one overall seed and
undefeated Montpelier Solons. Going into the match on November 3,
Harwood embraced being the underdog and with a stingy defense, huge
goalkeeping from Ashley Pitrowiski and little luck, they headed into
halftime scoreless.
Then, with just under 17 to go in the
match, Laura Moore scored her fifth goal of the playoffs (21st of the
season) on an assist from junior midfielder Liza Mackey. The girls
battled and held off a relentless attack from Montpelier in the final
minutes and as the buzzer sounded, their first huge upset complete, they
were onto the championship match for the second year in a row.
The
playoff magic road led to Randolph High School on November 6 versus the
number-two seeded Milton Yellowjackets, the same team that beat Harwood
in last year's finals match in penalty kicks and who entered the match
with a 16-1 record. For the second match in a row, Harwood entered as
the lower seed and a team that was not expected to win. The girls once
again embraced this and made the most of their opportunities. In the
first 10 minutes, Milton came out strong and dominated play and
controlled the match.
However, the score remained tied at zero
and in the 16th minute, freshman Anna Bauer served a tremendous ball and
found a streaking Liza Mackey in behind the defensive who beat the
goalkeeper and a defender to the ball and buried it in the back of the
net. This electrified the Harwood fans who outnumbered their opposing
fans 3-1. For the remainder of the match, which seemed forever, the
Highlanders held strong and found ways to hold off a surging Milton
attack. Ashley Pitrowiski had the match of her career with huge saves
and leadership.
The back line of freshmen -- Amy Graham, Haley
Cleary, Anna Bauer and junior Anna Hofmann -- absorbed the pressure but
didn't break. The one or two times it did, Pitrowiski came up with a big
save or Cleary broke up a breakaway. As the minutes slowly passed by,
the anticipation from players and fans became unnerving. In the last 10
minutes as Harwood continued to clear the ball out of their half, the
sense of "it" actually happening started to take shape. As the ball was
cleared one more time and players and fans started counting down the
final seconds, the final buzzer finally sounded and pandemonium erupted.
It happened; the Highlanders finally won a championship.
Coach
Jon Hammond, completing his 11th season with the program, stated, "This
championship is something special, not just for this season's players
but for everyone involved in the program and the broader Harwood
community. The support showed towards his program is unmatched and is
what makes being part of this program so rewarding. Seeing the faces of
former players, parents, young girls who wanted to be part of this,
family and friends shows what this championship has really done. The
girls on this team proved that heart really can win over talent and
athleticism. More importantly, they proved what it really means to
believe!"
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