If you're wondering what all the ruckus was about last night when you saw that police cruiser and fire engine pass your house with their lights flashing and sirens howling - don't be alarmed.
It was just Hopedale's way of congratulating the high school girl's field hockey team, who walked away from their last game of the season yesterday undefeated.
Hopedale beat Tahonto North High School yesterday, 4-1.
Two police cruisers and a fire engine blasted their sirens throughout town as they escorted a school bus carrying the team up and down the streets of Hopedale.
According to one resident, this was the first undefeated girl's hockey team in Hopedale's history.
The cavalcade went on a five-mile treck through town, with their red and blue lights flashing and their sirens blowing.
And if you feel all the hoopla was just a little too much, consider this: the new Dual Valley champs racked up 13 straight wins this season, giving up only two goals the whole year.
Impressive? We think so.
Congratulations girls.
WORCESTER - Jason Potty made the rest of the field yell "Uncle!" yesterday.
The rain didn't fall on Jason's parade as the 16-year-old Hopedale sophomore shot a 5-over-par 77 on the 6,487-yard Green Hill Golf Course to take medalist honors by a shot in the District E, Division 2 tournament yesterday.
West Boylston, buoyed by Jeff Zidonis' 78, won the team title by a shot - 332 to Hopedale's 333.
The top four individual finishers - Potty, Zidonis, Mike Salvatore of Auburn (78) and Todd Nowak of Quabbin (79) - and the top two schools qualified for the state championship Tuesday at Sterling Country Club.
FORTUNATE FELLOW
Good fortune smiled on Potty in spite of the morning rains. He was fortunate enough to have an early tee time (7:38), which had him on the course before the heaviest rains pushed up the scores.
Then he had the good luck to draw one of the better-scoring groups. Potty played with Salvatore, Jim Regan of Monty Tech (81) and Matt Bianchini of West Boylston (84).
"I think that was one of the major factors," said Potty, who also has lettered in soccer and basketball. "They were nice guys, easy to talk to."
And, noted Potty, because everyone in the group played so well, it made you focus more. "You needed heavy concentration," he said.
And then there is the other factor, the other Pottys - uncle Joe and dad Eli.
UNCLE A PRO
Potty said it's a big help when your uncle is the pro at Hopedale Country Club. And Potty was gracious enough to say he and his dad "are kind of even (on the course) now."
Jason did exactly what uncle Joe told him to. "We've been working on my swing mechanics," said Potty. "One of my problems is trying to overpower the ball. I'm starting to learn (swing easy and hit long).
"The driver was pretty good today," said Potty, who birdied the par-5 third, the par-4 12th and 14th holes and double-bogeyed only the par-4 18th, where tall grass gave him trouble.
AN AVERAGE OF 38
Potty, who has played on the Hopedale High team since the seventh grade, is averaging 38 in the school's matches this year. Hopedale, which has only ninth- and 10th-graders on the team, finished 13-3 this year.
West Boylston coach Bill Foley was ecstatic over the Lions' first team title.
"Our top four players have been on the team since the seventh grade," he said. "They're golf-course rats. They play all the time up here. Everyone has been good to them here - Bruce Dobie (the club pro), everyone."
That was the same song Hopedale coach Ron Lewis was singing about Hopedale Country Club. "For a few years, junior members weren't that welcome. There's a nice atmosphere there now. The people there like the kids and the interest in golf is better."
WORCESTER - Undefeated and state champions.
Quite an accomplishment in field hockey for a school with 73 girls in grades 10-12.
Hopedale came from behind again in the state tournament with high impact, drama, and emotion.
And again, it was 16-year old Kelly Sousa who was the hero.
Sousa scored her second of two goals with 12:52 left in overtime, lifting the Blue Raiders to an exciting 2-1 comeback victory over West Bridgewater (18-3-2) for the State Division 2 title on a wet and raw evening at Worcester Polytech's Alumni Stadium.
Not only was it Hopedale's first-ever, state field hockey crown, but it was the school's first state championship in any sport.
Every time the Blue Raiders (19-0) needed a goal, Sousa was there to provide the offense.
But her seventh goal in the 1993 playoffs will be remembered as the one that pushed battle-hardened Hopedale over the top.
Sousa finished the season with a team-high 27 goals.
"We wanted to end it in overtime," said a teary-eyed Sousa. "We wanted it so badly. I don't remember anything. I just wanted to hit that ball in when I found myself open with the open shot."
THE NEVER-SAY-DIE Blue Raiders, proved to have the hearts of champions throughout the tournament needing overtime to edge Oakmont, 3-2, in the Central Mass. Final. They fought back from a 2-0 deficit to stun favored and previously unbeaten Watertown, the defending state champ, 3-2.
And that's not even counting a physical, 1-0 win over Blackstone-Millville in the second round.
"After coming back to beat Watertown, we knew we could come back on anybody. We knew we could do it. It was meant to be," Sousa added.
Hopedale head coach Debbie Gorman had nothing but praise for Sousa.
"She's been outstanding for us," Gorman said. "She scores whether or not it's on a scramble, she never quits, she's versatile, she's got good stick work, and just has a good drive on her shots."
Despite a lackluster first half, Hopedale stormed back to tie things at 1-1 just 1:16 into the second half when Sousa smashed in a shot from the left side which Watertown goalkeeper Lisa Pensinger (3 saves) barely missed.
Sousa received a cross pass from junior midfielder Melissa Butler through heavy traffic. Sousa, standing all alone, fired it home.
Each team had several opportunities to score in the second half and overtime, especially West Bridgewater.
AND WHO BETTER to put the Wildcats ahead than Eastern Athletic Conference All-Star Danica Santos, who certainly lived up to her billing as the most dangerous and athletic player to watch in the game.
Heading into the contest, Santos had posted 25 goals, including seven of the team's nine playoff goals.
The explosive Santos, who head coach Pat Conniss said, "loves basketball more," had a chance to put the Wildcats in position to win with a potential game-winning breakaway with under a 1:00 to go in regulation.
However, right halfback Lisa Mantoni broke the play up before Santos could reach sophomore goalkeeper Bernie Scano (eight saves). Hopedale, to the delight of the bench and the fans, knew it dodged another bullet.
Nine minutes earlier, Santos blasted a rocket of a shot but senior defensive specialist Amy Giroux blocked the ball before it could reach Scano.
In overtime, Santos was at her best, firing scorching shots left and right at Scano.
But Scano was extremely tough, making stop after stop. Among Scano's extra-session saves was a well-executed corner stroke by Jen Muckenthaler with 17:20 left in the period.
"She (Santos) is a great player," Scano said. "We were very lucky to stop her as many times as we did. She was all over the place."
GORMAN ADMITTED how dangerous Santos was.
"She had a lot of opportunities to score," Gorman said. "She was as good as we thought she would be and then some. I think we stopped her just enough defensively."
Hopedale had a golden opportunity to end it early in OT but Pensinger made a sensational save on a hard smash by sophomore forward Beth Mooradian. Mooradian finished the season with 17 goals, three in the playoffs.
WEST BRIDGEWATER started off quite aggressively in the early stages of the first half that actually got them a 1-0 lead a mere 3:15 into the game.
After a blast taken by Santos ricocheted off Scano's pads, Sarah Barry tipped the ball in on the rebound.
Santos had more chances to cash in in the first half.
With 16:04 left in the period she had another hard drive saved by Scano. However, Scano failed to clear the ball, and a scramble in front of the net ensued. Scano appeared to have smothered the ball which is grounds for a penalty shot. But the officials didn't call it and let play continue. The ball was eventually cleared to midfield.
Then with five minutes left in the half, Santos amazingly bobbed and weaved her way through five Blue Raiders and had a clear shot at the net. But Scano was right there to make the save, frustrating the Wildcats again.
Scano, though, remained confident despite the barrage of shots and the early 1-0 deficit.
"I knew if I just kept my head up, sooner or later my team would get it back for me," she said. "We came out stronger in the second half. We were on the ball more and rushing for the ball more. We weren't going to let them beat us."
Scano described in one word how she felt about her team being crowned champions……"Shocked."
FOR GORMAN, a slow first half was no big deal.
"We made a few small adjustments at halftime. I just told them to start cutting to the ball more, and start backing each other up better. Our passing was off in the first half and I didn't think we were playing aggressively enough."
"We wanted to come out and score early. We had some good shots, but they didn't go in. It took a while to get accustomed to the turf. But this team is so determined. Mentally, they always come back. We knew we had a great season, but I didn't know we'd ever be in the states, let alone with the title. I knew they could do it. I learned against Watertown what coming back was all about and didn't get down tonight. The morale on this team has been super the last two weeks. It's even like that for the whole school."
Gorman noted that senior forward Laurie DiPietropolo played well, as did Mantoni who she said "was all over the field tonight."
Senior captions Michelle Davis, Laurie DiPietropolo, Giroux, Jennifer Paturzo, Julie Tosches and Addie Warren went out to accept the hard-earned, state championship plaque from tournament officials.
ANOTHER PERFECTA FOR BLUE RAIDERS
HOPEDALE FIELD HOCKEY TEAM
Rich Garven/
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
November 4, 1993
Miles Davis, Robert Cray and Hopedale field hockey. No matter the instrument, each leaves others feeling blue after playing.
Of course, for Hopedale, it's a less-than-willing opponent and not an appreciative audience that's generally overwhelmed by its stylish play.
Going back to 1988, the Blue Raiders have lost once in their last 90 regular-season field hockey matches while advancing to four Central Mass. finals. Central Mass. titles were carted back to Hopedale in 1990 and '92.
Even coach Debbie Gorman, who has presided over this dynasty for nine years, seems awed by the staggering success this tiny Division 2 school.
"Every year the pieces seem to fit back together again," said Gorman as she prepared her top-seeded club for today's quarterfinal match with Murdock. "When you graduate kids, it always seems like they're irreplaceable. But then you do and it seems like those players are better than the ones they replaced."
The current Blue Raider edition, an unblemished 14-0-0, needed a little less retooling than past models. Seven senior starters returned - Laurie DiPietropolo, Addie Warren, Michelle Davis, Julie Tosches, Lisa Mantoni, Amy Giroux and Jen Barturzo.
Barturzo has a team-high 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) from her right inner spot. Junior left wing Kelly Sousa has 19 goals, seven last week in wins over Oxford, Nipmuc and Bromfield.
Another junior, Melissa Butler, and sophomores Beth Mooradian and Bernie Scano, the all-important keeper, complete the first string. A three-year starter, Scano has yielded two goals - one each to BMR and Uxbridge - while posting 12 shutouts.
The Blue Raiders need to sustain their high level for another week if they hope to repeat as area champs. Gorman calls the field one of the deepest she's seen in years.
CENTRAL MASS. STRONGER
"I just see it as a very good tournament this year,"said Gorman, casting a wary eye at B-M and Oakmont Regional. "I just think Central Mass. is stronger than it has ever been before. There's a lot of teams, on a given day, that could knock off any team."
While Gorman sees the draw wide-open, there's one given for the Blue Raiders. Despite their ranking, there wion't be a playoff game in Hopedale. After several coaches complained about dips in the field, Gorman asked John Doldoorian Jr., tournament director, to inspect the surface.
"He looked at it and agreed with the others," Gorman said. So the Blue Raiders will forfeit any homefield advantage, playing at neighboring Nipmuc.
The Chargers of Blackstone-Millville were the last team to score a regular-season victory over Hopedale. It was 1-0 in the 1992 finale to snap a 75-game undefeated skein.
The Algonquin Regional boys' cross country team turned in a sweeping effort this fall, capturing the Mid-Wach League B Division regular- and post-season titles.
The Tomahawks went 5-0 in dual meets to finish first in the standings. They then won the league meet Friday in Templeton. Placing four runners in the Top 10, Algonquin nipped Nashoba Regional by six points, 40-46.
"For us, that's the first time Algonquin has won a league title since 1979," said coach Ernie Bardier. "I was hoping for a win. I know how hard the kids worked over the summer."
Pacing the way for the 12-1 Tomahawks were junior Pete Gleason (fourth, 15:35), senior Ed Coulombe (fifth, 16:00), sophomore Reed Nixon (ninth, 16:26) and senior Dave Dalott (10th, 16:31).
PROVIDE VICTORY
Sumit Sitole, a senior captain along with Coulombe and Dalott, provided finished 13th. Rounding out the varsity for Bardier, the Tomahawks' coach since 1986, are junior Mike Charbonneau and sophomore Sugit Sitole.
"I think the true success of the program should be measured by the numbers," Bardier said. "I started off with 12 kids and two managers and I had to get the two managers to run. This year we have 64 kids combined."
It didn't take long for Keary Naughton to get a whiff of the sweet smell of success at Grafton.
In his first year at the helm, Naughton guided the Indians to a SWCL championship in girls' soccer. Grafton, 13-2-2 overall with one game left, was 10-1-1 in the SWCL. Northbridge and Oxford earned postseason spots as well.
For Grafton, Senior Gretchen Jordan and freshman reserve Jessica Mitchell, who runs the pitch at fullback as well, shared keeper duties early before Jordan seized the job. The duo boasts six shutouts and greatly benefits from the play of senior tri-captain Kara Crawford and sophomore Jen Hanley at stopper and sweeper.
The midfield has also been a strong point with juniors Katie Kireczyk (11 goals, 12 assists) and Sherie Maynard lining up with Kristina Magil, another senior tri-captain.
Offensively, Sami Butke, a junior left wing, leads the Indians with 18 goals and 13 assists while Kelly Ormond, the third senior captain, has eight goals and five assists. Freshman Jen Mena has come off the bench for 17 goals.
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