This is what the Newburyport field hockey team has been waiting for all year.
Yes, each season is different, and the Clippers have already made this campaign a success by earning a share of the CAL Kinney title. But, after a trip to the Division 3 semifinals two years ago, followed by one of the most improbable state championship games last year — nearly upsetting Watertown in the finals — the program is hungry for more postseason success.
And it’s well-positioned to earn some.
With the release of the statewide field hockey pairings on Wednesday moring, Newburyport finds itself as the No. 3 seed in Division 3. The Clippers (13-3-2) will get to host playoff games at James T. Stehlin Field up through the quarterfinals, and have used both a high-powered offense and stifling defense to once again earn a powerful opportunity.
What’s helped is that the Clippers are as athletic as they are skilled.
Cody Saboliauskas is in her second year as Newburyport’s starting goalie, and she has experience in front of her with veteran defenders Riley Lombard and Rachel Casson. A freshman in Avery Stare has helped to solidify the back line, as has senior track star Lucy Buchmayr — the school’s record-holder in the 55 hurdles (15.44). Then in the midfield, Morgan Felts is a three-time Daily News Track All-Star, and Reese Bromby is committed to UMass Amherst for lacrosse. They’ve slid in alongside Ella Loomes and Olivia Kreuz, but really in the midfield for the Clippers, it starts with Daily News All-Star and Bates commit Ciara Geraghty.
Finally, up front, Olivia Wilson is one of the top goal-scorers in the CAL. Ruby Field has had a similarly strong season finding the back of the cage, and freshmen Lottie O’Brien and Ari DeRosa have contributed off the bench as well.
And in the first round, there could be some CAL rivalry fireworks.
In the same pod of the Division 3 bracket is Triton at No. 30, and a victory in the preliminary round against No. 35 Seekonk (time/date TBD) would set up a matchup with Newburyport. Which, with how well the Vikings (6-12-0) have been playing as of late, may not be the automatic layup many would think.
When you have a four-year All-Star goalie like the Vikings do with Sophie Chapman, you have a chance in every game. Grace McHale, Riley McDonald and Adeline Stapleton have tightened up on defense, and on the other end watch out for Marissa Maribito, Ava Johnson, Peighton Hertigan, Delaney Quinn, Maggie Rennick and Aaliyah Jackson as the threats to score goals.
Finally, for local teams in Division 3, Pentucket earned the No. 13 seed.
The Panthers (8-6-4) will try to recapture the magic of the 2021 season when they made the semifinals, and will begin this year’s run by hosting No. 20 Hanover in the first round (time/date TBD). The story of this year’s squad is a relentless — and deep — midfield/attacking unit, with Cat Colvin, Kat Flaherty, Kayla Murphy, Morgan Gallant, Elle Pierce, Cassidy Roche, Ella Palmer and Carsen Ventola all being goal-scoring threats. Then out back, Abbie Felzani leads the defense in front of second-year starting goalie Hannah Bub.
Amesbury did not make the field in Division 4.
Here is the complete bracket for each division including a local team.
Division 3
Seedings: 1. Sandwhich (20-0-0); 2. Watertown (17-0-0); 3. NEWBURYPORT (13-3-2); 4. Medfield (13-2-2); 5. Dedham (13-3-2); 6. Dennis-Yarmouth (11-5-2); 7. North Reading (13-3-2); 8. North Middlesex (14-2-2); 9. Dover-Sherborn (10-7-1); 10. Bedford (12-2-2); 11. East Longmeadow (16-2-0); 12. Medway (5-9-2); 13. PENTUCKET (8-6-4); 14. Marlborough (9-6-3); 15. St. Mary’s (13-4-1); 16. Oakmont (7-7-2); 17. Foxborough (10-6-2); 18. Blackstone Valley (14-3-1);
19. Auburn (12-5-1); 20. Hanover (12-5-1); 21. Nipmuc (9-7-2); 22. Weston (7-10-1); 23. Gloucester (9-8-1); 24. Belchertown (13-4-0); 25. Ashland (6-12-0); 26. Nauset (7-8-3); 27. Notre Dame of Worcester (4-11-3); 28. Norwell (12-6-0); 29. Holliston (5-12-1); 30. TRITON (6-12-0); 31. Falmouth (5-12-1); 32. Groton-Dunstable (11-4-3); 33. Old Rochester (6-4-7); 34. Tewksbury (9-9-0); 35. Seekonk (7-7-5); 36. Hudson (8-6-4); 37. Montachusett RVT (9-8-1)