NEWBURYPORT — It was hard for the Newburyport field hockey team not to crack a little smile when the Division 3 bracket came out at the beginning of the week. Sitting there, just one win away from facing the No. 3 Clippers in the first round, was a familiar name.
Triton.
Man, imagine that.
The Border Battle archrivals, just six miles away from each other, with a real possibility of facing off in a loser-goes-home playoff atmosphere. A scenario that the No. 30 Vikings ensured would happen on Saturday, after handling business against No. 35 Seekonk in the preliminary round two days prior.
As Newburyport senior captain Ella Loomes put it: “We didn’t want to get over our heads. But we knew we already beat them twice this season, so it made us feel a little better about ourselves.”
And as it turned out, the Clippers had nothing to worry about.
Newburyport jumped out to an early lead, and cruised the rest of the way to take down rival Triton, 8-2, on a beautiful fall day at James T. Stehlin Field. Despite the familiarity of the matchup, and the notion that it’s never easy for one team to beat another three times in a season, these Clippers are too determined of a group to get caught up in anything other than their play on the field.
“The key to the tournament is that anybody can win on any given day,” said fellow senior captain Ciara Geraghty. “So showing up coming ready to play, no matter who we’re playing, no matter the history between us, is really important. We have to take it day-by-day, because you never know.”
Again, Newburyport (14-3-2) is a focused bunch.
There was plenty of roster turnover heading into the year, drawing questions of if the program could continue its recent run of success. But after a trip to the semifinals two years ago, followed by last season’s memorable run to the Division 3 state championship game, the Clippers have continued to show that they’re a top program in the state.
“We want to get back to the same place, it’s the same goal every year,” said junior captain Riley Lombard. “It was semifinals, then making the finals, so there’s only one more step to go!”
On Saturday, Newburyport wasted no time.
Just a few minutes into the game, Geraghty fired an entry pass into the circle from the 35-yard-line, and Olivia Wilson outran a defender to chase it down before firing a rocket into the back of the cage. Then off a dead-ball entry later in the frame, it was Reese Bromby getting a clean look just out front of the net, and coverting a golden opportunity to quickly make it 2-0.
“I think our team is really well-bonded now,” said final senior captain Morgan Felts. “Our passing up the field is a lot more precise, and we can always improve on our communication, but it’s been getting better.”
But to its credit, Triton (7-13-0) showed its grit.
Not even 30 seconds after Bromby’s goal, the Vikings took the ensuing restart, sprinted down the field and got a strike from freshman Aaliyah Jackson to make it 2-1. Goalie Sophie Chapman (25 saves) and fellow seniors Grace McHale and Marissa Maribito played well in their final game, and juniors Ava Johnson, Riley McDonald and Delaney Quinn had strong performances in the midfield/back end.
Newburyport, though, was just too strong.
Ruby Field tipped home a rebound just 30 seconds into the second quarter, and off a Loomes shot that was saved, the ball popped up and perfectly to Wilson for the tap-in goal to make it 4-1 at halftime. Loomes would then bat a ball out of the air and into the cage off a corner in the third, and a goal from Geraghty early in the fourth made it 6-1 and started a running clock. Sophomore Maggie Rennick would score soon after for Triton, but her tally was immediately answered by Isla DeVivo before Wilson ended the game by earning her hat-trick.
“We have a lot of versatility,” said Felts. “Even today we had six different girls who scored.”
Newburyport will now host No. 14 Marlborough in the Division 3 Round of 16 on Wednesday with a 4:30 p.m. scheduled start.