Archive for November, 2008

From the Wicked Local Walpole website:

   Hingham field hockey hoped to get a goal at Turco Field while holding the Walpole High Porkers scoreless for the first 22 minutes of their first-round tourney game at Turco Field Saturday, but it never materialized. Neither did a shot.
   With the stifling Porker defense – led by Liz Malone’s efforts – almost immobilizing the Harbermen the entire game, the Porkers went on to win, 2-0.
   Dennis-Yarmouth fought hard to get a goal in Monday’s second-round game. That, too, failed to happen as the Porkers won, 3-0, despite seven DY shots and went back to doing what they do best – shutting people down.
   The win, which upped the Porker record to 17-2-1, was the fourth straight shutout by the locals, and that included a 2-0 win over Wellesley at the end of the regular season to take first place and a Herget title from the Raiders.
   Now, the Raiders, who scored twice on Walpole the first time they met this year, hope to have better fortune than either non-league foes or themselves at Turco. The next stop for the Porker Express is Wellesley’s Sprague School (Wednesday, after deadline) where they meet Wellesley for the third time this year in the Div. 1 South semifinal.
   However, if the last four games are an indication, getting another goal on Walpole’s defense might be pretty difficult. That’s important, since more teams are playing close-to-the vest defense on higher-scoring teams this year, turning the tourney into a series of overtime shootouts, and the Porkers are still having trouble finishing on offense.
   The biggest challenge in the Hingham game for Walpole, which wasn’t finishing chances early, was just getting the first goal as Harborman senior captain Ali Lund, backboning an excellent defensive effort, made a number of impressive stops in net.
   Walpole finally broke through with 56 seconds left in the first half however, as senior Captain Taylor Silvestro took a rebound off Lund’s pads and put it past her for the 1-0 lead. The rally had begun when junior Shelby Guisti had stolen the ball at midfield and brought it back to the circle for the initial shot.
   Walpole wasted little time getting the insurance though, scoring at 2:12 of the second half. Susan Conroy started the play by inserting a corner from beside the net to senior Captain Emily Painten at the top of the circle. Painten simply ripped a shot directly into the net past Lund’s right side.
   Lund was busy, facing 21 Porker shots, while Walpole goalie Cori Cisternelli made no saves in the shutout. Walpole also outcornered the Harbormen, 10-1.
   “I thought we did well for 75 yards, which means I think we should have scored more,” offered Walpole Coach Marianne Murphy. “We really didn’t make the most of our opportunities. However they had one corner and Cori didn’t see any shots, as the defense was doing what it should be.”
   The victory propelled them into the quarterfinals at Turco Field Monday against Dennis-Yarmouth, which won the battle of the hyphens by beating Dighton-Rehoboth 2-0, in the first round.
   It was the same old story for Porker opponents, though, as the Dolphins were jumping through hoops trying to get past both midfielder Liz Malone and stopper Jordan Dasilva, who was sensational in the recent win over Wellesley.
   The Dolphins did a nice job of frustrating the misfiring Porkers in the beginning, but once the corners starting coming and Walpole was able to establish itself in DY’s end, it seemed it might be a just a matter of time.
   It took almost 10 corners to get the first goal and eventual game-winner, however, as it came with 11:04 left in the first half with the benefit of a corner. Jen Walsh took the corner and inserted it down low to Liz Malone, who crossed a pass to Silvestro for the score as the senior Captain chipped it past Ashley Hallman, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top netminder.
   Less than five minutes later, with 5:31 left in the half, Silvestro helped with the insurance goal as she passed to Steph Frye in front after bringing the ball up and into the circle.
The Porkers took the tenuous 2-0 lead into halftime, after DY survived another Frye goal that was called back.
   The lead became even more tenuous as once again the Porkers started having trouble finishing and Cisternelli was tested. The third score didn’t come until there were only 43 seconds left.
   DY had almost closed the gap to 2-1 early in the second half as the Dolphins got a series of corners in Walpole’s end, but Cisternelli made a couple of key saves and the defense held.
Walpole started reasserting itself, getting more corners, but while they ended up outcornering the Dolphins 17-6, they only had the one goal on them.
   The final goal was a product of Walpole’s sister act as senior Captain Liz Malone, all over the field as usual, ripped a long pass into the circle from midfield and sophomore Caroline finished it off.
   The score was Caroline Malone’s first postseason tally, as was the one scored by Frye.
If the third-seeded Porkers solved post-deadline how to beat the same team three times in a season (Second-seeded Wellesley’s two losses were to Walpole), then they will be in the South final against either top-seeded Somerset or fourth-seeded King Philip. If not, then it will be Wellesley in Taunton this weekend after avenging last year’s tourney loss to Walpole at the same juncture.
 

Read “Porkers drop anchor on Hingham” on the Wicked Local Walpole website

From the Wicked Local Walpole website:

   When it comes to brains vs. brawn, most pundits like to believe that brains will, or should, win out every time.
   Those people would be happy to see their theory followed through in practice on Turco Field, where the Walpole High Rebels are usually the smaller team man for man, yet most opponents can’t figure out how to beat them.
  The same held true last Friday for the Walpole High freshmen, who hosted a similarly unbeaten team from Braintree for the ninth-grade bragging rights in the Bay State Conference.
   Of course the game wasn’t just for bragging rights. It was also a way to use a contest to prove to Walpole players that all those adages, like the size of the fight in the dog, and the bigger they are, the harder they fall, can come true if the smaller guys use their smarts and team strengths to even the playing field.
   Playing Coach Chris Costello’s game plan to a tee, the freshmen jumped out to a first-half lead on speed and derring-do and in the second half withstood Braintree’s power I attack behind a massive line. That gave the Rebels an exciting 20-16 win that sewed up yet another BCS frosh title for Costy, who currently has a 36-game streak (33-0-3) in place.
   Braintree’s strategy was simple. With a front four that could rival some varsity units in size, they constantly ran up the middle, only occasionally throwing if the defenders crowded them too much.
   It was hard to figure which was the quarterback and which the halfback as they lined up beside each other taking turns handling snaps. They were unbeaten as a result of steamrolling everyone.
   Walpole, on the other hand, was unbeaten thanks to its skill people, overall team speed and willingness to take game-breaking chances.
   It was gambles like those – in which Costello trusts his players to execute and if they don’t, use it as a learning experience – that gave the locals a 14-0 lead off the bat.
   In the first quarter of a scoreless game Walpole drove into Braintree territory before the Braintree line bottled up the backfield and pushed it back for a loss. On fourth and 25 the Rebels were back in their territory.
   Instead of punting, the surprised Wamps watched the starting offense return to the field after a timeout. They may have guessed the desperate Rebels were going to have quarterback Tom Donnellan throw a bomb downfield.
   Instead Donnellan wheeled and tossed a screen pass to Craig “the Hammer” Hanley, and he rolled all the way to the end zone for the 50-yard score. Walpole then connected for the conversion and hiked the lead to 8-0.
   After stopping the Wamps the Rebels got the ball back and eventually got in trouble again.
Instead of punting the Rebels again went for a fourth-down conversion, this time with Donnellan hitting Hanley with a 30-yard touchdown strike. Another successful conversion and the Rebels were up, 14-0.
   “We like to take chances,” offered Costello matter-of-factly. “We roll the dice. Sometimes you win them and sometimes you lose them. But if we’re anywhere around the 50, and it’s fourth and reasonable, we’ll go for it.”
   It took a while for the Wamps to recover from getting burned twice, and the Rebels took advantage by scoring again before halftime.
   With only a couple of minutes left to the half Danny Woods flattened the quarterback for a loss, forcing a punt. When the Rebs got the ball they were on their own 16, but on the first play from scrimmage, Hanley ran 23 yards behind Ryan Beatty’s blocking. A Braintree late hit on top of that pushed the ball further toward the Wamp goal line and on their second play the Rebels were first and 10 from the Braintree 47.
   Hanley was smothered and thrown for a six-yard loss on the next play, but Walpole bounced back. First fullback Mike Baryski plowed up the middle for nine yards, and then on third and seven, Donnellan connected with Hanley for a 45-yard touchdown strike after Hanley sidestepped a tackler at the Braintree 40.
   The Wamps made it interesting in the second half, doing a better job of ball control behind the big line. They also cut down penalties, assuring them of hanging on to the bal much longer and keeping it out of Donnellan’s hands.
  The Wamps scored on their first possession but a determined Walpole defense assured it would take forever to do. Eleven plays after starting they were in then end zone on a one-yard power move up the middle, but they still barely got in thanks to the defense. The play before, Baryski made her fifth tackle of that drive alone.
  Walpole tried to come right back but was forced to punt after long passes to Hanley and Baryski moved the ball. The Wamps also seemed destined to punt after a nice tackle by Dan King, but on the next play, they gained35 yards and reached the 35.
   From there they got to the one and were almost stopped when Charlie Love became Charlie Shove on a goal line stand, but eventually got in for the score and added a rushing conversion.
Suddenly it was 20-16 with three minutes left and a brand new ball game. They tried a squib kick on Walpole’s “hands team” but Joe Murphy alertly jumped on it.
  Walpole needed to control possession, and got a boost when Hanley got another first with an 11-yard sweep. Walpole was thrown for two losses, though, and it came down to one play: fourth and five exactly a midfield.
   The day was saved when Donnellan hit Kevin McLean with a 10-yard bullet over the middle.
 

Read “Frosh Rebels put ‘Hammer’ down on Wamps” on the Wicked Local Walpole website

From the Wicked Local Walpole website:

   Welcome to tonight’s episode of “As the Girl Turns,” the show that chronicles a girls’ swim team’s ability to turn a losing season into a record-breaking one the following year thanks to the way it economizes on its turns in the pool.
   This week’s episode: The 12-1 Walpole High Rebels, extending their record number of wins in a season while maintaining their grip on the Herget Division title, use solid turns throughout in a 102-82 victory at Blue Hills Regional Tuesday to avenge last year’s loss to archrival Norwood.
   While some might have thought that the outcome was a foregone conclusion based on Walpole’s record, there was still a lot of drama as the Mustangs hung tough the first half of the meet and there were a couple more turning points to the meet than those turning points in the pool.
   The biggest may very well have been an upset win in the 100 butterfly by Walpole freshman Jenna Harrop over one of the area‘s top swimmers, Natalie Metta, at the finish.
   Harrop got the jump on Metta as they entered the pool, and maintained a slight lead into the first turn. An excellent turn increased the lead to almost a half length, as Harrop was also trying to hold off Bailey Lambert, who got off to a strong start for Norwood as well.
   A Metta surge gave her the lead in the straightaway, however and she still had the edge after the last turn. Only an incredible kick with four yards to go allowed Harrop to out-touch Metta in 1:05.62. Metta finished in 1:06.58.
   That wasn’t the first time last Tuesday that a Walpole freshman surprised Natalie Metta. Earlier she was edged in the 50 free by Sam Pomer, her 27.03 clocking just behind Pomer’s 26.76.
   Pomer also keyed another upset, although it came when the meet was already decided. The race was the 400 relay at the very end and fellow freshman Becky Idman kept the Mustangs in sight long enough for Pomer, the anchor, to overtake Emily Metta for the victory.
   Despite the loss, Norwood Coach Kim Goodwin knew things would have to go just right this fall for the ’Stangs to pull off a win. The Rebels came in having beaten everyone in the league but Carey power Framingham and swimming six freshmen the Rebels only got better every week.
   Just that the Mustangs only trailed 35-27 after four events was a testament to their own rapid progress. After losing 12 seniors last year, including all-star Olivia Metta, this season didn’t look good.
     “We finished 7-6 overall and 2-2 in the league,” said Goodwin. “We thought it would be a rebuilding year and instead we got a winning season. I have no complaints.”
   No one could complain about the Mustangs’ efforts Tuesday, especially that of the seniors. Among the highlights were senior Amelia Atwood scoring a personal best 127.3 in diving to grab third and a strong night by senior Julianna Cirillo, who beat Becky Idman and Katie Jankowski for a clutch win in the100 free, swam the second leg of a victorious 200 medley relay win and took third in the backstroke.
   Cirillo swam a personal best 58.39 in the freestyle, while Emily Metta who already holds four school records, coasted to a win in the breaststroke and added a victory in the 200 IM.
   The meet started out in dramatic fashion when two of the league’s best medley relays squared off. Walpole’s foursome of Meg Smith, Sam Pomer, Harrop and Idman had won six straight before losing and had only lost twice. Norwood’s quartet of Natalie Metta, Cirillo, Emily Metta and Mary Pat Norton had been beating everyone lately, and both are sectional-bound. Smith took the lead away from Natalie Metta on the first turn, but a good jump into the water by Cirillo returned it to Norwood. Emly Metta kept the lead but Harrop’s perfect turn cut the lead, making it a race until Norton touched in 1:59.84.
   Walpole tied the score at 15 in the 200 free with Harrop’s win, and took a 24-22 lead after the IM. Pomer and Kate Jankowski were 1-3 in the 50 for the 35-27 cushion, and a 1-2 finish in 1-meter diving by Jackie Rando (194.43) and Morgan Smith (176.33) pushed Walpole’s lead to 46-32.
   Harrop’s shocking fly win stripped the Mustangs of a comeback bid and from there Walpole’s depth took over. The final blow came in the 500 free with a 1-2 finish by Courtney Pomer and Meg Smith, negating a heroic effort by Meghan Shiloh, who even briefly held the lead.
   Walpole picked up another unexpected win in the 200 free relay, and the meet ended with Smith’s win in the back, Emily Metta’s breast victory and the Walpole upset in the 400.
   “Those relay wins were huge,” offered Walpole Coach Cheryl Cavanaugh after. “Even the opening relay was huge. We took second and third, so they only led 8-6 after that. Both teams’ kids had great swims. Emily Metta’s breaststroke time (1:10.9) was fantastic, but we had some big wins of our own.”
   Tuesday was the last regular-season action for Mustangs Colleen Carroll, Shiloh, Cirillo, Kerry McDonough, Emily Rivard, Brooke Kilgallan and divers Amelia Atwood and Kathleen Maroun, and Rebels Jankowski, Sue Cunniff, Ramie Cormay, Sarah Gambon, Kristen Helm, Steph Kelly, Rachel Landon and diver Rando.
 

Read “Rebel swimmers beat Norwood for record 12th victory” on the Wicked Local Walpole website

From the Wicked Local Walpole website:

   It wasn’t a win that the Walpole High girls’ soccer team enjoyed at Bird School Monday while celebrating senior day, but it might as well have been.
   Playing one of their most complete games all year on the final day of the season, the Rebels turned around a 6-2 loss the first time they met by tying tourney contender Dedham, 1-1.
   The tie, in which the Rebels erased a 1-0 deficit put in the book by the Marauders just six minutes into the game, came as a result of outstanding goaltending by freshman Bailey Bruckmann, a clutch first-half goal by freshman forward Keri Brady and tenacious team-oriented defense that totally shut down Patrice Vettori, Dedham’s leading scorer, every time she ventured near Walpole’s zone.
   The tie also delayed Dedham’s clinching a tourney berth, forcing them to earn one more point elsewhere to clinch.
   An early Dedham barrage produced the Marauders’ 1-0 lead at 6:01 of the first half before the Rebels started asserting themselves more physically and pushing Dedham further away from the net.
   Jenna Savi was left alone long enough to send a crossing pass to Dedham senior captain Sarah Maki, and the midfielder wasted no time tucking her first goal of the season in the corner of the net.
   Sensing an opportunity to put the Rebels away about 15 minutes in the Marauders dominated a stretch of about 10 minutes, keeping the ball in Walpole’s end while throwing one shot after another at Bruckmann. At one point Bruckmann faced three consecutive corners but she and her defense, led by senior Molly Haswell, kept turning the shots away.
   Dedham still had a territorial edge late in the first half when Walpole’s Kaitlyn Bradley and Brady got the ball into Marauder territory, and at 25:40 Brady beat Dedham keeper Jess Robinson to her right side with a shot from just inside the 18.
   After that goal the possession time evened out but Vettori was held almost without a shot by a revolving defensive blanket that included Molly Haswell, Erin Mellet, Katie Brady and Rachel MacMillan.
   Bruckmann was tested severely about 15 minutes into the second half by a Tameika Allen offering from out of a crowd, followed by Vanessa Robinson’s rebound shot from point blank range directly in front. Bruckmann’s strong game included 15 saves, many on which she had to scramble to keep the ball away from the eager Marauders.
   Bruckmann was also aided by strong play in front of her. Doing impressive jobs on Vettori in particular were senior back Erin Mellet and defender Katie Brady.
   Mellet had steals on consecutive possessions off Allison Treanor and Vettori, and with eight minutes left teamed with Rachel McMillan to take it from Vettori once more.
   Senior Meghan Brady had an outstanding second half which included a stealing an inbound pass at the start of the stanza and numerous forays down the left sideline deep into Dedham territory. Tori Hebner also picked off another inbound pass, moments before Senior Captain Allie Memmo stripped another midfielder of the ball.
   The tie allowed the Rebels to finish at 5-11-2, and the third-place Marauders moved to 7-6-4.
The tie produced the first goal by a Rebel in four games, and was only their 15th of he year. Difficulty finishing scoring opportunities has created a strong defense by necessity, however.
Before the Dedham game the Rebels hosted the Wellesley Raiders at Bird School and held their own in their own end during a 2-0 loss to the Raiders, this year’s Herget champions.
   Coach Lindsay Bruno’s new defensive scheme, which she put in after the Dedham rout, has frustrated all offenses, including Wellesley’s, which didn’t score the game winner until the 30th minute when junior midfielder Mary Louise Dixon put it away. Senior Captain Kristine Welsh-Loveman added the insurance two minutes into the second half.
   Walpole shut down the Raiders the rest of then way, quite a feat considering how balanced the Wellesley attack is.
Walpole built on that Monday.
   “The first time we played Dedham it was a 6-2 loss after we were up 2-0,” offered Bruno. “That was the day we made our changes. It was a much better turnout and a decent way to end the season.
   “Everybody played well today. We pressure Vettori and shut her down; we played out game. As long as we apply pressure where it’s needed, they can’t do what they want.”
   The Rebels lose six seniors in Lauren Kilduff, Haswell, Memmo, Julia Frankle, Mellet and Meg Brady, but return many veterans who know how to play tough D. Add to them the jayvees who finished 13-1-4 after knocking off the Marauders and next year could be a totally different story.
 

Read “The Bruck stops here” on the Wicked Local Walpole website