It has only been two years since the Wachusett field hockey team advanced into the Division 1 State Tournament’s Final Four. The Mountaineers went an impressive 13-1-4 that year and earned themselves a number three seed in the post season, where they unfortunately fell to the number two seed Andover after a hard-fought game.

Last fall, Wachusett once again qualified for the tournament, grabbing a 10 seed spot. After defeating Essex North Shore 4-2 in the first round, they were ousted by Franklin 6-1 in the next round.

Coming into this season, the Mountaineers are without their top scorer, Emerson Johnson. By the end of her senior season, Johnson had set a new career record of 55 goals, eclipsing the school’s record of 54 goals that had been set in 1992 - by the Mountaineers field hockey Head Coach Kerry Berry.

“It was a bittersweet moment,” said Berry about Johnson besting her record. “But a proud moment because Emmi is such a great athlete.” Ironically, both Berry and Johnson share the Wachusett record of scoring 26 goals in one season. 

Although Johnson was a big part of the Wachusett squad, Berry believes the Mountaineers will be in a good position this fall with athletic individuals who know how to work hard and play with a lot of heart.

“We are in a sort of rebuilding mode right now,” Berry said. “We do have a lot of two- and three-year players with experience coming back. They’re just trying to figure out how to work together.”

While the team is finding its rhythm on the field, Berry has installed a new formation, which will play to the team’s strengths and keep the Mountaineers in the hunt.

“Like always, we are hoping to compete in the (Mid Wach A) League while earning ourselves a spot in the state tournament,” she said. “It’s not only our team that has a different composition of players, so do other teams.”

Berry likes to schedule Wachusett’s non-league games across the state and out of the school’s immediate area. This allows the squad to compete with teams that they would not normally see – but who they might see in the playoffs.

Looking to help Wachusett back into the state tournament will be co-captains Somer Stati, a three-year defensive midfielder and Lilli Mitchell, who is entering her fourth season with the team as a center midfielder. The duo will be one behind the other, backing each other up and distributing the ball on both ends of the field.

“They’re both great kids and have played the sport six plus years,” Berry said. “They are strong on the field, possess high field hockey IQs with a positive attitude and want the best for the team. I am looking for them to play both ends of the field while doing some scoring or assisting front to back.”

The coach is hoping that two other seniors, Ava Barone and Jazzy Abbella, both playing in their second season with the varsity team, will help the team to a winning season. Barone is a defensive midfielder who is a very reliable player with good game sense, while Abbella has a strong scoring history as a forward.

Midfielder junior Elise Montgomery found her way onto the Mid Wach All-Star team last fall and the coach anticipates she will continue to play her game on the scoring end. The junior has emerged as a strong scorer and a smart athletic player.

Junior Teaghan Steele, who made the varsity team as a freshman, missed the majority of last season with an illness, but the Mountaineer coach is ready to have her back on the field.

“She is a midfielder with speed and can contribute with scoring,” Berry said. “I am really excited to see what she can accomplish in a healthy season.”

Through the early part of the season, another junior, right winger Grace Woodsmall, has emerged as the team’s top scorer.  According to the coach, Woodsmall has either scored a goal or notched an assist in each game Wachusett has played this year. She is a very coachable individual who has added to the team’s strength.

With a large group of freshmen coming out for the team this year, Berry has found two diamonds in the rough: Greta Hagenbuch, who will play defense, and Sydnee Montejo, a midfielder. 

“We needed someone to step right in from the freshman class and these two have done just that,” Berry said. “They are very poised as freshmen and are acting like they’ve been here for a while. You could tell they knew the game and we are going to build upon their talents. Both girls have aspirations of playing in college.”

Berry was unsure how to fill some empty positions on the squad coming into this season, but Montejo and Hagenbuch stepped up and are just what the team needed. 

In addition to these two freshmen, Berry was fortunate to have another 10 or 11 freshmen make the team, giving the Mountaineers a lot of promise and potential for the team’s future. 

“We may have entered this year without a prolific goal scorer, but we have a lot of talented players who are looking to work hard,” the coach said. “I do not see why we cannot accomplish our goals this year. We are still trying to figure things out, but we are currently playing well.”