By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

For the third consecutive year the Uxbridge Field Hockey team captured the Division 4 State Championship. The Spartans took home the title for the first time back in 2012 defeating Ipswich in the Championship game, the following year they took out Manchester Essex to go back-to-back. This past season, Coach Kelly Rosborough and her girls were intent on making it three in a row.

“This year we mixed things up with our schedule adding some division 1 schools to keep us ready. We played 5 top 10 division 1 teams and only lost to Andover,” the Uxbridge Coach. “The change to our schedule was beneficial to the team’s progress. After winning the State championship last year we knew that we had to do something to up our game.”

The Spartans also knew that if they were to continue to win they were going to have to keep playing as a team; an entire group effort with everyone contributing in some way or another.

“The girls are motivated, so our focus is on staying humble and playing for each other not for themselves,” Rosborough said. “The team aspect is a HUGE point of emphasis and caring about one another as human beings and teammates.”

This past season Uxbridge put forth a season that was one like no other before. The Spartans captured the SWCL Championship, defeated Division 1 Wachusett for the CMADA Class A Championship, took home their third straight Division 4 State Title, was ranked second in Massachusetts and 22 in the Nation. Uxbridge was riding a 67-game winning streak when Andover beat them this year. 

In addition to the Spartans persistently winning, when the post-season came they seemed to take their game to the next level. Over the last three seasons the Spartans have played in 14 tournament games outscoring their opponents 85-2. This season Uxbridge shutout their adversaries in all five games while scoring 36 goals (averaging 7.2 goals a game). Enroute to the three-peat season Uxbridge took out Tahanto 9-0, Stoneham 9-0, Quabbin 7-0, Sutton 7-0 and Monomoy 4-0 in the title match. 

The ability to capture their third straight championship stems from the fact that the team is not solely focused on one individual doing all the scoring. According to Rosborough, Uxbridge has a lot of potential players who can put the ball in the net. 

With that said, junior co-captain Ellie Bouchard is the team’s offensive driving force. The junior had 32 goals and 4 assists and during the Semi Final game against Sutton she notched her 100th career goal.

“Scoring her 100th goal was the first time in Uxbridge history that someone has accomplished that goal. Previously the most goals scored by an individual was 70,” the Coach said. “Ellie hasd been with the team since the eighth grade, but that year was Covid, and it wasn’t a true first season. I could onlyimagine where she’d be if she had that full year.”

Bouchard, who is committed to playing field hockey at Bryant University, still has one more year with the high school to add to her history breaking numbers.

Another athlete who has been on the team since the eighth grade, is sophomore Julianna Casucci. Over her first two seasons she found herself patrolling the midfield, but with the vacancies left by the graduating seniors Rosborough moved her into the forward position. Here she would score 34 goals, including 2 in the championship game, while adding 6 assists on the season.

Giving the Spartans a one-two punch are sophomore attacking midfielders Kendall Gillmore and Amelia Blood. Gillmore would net 16 goals and 12 assists for 28 points, while her counterpart found the net on 21 different occasions while adding 25 assists for a team leading 46 points.

Gillmore, who uses her incredible speed and stick handling skills to get down the field, was able to score the only goal in the game against Division 1 Walpole. Blood, on the other hand, is the team’s quarterback on the field igniting and creating for her teammates. She is also the primary corner hitter for the team. 

Both athletes are year-round field hockey players and have been named to the National team and are now hoping to make the travel team. Other offensive players for the Spartans on the forward line are Tessa Johnson and Ava Rosborough, while Brooklyn Kaferlein, Aubrey Bouchard, Natalie Orr, and Ella Pezzullo provided strong midfield play.

Defensively Uxbridge was led by yet another sophomore goalkeeper Julia Okenquist. In addition to not allowing a single goal during the tournament, the sophomore posted 16 shutouts in 24 games this season while only allowing 13 goals to get past her.

“While she may be the backbone, our defense played tough quality D-1 teams during the regular season and were able to get the kinks out,” the Coach said. “In doing so, they were more than ready for the post-season and came together to play some of their best field hockey.”

Coming to the aid in front of Okenquist was Maddie Cammuso, Addie Blood, and Bailey Dzivasen, who was consistent in her play, especially in her pressure.

With three State Championships within the last three years Rosborough doesn’t really have to do too much to get her squad ready for next fall as they look to go after number four.

“In terms of motivating them; there is nothing that I have to do. They are all experienced plyer and know what it is like to be a state champion,” she said. “They are athletes that want to win and push one another to be better. We definitely have the players and that has been the biggest difference in my 10 years. The only thing I wish they’d do more of is compete in the off-season more.”

Having the players ready for when they enter high school is one of the biggest reason the Spartans have had so much success over the past few years. According to Rosborough, the youth field hockey program has defiantly benefit the high school team. The girls are involved with field hockey at an early age and not only does their game evolve, but it prepares them and has them ready to step onto the high school field. 

“Our success on the high school level is combined with the fact that it comes from the heart of the youth program,” Rosborough said.

As long as the girls in Uxbridge continue to play field hockey within the youth league the high school should be able to compete at a high-level year in and year out.