▪ LS leaders have lined up successes: Coach Vicky Caburian and his Warriors celebrated a few firsts this season: the program’s first undefeated streak in the Dual County League as champions and finishing the regular season atop the Division 1 power rankings. the MIAA.

“Every game (the team) did something special,” Caburian said. “It’s a special season, but I think it’s an accumulation of 26 years at the helm here.”

The Warriors (14-0-2, 10-0-0 DCL) have defeated all their opponents, in addition to tying Wellesley twice. In the first game, LS recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the third quarter despite a lack of confidence entering halftime.

“(I told them) never give up, just keep creating opportunities. And that’s what we did,” Caburian said. “No matter what position we find ourselves in, we are going to stay positive and support each other throughout the game.”

Success was never guaranteed. Senior captain Ellie Innes credited the work of the seven-strong captains council with influencing a hard-working environment.

“Once we started building that momentum, we thought, ‘We really have this. We can really be a good team,” she said. “We were so excited to keep going, but we knew in the back of our minds we hadn’t won anything yet.”

By adopting a “one game at a time” mentality, Lincoln-Sudbury hopes to continue moving toward a deep postseason run.

“I’m so proud of the team and everything they’ve worked together,” Caburian said. “So, you know what, why not Lincoln-Sudbury?” »

▪ Winning is the Walpole way: As reigning Division 1 champions, the Porkers enjoyed a dominant season which accumulated 106 goals, 6 goals against, 17 wins, 1 draw and 12 shutouts.

“Our goal every year, no matter how many comebacks we have or how many we lost, is to get to the state final game,” Walpole coach Jen Quinn said.

The team’s tenacity and ambition fueled Walpole throughout the season and allowed it to quickly recover from a scoreless draw against Natick (Oct. 22).

“We gave up on that idea thinking it was only negative if we didn’t learn from it,” Quinn said. “We kind of broke it down, and then on Thursday we played Needham and (the players) were amazing (in a 4-0 win).”

Senior captain Caitlyn Naughton has made three straight D1 finals. Like her teammates, she hopes to win back-to-back titles to cap off her final season before heading to the University of Massachusetts to play lacrosse.

“Before every game we talk in our circle about intensity,” Naughton said. “We want to win as much as possible, but also be proud of ourselves and our performance no matter what. Win or lose, we gave everything on the pitch.

▪ At Watertown, it’s the work ethic: The Raiders enter the tournament as the three-time defending champion, led by Eileen Donahue, the state’s winningest coach, and senior captains Rachel Egan and Adrianna Williams.

There have been a number of key departures from the 2023 title team, including Driscoll sisters Molly (post-grad) and Regan, now at Phillips Andover. So there were questions.

“If there was a low point, it was definitely during our preseason,” Donahue said. “(I thought) this is our team, so what are we going to do? Are we going to go through the motions or are we going to try to improve?

But, in true Watertown field hockey fashion, the Raiders found their identity, getting off to a 7-0 start and rising to the top of the Middlesex League standings.

Egan, who has committed to play at Holy Cross, recorded 11 hat tricks and more than 40 goals.

“We’ve been working a lot on our corners and offensive opportunities in practice,” Egan said. “A lot of it starts with our defensive play, transferring it out of defense and then passing it on to our forwards and honing our basic skills with the stick.”

After adopting the mantra “Work Harder Every Day,” Watertown will tackle the stress of the playoffs by focusing on one game at a time and not underestimating its opponents.

“We’re just focused on this first opponent, and hopefully we can get through it,” Donahue said. “If we could just keep what’s here in front of us, and if every practice gets better, I hope that carries over to the game.”

Corner kicks

▪ Last fall, West Bridgewater scored 40 goals in 19 games. This season, the Wildcats knew they would have to increase their production to be successful.

The Wildcats did just that, scoring 59 goals in an 11-4-3 regular season.

“Overall, our goals have been our strength,” said the coach Bill Flynn. “The girls worked hard on that side, as well as in the corners.”

In their second season in the South Coast Conference, West Bridgewater held its own against the league’s best.

“Our first win against Case (was big),” Flynn said. “They were the defending conference champions. We started early. »

Even though WB suffered a 10-2 loss to perennial power Somerset Berkley late in the regular season, Flynn said his team had one of its best efforts of the season. The defense slowed down SB’s scoring attack to keep the Wildcats in the game.

“It was a 1-1 game after the first quarter,” Flynn said. “And just 4-1 after the first (half).”

Flynn is not only proud of the Wildcats’ improved scores, but also of their community efforts at the end of the season. Captains Abby Matta And Grace Polen organized the team’s Stick it to Cancer fundraiser during their Oct. 22 game against Dighton-Rehoboth, raising $900.

Currently ranked 15th in the Division 4 standings, West Bridgewater awaits its tournament seeding.

“We’re going to take it one by one,” Flynn said.

Correspondent Kat Cornetta contributed to this story.

Alexa Podalsky can be contacted at [email protected].