PEABODY — With the regular season coming to a close this week, the Bishop Fenwick field hockey team is putting a cap on a year to remember.
The Crusaders are one of the top teams in the Catholic Central League and have cruised to a 16-1 record with one game left to play. But head coach Marybeth Mahoney and her team aren’t done yet, with their No. 1 focus being to finish the year off strong Friday at Central Catholic and secure the best seed possible for the upcoming state tournament.
“It feels like the state tournament is starting a little early Friday,” Mahoney said. “It really does. I’m not sure how the CCL will work out yet. I think it will come down to how we finish on Friday. It’s a big game for us to end the season.”
Fenwick will look to finish behind the same leaders that have stepped up for the team all season long. That starts with a core group of senior co-captains in Cailyn Wesley, Stephanie Steriti and Katherine Clancy.
“They’re unbelievable,” Mahoney said of her three captains. “They’re such a great group of girls and they have worked so hard all year long. They’re work ethic really stands out. They started leading us as soon as our season ended last year. They do more than you could imagine as a coach. Everything you ask of them plus more. They do a good job helping create chemistry on the team as well.”
On offense, Wesley is the Crusaders’ leading goal scorer while Grace Morey has also made some key plays this season.
“Cailyn is our scoring leader right now with 27 goals on the season,” Mahoney said. “Grace Morey is another big player on offense and she has 15 goals.”
In the back, Steriti is the Crusaders’ vocal leader of a strong defensive unit that also includes strong play from sophomore Sophie Carmilia.
“Stephanie really leads the defense for us,” Mahoney said. “She is probably our most vocal player on the field and it shows. I think people listen for her all the way up the field and we can count on her. On the other side, Sophie has been consistent as well, it’s tough for teams to get anything by them.”
This Crusaders are rounded out by two capable goalkeepers in Catalina Elias and Abby Booth, who have each put forward strong games throughout the year.
“They’ve been splitting time for us all season,” Mahoney said. “And (Elias) has stepped up and taken a few of the tough starts. She’s played really well and has had some key saves.”
Fenwick is recently coming off a tough 1-0 win at Marblehead Tuesday, in which the Crusaders felt like they left a few too many scoring chances out on the field. Now Fenwick will put a focus on moving the ball and capitalizing on those scoring chances as they head into the state tournament.
“There are definitely some plays we’ll be tweaking,” Mahoney said. “We’ve been working a lot on our passing game and I think it has improved over the course of the season. We want to keep making that stronger too.
“Intensity is key I think,” Mahoney said. “Along with finishing on our opportunities. We had so many corners (Tuesday at Marblehead) that we didn’t score on. Those are the kind of things we have to clean up going into the state tournament.”
Fenwick travels to Central Catholic Friday (3:45).
