LYNN — It’s always tough to watch your season end when you’re pushing toward a state championship. The Swampscott girls soccer team may have fallen a few wins short of the ultimate goal after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to top-seed Stoneham in the Division 3 North semifinal but the Big Blue have plenty to be proud of.
“We lost six seniors from last year’s team,” Big Blue coach Norman James said. “Losing six seniors, I didn’t expect us to get this far.”
Swampscott fought through a competitive regular season schedule and finished at 10-6-2, earning the No. 13 seed in the sectional tournament. The Big Blue made quick work of Latin Academy (4-0) and Northeast (5-0) in the first two rounds. But an experienced Stoneham team, with Division 1 Marist commits Amanda and Samantha Caldarelli leading the way, proved to be a tough challenge.
“I think a lot of us were a little bit nervous, including our backs,” James said. “We talked about, ‘in the second half we can’t play with the ball, let’s just dump the ball on the field,’ and then some of us didn’t listen. That’s what happens. They’re young.
“But I’m looking forward to next season. This is great for us.”
James feels his Big Blue can only benefit from matching up against top-notch opponents in a postseason environment. With the bulk of the team team returning next season, Swampscott knows what it’ll take to return to the state tournament and, hopefully, take things further.
“We know that next year Swampscott will be back,” James said. “In years to come, Swampscott will be here. The future’s bright because our program’s growing. Me pulling up freshmen and putting them in situations like this is only going to make the program stronger. That’s what I believe in.
“I’m proud of seeing this because what I’m seeing is the younger girls see this type of game here. When they come into their sophomore years, they’ll be prepared for games like this.”
Goalie Lilian Gosselin was one of several freshmen who stepped up in crucial moments. She recorded eight saves Tuesday and 15 in the postseason.
“She learned a lot this season,” James said. “I’m proud of her.”
Swampscott graudates three seniors from this year’s roster in captain Emme Laundry, who scored the Big Blue’s goal Tuesday, captain Sydney Clark and Jane Michigan.
“I’m going to miss them,” James said. “I’m going to miss Emme. We lost our senior midfielder, Sydney and that was key (Tuesday). She was big for us in the middle. She hasn’t played six, seven games this year. She missed the last six, seven games. The last few games, we said ‘let’s give it everything we’ve got.'”
