4 - Wilmington Town Crier - Wilmington Memorial Library

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From left to right: John Gil I is, new head coach Tom Bradley and junior Jason Crescenzo all hope this
year's Wilmington High School boys cross country season is a successful one. (Photo by Bill Ryerson).
WHS Football Predictions
Ipswich coming to town
hv Jamie Pat*
Sports Editor
As you already know, the Wil-
mington High School football sea-
son will get underway this Saturday
afternoon at Alumni Stadium
(WHS) with kick oil sci lor 1:30.
For the second straight season,
Wilmington will be tested very
early. Four of their first five games
are very, very tough as it seems as if
the Cape Ann League should be
very competitive this season, rather
than, one team. North Andover,
running away with the league title
like it did a year ago. Don't look for
one team to steam roll past the
entire league this fall.
Last year at this time, myself and
former editor of the paper Jeff
Nazzaro, gave predictions and the
scores of all of the Wilmington and
Tewksbury football games. We
were right on some, but wrong on
others as well. We both admit
though, that we didn't know as
much as we should have to give
those kinds of predictions. Right
now, I think that I know more than I
did from a year ago, so I will try to
give it a shot once again of the
predictions and scores of ten (not
including Turkey game until annual
supplement) of their games.
Game #1 vs Ipswich
Sat Sept 13 1:30
If there is a team who can knock
North Andover off its high horse,
than I expect Ipswich to do it.
Ipswich really impressed me last
year, they couldn't get anything
going offensively against the Cats,
thanks to their highly touted de-
fense, but overall from coaching to
its players, Ipswich is very sound.
As for Wilmington. I like the
makeup of their team, I like the
system and from what I witnessed
last year (besides the one game)
thought the coaching staff did a
tremendous job. This season will be
there true test though. Not only
because the league appears to be
more competitive, but mainly
because the team lost a loY~0f
talented players and they have some
large holes to fill. I have to be
totally honest, I'm not truly sold on
Wilmington repeating last year's
9-2 record, I think right now 7-4
might be a stretch. I only say that
because its pretty much a brand new
team, with new running backs, and
new offensive and defensive lines. I
FOOTBALL - PAGE 21
WHS Field Hockey
Lady Cats get sticked with call
hy lamte Pat*
Sports Editor
On a controversial call, the Wil-
mington High School Held hockey
team went from being 2-0, to I -0-1
within the last few seconds of
Tuesday's game.
Wilmington traveled an hour to
Rockport on Tuesday. Throughout
the entire game, the Cats outplayed
Rockport as they were leading 1-0
with two seconds left in the game.
The referees had awarded Rockport
a long hit (a corner). During a
corner hit, a player sends the ball
back to the circle and from there the
ball is played, but if a shot is taken it
must be on the ground (the only
time a ball can be lifted is if it's a
I-on-1 breakaway with no defender
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in sight and it's not a dangerous
play).
Anyway, the ball was sent out (o
the circle to another Rockport
player. That player sent a hard
screaming shot, head high - which
almost hit a Wilmington player in
the forehead - that hit the end of a
Wilmington's player stick to go
even higher. After the ball went off
the end of the stick, it landed in the
top corner past nctmindcr Patrice
Mendoza, who needless to say,
never had a chance.
"It's so frustrating," said head
coach Maureen Noone, "When you
know you won tiie game and then
(the referees) just totally blow the
game. Even the | Rockport | coach
said it shouldn't have been a goal."
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Wilmington led 1-0 throughout
the entire game thanks to Tricia
Kane's second goal of the young
season (Catherine Townsend assist-
ed on it). And according to Noone,
Wilmington deserved the win,
rather than the tic.
"We definitely outplayed them.
It's very frustrating, but we'll get
over it. it's not the end of the
world," Noone said.
Noone also said she was pleased
with the efforts she received from
Townsend, Karen MacArthur and
forward Jodi MacKenize, who had
several SO yard runs carrying the
ball and Mendoza.
"In my eyes. Patrice still hasn't
given up a goal yet. Once again, she
played very well," Noone said.
Last Friday afternoon, the team
opened its season with a 2-0 win
over Ncwburyport. Wilmington
scored their lone goal of the game
before the end of the First half when
Rebecca Toto notched her first tally
of the season on a breakaway. Toto
took a pass from Lauren Holloway
and rifled a hard low shot to the far
corner for the game winner.
"I thought we did a nice job," said
Noone after the game. "The girls
know and I know that they didn't
Field Hockey Pg 17
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TOWN CRIER - WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 10,1W7
V
WHS Girls Soccer
Bruno's
beauties
• it Ister Cats
hy Mmwni* Pnfr
Sports Editor
Monday afternoon Sue Hendec
saw her troops complete a 180
degree turn in improvement from
their opening loss.
Last Thursday night, the girls lost
3-1 to Ncwburyport as senior
Lauren Senesi netted the lone goal
in a lackluster opener. On Monday
afternoon at Alumni Stadium, the
entire team played a terrific all-
around game, starting from two
beautiful goals from sophomore
Lindsay Bruno and stellar defensive
performances from nctmindcr
Melissa Mather and stopper back
Amanda Lojek as Wilmington
overtook Methuen by the same
score of 3-1.
"We played much better today
than Thursday." said Hendee.
"Methuen is not as strong as they
usually are, but they continued to
play there real physical game. I was
glad that the girls didn't step down
from their physical game."
Indeed the game was physical.
But, in the Merrimack Valley Con-
ference there is a difference bet-
ween physical and clean play, or
physical and dirty play much like
the Cape Ann League. Anyway, the
first twenty minutes of the game,
the edge went to Methuen. Mather
saved a Methuen goal when she
dove and scooped up a hard shot
while on the ground and that save
turned things around for Wilming-
ton.
About five minutes after Mather's
save, Lauren McCarthy, a mid-
fielder, was near the Cats bench at
the sidelines trying to push the ball
forward away from several Met-
huen players. She did so, sending
the ball UPS AirMail. about 30
yards. In doing so, Bruno utilizing
her Road Runner speed, went past
two Methuen defenders trying to
retrieve the rolling ball that was
ahead of them. As Bruno was
catching up to it, the Methuen
keeper, hesitating, started to come
out after it as it became a footrace.
The keeper won originally as she
dove on top of the ball, but as Bruno
conversed to it, the ball juggled out
of the keeper's hands. Bruno took
advantage of that as she shifted the
ball to her left and nailed a slow
roller with her right foot to the far
right side of the net to break the ice,
with the first goal of the game.
Methuen tied it up about five
minutes later as a long shot from the
left side of the Wilmington net was
lofted towards Mather. Mather
came out, jumped and tipped the
ball to make a nice save. However,
the ball came down and a Methuen
player pounced on the rebound to
tie the game at one a piece.
The first half ended tied at one.
with Methuen holding the edge in
quality shots at 8-4.
The second half begun with
arguably one of the better soccer
goals to be witnessed. With the ball
near the Wilmington bench about
40 yards out, Bruno was looking to
pass the ball down the sidelines to a
teammate. With the ball. Bruno
faked the pass and shifted past a
Methuen player. Now with some
momentum behind her. the young
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