Editor’s note: Each week during the fall sports season, Varsity Maine will highlight a boys and girls team of the week. The teams, picked by staff members, will take into account several factors, including success stories, bounce-back efforts and notable accomplishments, among others. Athletes, coaches and athletic directors can nominate teams by emailing sports editor Bill Stewart at [email protected] or Varsity Maine editor Lee Horton at [email protected].
Varsity Maine Girls Team of the Week: Nokomis field hockey
Entering a game Wednesday at Camden Hills, the Nokomis field hockey team was off to a 6-1 start, including recent victories over Maine Central Institute and Erskine Academy by a combined margin of 10-0.
The Warriors were atop the Class B North Heal point standings, with notable victories over sixth-ranked Gardiner and second-ranked Cony.
“Our schedule has been really tough, but it’s been really fun,” said Nokomis sophomore Maeve Rush. “I think we’ve learned a lot about our game play from playing harder games.”
Nokomis has routinely been a contender in recent seasons but was put in a tough spot in August when coach Shaunessy Saucier left the program to become the head coach at Husson University.
The school moved quickly to hire former Nokomis standout Lauren Neal (formerly Lauren Burke), who played at Merrimack College from 2020-23.
“I’d say (the transition) has been interesting, but I don’t think it could have gone any smoother,” Neal said. “I think I got blessed to have a really good group of girls and a supportive staff. The parents have also been super supportive.”
The schedule doesn’t let up on the Warriors. They were supposed to play back-to-back games this week against unbeaten opponents, but a road game against two-time defending Class B champion Belfast was postponed Monday and will be made up Oct. 10. On Wednesday, Nokomis was visiting Camden Hills (9-0), the No. 1 team in Class A North.
“There’s just so much talent on this team,” Rush said. “I think we’re going to make some waves this season.”