RallyNorth.net

Thu, Jun 11, 2015 05:00 PM @ Windham

Team	1	2	Final
Hanover	4	6	10
Windham	6	5	11

Windham wins state title

EXETER — Coming into this season, Windham goalie Julia Peet already had two state titles under her belt, but didn't play a part in either as she watched from the bench.

On Thursday, however, she stood tall in net and carried her team back to the promised land.

Peet had 13 saves in net, including two within the final 30 seconds, to help Windham beat Hanover 11-10 to win the Division 2 state championship, the program's third state title in four years.

Lexi Lewis scored what turned out to be the game-winner with four minutes to play, cutting in front of the net to receive a nice pass from Sam Crichton to give the Jaguars an 11-9 lead. Hanover (15-5) was able to cut the deficit to one about a minute later, and though Windham (17-1) won the ensuing faceoff, the Jaguars weren't able to kill off the rest of the clock, giving the Marauders one last chance to tie the game before Peet shut the door.

"Oh my gosh, she played unbelievable," said Windham coach Maura Murphy, who was dripping wet after having the cooler of water dumped on her head following the trophy presentation. "She kept us in there, even when offense wasn't coming up with the best plays, she kept us in this."

Peet's performance was the highlight of what was collectively an excellent showing by the Windham defense. With the exception of one stretch early in the second half, the Marauders were never able to string together more than one goal in a row, allowing the offense to stay a goal or two ahead for the majority of the game.

That one exception, however, was a nerve-wracking 10 minute period in which Hanover scored four straight goals, rallying from a 7-4 deficit to take a one goal lead. But Windham recovered to score four of the next five goals, including the tying goal from Abigail Lagos 16 seconds before Lewis' winner, and the defense carried the day from there.

After the game Peet deferred most of the credit to her teammates, saying that they were the ones who helped get her pumped up and focused so that she'd be ready for the big moments late in the game.

"Annie MacLeod, right at halftime she comes running to over to me, hits me in the helmet and goes 'this is your game kid, your game!'" she said. "So that was really exciting for me to know my team has my back no matter what."

For the seniors, yesterday's championship was as much about redemption as it was about going out on top. During their first two years of high school, the Jaguars won back-to-back Division 3 state titles, and last year after being bumped up to Division 2, the Jaguars made it all the way back for a chance to three-peat.

But then they lost to Bedford in the title game, a disappointment that has driven the Jaguars throughout the season. Ali Connors, Sam Crichton and Courtney Sweeny, the team's four-year starters, said late in the regular season that finishing the job was their top priority, and after the game the three gathered together on the field one last time as teammates to take in the moment.

"It's unreal, us three have made it to the championship every year since we were freshman, and to go out with a bang our senior year, I can't even put it into words, it's so amazing," Connors said.

Crichton and Sweeny concurred.

"We've all been playing together for so long, and it's just amazing that we could, throughout all our years, finally come out on top, especially with our senior year, it was just a blast," Crichton added.

"Especially after a big loss last year, we know what it feels like, and this year to come out on top and finish so strong, it's just amazing," Sweeny said.

For Murphy, the title will have its own special significance, being that it came in her first year as head coach. Murphy was also a volunteer assistant on last year's team, and after getting to know the girls and seeing how they responded to adversity, she said she'd never forget this year's team and the season they had.

"It's pretty special, it's a special group of girls, and it being my first year as head coach it's one that you'll never forget," Murphy said.