Norwell Kate Greer once decided on a game with a clutch goal in this game.
Kara Connerty had a different vantage point at the time. The coach hopes the last guy doesn't tear apart in Norwell's defense. But this one? It brought Connerty to the celebrations. Greer and Connerty are followed by a part of the fun and fulfilling game of the same team.
On Monday, five-time hockey state championship coach Connerty returned to the Clippers Community Complex at his alma mater, Norwell High, for the first time with the Cohasset High Girls Lacrosse since switching sides in competition in the past offseason.
Greer was a junior offense and UMass proposal, buried the victory goal on the feed of sophomore Maddie Campbell, and the captain scored an 11-10 victory in overtime 2:10.
"We said before that she's here (to Kohasset) will be more of a competition," Greer said. "It's great for her to beat her hometown. I think she's been fired."
Back last year, Greer beat Connerty's Norwell 11-9 in the Scituate 4th Semi-finals. This is the ninth playoff between the two teams since 2014, and Cohasset continues to win the state championship.
Greer had two goals and two assists on Monday as the captain delayed Norwell's four-goal comeback bid. Molly Campbell (3 goals, assists), Reese Hansen (2 goals, assists) and Avery Regan (2 goals) also support another thriller between the two competitors, which naturally boil down to the last game – four of the last seven games have been determined by two goals.
“I have a great career in Norwell,” Connorty said of her homecoming. "I'm proud of my former players, I'm proud of my gay players. It's an amazing game. Both teams are fighting."
Hansen won the equalization goal for Cohasset with 54 seconds with a score of 10-9. The captain made another attack in the moment of recession, but Norwell goalkeeper Norwell Goartie Pithie (13 saves) was Kobe's proposal, snatching the stick with the remaining 16 seconds.
Greer explores the middle of Norwell Zone, less than a minute from the extra frame, sophomore Campbell looks up from X to find her winner.
"We know we have it in us, we just need to set it up," Reagan said of the victory. "Once we get a man up, even if we don't, we know we'll find each other. McGrady saw Kate in the middle, and it ended for us. We know we have it."
After the win goal, the captain's reserves rushed on the field as they usually did after a clutch win, but then the entire team rushed to the sidelines and hugged them from their new coach, who later later hugged a group of family members in attendance.
The hometown hero becomes the first victory for the visitors.
“We’re not only doing it for ourselves,” Reagan said of the victory. “We need to do it for the entire team, including our coaches. We know what that means for her. We need to keep her in mind.”
Since resigning in his post with Nowell's women's soccer and hockey teams in August last year, Cornellty's captain was 15-2, standing on the fourth power ranking in the fourth division. This is the team's second victory in recent weeks after Cohasset stopped Notre Dame Academy's 58-game winning streak against state rivals after 11-10 at home on April 29.
"I absolutely love coaching, I am a philosophy coach with value and empowering kids," Connanti said. "Where I coach, I want to bring this message. … Success is about your belief in yourself. It has nothing to do with victory or loss. That's what I want to instill in my players."
Lead by new coach Laura Callahan, the first two national champions served as a Northwest Region player, Norwell was 13-2, ranking third in the power rankings in Division 4.
Margot Bonnevie (4 goals), Natasha Mikus (2 goals, assists), Caroline Burtch (2 goals), Lexi Davos (goals, 4 assists) and Meri Horlbeck (goals) formed the Clippers' score on Monday with their former coach's new team.
"It's a big game for girls, for a lot of reasons, and I think they're doing a really good job of dealing with it," Callahan said. "Apart from some of the first quarter annoyances, I think they ironed it and really showed up. It's a good game."