High School Lacrosse
Peter A. Martin
With a scream of techno music and the sound of 20 teen-aged girls singing along at the top of their voices, the Haverhill bus pulled out of Danvers High.
The Hillies had just won their season opener 15-6, the second win in the three-year history of the team. It was definitely an occasion for song.
"I've never had more fun on a bus," said tri-captain Alyssa Mahoney. "We must have made the driver nuts."
Having gone 1-37-1 in their first two years of varsity competition, a win was something to be celebrated.
But the girls didn't stop there. With four games to play, are in a position to make the state tournament for the first time, with a 6-7 record.
But to understand the success of this season, a look back at the painful history is necessary.
The Brown and Gold lost their first 16 games but then pulled it together to finish the 2006 season 1-1-1. Their second season was a frustrating winless slog, ending in a 0-20 record. It was a strange year as head coach Melinda Cripps had a baby shortly before the season and her husband became co-coach of the Hillies shortly thereafter.
All the losing the last two years wore on the team.
"It was stressful and aggravating," said senior tri-captain Theresa Whittredge, who has a team-high 37 goals this spring. "It took a lot to go to every practice and every game and continue to lose."
But, according to Cripps, it is in that frustration that she saw the seeds of this year's team.
"In our second season, we had some girls who really took off, like Theresa Whittredge," she said. "We also had some girls for whom lacrosse was not their niche or who had not properly developed their talent."
Cripps had spent her first two years trying to instill a love of the game of in her players, and as a result she often held back on criticism.
At the end of her second season, Cripps decided that it was time to take the kid gloves off. She met with several of players to inform them that next season would be "much more challenging," and that if they weren't up to it, then they "needed to leave."
"Coach expects more of us this year, it's a more serious season," said tri-captain Molly Moran, who scored four goals in yesterday's 10-5 win over Central Catholic. "She was a cheerleader those first two years, but now that we believe that we can win, she has taken it to the next level."
In that statement, Moran reveals what has led to the turnaround.
"When I got here, we had soccer players or field hockey players playing lacrosse," said Cripps. "I had to make them lacrosse players before I could really be myself as a coach."
Another big difference has been the addition of a youth lacrosse program in Haverhill. Three years ago, of the 35 girls who came out for the team, almost none of them had the fundamentals down. They hadn't even had sub-varsity experience as the program went varsity right away.
This year's team has freshmen and sophomores with two or three years of playing experience.
"We had to get people to the same level of play, and sometimes they learn at different speeds," said Cripps. "Now we know that if the point passes to the wing, it will be a beautiful pass and a beautiful catch."
The girls also are winning battles for ground balls, and have implemented offensive plays that they can run with success. The Hillies have also found an answer in net in sophomore Briana Roldan, who has a save percentage over 50 percent.
When the program started, Cripps set a goal, to make the state tournament in the first four years of the program.
"Our goal is to make the tournament this year, it is coach's goal, so now it is our goal," said Mahoney. "We have five games left and we need to win three to qualify. I think we are a good enough team, and besides it would blow everyone's mind."
The Hillies have already beaten two of their final five opponents. No matter what happens, for Cripps this season will go down as a success.
"I love the excitement in the girls' faces when they realize that are a good team, and that they can win," said Cripps. "To see the development and enthusiasm over the last three years has been tremendous. They have confidence and they are lacrosse players now."
