THE HORNET field hockey team is ready for another strong season. North Reading played Essex Tech on Wednesday after press time. They travel to Triton on Saturday at 10 a.m. before their home opener on Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Update post publication:
North Reading falls to Essex Tech 3-1 (Sept. 6)
North Reading defeats Triton 4-1 (Sept. 9)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — The North Reading High field hockey team will have a new look on the sideline this year as Mikayla Panneton is the new head coach replacing Andrea Slaven who stepped down after coaching the Hornets the past six years.
Last fall, the Hornets were 9-10-1 overall as they lost to Dover-Sherborn, 2-0, in the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16 game.
In the Cape Ann League, they finished fifth in the Kinney Division going 6-7-1.
Four seniors from that squad graduated, including CAL First Team All-Stars Karleigh Budny (defensive-midfielder) and Mary Majeski (forward).
Majeski led the team in points with 15 as she had eight goals and seven assists. Budny was a CAL Second-Team All-Star her junior year.
Twelve veterans returned when practice started back on Aug. 21.
Four of those veterans are this year’s senior captains. Those 12th-graders are Sabrina Mini (midfielder), Caroline Burton (goalie), Keely Hannon (forward) and MaKenna Lord (defenseman).
The juniors back are Alyse Mutti (forward), Maddie Lambert (defenseman), Ellie Moberg (forward), Joanne McLoughlin (forward) and Eva Hanegraaff (forward).
Alaina Driscoll (midfielder), Natalia Panousos (defenseman) and Josie Lambert (forward) are the three 10th-graders back. Maddie is Josie’s older sister.
“Our pre-season went pretty well,” said Panneton, who was the Hornets assistant coach last year. “The girls came ready to work and are getting better each day.”
The team had a mini-scrimmage against league newcomer Essex Tech and they also participated in the CAL Jamboree at Lynnfield High back on Aug. 26.
North Reading is slated to play a 16-game regular season schedule. They will play only two non-league games and they are a home-and-home series against Malden.
Panneton feels that Newburyport, who won the CAL Kinney Division last year and Triton will be the teams to beat in the division this fall.
The Hornets played at Essex Tech on Sept. 6 in the season opener (results not available at press time). Their next game is on Saturday (Sept. 9) at Triton. That game will start at 10 a.m.
On Sept. 11, they play their home opener against Pentucket. Two days later, they go to Manchester-Essex.
Both of those games will start at 4:30 p.m.