After press time:
North Reading defeats Pentucket 6-1 (Sept. 3)
North Reading falls to Newburyport 4-1 (Sept. 5)
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Mikayla Allen is back for her third year as the head coach of the North Reading High field hockey team. Last season, the Hornets reached the MIAA Division 3 Round of 16 before losing, 3-2, to Bedford at home to end the year at 14-4-2.
In the Cape Ann League, they finished 12-3. as they were the Kinney division co-champs along with Newburyport.
Six seniors from that roster graduated including midfielder Alyse Mutti who was a CAL First-Team All-Star, but Allen did welcome back over 10 veterans when camp opened on Aug. 18.
Four of the girls back are this year’s senior captains: Sophia El-Sheikh (forward), Alaina Driscoll (midfielder), Lucia Mini (defenseman) and Josie Lambert (forward).
The other 12th-grader back is goalie Thea Panousos.
A key sophomore returning is midfielder Kara Russell. She was a CAL Second-Team All-Star last season.
North Reading got in a couple of scrimmages along with the CAL Jamboree held on Aug. 23 at Lynnfield High.
At the jamboree, they faced Hamilton-Wenham and Amesbury.
The Hornets also scrimmaged Haverhill on Aug. 21 and visited Masconomet on Aug. 26.
“The games went pretty well,” recalled Allen, who was the CAL Kinney Division Coach of the Year last season. “I saw many good things out there.”
The Hornets will play an 18-game regular-season schedule. They will face the Kinney Division schools twice and the Baker Division teams once. They also have a pair of non-league contests against Arlington Catholic and Malden.
“Our goal is to reach the state tournament and with the strong leadership from our seniors, I feel we can do that,” said Allen.
Allen thinks that Newburyport and rival Lynnfield will be the teams to beat in the Kinney this fall.
North Reading opened up the 2025 campaign on Sept. 3 as they visited Pentucket (result not available at press time).
The home opener is Friday as the Hornets welcome Newburyport at 4:15 p.m. for a big early-season contest.
On Sept. 8, they host Triton and, two days later, they stay at home to take on Ipswich. Both of those games will start at 4:15 pm.