MELROSE — The Wakefield High girls’ hockey team has been working hard to find a breakthrough this season. The Warriors had matchups against Middlesex League Freedom Division opponents in their last three games, taking on Melrose at Flynn Rink on Jan. 8 and meeting Stoneham/Wilmington on Jan. 11 and Burlington on Jan. 14, both at Wakefield’s home Stoneham Arena.
The Warriors fell to Melrose, 2-0, Stoneham/Wilmington, 3-1 and Burlington, 5-1.
“We are a young team with eight 8th-grader, four freshmen and only six returners, two of which are upperclassmen,” said head coach Jacqui Mansfield. “We are trying to find our groove as a team and what combination is going to be the most successful for us.”
The Warriors, who lost their partnership with Northeast Metro Tech this season, have worked hard to overcome those challenges and try to build up a program that is overall inexperienced but with plenty of potential and two great leaders in captains Maddy Taylor (senior) and Rory McNeill (junior).
Taylor, 8th grade starting goalie Gia Rizzuto, and the Warrior defense played a terrific game from start to finish but the Warriors couldn’t break through with a goal.
“Our players can’t be afraid to drive the net,” said Mansfield. “I think if we start to do that consistently it will help us score more goals.”
The Warriors improved on that aspect of their game against Stoneham/Wilmington on Saturday.
Wakefield’s goal was scored by 8th-grader Maggie Boudreau assisted by McNeill.
“We have seen progress with our shots on net and offensive play overall as a team led by Rory McNeill,” said Mansfield who was also quick to shout out a group of freshmen forwards including Boudreau, Paige Eriksen and Molly Girotti.
“They’ve really added to our offensive improvement,” said the coach.
Wakefield got a boost to their lineup against Burlington on Tuesday with sophomore forward Molly Burns who returned from an injury. Burns earned Player of the Game honors from Wakefield’s coaches against the Red Devils. Boudreau and Rizzuto also got stars of the game nods from the coaching staff.
The Warriors will get back to work in seeking their first win, but more importantly, continue to work on improving. Their next opportunity will be a rematch against Shawsheen/Bedford/Lowell on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at 12 p.m. Shawsheen won the first matchup 6-1 back on Jan. 6.
Wakefield will then return to Middlesex League play on Jan. 22 when they meet Winchester at O’Brien Rink at 7 p.m.