For three senior defensemen, the wait is finally over. Seniors Jen Connor, Laura Sheehan, and Jen Gillis have anchored the defensive line side-by-side for the Norwood High School field hockey team throughout their entire high school careers, and they enter their final campaign looking to clear the postseason hurdles that have previously ended their tournament runs.
Senior Defensive Core and Summer Dedication
Each season, the Mustang defensive trio has grown stronger and more cohesive. Head coach Sharon Steih has been continually impressed by their work ethic and offseason commitment. “From the amount of work they put in during the summer,” Steih said, “I would say they are ready for this season.”
Despite consistent regular-season success—compiling a 10-6 mark in 1991, a 12-3-3 record in 1992, and a 10-3-3 Bay State League finish last year good for a second consecutive second-place finish in the Herget Division—Norwood has repeatedly encountered a postseason wall in the South Sectional quarterfinals. After falling to powerhouse programs like Dartmouth and Dennis-Yarmouth in earlier years, last season’s heartbreak came at the hands of arch-rival Walpole, which edged the Mustangs 1-0 in a tightly contested quarterfinal battle. It marked Norwood’s third loss of the year to the Rebels, leaving the senior defensive trio with a lifetime 1-6 record against their fiercest rival.
“It was a tough loss because we were so evenly matched,” Coach Steih reflected. “I’m sure the team wants to get farther this year.”
Returning Firepower and Division Realignment
The Mustangs return formidable offensive weapons, led by All-Scholastics Robyn Gawlak (who tallied 18 goals and 9 assists, finishing second in league scoring) and Kerry Lyons (15 goals and 10 assists, third in scoring). Additionally, teammate Donna Cieri showcased her form during a preseason jamboree game against Braintree by scoring a goal off an assist from Gawlak.
Norwood will compete in its first season in the Carey Division—the large school division of the Bay State League—meaning the Mustangs are scheduled for only one regular-season meeting with Walpole. However, knowing that tournament advancement inevitably runs through the Rebels, Steih deliberately scheduled a second non-league matchup against them. “They’re our biggest rival,” Steih noted. “We look forward to meeting them this year because it makes you a better team.”
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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