HAMPDEN — The Weatherbee Complex meant everything to Winslow field hockey this season. It was where the Black Raiders’ season ended last year, and where they made sure it didn’t end this year.

By the records — Winslow had one tie, Dexter had one loss — it looked like a toss-up. But Winslow dominated and took home a 2-0 victory in the Eastern C final on Thursday afternoon.

“After coming down here and losing last year, we were ready to go this year,” Winslow junior back Ciera Poulin said. “We knew what we wanted to do.”

Winslow (16-0-1), the No. 1 seed, moves on to the state final, which is scheduled for Saturday at Thomas College.

Dexter (15-1-1) typically has an explosive offense, and had some big-scoring game this year. But what stuck out early was Dexter’s defense, as the Tigers had all 11 players back inside their own 25-yard line when Winslow was on offense.

“We knew that that was a trademark of theirs,” Winslow coach Mary Beth Bourgoin said. “At first, the girls were like, ‘All we’re seeing is red.’ We just kept telling them, ‘You just have to keep relying on your passes and your ball movement. You will be able to get around it.'”

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Winslow had six penalty corners in the first 20 minutes, but those resulted in a total of two shots. Finally, with 52 seconds left, Brooke Haskell passed to Poulin on a corner, and Poulin pounded it in from about seven yards out for a 1-0 lead.

“We had practiced that corner a lot, and we knew it always worked,” Poulin said. “Brooke saw me open at the top of the circle, and I just took the shot.”

Though it was only one goal, both teams realized it was important in terms of momentum.

“(We) had put some great pressure on all half,” Bourgoin said. “Getting that was like, ‘OK, we know we’re going to do well.'”

“You could see it in their faces when they walked over here,” Dexter coach Margaret Veazie said.

Winslow, which had a 12-0 advantage in corners on the day, cashed in another corner with 25:11 left in the second half. This time it was Natalie Greene on a tip-in to make it 2-0.

Dexter had its best chance when Peyton Watson dribbled through a crowd and got herself open in close. Winslow goalie Delaney Wood came out and stuffed Watson on the right post.

Dexter had several more chances, and Watson was in the middle of all of them. But so were Winslow’s Alyssa Wood, Poulin, and Katie Smith.

“Peyton just didn’t give up,” Veazie said. “That’s a senior that steps up and tries to carry the other kids on her shoulders, but we’re young.”


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