Several field hockey players signed Letters of Intent to play for a Division I school Wednesday, the first day athletes could sign to play at an NCAA college or university. A pair of Madison Area Memorial High School athletes are headed to DI schools as well.

Skowhegan which has won 10 of the last 11 Class A field hockey titles, is sending three players to Division I schools. Nicole Sevey and Jessie Skillings will play at the University of Maine, while Mikayla Fitzmaurice is heading to Bryant University, where former Skowhegan players MaKayla, Mallory, and Megan Hancock.

Sevey had 11 goals and 15 assists this season and was selected as Miss Maine Field Hockey, the award given annually to the top senior player in the state. Skillings, who has already begun classes at UMaine, had 27 goals and 15 assists, while Fitzmaurice was one of the state’s top defensive players.

Nokomis had a press conference at the school library as two seniors signed their Letter of Intent for the cameras: Forward Leah Edmondson (Northeastern) and midfielder Marissa Shaw (Maine).

Edmondson, who had 33 goals this season for the Warriors and 75 in her career, talked about the process of choosing a college.

“At first it was really scary, because obviously it’s like this whole new step,” Edmondson said. “Once you figured out how to send an e-mail to the college and not sound like you’re 12 years old, and got used to being rejected, then you kind of understand how important everything is. I went on my visit to Northeastern and I just fell in love, and realized that everything I ever wanted was packaged up in a little school in Boston.”

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Shaw, who had 45 goals, 30 assists, and eight defensive saves in her career for the Warriors, is a three-sport athlete at Nokomis — she’s been on the softball and track teams and is a key player on the school’s undefeated girls basketball team — so switching to solely field hockey in college will be a change for her.

“I’ve played them since I was very little,” Shaw said. “I think it’s good for me to have change while I’m here, and then focus on just field hockey when I get into college.”

For Messalonskee field hockey, back Katie Bernatchez and goalie Lexy Cole will each be heading to Division I schools. Bernatchez will play at Boston University, while Cole is heading to the University of New Hampshire. Cole and Bernatchez were two of the biggest reasons Messalonskee reached the Eastern A title game last fall for the fourth consecutive year.

“I’m so excited,” Cole said. “I’m just really excited and thankful that I have the chance to take my game to the next level. They have an excellent field hockey program. As a goalie, I was really drawn to the great coaching staff.”

Bernatchez won’t be on scholarship her first year at BU because the team already has 18 returning players. She said deciding on BU about a year ago made things less hectic for her senior year.

“That stress is all gone, and you’re able to focus on your team,” Bernatchez said.

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Bernatchez’ sister, Kristy, a junior at Messalonskee, has already chosen to play field hockey at the University of North Carolina, although she can’t yet make it official.

Madison, a Class C school has two athletes who have committed to Division I schools. Golfer Seth Sweet will head to Old Dominion, and runner Matt McClintock will be attending Purdue University.

Sweet won the Class C individual title last year, shooting the lowest round of any golfer in any class. McClintock was 15th in the country at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in December and is hoping to compete in the 2016 Olympics.

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243

mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

 


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