The Cranston co-op field hockey team wrapped up its regular season on Tuesday, finishing the schedule with the second seed heading into the Division III playoffs.
The Thunderbirds have been rebuilding for the past few seasons and reached the playoffs last year, where they dropped a heartbreaker in the opening round when they fell in a shootout. Much of the team returned this season and the experience has shown as the team has remained one of the top teams in the division.
Cranston took on Toll Gate on Monday and fought to a 1-1 draw. Sarah Walsh scored on a corner that was inserted by Lily Tillinghast. The team played Woonsocket in the regular season finale on Tuesday, but the results were not available at press time. Win or lose, the team secured the No. 2 seed.
Although the Thunderbirds have been flying high this season, coach Matt Davis warned that teams will be operating at their peak performance in the next few weeks.
“All the teams are learning and everyone is getting stronger. Our confidence level is good, the girls are fatigued, though, they’re going to have to dig deep. They’ve got to give it everything they’ve got,” said Davis.
The team will be relying on captains Tillinghast and Mia Santomassimo, who have been tone setters the past two seasons as Cranston has become a bona fide playoff squad.
“They’ve been true leaders from the get-go. They give me 120 percent every time they hit the field,” said Davis, who credited their selflessness this season. “They have to pull themselves off the field, when they know they can’t give 120 percent they let someone else come in and that’s true leadership right there.”
The team earned a first round by along with top-seeded Classical to start the playoffs. A first round meeting with Smithfield is likely on the table with the winner advancing to the state title game at Roger Williams.
As the Thunderbirds prepare for the next leg of the race, they have not forgotten how their season ended last year and will be looking to right that wrong.
“That’s a motivation for us, we didn’t like the way we went out,” Davis said. “At this time of year, it’s all tough. We’re all around an equal level. Division III field hockey is competitive. It’s fun.”