Enfield Field Hockey Double-Dips the Big Five-O

ENFIELD, CT — Numerologists would have a field day with the current status of the Enfield High School field hockey program.

In their first season since the merger of Enfield and Fermi high schools, the Eagles have bolted to a quick 5-0 start, the best opening to a campaign since the three-peat state championship teams of 1992 through 1994.

Enfield is ranked sixth in the latest Connecticut Coaches Field Hockey Poll.

Head coach Cookie Bromage, in her 50th season since founding the initial team in 1967, is excited about the influx of young talent that has contributed to an amazing resurgence of the program.

"We had a great crew coming back, as well as some solid kids from Fermi," she said. "Our numbers are wonderful, and the kids have really blended well together. It's challenging, but it's really awesome."

Depth has been a problem in recent years for Enfield, which had not been able to field a JV team for the past eight years or so. With the merger, the program has enough players for varsity, JV and freshman squads.

With the larger school, Enfield has assumed Fermi's former place in the Central Connecticut Conference, after more than two decades in the North Central Connecticut Conference.

"The NCCC was and still is a very strong league, and you had to play everyone twice, so you really had to play hardball all the time," Bromage said. "In the current structure of the CCC, you play everyone just once, which is also unique because you see so many different teams."

Bromage is very familiar with the CCC, Enfield having been a charter member of the conference when it formed in 1984 following the dissolution of the Central Connecticut Interscholastic League.

"Going back to the CCC means going back to face schools we played years ago," she said. "Glastonbury, South Windsor, there are a lot of good teams there. The CCC has always been a classy league."

One CCC member which Enfield faced earlier this season, Avon High School, was a member of the NCCC for many years prior to switching leagues in 2015. Avon got the better of Enfield over most of the past decade, but the scrappy young Eagles prevailed in their first meeting as CCC rivals with a 2-1 victory on Sept. 15.

In its initial five-game winning streak to open the season, Enfield has outscored its opponents by a 23-3 margin, indicating a strong presence on both the offensive and defensive sides of the field.

"I play a little diamond in the midfield with Taylor and Tori Geaglone, MaryKate Pestana on the left and Mikayla March on the right, with Jessie Maier, Ashley Haluch and Kaitlyn Bourque up front," Bromage said. "[Goalkeeper] Kelly Mazza came off a great year last year, and she went to goalie camp and played in the summer. Megan Lapponese has been strong as my middle defender, Larissa Montigny did a lot of little extras in the off-season, and Beth Castle is playing terrific for me. She came out as a sophomore and could run like a deer, but now her stick has caught up and it's worked out well. It's a solid eleven, plus some players who were starters last year now come off the bench. They have adapted to that role and give us really strong minutes."

Bromage cited the enthusiasm and work ethic of assistant coaches Amy Bartholomew and Sarah Pliszka as key factors in the program's success.

"They both bring a lot with their energy, skill level and knowledge," Bromage said. "The kids have really bought into it, and we've really got a good thing going."

Despite a legendary resume that includes five state titles and induction into six Halls of Fame, Bromage said she still gets excited every day heading to the field.

"I can't wait to get to the dining room table this morning and work up today's practice!"

Photo credits: Tim Jensen, Kim Bender