Red Devil Players 'Left Their Mark' With Memorable Season

The end result may have been forgettable for the Burlington High School softball team. But the season was one they’ll remember for many years to come.

On Saturday the team fell, 2-1, to Grafton in the Division 2 state championship game. While the Red Devils ended their campaign one win shy of the program’s first ever state title, head coach Kristen Mahoney said it was a season she will remember for a long time.

“It was a tough loss, but the message after the game was that we had an excellent season,” said Mahoney. “We had such a great group of girls. Quite honestly, it was just sad to see it end. It was a great, great season and these girls played so well together.”

Mahoney’s charges beat Swampscott, Dracut, Amesbury and Tewksbury to win the North Division 2 championship after a 17-3 regular season record earned Burlington the No. 3 seed in the tournament.

But the real drama came in the Division 2 state semifinal game against Bishop Stang, when the locals entered the home half of the seventh down by a run with the season on the line. Burlington rallied and earned a dramatic walk off win, jolting them into Saturday’s title game.

While there were many highlights from the season, Mahoney said that tilt with Bishop Stang is the one that stands out to her.

“It was an amazing moment to come back like that,” said Mahoney, who will lose five seniors from this year’s team. “It’s sad to lose those seniors. I wish we could have gotten the state title for them. But they’ve left their mark on the Burlington High School program. When we finally do get one of these state championships, it’ll be for those girls.”

Despite the loss of  seniors Kelly Brown, Danielle Coveno, Haley Currie, Amy Hunter and Kelly McCarthy, the team will return a strong core to the diamond next year.

Mahoney said she believes next season’s group of Red Devils will pick up right where this year’s team left off.

“The seniors we’re losing, it’s hard to see them go,” she said. “But we have a strong group that I think will find a way to step up and fill those big shoes. The future looks bright for sure.”