Sachems Put Two In Division 1 North Title Games

Ambrose, Lincoln, Lynch, Muraco, or Vinson-Owen. If you want to know where most of the Winchester field hockey team was the last time Acton-Boxboro wasn't in the Division 1 North title game, look to the town's elementary schools.

For the first time since 2008, A-B won't play for the sectional title thanks to the Sachems' 3-0 win in Reading Wednesday. And if you want to get more specific, A-B (19-2) can point to the Micciche family for their downfall. Freshman Niki scored two goals and senior sister Madison scored the third, forcing a correction in the second paragraph. Make that Micciche 3, A-B 0.

Winchester (20-0-1) will play Andover (19-0-1) in Saturday's North final at 1 p.m. at North Andover High School. The field hockey has company too. After beating Woburn, 3-1, Thursday the Winchester girls' soccer team will face Danvers Monday at Manning Field in Lynn for the Division 2 North title.

"She's a little spitfire," said field hockey coach Michelle White of her freshman, who also scored twice in the quarterfinals. "It starts in the back and in the midfield, being able to transition the ball up to the forwards. And certainly Niki, she's a little sparkplug. Lucky for us we have her for three more years."

The younger Micciche has grown into a tournament force despite her young age. Practice started in August and it didn't take her long to make an impression.

"Her confidence is the biggest thing," said White of her transformation. "I think at the beginning of the season she was green. She started maybe the third game of the season and she's started every game since. It's hard to take her off the field because she just makes something happen."

All three goals were the result of corners. Niki's first came just minutes after a great stop by the Sachems' sophomore goalie Brooke Ross that kept it scoreless. With eight minutes to play in the half Niki scored Winchester's first goal with the assist going to another freshman, Mia Legere.

"We were lucky enough to be successful on our corners," said White, whose team finished with a 11-6 advantage on corners. "We weren't successful on the first five or six of them. We had corner after corner and we weren't able to put the ball in the net but we were persistent with them and continued to get calls. The more corners you have the better opportunities you have to score."

The Sachems went up 2-0 when Niki scored with 3:04 to play in the half. Senior Charley Miller got the assist and that's the way the first half ended.

With 17:58 to play Winchester drew a penalty stroke and this time it was big sister's turn to score. Madison fired one over defenseless A-B goalie Anna McCarthy to make it 3-0.

"Onward we go. I'm very proud of them," said White. "We're peaking at the right time."

Photo by Bob Holmes