Jefferson’s Junior Varsity field hockey team lost 1 – 0 to Wakefield High School in their final match before the District Tournament.

The game coincided with senior night, and the team wanted to make it special for the eight seniors playing on their Varsity counterpart. Win or loss, the night held a certain amount of importance with each of the players.

“There was a really strong sense of community and support for the seniors, especially when we’re putting up the decorations and writing the names. We understood that it’s all for them and that it’s celebrating them,” Junior Varsity field hockey goalie Sophia Trissell said. “It’s appreciating the leadership that they have. It’s really bringing the whole team together.”

In spite of the extra effort, the Wakefield team kept up a strong offense for most of the game and scored with eight minutes left in the first half of the match.

As the game progressed, the referee awarded multiple penalty corners to the Wakefield team, but Jefferson’s defensive play prevented their opponent from scoring.

“We have specific positions, and knowing what [each player] is going to do before the ball is in place is a huge help, because it can keep their mind off of the fact that [we are outnumbered],” Trissell said. “It’s almost like a trust. You’re trusting that everyone else is going to do what they have to do.”

Overall, the team felt that the season was a step up from previous years. Throughout the fall season, complex maneuvers became reality through constant practice.

“We improved so much. When we first started out, most of the players had never played before,” Trissell said. “Towards the end of the season, we were able to run plays like swooping [the ball] around back that we had talked about in the beginning of the season, but we weren’t really able to execute because we didn’t have the communication we had at the end.”

Though the match ended in a loss, Jefferson’s team had a different outlook on their performance and growth through the season.

“I didn’t think that reflected the way we were playing. I feel like my defense did great, I feel like the whole team played really well,” Trissell said. “We didn’t consider it a loss, even though the scoreboard said that.”