1

2

After the Smith Academy field hockey team beat Frontier Regional 3-1 in a well-played match in Hatfield on Oct. 15, the coaches of both teams said they expected to see each other again in the postseason.

That would now have to happen in the Division 2 title game, because the Falcons (16-2) and the Red Hawks (13-3-2) were awarded the top two seeds at western Massachusetts tournament seeding meeting at Mahar Regional in Orange on Monday.

South Hadley (10-5-3) earned the No. 3 seed after winning the Central League title.

Smith was 13-0 after the win over Frontier, but went 2-2 in its final four games.

"We're 16-2. We look at the whole season," said coach Sherry Webb, whose team fell to Division 1 Minnechaug and Division 2 Mohawk Trail. "We've had some really good practices. To say things like we've been sick or this one was missing sounds like excuses. And I'm not interested in talking about excuses."

Frontier suffered its first two losses of the year to Smith and Mohawk, but finished the regular season with a five-game unbeaten streak.

"After the (back-to-back) losses to Smith and Mohawk, to come out of the season strong, I was very proud of the girls," Red Hawks coach Missy Mahar said. "That's what we were hoping to do, finish off the season strong."

The Falcons and Red Hawks have combined for 17 western Massachusetts titles and last squared off in the championship game in 2003, when the Falcons earned a 2-1 victory in overtime.

Frontier rebounded with titles in 2004 and 2005, but has not been in the postseason since its last championship.

"It's very nice to be back," Mahar said. "The girls were saying it's nice to be dealing with the darkness (at practice Monday). There were a lot of smiles in saying that."

Smith opens play against No. 8 Pioneer Regional (9-8-1) in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Thursday at Mahar Regional.

"Mahar offered to allow us to use their turf. I'm excited for that," Webb said. "If we were going to play at our field, we'd have to start before 2 and no one would have come. This works out really well."

Smith defeated Pioneer Regional 6-0 twice this year.

Webb said she believes this is the first time eight teams have qualified for the Division 2 tournament since the field hockey postseason was split into two divisions in 1997.

That means an earlier round of games for all teams, because the top seeds have usually had nearly two weeks off between the end of the regular season and their playoff opener.

"It really doesn't matter. When I first starting coaching, I would get worked up over it," said Webb, who is in her 36th year leading the Falcons. "As the years went on, you figure out the best use of your time."

The Tigers host No. 6 Mohawk Trail (9-8-1) at 6 p.m. Thursday. They have not played this season, but the Warriors are the only Division 2 team to beat Smith Academy this year and they also boast a win over Frontier.

Frontier hosts No. 7 Palmer (8-7-1) in the quarterfinals at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The Panthers, who have not played the Red Hawks this season, finished second in the Central behind South Hadley.

Only one player, senior goalie Bridget Stryszko, was on the sidelines during the Red Hawks' last postseason run and Mahar will discuss the key differences in playoff intensity with her squad.

"I think it's understood but it's still a point of emphasis," she said. "If we don't show up to play, there is no second chance. They realize that that is at stake. Anything can happen, especially in this tournament. I really think it's up in the air. It's going to come down to which team shows up."

Jim Pignatiello can be reached at jpignatiello@gazettenet.com.

Get high school updates directly in your Facebook newsfeed at www.facebook.com/gazette.hs.