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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
2017 was a banner year for the Walpole High School girls lacrosse team, as the Rebels put together an 18-2 regular season and finished as Bay State Conference runners-up, with their lone conference defeat on the season coming to eventual Division I state champ, Needham.
Walpole’s efforts throughout the regular season earned them the No. 1 overall seed in Division II East, and the Rebels thrived in the East Sectionals with wins over Medway (10-6), Medfield (18-8), and Foxboro (12-10), winning the sectional title and advancing to states.
Mia Drummey (21) leaches on and forces a turnover during Walpole’s 9-5 state semifinal win. Photos by Michael Flanagan
Northeastern-bound Mel Weber got the Rebels on the board first just minutes into the first quarter on a free position restart, as Walpole seized the early 1-0 lead. Cohasset battled back to tie it at one just two minutes later, but a series of big saves by goaltender Morgan Fortana kept it 1-1 midway through the half. With 11:57 left in the half, Cohasset was finally able to put one by Fortana for the 2-1 lead. Cohasset netted another goal just 40 seconds later to take a 3-1 lead, forcing Walpole to take a timeout and try to settle things down.
Following the timeout, Alison Foley gave Walpole the response they needed with a goal to cut it to 3-2, but Cohasset would strike back with a 4-0 run to finish the half and led 7-2 at the break.
Alison Foley netted her second of the game in the opening minutes of the second half to cut it to 7-3, but Cohasset responded with another run, this time five in a row, to make it 12-3.
Mel Weber cut it back to 12-4 before Cohasset netted another to make it 13-5. Emily Curtis notched a pair of goals late to make it 13-6, but Cohasset would add another to go back ahead by eight at 14-6 and win by the same score.
