Each of the last three years, the Frontier and Greenfield field hockey teams have met in the Western Mass. Class C championship game.
Will they meet for a fourth time with a title on the line this fall?
Both teams are returning plenty of talent to do just that. The Redhawks, which have won three straight Western Mass. titles, are coming off a season in which they also made a run to the MIAA Div. 4 Final Four. As the No. 4 seed, Frontier knocked off Franklin Tech (6-1), West Bridgewater (5-0) and Ipswich (2-0) to reach the semis, where it fell to eventual champion Uxbridge.
Longtime Redhawks coach Missy Mahar has to replace five seniors — including three on defense and a goalie — but returns a squad poised to build off last year and make another deep postseason run.
Like Mahar, Greenfield coach Erin Thayer has been leading the Wave to success over the last 20 years and will be itching to steal the Western Mass. title back from the Redhawks.
With the new Western Mass. format, Frontier and Greenfield will have to qualify for Western Mass. by finishing in the top four in the Suburban League — the top league in Western Mass — adding a new challenge.
Here’s a look at each area team:
FRANKLIN TECH
Coach: Rian Lovett
League/Division: County/3
Last Year’s Record: 12-6-2, D4 Round of 32
Roster: Isabella Allen, Ele Bartolon, Nicole Bezio, Nora Cutting, Abi Dobias, Teagan Donahue, Alison George, Emmy Godfrey, Redyn Gutierrez, Racheal Herzig, Cammy Jacques, Lyla Mickiewicz, Talia Pederzini, Amelia Rider, Kailey Steiner, Kassidie Stolz, Kiera Taylor
Outlook: The Eagles have been a staple in the state tournament but Lovett is tasked with replacing some key players that graduated last year, with just eight returnees on the 2025 roster.
Donahue comes over from Mohawk Trail and has shown potential while Dobias, Steiner and Jenks are key returners. Gutierrez was in goal for the Warriors last year and the freshman is likely to take over in the cage for the Eagles this fall.
“We’re building,” Lovett said. “The goal hasn’t changed. We want to win the league and make a run in tournament. We can do that but it’ll take a lot of work and dedication. They seem to be really into it and want to be here and want to learn which is good to see.”
FRONTIER
Coach: Missy Mahar
League/Division: Suburban/4
Last Year’s Record: 17-3-2, D4 Semifinals
Roster: Macy DeMaio, Lauryn Kalinowski, Kate Walker, Ashlie Galenski, Amelia Bouchard, Haly Doucette-Kaplan, Byrnna Fahey, Maia Fosnot, Addie Harrington, Rowan Reilly, Harper Modestow, Elsa Brown, Nora Sloan, Isabella Brown, Sigrid Calhoun, Hailey Fernandez, Alex Kornewsky, Brooke Charest
Outlook: Watch out for the Redhawks again this fall.
Frontier has a number of young contributors who are back and ready to take another step forward.
DeMaio and Galenski are returning seniors who are scoring threats up top, Kalinowski is a returning senior who can mix between the midfield and defense while Walker is a returning defender.
Doucette-Kaplan and Harrington are two juniors who can give defenses trouble up top, Reilly is a talented player who can switch between midfield and the forward spots, Brown and Modestow will play in the midfield while Bouchard returns as a talented defender.
GREENFIELD
Coach: Erin Thayer
League/Division: Suburban/4
Last Year’s Record: 10-9, D4 Round of 32
Roster: McKenzie Boswell, Henley Gilstrap, Gloria McDonald, Kristina Kostov, Bella LeFleur, Grace Laurie, Payton Martin, Olivia Lemay, Madison Lemay, Kyra Tamsin, Haddie Coinnelley, Sofia Ruggeri, Kayden Viencek, Samantha Suhl
Outlook: Graduating just two from a season ago, the Wave are hoping they can take a step forward this fall.
Boswell, Gilstrap, McDonald and Kostov lead the senior group. Boswell and Gilstrap were key players a season ago who can play at forward or the midfield while McDonald was selected to compete in the A Shot For Life All-Star Game in the spring.
Laurie, Martin and LeFleur are returning juniors while Madison Lemay, Olivia Lemay, and Tamsin all played varsity as freshman. Ruggeri and Viencek saw time as eighth graders a year ago.
MAHAR
Coach: Laurie Saisa
League/Division: County/4
Last Year’s Record: 2-13-3
Roster: Haylee Paluk, Kathryn McGinnis, Makayla Beauchemin, Adeena Masselli, Taylor Paluk, Nevaeh Woods, Carly Paluk, Zoey Woodard, Bella Burnett, Marnie Dupell, ARia Whitehouse, Marcie Brown
Outlook: It’ll be a young Senator squad this fall, as Haylee Paluk, a defender, is the lone senior and McGinnis, a midfielder, is the only junior on the roster.
Taylor Paluk and Carly Paluk are returning forwards, Woods returns on defense while Burnett, a freshman, is back in goal.
MOHAWK TRAIL
Coach: Greg Lilly
League/Division: County/4
Last Year’s Record: 2-14-2
Roster: Molly Ross, Drew Cusimano, Brynlee Purington, Elliana Rubinaccio, Hailey Martin, Harper Kingsbury, Grace Sisum, Hope Gilbert, Katelyn Bozek, Elizabeth Gilmore, Sadie Wilcox, Kayden Berry, Abby Osterman, Naomi den Ouden, Libby Amstein, Jayda Waters,
Outlook: Lilly returns for his second season leading the Warriors. Thompson, a senior, is the defensive anchor while Gardner, a senior, is an experienced halfback.
Lilly hopes to tap into Helenek’s athleticism, Waters and den Ouden will lead the offense while Wilcox, an eighth grader, is standing out as a defender. Purington and Osterman will see time in goal.
TURNERS FALLS
Coach: Renee Tela
League/Division: County/4
Last Year’s Record: 4-11-2
Roster: Khalifa Seck, Clara Guidaboni, Ash Shipley-Aja, Patrick Andrews, Jazzlyn Gonzalez, Connor Glennon, Ella Larouche, Eva Lareau, Ava Laffey, Mariah Larson, Anna McCarthy, Daisha Ovalle-Perez, Janessa Sadler, Jesi Berry
Outlook: Seck and Guidaboni are the two seniors for the Thunder, Seck playing up top as a forward while Guidaboni can mix between defense and in goal.
Shiopley-Aja and Andrews will play on defense, Gonzalez is a mifielder, Larouche will play up top while Glennon will also mix between defense and goal.