Set Pieces girls soccer column: Connection on and off the pitch has Hamilton-Wenham atop the CAL

Oct. 20—Sometimes, the Hamilton-Wenham girls soccer team will connect on passes that make it seem like some Generals must have eyes in the back of their heads.

The ball will ping-pong from player to player without a pause, but it's not from X-ray vision or an extra set of eyes. It's the sort of built-in anticipation that only comes when you have a team that's been playing together for many years — and has put in many extra hours to learn each other's tendencies.

It's been a beautiful combination for the Generals, now 10-1-1 and atop not only the Cape Ann League's Baker Division but the entire league. Unbeaten in its last nine games, H-W has consistently been in the top four of the state's Division 4 power rankings, which would assure them homefield throughout the new statewide playoffs.

"Most of us have been playing together since first grade," said Kara O'Shea, one of four senior captains. "We're really tight, and having a lot of upperclassmen helps a ton."

Up top, Hamilton-Wenham has one of the North Shore's most dynamic combinations in senior captain Claire Nistil and senior midfielder Jane Maguire. Either is capable of carrying the ball on long runs, sending it for crosses, or finding open space for a pass while the other is setting things up.

"We read each other really well. Any time we're running, we kind of know where the other one is going to be without having to think about it," said Nistil, who has eight goals and four assists this year.

Maguire sits among the North Shore (and CAL) leaders with 17 points on 12 goals and five assists. She's one of the more technically gifted players around, having recently committed to play at Colby College. Though she didn't suit up for the Generals her sophomore year, she joined the squad as a junior and loves the style of play in high school soccer.

"It's been fun. It's a lot different environment from club soccer, more competitive. Having 11 seniors, kids I've been playing with forever, really makes it awesome," said Maguire, who tied with Nistl for the team lead in goals (6) in 2020.

"Claire and I have known each other forever, so we don't really have to talk about anything on the field. We can just kind of do it."

That strong communication doesn't just drive play for Hamilton-Wenham up top; it courses through all three levels of the field, especially in the defensive third of the field. The Generals allow fewer than one goal per game and have only surrendered more than one in two of their 12 bouts.

"Good communication is always key. I think that helps with the team bonding," said defender Jackie Chapdelaine, another captain. "Everything starts with defense. We're a team that wants to build from the back out."

Along with Chapdelaine, senior captain Libby Collins gives H-W a tremendous duo to anchor the back end. Junior Chloe Gern is also very reliable, and midfielders like O'Shea and sophomore Lily Marks are very responsible in front of sophomore keeper Stewart Bernard.

"As a group, we're really good about giving each other that constructive criticism without bringing each other down," said Collins. "That helps us really stay connected as a group."

Coming off an impressive 7-1-2 season in 2020 and with a lot of returning players, the Generals were hoping to make 2021 a special season. They did a lot of fitness training together in the summer, played in a summer soccer league and even got a skill coach to help fine-tune things.

"It was a lot of time together and I think that really helped us bond as a team," Nistl said.

Ella Schenker is another dangerous all-around player for H-W, and opponents have to keep an eye on Annie Moynihan, Nora Gamber and Tessa Hunt, too. There are so many options all over the field that the Generals know they're at their best when they share the ball to utilize them all.

"We want to build plays by working together: The give-and-go's, the crisp passing that keeps it on their side of the field," Chapdelaine said.

"When we're at our best, we don't want the ball to cross the 50 yard line," echoed O'Shea, who led H-W in assists in 2020 and has a pair of goals this fall.

Veteran coach Nancy Waddell, who has a 68-28-19 career mark with five state tournament trips in her seven seasons, is keeping the Generals on an even keel as they hit the middle of October.

"It's a really good group kids," Waddell said. "The seniors are great leaders. We've been setting little goals within games and trying to make sure we take advantage of our chances."

The Generals can essentially wrap up the CAL Baker title if they top Manchester Essex Wednesday, then face a big crossover clash with CAL Kinney-leading Newburyport (10-2-2) next week. They know, and appreciate, that playing in a league as strong as the Cape Ann will prepare them for a potential run at the Division 4 state crown.

"It definitely helps us keep up our intensity," said Chapdelaine. "We feel like we have a little target on our backs, and that makes us want to keep going at a high level. Doing well in this league helps us be confident that we can take on anybody." — Don't overlook the immediate area's other Division 4 entry, Ipswich. Though the Tigers only have three wins, they sit 21st in the most recent Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association playoff rankings. That's a sign of the strength of the CAL and puts the Tigers in position to earn their first playoff berth since 2013 (ironically when the aforementioned Waddell was their coach).

Last week, Ipswich played quite well in a 3-1 setback against the Generals. If they can play close with arguably the best team in D4, it's a good sign.

"Our captains, Carter King and Jennie Tarr, had excellent games, pressuring the ball in the middle of the field and winning 50/50 balls," Ipswich coach Greg Chmura said. "The battle in the middle of the field in that game was amazing, and to see it against some of the top competition in the league was great."

Tarr netted her first goal of the year in the game and King is among the CAL's leaders with eight goals. Opponents also have to watch out for Colby Filosa, who has five markers. — Yes, those were mustaches worn by Beverly High's freshmen when the team took in the city's 7th and 8th grade game this past Saturday. The current Panthers jokingly dressed up as scouts to check out next year's "competition".

It was a fun outing for the BHS varsity, which cheered on the future Panthers after the youth team had come to their Senior Night a few days before.

"The girls had so much fun, cheering and celebrating every time there was a good play," said Panthers coach Samantha Charest.

"One of things we're emphasizing is building the program and setting the stage for the next group coming in. This was a great way to make it more tangible and kind of put faces and names to who our current players are making the program for. We're planning to do it every year from now on." — Big game on tap Wednesday at Bishop Fenwick, with the unbeaten Crusaders (7-0-5) hosting Austin Prep. The teams battled to a scoreless draw in September, and seeding in the upcoming Catholic Central League Cup playoffs will be up for grabs depending on Wednesday's outcome. — It's been a sister act for Masconomet (12-2) lately. Siblings Elena and Kara Lindonen set each other up for goals in Monday's victory and, last week on Senior Night, sisters Alex and Gabriella Woodland did as well.

In all, the Chieftains have four pairs of sisters on the varsity, with Carissa and Kayla Scannell and Nicole and Amanda Schneider all playing together.

Set Pieces, a column on North Shore girls soccer, appears in The Salem News during the fall season. Contact Matt Williams at MWilliams@salemnews.con and follow along on Twitter @MattWilliams_SN.