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09/09/2018 12:00 AMThe North Branford field hockey team is coming off a season in which the Thunderbirds captured the Shoreline Conference title and won the Class S state title on their way to netting a record of 21-0-1. As North Branford begins a new campaign, Head Coach Babby Nuhn is making sure that her team doesn’t let last year’s success go to its head. Nuhn knows that the 2018 edition of T-Birds has to create its own identity.
“I’ve always believed in every season is a new season. It’s true that last year we had an exceptional one, but we’re looking to have the 2018 season be its own season,” Coach Nuhn said. “We have great leadership with three captains and six total seniors who are having a strong contribution as players. We’re not emphasizing anything from last year. It’s a brand-new season.”
North Branford started off its season by posting a 7-4 home victory over Amity in a non-conference game on Sept. 8. With the T-Birds having graduated some of the key players who contributed to last year’s success, Coach Nuhn said that North Branford is still figuring out exactly how things are going to shape up on the field this season.
“Last year’s system worked for us, obviously, but the three [players that graduated] were in such key roles. Right now, we need a different alignment, because of where our strengths and weaknesses are,” Nuhn said. “A couple of those players covered a lot of territory. We don’t have the same skill and endurance that those girls had, and that’s OK. We’ll just work on something until it works. I’m not worried about it.”
Coach Nuhn feels that North Branford is looking good on offense early on. The T-Birds return a good amount of starters on the offensive end of the field, including senior captain Amy Raucci, who was the team’s leading scorer last year. Raucci netted two goals in the Thunderbirds’ win versus Amity.
“We’ve got a very fast offensive line, which is a huge part of the game. Their speed is incredible. They run like the wind. It’s amazing,” Nuhn said. “We’re going to try and tap into that and get more scoring done. Obviously, the strength of our team unity is very positive, and we’re a family oriented team.”
Raucci joins fellow seniors Kaylee Velez and goalie Jordan Regan as North Branford’s senior captains for the season. Coach Nuhn said that all three captains bring a spark to the squad.
“Amy is one of the top 25 players in the state, according to different newspapers. She was our leading scorer last year, and is our captain on the offensive line. Kaylee Velez is helping control the midfield as our goalie Jordan Regan is entering her second year in the net,” Nuhn said. “Jordan was protected last year by Danielle Ramada, so right now, she’s seeing many more shots on her than we are used to. She’s becoming a vital part of our defense and is very aggressively approving day to day.”
The T-Birds’ three other seniors are Hannah Augur, Cayleen Defaranos, and Joanna Phabmixay. Augur is solid in the midfield, and Defaranos is new to the defense. Phabmixay’s had previously served as North Branford’s team manager.
“Joanna has been the awesome glue with the seniors and the rest of the team. She started as a manager as a freshman and really helps organize things,” said Nuhn. “She’s come into her own as an offensive player. She’s upbeat and keeps everything in perspective. She works very hard, and I expect her to get an opportunity to play offense and get the team going.”
Juniors Ali Barrett, Ava Galdenzi, and Melanie Norton, and sophomore Kelli Jacobson are also being looked upon as impact players for North Branford this year. Galdenzi had two goals against Amity, while Barrett, Norton, and Jacobson each scored a goal. The game marked Jacobsen’s first as a member of the varsity team.
“Jacobson is an amazing player, so you’re going to be hearing a lot more of her. She really sees the game well, is a mature player, and is very dedicated,” Coach Nuhn said. “We’re going to look for her to control our defense.”
North Branford outshot Amity 21-13 in its season-opening victory. Coach Nuhn was happy to get going on a good note as her team begins to find its footing in the quest to make 2018 another memorable year.
“At practice, we’re going to try and fine-tune our defense. Our team is so receptive to changes. They’re open-minded to suggestions, extremely coachable, and very enthusiastic. I’m very delighted with this new team,” Nuhn said. “A year ago now, we were finding our mold, starting that same path. I think our team has what it takes to bring back another championship, but it’s one day at a time, and we’re working hard to bring it to that next level.”
From the Sidelines
Last year, the North Branford field hockey squad finished the regular season at 15-0-1 and then shut out Old Saybrook 3-0 in the semifinals of the Shoreline Conference Tournament. In the championship game, North Branford defeated Valley Regional 2-1 when Amy Raucci scored the game-winning goal in overtime. After beating Old Saybrook (3-1), Westbrook (6-0), and Stonington (2-0) in the first three rounds of the Class S State Tournament, the T-Birds claimed the title by rallying for a 2-1 win against Granby Memorial in the final. Ava Galdenzi and Raucci scored goals for North Branford in the victory. The T-Birds’ defense clamped down and didn’t let anything get to goalie Jordan Regan late in the game as North Branford came away with its fourth state title in program history.