Guilford stops Sacred Heart Academy for third time to win Class M championship

Guilford’s Celia Mariconda, left, and Sacred Heart Academy’s Taylor Dostie battle for the ball in Sunday’s Class M championship game in Wethersfield. More game photos.

WETHERSFIELD, November 18 – The Guilford High field hockey team has won state championships before – but shares of them. The Indians won a share of the 1991 Class L championship with Cheshire and a share of the 1997 crown with Simsbury.

This year, there will be no sharing for the Indians.

Guilford won their first outright state championship Sunday at Wethersfield High with a  3-1 win over upset-minded Sacred Heart Academy. The Indians scored twice in the final 10 minutes to pull away from the Sharks.

The Indians beat the No. 8 Sharks for the third time this season. In the three games with Sacred Heart Academy this fall, Guilford scored nine unanswered goals before the Sharks finally scored late in Sunday’s title game.

Guilford (19-2-1) was ranked No. 3 in Class L while the Sharks upset No. 1 Suffield, 1-0, and eliminated No. 4 Avon in a marathon triple overtime victory in the semifinals, 1-0.

Hannah Tillier, Ella Stanley and Celia Mariconda scored for the Indians.

Tiller scored off a rebound with 1:05 left in the first half for Guilford. Stanley scored off a scramble with 8:35 left in the game to give the Indians some breathing room. Mariconda scored off a penalty corner for a 3-0 lead.

Sacred Heart Academy (12-8-1) scored when Jianna Cohrs put one past the goalie in the final five minutes.

Guilford beat Sacred Heart Academy 2-0 in the regular season and 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the Southern Connecticut Conference tournament.

Guilford’s Mariah Cretella tries to slow down Sacred Heart Academy’s Isabella Tufano in Sunday’s Class M championship game. More game photos

Class L
Staples 2, Cheshire 0
WETHERSFIELD – Staples won their third consecutive Class L championship with a 2-0 win over top-ranked Cheshire. Kyle Kirby scored twice off penalty corners at the top of the circle for the Wreckers (22-1). Staples held a whopping 16-0 edge in penalty corner opportunities in the contest.

Cheshire goalie Lexie Hemstock made 14 saves in net for the Rams (21-2) while Staples goalie Bridget Mulloy didn’t need to make a single stop.