THE 1990 BHS CLASS M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD HOCKEY TEAM
The State Champion BHS field hockey team continued a tradition of excellence established by previous Branford powerhouses. Many team members had contributed to the previous two years of excellence as the ’90 team reached the state semi-finals or final four for a state record eleventh straight time and the state championship game for a state record seventh straight time.
At that time there was a separate freshmen team at BIS coached by Hall of Famer Dodie Criscuolo so the girls only played with the BHS team for three years. At BHS they were coached by Cathy and John McGuirk who are still coaching in their 41st and 38th seasons respectively.
The 1990 seniors three year team accomplishments were very impressive. The overall record was a crazy 50-3-2. They had 44 shutouts, and scored 235 goals while allowing only 20. They were Housy League Champs twice and runner ups once.
The 1990 squad had a 17-2 record with the two losses coming by one goal each to Cheshire, the Class L state champs that year. The teams 17 wins tied what was then a record number of wins in a season ( also before league playoffs.) The 1990 team scored 73 goals and only allowed 7 with 14 shutouts. The team had 13 players make All League and 5 make All State.
In the state tournament the team ranked #3 destroyed Wethersfield 8-0 and beat East Lyme 3-2. In the state semi-final victory over #2 ranked Farmington the game went through two overtimes and was won on penalty strokes. The state championship game at Hand high school saw the team win its third straight state championship with a 2-0 win over #1 ranked Pomperaug.
The 1990 seniors left an impressive legacy that the 1991 team and many following BHS field hockey teams successfully continued.
THE 1991 BHS CLASS M STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD HOCKEY TEAM
The State Champion BHS field hockey team closed out a run of eight straight State Championship games by winning the Class M State Championship over Stonington. The state record run culminated with the ’91 team winning the fourth consecutive title for Branford, the third for the Branford seniors as freshmen at the time were not allowed to play on the high school varsity team.
The ’91 team produced many very impressive records. They ended the season 16-0-3, only the second Branford team to go undefeated. Their three year record was a ridiculous 50-3-4. Over these three years the team outscored their opponents 231 to 20 with 41 shutouts. The ’91 team itself scored 78 goals and gave up only 7, never more than one a game. The Branford defense was always a strength and at least as strong as the Branford offense. The team had eleven players make All League and four make All State.
The powerful 1991 team ended the season having continued and extended the BHS field hockey streak of 27 consecutive games without a loss. Along with winning their sixth State title in eight years the team was undefeated Housy League Champs, the programs 4th title in 5 seasons. The team was also in the midst of a sixteen year run of each year advancing to at least the state final four or semi finals.
This years’ team only got to play three games in the state tournament. Although they only won 1-0 they dominated New Canaan in the state quarter finals by out shooting them 28 to 3. Branford defeated a strong Farmington team 2-1 in the semi finals to advance to what one writer named the Branford invitational ( since it was the 8th straight year for Branford in the title game).
In the finals Branford played Stonington, a team they had beaten 4 to 1 earlier in the season. This was a closer game played at Hand of Madison but with the same result, a Branford 2-1 victory.
The 1991 team added to the Branford field hockey tradition under coaches Cathy and John McGuirk which has seen the team win sixteen league championships, advance to the state final four 27 times, and to fourteen state finals with ten State Championships.
AND TRADITION NEVER GRADUATES ………….
