LYNN — Sydney Comeau views it as the final piece of her high school career.
When the Notre Dame (Hingham) senior captain finally found an inch of space in the box late in the second half, muscle memory kicked in. And as her left-footed strike bounced into the far corner, all Comeau wanted to do was celebrate with her team.
It was the lone goal in a 1-0 win for the fourth-seeded Cougars over No. 6 Mansfield in the Division 2 championship game at Manning Field in Lynn, NDA’s second state title and first since 2013.
“There’s literally nothing that feels better than that moment,” said the Holy Cross-bound Comeau. “I couldn’t ask for a better ending to my high school career, and I think these past few weeks have just been the icing on the cake for my entire four years.”
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In a game devoid of high-quality scoring chances, the All-New England selection found limited space in the first half. As the game opened up after the break, the Cougars (16-6-3) built momentum and forced Mansfield goalie Olivia Clang to make a few good saves. But with less than 10 minutes to play, a cross from the left wing deflected into Comeau’s path, and she buried it.
“We didn’t have a ton of shots, but she’s a superstar and she makes the chances happen,” Notre Dame coach Kelly Turner said of Comeau.
Senior Emilia DePonte recorded the shutout for the Cougars as the back line in front of her — anchored by Caroline Sacco and Lola Griffin — limited the Hornets (17-4-1) to one shot on target.
“They are the heart of our team,” Comeau said. “We cannot do it without them. We count on them so much . . . I think we’re so, so grateful to have them on our team.”
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