After falling to Masuk in the state playoffs last week, the Branford girls hockey team, which is part of the larger Daniel Hand High School Co-op, concluded their season with passion and strength. They finished with a 4-12-1 record.

But their grit and perseverance isn’t just reflected in the stats. 

“With hardly enough players for two full lines, they sacrifice and grind through every single game and practice” said Brian Zaklukiewicz, Branford’s Athletic Director. 

Through ups and downs this season, the girls have kept their energy high, always being supportive of one another through both wins and losses. The team, while falling to its competitors in many cases this season, has also been able to come up big in many games that matter. In addition to Daniel Hand, the team combines student athletes from Cromwell, Westbrook and Haddam-Killingworth high schools.

One of their most impressive wins came from their game against the Guilford Grizzlies who are currently 9-7-2 and one of the team’s biggest rivals. 

Zaklukiewicz said he was at the Guilford game and “when I walked in, the girls were down 3-0 to the Grizzlies. But they refused to quit. The DHHS Co-op battled back, and five of the six goals came from our Branford students: Ana, Savannah, and Madison each scored once, and Sasha netted two to seal the win. It was an amazing comeback and a true testament to their grit and determination.” 

That grit and determination is a result of not only their passion, but their love for one another off and on the ice. 

BHS sophomore Ana Milne said that winning that Guilford game is her favorite memory of the year, along with her overall love for the game of hockey and how “having that team bond and chemistry makes your team so much better.” 

Game day for the girls was always “full of excitement and energy. We [were] always looking to play better and improve each game and practice” said Milne. 

Another BHS sophomore on the team, Savannah Johnson, said “We’ve put up quite the fight in many of our games! We are a small team but never once have we given up.” 

Like Milne, Johnson also agrees that her favorite part of being on the “team is the camaraderie and how well we get along with each other.” She also shared that this year’s senior night was really special and one of her favorite memories, as she got to help plan it and make the night special for Daniel Hand’s five seniors.