Tiverton Tigers Field Hockey

Tigers' field hockey team preps for tough go ahead

Strong competition prior to start of league is key to program's growth

(Callan DeCosta [Although I think that really is Amanda] does some hand-to-eye drills during Monday afternoon's practice session for the Tiverton High field hockey team.)

      There are two quite obvious reasons for preseson practice in high school sports.
      First and foremost, it's about getting the young men and women in the proper physical condition.
      Secondly, it's to prepare for the upcoming season as well as possible.
      The Tiverton High field hockey team and long-time coach Ken Dias definetely take that approach.
      "We try to play the best competition we can without playing the teams we're going to play against during the season," said Dias.
      Dias' teams are well known for their physical fitness and the Tigers regularly play teams at or above their level from around the state and region.
      Tiverton, after winning four consecutive Division Two championships, are coming off a semifinal appearance last season in their first at the Division One level.
      The Tigers lost the third of three one-goal games to eventual state champion North Kingstown in the final four.
      This time around, Tiverton will once again vie with some top-notch competition in the preseason as they prepare for another deep run through the RIIL playoffs.
      This week, the Tigers were set to play scrimmages with Dennis-Yarmouth and Harwich on the Cape, battle Massachusetts border neighbor Westport then play Durfee and Dartmouth in New Bedford over the weekend.
      And that's not all. Tiverton hosts Fairhaven Labor Day morning at 10 before opening its D-One slate Wednesday at home against the Wheeler School at 3:45 then play the Lincoln School Friday.
      The tremendously busy 10-day stretch winds down with a date in Newport, Sept. 6, against New Haven (Conn.), St. George's and Portsmouth Abbey in a round-robin event.
      "Again, we try to play the best teams we can outside of Rhode Island, " said Dias. "It's nice to play some of the better teams in the area that we normally wouldn't.
      "Dennis-Yarmouth, for instance, went 17-0-1. They were the No. 1 team in souteastern Mass. It doesn't make sense for us to play other Division Two teams. Playing these schools makes our program better."

Notes

> Kelly Featherstone has joined the Riverton staff as varsity assistant coach.
Featherstone, a graduate of URI, was Dias' first All -State performer during her career as a Tiger standout.
>Tiverton still not only play Dennis-Yarmouth in a scrimmage this weekend the two team will also play a home-and-home set during the season.
> Tigers' captain, Courtney Wakem, twisted an ankle the first day of practice and hasn't participated since. Dias expects his team leader to return later this week.