Carly Warn, Bodhi Littlefield and Hannah McKenney didn’t get to enjoy the full seasons and championship runs to which they were accustomed.
On Tuesday, however, they still got to come away with a highlight from this fall season.
In Winslow, Warn and Littlefield signed their letters of intent for full Division I scholarships, with Warn committing to play soccer at Bryant University in Rhode Island and Littlefield signing on to play field hockey with her sister, Weslee, at Ohio University.
“It’s a fantastic thing,” Winslow girls soccer coach Lacey Smith said. “Two athletes from a small town in Maine, going to really big Division I schools, is an absolute honor and shows the type of success that the school is creating.”
At Skowhegan, McKenney had a ceremony for her commitment to play field hockey at Providence College. McKenney will officially sign on for her partial scholarship Wednesday.
“I’ve definitely dreamed about it my whole life,” McKenney said. “It’s really humbling and exciting.”
Skowhegan senior Hannah McKenney hands her puppy to field hockey coach Paula Doughty on Tuesday before signing a letter of intent to play at Providence College. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
At Winslow, Warn signed on to continue her career after emerging as one of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference’s most dangerous forwards.
“It definitely feels like it’s all kind of coming together now,” she said. “There are a lot of emotions going on right now. Once I do take that next step and I’m there, I think I’ll definitely have more nerves. But I’m definitely really excited for the opportunity.”
Warn was looking at some other schools, including Saint Joseph’s College in Standish and Lee University in Tennessee, but Bryant quickly jumped into the lead.
“I think, overall, for academics and athletics, Bryant kind of fit for me,” Warn said. “I have always known that I wanted to play soccer in college … and I kind of feel like I did it myself, getting into Bryant, because we didn’t have as many connections.”
It wasn’t a typical recruiting process, however. Not after the coronavirus slammed into everyone’s lives in March.
“Bryant actually saw me play last November, and I was able to get on campus before that and do a clinic with them,” she said. “I was supposed to go back on campus for an overnight, but I wasn’t able to do that because they literally shut down a week before I was supposed to go.”
Winslow field hockey coach Mary Beth Bourgoin, left, says a few words on behalf of senior Bohdi Littlefield, right, before Littlefield signed her letter of intent to play field hockey at Ohio University on Tuesday in Winslow. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel Buy this Photo
It all worked out, and Smith said the Bulldogs will be getting a proven finisher on the field.
“(She has a) knack to find the goal and get on the end of balls,” she said. “The understanding of the movement that’s needed to get herself open and get into good goal-scoring chances.”
Littlefield knew where she wanted to go from early on in her high school career.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” she said. “I know I belong there, and I just can’t wait to go and play field hockey with my sister again. … Playing with my sister at the next level was definitely something that we wanted to do together. And then I went and visited and said ‘Yeah, this is the spot for me.’ ”
Littlefield had interest from other schools, including Iowa in the Big Ten, but preferred Ohio’s more intimate size.
“It was definitely a ‘home’ type of feeling,” she said.
Littlefield played for Maine Majestix, and early in her career started to see herself playing at the same Division I level several of her former teammates had reached.
“It really inspired me,” she said. “I knew that I’m capable and I want to work hard and I want to earn a spot at a Division I school. I’m really proud of myself that I’m at this point.”
Winslow soccer player Carly Warn, right, and her mother Mary Lou share in the moment following a signing ceremony for Warn, and Bodhi Littlefield, a field hockey player, Tuesday in Winslow. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel Buy this Photo
Littlefield was the anchor on Winslow’s Class B state championship team last year.
“She was this little, Tasmanian Devil spitfire when she stepped on the field, and she’s been that way the whole way up,” Black Raiders coach Mary Beth Bourgoin said. “I think the world of her, but I know what she has meant to the team. She’s also left such a great legacy, and she’s such a great role model for kids.”
Providence College will be getting a blend of speed and ability in McKenney, another Majestix alum who patrolled center midfield for Skowhegan and won Class A championships as a freshman and junior.
“Competing with different teams that were at (the Division I) level, I was like ‘Wow, I can really go on if I put in the time and effort,’ ” she said. “I just decided to go for it.”
McKenney, who also looked at Vermont and Villanova, quickly became enamored with the Rhode Island school.
“Providence was the clear No. 1 for me. I went to Providence and I’m like ‘I can’t imagine myself anywhere else,’ ” she said. “The team and the coaching staff, when I went there for my official visit, I felt at home immediately. I felt like I could be myself, and I really fit in there.”
Providence’s coach, Diane Madl, first saw McKenney at the Winter Escape Showcase in Florida, at the suggestion of Skowhegan coach Paula Doughty. Doughty herself knew McKenney was going to be a legitimate prospect from middle school.
“You can just tell. They’ve got the moves, they’ve got the speed, they’ve got the desire,” she said. “But they don’t always have the commitment. And Hannah has the commitment. … It was always her dream.”
Doughty praised McKenney’s skills, but also pointed out her off-the-field abilities, particularly in a challenging fall.
“She was just there for her teammates,” she said. “She’s a wonderful leader of her team, and for me, it’s been amazing to see her grow into this leader. … This year, she just really came into her own.”
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