The athletes on the North Branford field hockey team were having a dance party before they got on the bus and went to Wethersfield to face Stonington in the Class S state championship game. When they got off the bus, the Thunderbirds kept the party going by posting a 2-0 win over Stonington to claim their fifth state title in program history and the team's first since 2017.

As North Branford prepared to board its bus and head to Wethersfield High School for the Class S State Tournament final on Nov. 20,

the Thunderbirds were dancing around, just trying to stay loose. Once on the bus, everyone was chatting it up and expressing their excitement about playing for the state title.

"On the bus ride, we were just talking to each other. We were all smiling and excited," senior captain Olivia Toto said. "There were some nerves, but knowing we were going into it together made us feel better."

The 4th-seeded T-Birds took their good vibes to the field and went on to get a 2-0 victory against No. 2 seed Stonington in the Class S title game. Toto and fellow senior Mia Oliverio scored the goals for North Branford, which finished with a record of 18-2-2 for a season that also saw Head Coach Babby Nuhn's team win its fifth-straight Shoreline Conference championship.

Toto put North Branford up 1-0 when she netted the first goal of the state final with 11:57 remaining in the second quarter. Oliverio had the assist on the goal. While there was still plenty of game to play, Toto felt that breaking through boosted the T-Birds' confidence for the remainder of the contest.

"We've been stressing all year to not wait until the second half to try and put points up on the board. The fact we got up early was a relief for us," said Toto. "We knew we couldn't let up. Any team could score. We still had to keep going. But netting that first one gave us a lot of confidence for the rest of the game."

Just 1:23 after Toto's goal, Oliverio sent one into the back of the net to increase North Branford's lead to 2-0 with 10:34 left in the first half. That score remained at halftime.

During the break, senior captain Braeden LeBeau and the T-Birds talked about how they had to keep playing their hardest, because they knew that the Bears were going to come out hungry in the second half.

"Our coaches were saying that Stonington was going to come out strong. They really wanted it. We just had to want it more," LeBeau said. "The coaches thought it wouldn't end up being a 2-0 game. We were anticipating more goals to be scored. We were anticipating playing defense against a team that was going to come out firing."

After halftime, Stonington battled hard to try and put a score on the board, but the T-Birds' defense held strong. Even the team's forwards were falling back on defense to protect the net. Ultimately, North Branford's defense didn't allow a single shot on goal against senior keeper Samantha Helwig in the game.

"We were committed to protecting our goal. We don't want Sam to have to make saves," said LeBeau. "We want to keep it out of our defensive zone altogether. That's what we did."

When the final whistle blew, the Thunderbirds had accomplished their mission by earning a 2-0 win versus Stonington to take the Class S title back to North Branford. The T-Birds had lost to Granby the last time they played in a state final in 2019.

"It was unbelievable. As a sophomore, I played in the state championship game. I know how it felt to be on the other side," Toto said. "Winning the championship was the culmination of all the hard work we put in throughout the season, and I thought it only brought us together more. It was absolutely amazing to win that game."

Toto said that patience was key in order for North Branford to be successful this year. The T-Birds didn't want to force anything, while making sure that they were making the best passes and taking the best shots possible. It was a goal that was established at the beginning of the season. In the game against Stonington, Toto felt that North Branford's patience prevailed and helped pave the way to the title.

"Throughout the entire season and especially during the State Tournament, we were stressing patience. We weren't trying to rush anything if it wasn't there," said Toto. "We were making good passes. We weren't rushing. We were able to capitalize on that in the championship. Patience is what helped us win that game."

From the first practice to the final game, LeBeau saw Thunderbirds become a family this fall. LeBeau said that family extends to both the coaches and alumni of the program. As one cohesive unit, the T-Birds were able to capture the Class S state championship and make everyone in the North Branford field hockey family feel proud.

"Our chemistry is amazing. We are a family. We pride ourselves on that. The coaches who coach us are all alumni and parents and former players," LeBeau said.

"It really just shows how strong those connections run throughout our program. It just shows how strong our connection and culture is at North Branford field hockey" LeBeau concluded.

LeBeau, Toto, Oliverio, and Helwig are the four seniors on North Branford's roster. The T-Birds' junior class features Gianna Palma, Mia Park, and Payton Kamienski.

The sophomores on the squad are Sophia Toto, Lindsey Onofrio, Gianna Gamble, Gabrielle Senerchia, Keana Criscuolo, and Morgan Lucibello. The freshmen on the team are Samantha Ferraro, Alivia Schmidt, Daytona Kamienski, Joanna Lamot, Alexa Falcioni, Riley Cole, and Lily Ardito.

Coach Nuhn's assistant coaches are coaches Kathy Galdenzi, Sabrina LeMere, Cheryl Canada, Evaun Boatman, and Lori Connelly.