This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
01/08/2024 01:06 PMTess Ferrie just kept striving for her own proficiency as a soccer player for the betterment of the Branford girls’ soccer program. Now, on the other side of things four years later, she finds herself on the highest pedestal in the pantheon of Hornets’ history, by simultaneously leading her group to plenty of victories.
The Branford senior forward started playing soccer at the young age of 6 while playing with her sister, Hornets’ teammate and Class of 2023 graduate Ava Ferrie, and she later played travel soccer. After Ferrie amassed All-SCC Second Team honors as a sophomore, she one-upped herself by nabbing All-SCC First Team accolades after a 24-goal, 16-assist junior season.
To add even more to the accolades this past fall, Ferrie three-peated as an All-SCC Team honoree, but more importantly, she set the new all-time scoring record for the Hornets, with final career numbers of 61 goals and 32 assists for 154 total career points. She was additionally an All-State Team selection this season, and will play for Division I program Rider University with Ava next fall.
“It is an honor to hold this record. It had gone untouched for years, and so to put a new face and name on it is an honor,” said Ferrie. “My sister tied it in her final game of her last season, and I made it a personal mission this year to beat the record.. It was a really good feeling to do it.”
Ferrie sat just a trio of tallies shy of etching her name in glory. She explains that her coach kept her from hitting the milestone away from her home crowd and family, and it all worked out for the best, with an exhilarating moment in time Tess will never forget on Oct. 5.
“We were on the road the game before, and I tied the record, but then [Head Coach Jen Kohut] did not put me in the remainder of the game after that because our next game was at home,” Ferrie said. “We were home against Guilford, which was a team that plays a similar style to us, and we have had a big rivalry with them. I wanted to set the record in the first minute of the game. The crowd was packed, and I got the goal 45 seconds into the game. It was a big relief, because against a team like Guilford, I was worried I would not get it. My teammate [junior] Bryce Infantino played a great ball over the top of the box, and I took the touch in the top of the box. It was me against the goalie, and I played it low and hard. It was the best feeling for me, and I was glad Coach Kohut gave me the chance to do it at home.”
In such a fast moving sport of soccer, Ferrie knows to never squander any moments when she is in possession of the ball. While she was bolstered by her sibling as her teammate in prior campaigns, she explained that her swiftness and skilled abilities with her feet, along with fearlessness, helped her to the final destination of making good on her mission.
“Because I had a big goal for myself, I made sure to make sure it counted every time I had the ball,” Ferrie said. “Yet if I saw a teammate had a better opportunity to score, I would pass it off. I also have worked on my feet skills, my speed, and selling the move I was going to do. Those things helped me develop more skills, and my sister helped me become the player I am now when I played with her. She is the reason I have a lot of my goals, along with my other teammates. I also took a lot of risky shots this season from far away.”
As the spotlight shines on Ferrie and her offensive output, she details she was additionally driven by a cohesive unit of a club that never backed down. Their successes on the field were driven by a strict discipline away from it, complemented by a great affinity for each other.
“There really are no words to describe this team. We were so resilient, and the girls were like my sisters,” said Ferrie. “We had great bus rides playing music, and I will miss those moments. Our coaches always had fun with us, and it was all about winning for us. We made sure to get our work done, but we always left time to have fun. Having that balance made our on the field connection that much better.”
Ferrie is someone who worked around the clock and for the full calendar year, both alone and with her family, to perfect her craft and it was certainly evident. Kohut added that she always had a knack for the clutch, even as an underclassman, while being someone who knew how to balance between seriousness and levity within the group.
“Tess has had a profound impact on the program. She has worked extremely hard on her own in the offseason, and with her sister and father on her shot, speed, and agility. Tess is an intense player who leads by example. She gives her best every day, and expects that same intensity from her teammates. Tess is a gamer and always shows up,” said Kohut. “I remember her goal as a freshman in the semifinals of the SCC Tournament. Whenever we needed a boost or a big goal, Tess came up strong. She is a natural striker, her personality fitting her position on the field. She has set the bar high for the strikers in the future. She kept everyone loose at practice, while also demanding only the best from those around her. I've had a blast the last four years with her. I know that she will continue to do great things in the future. It has been my great honor and privilege to coach such a talented player.”
The admiration is certainly mutual for Ferrie, and she explained that her main mentor on the bench always was a master motivator that propelled her to consistently perform at her peak.
“A lot of the lessons I have learned have come from Coach Kohut; she always pushed me to do my best,” said Tess. “I would take her corrections and apply it to everything with my game. She always said that I have a gift and to use every part of it. I have learned to just do what you know you can do, do not let anyone stop you from doing it, and do it better if you can.”