Celebrations, last names and successes: Uxbridge field hockey, football share it all this fall

UXBRIDGE — Like Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the 1987 film “Dirty Dancing,” Uxbridge High field hockey captain Ellie Bouchard rushed the field and jumped into the outstretched arms of sophomore goaltender Julia Okenquist on Monday night to celebrate the Spartans winning a CMADA Tournament Class A championship.

The act resembled a similar celebration that Uxbridge football captains Kellen LaChapelle and Nathan Noyes perform after the Spartans score a touchdown this season.

“We’re going to make it better next time,” Okenquist said. “I’m going to get her higher, and I think honestly we’re similar in size to the football players, so it works perfectly.”

Yet, the similarities don’t stop there for the Uxbridge field hockey and football teams this fall.

On the field, both squads enter the state tournament as the top-ranked team in their respective divisions. And off the field, the two athletic programs share quite a few family connections.

“It’s really cool,” said Uxbridge field hockey coach Kelly Rosborough, whose daughter, Ava, is an eighth grader on varsity, while her nephew, Talen, is a junior on the football team. “It’s unique, and it’s special to have two programs really excelling, doing well and supporting each other.”

“It’s certainly been a great ride,” said Uxbridge football coach Matt Blood, whose son, Aidan, is a senior captain on the gridiron while daughters Amelia and Addie play on the field hockey team. “Any time multiple teams and programs are doing well, it’s great for the athletic program as a whole.”

Breaking down the family tree

With just one loss combined between Uxbridge field hockey (17-1) and football (8-0) heading into postseason play this week, both programs have enjoyed seeing each other succeed.

Field hockey outscored opponents, 115-13, during the regular season and suffered its only loss to defending Division 1 state champion Andover, which happened to be the Spartans’ first defeat since 2019. Meanwhile, football boasted a point differential of 346-75 and hasn’t dropped a game since a 20-14 loss to St. Bernard’s in last year’s playoffs.

Add in the fact that there are four sets of siblings, three groups of parent-coach combos and a pair of cousins that crossover between both teams — and it’s a fun family frenzy for Uxbridge field hockey and football this fall.

“Since we’re all family, we all just support each other,” said junior football player Shane Gilmore, whose older brother, Carter, is a gridiron teammate, while younger cousin Kendall plays field hockey. “It really makes us have a strong bond together, and it makes it a little more fun.”

Said freshman Addie Blood: “We’re always talking about one of the (two) sports at home.”

“(My brother and I) both got in the paper one day together,” said Brooklyn Kaferlein, whose older sibling, Liam, plays football while their father, Mark, is an assistant football coach. “It’s super cool to see my brother next to me (in a picture), and I‘ll have that (moment) forever when I’m out of sports.”

With a task perhaps better suited for Ancestry.com, let’s look at all the family ties (not including relatives or parent-kid combos from the same team) that bind Uxbridge field hockey and football together this season:

Cousins

• Carter, Kendall and Shane Gilmore

• Ava and Talen Rosborough

Kids & Parents

• Addie, Aidan and Amelia Blood with father, Matt (football coach), and mother, Jody, serving as an assistant field hockey coach

• Brooklyn and Liam Kaferlein with father, Mark, serving as an assistant football coach

• Ava Rosborough with mother, Kelly, serving as field hockey coach

Siblings

• Addie, Aidan and Amelia Blood

• Braden and Maddie Cammuso

• Brooklyn and Liam Kaferlein

• Julia and Shane Okenquist

And, of course, with any sibling relationship comes a friendly rivalry that bubbles beneath the surface.

“It’s really fun to see my brother have success,” said Julia Okenquist, whose older brother, Shane, is a senior on the football team. “But it also makes for a good rivalry at home.”

“Sometimes at home, it might cause a little chirping action to go on,” Liam Kaferlein said. “But at the end of the day (my sister and I) both have the same similarities; we both want a ring on our finger at the end of the fall season.”

Sharing the same goals, memories

On Thursday, the Uxbridge field hockey team begins its quest to win a third straight Division 4 state championship when the top-seeded Spartans host No. 32 Tahanto in the round of 32.

A day later, No. 1 Uxbridge football hosts No. 16 Oxford in a Division 7 Sweet 16 contest as the Spartans hope to inch closer to their first Super Bowl title since 1992.

“The past two years, my aunt’s been really successful winning two straight state titles, and now my little cousin (Ava) gets a shot at it,” Talen Rosborough said. “So it will be a really cool experience for her, but now we have the same goal to win a state title, and we’re going to do it as a family.”

While similarities continue to pile up for Uxbridge field hockey and football this fall, getting the chance to share celebrations, last names and successes — both on and off the field — has provided memories that will last a lifetime.

“It’s super crazy and super hectic,” Jody Blood said. “But it’s worth it.”

Said Uxbridge sophomore Kendall Gilmore: “It’s really fun and interesting getting to support (the football team) and also my team at the same time. I think it’s just all-around one big, ol' family.”

“It’s going to be a time that we look back on and certainly cherish,” Matt Blood said.

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44. 

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Uxbridge field hockey, football teams share a lot in common this fall