Wahconah's Cote Scores Her 100th Career Goal
DALTON, Mass. -- For Wahconah senior Jilly Cote, there was no added significance to her second goal of Tuesday’s game against Hoosac Valley.
It was a lot like the 99 that preceded it, including No. 1 in her stellar career.
“I honestly couldn’t tell you,” Cote said when asked what she remembered of the first time she put the ball in the net in a varsity game. “I think it’s all become, honestly, at this point, a blur.
“I’m sure, in the moment, it was a very exciting experience because I came after my sister [Emmy]. When I came, it was nice to get a goal and be supported by my teammates and things like that. But I don’t really remember it.”
Fast forward a few years, and goal No. 100 was a different kind of blur for Cote, who had no idea going into Tuesday’s game that she was two scores shy of the milestone.
“I was very surprised,” Cote said. “I was very confused when [coach Kathy Budaj] handed me the ball and people brought out balloons.”
Cote scored the first goal of the game on Tuesday and assisted on the third, but goal No. 100 waited until midway through the first half. That is when Cote converted an assist from Chloe Accardi in transition to make it 7-0 for Wahconah, which went on to a 14-0 win in a game that ended early in the second half due to lightning in the area.
Cote finished with four points on the day in a balanced attack for Wahconah.
Accardi, Hannah Bowlby, Ava Massaro and Kaeli Talora each scored a pair, and Paige Trager, Claire Naef, Norah Esko and Kya Candilore each had a goal. Sydney Smith stopped six shots for her third shutout of the year.
For Hoosac Valley, Emily Godfrey stopped five shots.
Wahconah improved to 6-2 this spring heading into Wednesday’s rematch against Mount Greylock, a 9-8 winner when the teams met in Williamstown last month.
Budaj thought Cote’s 100th goal would come one day earlier against the Mounties in a game that got rescheduled due to Monday’s oppressive heat.
Actually, goal No. 100 should have come one year earlier.
“It was nice to be able to honor such an accomplishment, especially after losing last year,” Budaj said. “She did it in three years. I’m sure if she had last year, she would have done it then and we’d be looking at over 200 points this year.”
Budaj said Cote’s accomplishments are a testimony to the work she does when no one is watching.
“I was telling my underclassmen: You put time in, and good things come,” Budaj said. “You have to do the work behind the scenes, and I know Jilly has put in time and effort. And it shows. She’s a very important part of our team, whether it’s the draw control, the shots, the midfield transition. She’s a complete player, and she earns everything she gets.”
Cote credited her teammates with helping support her through the years, and she was glad to have a chance to celebrate the personal milestone with them on Tuesday.
“Not everyone gets that chance, and not everyone is given that opportunity,” she said. “So it’s a great feeling to be able to be in that position. And it’s great to have the support of everybody and everyone cheering for you. It’s nice to be in the spotlight once in a while, so that was nice.”