This Friday December 6th, the Oyster-River-Portsmouth (ORP) girls’ hockey team will face off in their first game of the season: a home scrimmage against Exeter High School. This will hopefully be the first of many wins on the road to taking home the first-place plaque come championship season.
The ORP girls’ hockey team have been the DII New Hampshire runners-up two years in a row. This season, the ClipperCats are eager for a chance to rise to the and take home the title of state champions.
Meagan Rinko (‘26) believes the strong foundation the team has built over the past few years will pay off at the championship game. “I honestly think that [the goal of becoming state champions] is so in reach because we have taken so many big steps this season.”
According to Rinko, one of the team’s biggest strengths is their ability to communicate and work well together on the ice despite being a split school team. “[Having a split school team] has definitely strengthened us a lot more than it’s weakened us,” she says.
The team is comprised nearly 50/50 of Oyster River High School (ORHS) players and Portsmouth High School (PHS) players. This split strengthens the team by doubling the competition. “We have great players and great leaders from both schools which allows everybody to feel very welcome,” says Rinko.
Mallory DeSantis (‘25) shares that traveling together to games helps bring the girls closer together. “The bus rides are definitely a great way for us to bond as a team, as we’re on them pretty often and for a long time. They give us a chance to talk with each other and keep ourselves entertained,” she explains.
Not only do the ClipperCats have strong chemistry, but this year’s team is comprised of mostly returning players, losing only a few graduating seniors from the year prior. On top of their impressive list of returning key players, the addition of a few skilled freshmen will add depth to the already solid team.
Olivia Kavanah (‘28), an upcoming freshman on the team this season, is excited to play for her school after playing for club teams for the extent of her hockey career. Kavanagh highlights a few significant differences between club and the high school games she’s watched in previous seasons. “There are some different rules such as offsides… but it seems more spread out and there’s a lot more passing.”
However, despite the many returning top-scorers and positive new additions to the roster, the biggest change this season is the implementation of assistant coach Jessica Young —the first female on the permanent coaching staff in recent ORHS girl’s hockey history.
Rinko thinks the new coach will be just the tweak needed to bring their best to the championship game. “It’s not only having a girl coach who understands girls, it’s having a girl coach who’s been through all of this. She’s been through the high school programs, she’s been through college, she’s been through the highs and lows of hockey as a female, and she’s been through the challenges [that arise as a female] in a male dominated sport.”
DeSantis echos Rinko’s sentiments and shares her hopes that playing under the positive influence of a female coach will help bring the girls closer together, create a better team environment, and allow every player to rise to their full potential.
With a couple weeks of practice under their belts, the ClipperCats are ready to show off their strength on Friday. To view the full season schedule, visit the Oyster River High School Athletics page.
-Jahrie Houle
Photo courtesy of Gabi Selig
Mouth of the River 
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