By Melissa Moore-Randall
Since the early days of playing minor league softball at St, Mary’s for Revere Youth Softball and Baseball, a friendship between local teens evolved. Danni Hope Randall and Maeve Hurley have had a friendship that has evolved over the years. Randall, 15, a sophomore at Revere High School, and Hurley, 16, a sophomore at Malden Catholic are three sport athletes at their respective high schools. Randall plays field hockey, indoor track and softball, while Hurley also plays field hockey and softball and is a hockey player during the winter season.
While 6th graders at the Susan B. Anthony School, the girls became close friends off the field and in the classroom. When the pandemic cut their 6th grade year short, the girls maintained their friendship and eventually became softball teammates.
For two years, they spent summers playing together on the North Shore Breakers Travel Softball Team and the Blue Devils Senior Softball Team at RYSB. When high school came, the girls went their separate ways with Danni Hope deciding to attend Revere High School and Maeve heading to Malden Catholic. However, their friendship continued.
Recently, the girls faced off against each other in a field hockey match between the two schools. Despite their competitive natures and battle for the win, MC came out victorious in their first match up, the girls embraced after the game and shared “Player of the Game” honors. The girls will face off again the coming weeks on the field hockey field and are excited to eventually cross paths on the softball field come spring.
In the words of Jesse Owens, “Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition. Awards become eroded, friends gather no dust.”
