Auburn News : high school sports

Memorial boys knocked out by Central in state semifinal

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:23:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

There wasn’t much that could douse the excitement of Chris Laberge, who had just led Manchester Central’s boys soccer team to its first-ever state championship match.

One thing – actually a team – was the exception. “The soft side of me, and that is a side that isn’t shown often, feels bad for (Manchester Memorial),” said the Little Green mentor following the team’s 2-0 semifinal victory over the rival Crusaders on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Nashua’s Stellos Stadium.

Memorial, with four local players, finished the season with an 11-5-3 record after earning the No. 8 seed, then upending Merrimack and top-ranked Concord en route to the clash with No. 4 seed Central, the eventual state champion.

With 16 minutes remaining in the first half, Little Green forward Jon Ntonga took a feed from Romero Osorio and broke the scoreless tie.

Memorial’s defense couldn’t keep the margin at one, giving up a goal to Hooksett’s Chris Beauchesne with 5:22 left to push the edge to 2-0 at the intermission.

Memorial’s electric sophomore striker Peguy Ngatcha had a clean shot on goal early on, but he couldn’t connect. It was a moment Memorial head coach Paul Ostberg said was an early momentum shift.

“He doesn’t miss often,” said Ostberg. “We wanted to keep it as close as we could for as long as we could. The longer we could have kept it 0-0 would have benefited us.”

Auburn residents Tim Gregoire, Seth Lafay and Brian Lipsett were all critical members of the team, in addition to Hooksett’s Matt McQueeney, a constant scoring threat.

Fourteen seniors graduate from this year’s Memorial team, including Gregoire, Lipsett and Lafay. Ostberg said he must rely on his JV and youth programs to help him continue the program’s recent success.

While Memorial’s mentor said the rivalry brought excitement to the pitch, the timing was just off.

“Chris (Laberge) and I have always said we wanted to meet in the finals, but unfortunately it was a game short,” said Ostberg. “We’re proud for the city of Manchester, and for those guys.”

For strong Memorial team, local talent a focal point

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:56:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

When Tim Gregoire is down, he’s not coming out. The Auburn resident is one of four locals on the Memorial boys soccer team who bring gritty play to a squad battling for a top spot in the Class L tournament.

Along with Gregoire, Auburn’s Brian Lipsett and Seth Lafay earned starting spots along with Hooksett’s Matt McQueeney, a key offensive threat for Memorial.

“(The area players) have brought a lot of leadership throughout their time with me,” said Memorial head coach Paul Ostberg. “They just play extremely hard and have been critical to our team all year.”

Gregoire in particular brought a physical style to the defensive backfield against 6-3- 0 Salem, on Oct. 2.

Twice, the defenseman landed hard, clean tackles on Salem opponents to win balls before falling to the ground in pain. Neither hit forced him to miss any action, however, and he helped shut down the Blue Devils the rest of the game.

“He’s been with me for four years, and he has always been one of the toughest players that I have coached,” said Ostberg.

Though the home team took a 1-0 lead just six minutes into the game, McQueeney tied the match when he took a loose ball from the left side and sent it into the upper-right-hand corner of the net late in the first half.

Forward Peguy Ngatcha added the game-winner midway through the second half, as Memorial won the contest, 2-1, to improve to 7-1-2.

Since then, the Crusaders faced two opponents higher in the standings: Pinkerton Academy and Londonderry.

On Oct. 6, Memorial handed Pinkerton its second loss of the year before absorbing its second setback in a 5-1 loss at Londonderry on Friday, Oct. 9.

The Crusaders have two matchups left with top teams, hosting 10-2-1 Bishop Guertin on Friday, Oct. 16, and 11-1-1 Concord to close the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 22.

Ostberg said facing these difficult opponents pays dividends for his largely inexperienced team as it enters the postseason.

“This gets them ready for the playoff atmosphere,” he said. “These tough games bring out the best in our players. It gives them a chance to be challenged when the pressure’s on.”

In final, Memorial shoots poorly against Trinity, the state champ

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:41:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

When leaving for the University of New Hampshire and the Class L title game, the Memorial boys basketball team forgot to pack one critical item – its offense. The Crusaders fell short of a state title on Saturday, March 21, shooting 15 percent and losing to city rival Trinity, 50-25.

Jonathan Brandon’s threepointer with 7:10 remaining in the contest cut the large Crusader deficit to 38-20. It was also the first time a player other than Jason Chevrefils or Auburn’s Jeffrey Sowa had scored for Memorial. In fact, the Crusaders were outscored by Jordan Laguerre alone, who poured in 26 points for Trinity.

Chevrefils had 10 points on the day while Sowa added eight markers in the loss.

“They outplayed us in every way,” said Memorial’s head coach, Mike Fitzpatrick of Hooksett. “We were patient and disciplined early on, but I think we got away from that.”

In addition to scheming in an attempt to slow Laguerre, Fitzpatrick was also faced with the challenge of stopping his son, Cormac Fitzpatrick, a long-range threat for the Pioneers.

The Trinity junior nailed a three to open the scoring early in the first quarter and scored five points on the afternoon. “It felt nice (to hit the shot against my father’s team),” he said. “I know (my father) was mad. He gave me an open look, but they bottled me up the rest of the game.”

Dave Keefe, Trinity’s head coach, said he considers Mike Fitzpatrick a close friend and knows Fitzpatrick is happy for his son despite Memorial’s runner-up finish.

“He’s a great coach. If he’s not happy over at Memorial, we’d be happy to have him as an assistant over here,” joked Keefe. “I’m happy for his son, and I am sure that he is, too.”

• • •

Memorial reached the finals by knocking out two-time defending champion Salem, 49-41, on Wednesday, March 18.

Chevrefils dominated near the basket, scoring 27 points and adding nine rebounds as the Crusaders managed a 28-16 rebounding edge overall.

Salem pulled within three points late in the contest, but Memorial hit its free throws to pull the minor upset.

Memorial pulls away to reach state semifinals

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:58:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Winnacunnet, up seven points in the second quarter of the Class L boys basketball quarterfinals, faced two problems: too much time remaining and too much Memorial talent.

The host Crusaders began hitting their shots, the visiting Warriors too often missed theirs – especially from the charity stripe – and Memorial advanced with a 66-52 victory on Saturday, March 14.

“(Winnacunnet’s) game plan was to force us to hit from the outside,” said Memorial’s head coach, Mike Fitzpatrick of Hooksett. “Eventually, we did.”

The teams traded baskets throughout a fast-paced first quarter that included five lead changes. But the Warriors, who scored 10 straight points to turn a 16-13 deficit into a 23-16 lead, simply stopped scoring. They missed six straight free throws in the second quarter, while the Crusaders, including Auburn natives Jeffrey Sowa and Matthew Couture, as well as Jason Chevrefils and Pierre Reyes, connected from everywhere on the floor.

A disappointed Winnacunnet squad went into halftime down six points, 31-25. From there, No. 3 seed Memorial, which was set to face second-seeded Salem on Wednesday, March 18, at the University of New Hampshire, extended the lead in the second half. Nathan Gendron of Auburn, Jonathan Brandon, Sowa, Couture and Chevrefils answered most every basket from the Warriors.

If they beat the Blue Devils in the semis, the Crusaders play for the state championship on Saturday, March 21, at UNH’s Lundholm Gymnasium. Tipoff is 3 p.m.

Game notes
Chevrefils poured in 23 points, some on fine interior passing from Sowa, who managed 11 markers, including a three-pointer. Brandon also scored 11, while Couture reached double figures with 10 points off the bench. Reyes hit a three-pointer in each half, and Gendron added five points, including a three-ball.

Memorial wins first contest with six unanswered goals

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:14:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Something odd is happening within the Memorial ice hockey program. It can be seen on the ice, on the bench, even in the stands – smiles everywhere. Yes, the Crusaders are learning to enjoy themselves. The result is better play.

In fact, Memorial came back from a 3-0 first-period deficit against Nashua South on Saturday, Jan. 17, tied the contest in the second period and then won its first game going away, 6-3. “After the first period I was like, ‘What the heck,” said head coach Kyle McDonough. “But to score six unanswered (goals) was very exciting. Boy, we needed that win.”

Three days earlier, against Salem, Memorial fell into a similar 4-0 hole in the opening frame, then came back to scare the Blue Devils before falling, 4-3. For whatever reason, Memorial is a totally different team in the second and third periods. McDonough can’t explain it, other than to say the players are ceasing to try to be superstars and concentrating on basics.

“Right now, they feel like they’re on top of the world. But our goal isn’t to get one win,” he said. “Sure, you’ve got to start with one, and we’re definitely feeling good about ourselves, but it’s not like we’re the Bruins or the Detroit Red Wings out there. We’re not a skilled team, and they’re starting to realize that. The way we’re going to win is by doing all the little things. Hopefully, they remember how we got that first (win).”

The team is young. For many players, it’s their first experience with competitive hockey. Yet McDonough is excited because his veterans are stepping up and taking ownership of the team.

“For us, it goes in waves. This year, we don’t have the most talented group, but we have some leadership that can help the young guys, and I think that will translate well for the future, as new kids come in and carry on that character and attitude,” said the fifth-year coach. “I like the direction we’re headed in, especially because it’s my understanding we have a pretty talented group of seventh- and eighth-graders coming in.”

Senior center Matt Zimmerman, who scored one of the half dozen goals against South, and goalie Matt Flynn captain the current unit.

Junior Kevin Miner, who lit the lamp twice on South, and senior Zach Harisiades, who has tallies in the last two games, complete a potent first line. Junior Colby Masiaszek, in his first year, and sophomore John Garrity are contributing solid play on the blue line, though McDonough said there are few set positions on his team.

“Sometimes I throw forwards out there on defense, or vice versa,” he said. “We’re a hodgepodge. You never know what you’re going to see on a power play or in a penalty-killing scenario. My guys are all over the place.”

Sophomore Bryson Bilodeau and freshman Brady Bilodeau are in their first year with the program. McDonough said both are seeing plenty of ice time and should be a big part of the team’s success going forward.

While Flynn starts most games, it was junior Pat Dodd making 23 saves to help MHS garner its first victory.

Others contributing for the Crusaders this season include senior Andrew Gardner; juniors Mike Putney, Cody Kienia, Jon- Luc Gagnon, Adam Upham, Dan Smith, Brian Sullivan, Seth Stone, Bryan Villemure, Eric Burke, Kevin Kelly and Jared Pellerin; and sophomores Ryan Lopes, James Hickey and Tyler Fay.

“We’re finally playing some (strong) hockey, and they’re having fun,” said McDonough. “I truly believe if you’re having fun, good things will happen.”

Memorial’s spirited comeback answered decisively by state champs

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:05:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Manchester Memorial’s players erupted in a raucous celebration on the sidelines after erasing a 2-0 deficit late in the second half of its semifinal match against top-seeded Pinkerton Academy.

Eighteen seconds later, the Crusaders had nothing left to be excited about.

Pinkerton and Memorial combined to score six goals in the second half of their Class L contest on Nov. 4, but the Astros bounced back to score the final two, advancing to the title game and winning against Concord, 1-0.

After a scoreless first half, Pinkerton scored just 49 seconds into the second frame.

“That’s just poor halftime coaching on my part,” said Paul Ostberg, Memorial’s mentor. “It’s just the signature of a championship team to come out that quick, and for us it was the signature of a fourth-seeded team.”

After a second Astros goal made the score 2-0, the Crusaders’ postseason chances appeared slim, but with 16:35 remaining, freshman Peguy Ngatcha made a spin move inside the box and fired a shot off the crossbar.

Though Ngatcha’s shot didn’t go in, Sean MacDonald’s rebound did, cutting the lead in half. Less than eight minutes later, the Crusaders took advantage of a loose ball following a collision with the Pinkerton goalie, and MacDonald notched the gametying score, igniting the Memorial bench.

“We changed our formation up, and that really opened up the offensive game,” said Ostberg. “When we scored the second (goal), we stayed in our 3-4-3 formation. We really didn’t expect them to score that quickly.”

Following the equalizer, Pinkerton carried the ball down the field, putting a shot on goal that bounced back out to Michael Wanelik, who found the back of the net.

The Astros sealed their spot in the finals when Wanelik dropped a chip shot into the net from 45 yards out, leaving the Crusaders down two goals with 4:07 left.

In recent years Memorial has been knocked out of the tournament early, something that has frustrated Ostberg.

“We need to get used to playing more playoff games. It comes down to one mistake, one chance. Every little thing is magnified,” said Ostberg. “This is like a recurring nightmare for me.”

Salem avenges 2007 playoff loss by ousting Memorial

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:38:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Though the flavor of the Class L semifinals is indeed sweet for the Salem girls soccer team, their defeated quarterfinal-round opponent, Memorial, is hardly bitter. Last season, it was the Crusaders who defeated the Blue Devils on their way to the state’s final four.

This year, it was No. 4 Salem knocking off its 12th-seeded Queen City foe, 2-0, on Saturday, Nov. 1, to advance to the semis for the first time since 2002.

“It tastes good,” said Salem’s third-year head coach, Kendrick Whittle. “We’re happy with our accomplishment, but the thing I just told the girls, the thing I’m happiest with, is that they didn’t come off the field acting ecstatic.

You know, we’ve played very good soccer the last two games, but we have a bigger goal here.” Memorial obviously had the same aspirations, and coach Dan Wyborney said the Crusaders were right where they wanted to be. Salem simply outplayed them.

“We definitely started to shine a little bit near the end of the season, which is what happens every year,” said Wyborney of a squad he’s led to the semifinals two of the last four years. “You know, it doesn’t really matter what happens during the regular season or where you finish. It’s how you perform in the big games, and we’re a big-game team. Of course, today we didn’t really put it out there the way we could have and should have, but I give Salem a lot of credit for that.”

It didn’t help that the Crusaders were without injured standout midfielder Chantel Van Rossum.

Still, Whittle gave the brownie points to his back line of Caitlin Peters, Sarah Snyder, Avery Neusch, Sara Viehl, Kristine Gosson and Hannah LaRochelle for shutting down a Memorial offense that outscored its last five regular season opponents, 16-3, and led the Lady Crusaders to a 3-2 upset of No. 5 Pinkerton in the opening round of the playoffs.

Salem’s defense has yet to allow a goal in 160 minutes of playoff soccer and shut down Memorial’s Kaleigh Roberge, whom Whittle termed the most explosive striker in the state.

Offensively, it was Liz Edgerton who gave her team the early lead during a back-and-forth first half. Then, with 15 minutes left in the contest, Kayla Provenzano hooked a corner kick past MHS keeper Ashley Gendron to secure the win.

Now Wyborney is faced with the reality he’ll say goodbye to eight seniors; all played integral roles on this year’s team. That list includes Auburn’s Chantel Van Rossum and her sister Desirae. Gendron, a sophomore from Auburn, is likely to return next season.

Memorial’s poor record in ’08 promises rich reward in the future

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:33:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

When ordering his team’s jerseys prior to golf tryouts, Bruce Perreault had a hunch he’d have to order those collared shirts smaller than usual. As it turned out, that hunch paid off.

Of the 11 players who made the Manchester Memorial team, four are freshmen and three are sophomores.

Only three golfers – all juniors – returned from the 2007 team.

“It’s funny. I ended up having the best scores I’ve ever had at tryouts, even though they were just young kids,” said Perreault, who noted those performances did nothing to change his expectations.

“I knew they wouldn’t perform that well during the season. I mean, playing with friends and playing in an actual match are two very different things.”

Sure enough, the team sputtered through most of the season, finishing with a 5-22 record, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t several glimmers of hope.

On Sept. 17, MHS tallied a season-best 198 and swept its home match against Concord, Alvirne and Nashua North, which carded scores of 203, 208 and 227, respectively.

And in their last match, on Sept. 24 the Crusaders trumped Goffstown, 208-218, and came within three strokes of defeating two of Class L’s top teams, Salem and Winnacunnet; each finished at 206.

“The key thing I take away from this season is I knew we were going to be a good team in the long run, but we needed to get used to the distraction of formal match play,” said Perreault. “As far as I’m concerned, we’ve already graduated to the next level. We had the talent. Now we have the experience to go with it.”

Though becoming match-tested was the goal this season, the coach added next year anything less than a top-10 finish and state tournament appearance would be a disappointment.

Two names guaranteed to be at or near the top of the Memorial lineup next season will be current juniors Brian Sullivan and Pat Dodd.

Freshman Makenzie Denver is within a half stroke of Sullivan and Dodd.

Perreault is so impressed with the first-year standout that he compared Denver to Pat Gocklin, who graduated in 2007 after winning a state championship his junior year. And while Sullivan, Dodd and Denver were his clear top three this season, Perreault said it’s the consistency throughout the lineup that has him so excited about the next couple of seasons.

“Normally, we have a couple good golfers at the top and don’t really have much of a supporting cast,” he said. “This team will be solid from top to bottom in the years to come. I have to admit my expectations are high.”

Junior Brandon Boisvert and freshman Tyler Karanasios generally filled out the top five, while sophomore James Hickey was usually within a stroke of his counterparts.

Senior Patrick Murphy, playing his first high school golf, also contributed, as did sophomores Brandon Stevens and Brady Hobbs and freshmen Chaz Newton and Vinny Langella.

“This is the most enjoyable group I’ve ever had,” said Perreault. “They’re real gentleman. They’re nice kids and like to have fun.”

Memorial’s struggles include view of what the future could be

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:05:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

With Bedford students leaving Manchester West and many of Central’s would-be Hooksett players now heading to West to fill the void, Peter Colcord knows the next couple years offer a prime chance for his Memorial football team to battle for Queen City gridiron supremacy.

It won’t happen this season, said the first-year head coach, but the building blocks are in place for his squad to contend in the next three or four years.

“I knew we would have a tough time this year. I knew we lacked experience and lacked (offensive and defensive) line depth, so … within the next couple years I expect us to be a playoff team,” said Colcord, who spent three years coaching at Trinity and another five at Memorial before three years at Londonderry and a return to MHS last season.

“The freshman class I have right now is very strong, and the JVs are mostly sophomores, so what I’m doing is different than what’s been done in the past ... I’m keeping those kids together and letting them grow as a group,” he continued. “I’m trying to … build their confidence up and then move them along.”

Though the Crusaders have shown flashes of brilliance on offense this season, they’ve faced two strong opposing attacks in their first two D-I contests, and the inexperience on defense has been evident. Memorial lost to Pinkerton on Sept. 12, 41-6, and was thoroughly handled by Salem on Friday, Sept. 19, 65-20.

“We have pretty good skill kids, but defensively we’re pretty weak,” said Colcord. “Our defensive line is not good. They just blew us off the ball, and our tackling was poor.”

Behind the three-headed passing/ rushing/receiving monster of senior captains Chris Hynes and Rob Rogers and junior Domingo Cruz, respectively, the Crusaders put together a 70-yard opening drive capped by a 7-yard Hynes keeper into the end zone.

The team continuously moved the ball throughout the contest, even without two of its other offensive standouts and captains – injured senior running back Ben Copp and injured wide receiver Shawn Mancini – yet Salem proved more impressive, burning the MHS defense to the tune of more than 500 yards from scrimmage.

“Really, we were only 22 points ahead, and the way they were throwing the ball, I was concerned going into the third quarter,” said Salem coach Jack Gati of his squad’s 36-14 halftime lead. “We’ve been improving on offense every week. I told the kids we were much better offensively tonight than we were last Friday night, and that was better than the first night,” said Colcord. “But we can’t tackle a lick, and I don’t understand why. We have some pretty big boys on the line, and we’ve been in the weight room, but they’re getting pushed around weekly out there. I know my defensive coordinator is ready to pull his hair out, but they’re just not executing what we’re trying to teach and trying to do.

“Not that it’s an excuse, but we have a lot of first-year players, even juniors and seniors coming out for the first time, and they’re learning as we’re playing,” he added. “They got a lesson tonight.”

Still, the mentor said the Crusaders have favorable match-ups against West and Concord in the near future, and they host a winnable inter-division battle against middling D-II Merrimack on Friday, Sept. 26.

“We should be competitive against those teams,” said Colcord. “I’m not sure whether we can beat them or not, but we’ll be competitive.”

Game notes
Against Salem, Hynes garnered 83 yards and a touchdown on the ground and threw for another 52 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Cruz.

Rogers ran hard all game and picked up several first downs. Senior Cody Quinn, in addition to a handful of nice catches, recovered a fumble in the end zone to score a touchdown on a botched Salem punt.

Crusaders work for return to playoffs – and a different outcome

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:28:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Last year, the Memorial boys soccer team finished the regular season 12-3-1, but following a frustrating 1-0 overtime loss to Londonderry in the Class L quarterfinals, the Crusaders have some unfinished business.

Though coach Paul Ostberg is downplaying the disappointment of MHS’s quick exit in 2007, he’s the first to admit his squad was on an absolute tear entering the postseason. In fact, Memorial had lost to two quality opponents in overtime early in the year before staging a 12-game winning streak.

“If you don’t win the state title, I think everyone has a chip on their shoulder,” said Ostberg. “We’re not happy with the way last year ended, but at the same time we’re starting this season with a clean slate … As long as we get into the playoffs, we’ll take it from there.”

Memorial, off to a 4-0 start, returned six seniors and has filled its holes with two strong juniors, a solid sophomore and an impact freshman.

Senior Cristian Rodriguez, who scored 27 goals last year, already has two tallies and four assists through four games this season. He captains the Crusaders with fellow seniors Gavin Madden, who Ostberg said may be the best defender in the state, and standout goalie Greg Poulin.

Seniors Adis Jamak, a midfielder, forward Boris Yakubenko and defender John Destefano of Auburn also return to the starting lineup, and Cody Charbonneau and Justin Olivier are also expected to contribute.

Junior midfielder Matt McQueeney and backfielder Tim Gregoire start this season, as well, and are complemented by sophomore Sean MacDonald and Peguy Ngatcha, who has offered two goals and an assist in the first four games.

Seth LaFay, Brian Lipsett, Paul DeCosta and Crispin Munyana also play key roles; and Kenneth Caldwell IV, Nicholas McMaster, James Schrepfer, Alexander Bennett, Carlos Monzon, Cody Marchand, Sean McCoubry, Nathan Marchand, Zachary Charron, Ian Laventure and Steven Ives are also expected to see playing time.

“All these guys play year round. They all play club (soccer), and they came in ready and prepared,” said Ostberg, who in 10 years has built MHS into an annual contender after 40 losses in his first three seasons.

“This is a very good group that all care for each other and support each other,” he continued. “I’ve been very encouraged by the way these guys play. In fact, we’re trying to win the sportsmanship award this year. We want to win, but we also want to be courteous to our fellow players, fans and officials.”

After three seasons of struggle, Memorial showing improvement

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:31:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Prior to taking the reins as Memorial field hockey coach four years ago, John Gatsas compiled a 196-62-17 record at Salem and led the Lady Blue Devils to three state titles and five runners- up trophies.

Things are much different now, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, said Gatsas, who left Salem and took the Memorial job because his daughter played for the Crusaders and the program was in desperate need of a coach.

Gatsas seems driven by the challenge of building a contender in a large city with three public schools and a marginal field hockey foundation at best. “When I came here, I had to build it from the bottom up. I’ve gone to the middle school to talk to athletes not doing anything in the fall and invited them to come try out and see what they can do,” he said. “I’m happy with what we’ve got going on here. When I took over we started with 29 (players), and this year we had 44 girls try out.”

Though MHS has won just three games in his first three years, the coach remains excited about the current season. Through two games, Memorial has already matched last year’s win total with a 1-0 win against Keene, and the girls played a solid Merrimack squad tight before falling, 2-1. This season, the Lady Crusaders returned seven players who have been with Gatsas since his arrival.

“The expectation is to build off what we’ve done the last four years,” he said. “We’re moving the ball. We’re playing good offense and good defense. We just need to make things happen when presented with opportunities. Overall, I’m very pleased with the progress of this team.”

That growth, said Gatsas, is a direct result of all those involved with the team, from the parents to the players to the coaches, buying into the program’s goals. “The kids are coming to practice on time, 90 percent came into the season in very good shape, the parents are coming to support the team, and the coaches are keeping the players focused and preparing them for games. Everyone’s doing their share,” he said. “I think a lot of these girls have bought into the program. They’ve put a lot of time into it and are really dedicated to making the program better than it was a few years ago.”

Brigit Quirk, Mindy Hardy and Emily Gatsas captain this year’s squad and are complemented by fellow fourth-year players Alanna Gerton, Bridgit Croasdale, Danielle O’Neil and Rachel Hedge.

Forward Koryn Miele, the team’s eighth senior, has been with the varsity unit the last two seasons.

“The seniors’ commitment is rubbing off on the other girls, and it shows,” said Gatsas. “We have 25 girls playing in the winter and the spring and around 30 played in the summer league at West High School. Hopefully we see that type of commitment continue for years to come.”

Junior Sami Gonzales of Auburn, said Gatsas, is impressive around the midfield.

“She was outstanding for us last year, as a sophomore,” he said. “She has great ball skills and is a well-conditioned girl. She’s very outgoing and a real pleasure to have on this team.” Junior Hannah Smith and sophomore Brittany Horne also see significant playing time in the midfield.

Sophomores Jenna Merritt and Reilly Sheehan play forward, and Meredith Doyle contributes in the backfield.

Hedge starts in net, where junior Julia Blease sees playing time as well.

Gatsas said he has a solid freshman class this year that includes Jenna Freitas, Kate Adinolfo, Megan Chevrefils, Casey Smith and Maria Manning.

After two impressive wins, Memorial eliminated in semifinal

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:40:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

If you had asked him two weeks ago if his Memorial baseball team would be playing in the Class L semifinals, Don Menswar would have been more likely to laugh than nod. Yet that’s exactly where the No. 15 Crusaders ended up, facing third-seeded Goffstown at Nashua’s Holman Stadium on June 11.

And had it not been for an early missed opportunity, Menswar may very well have been preparing his team for the state title game.

Instead, Memorial found itself on the losing end of a 4-1 score.

With two outs and the bases loaded after a Kyle Morrill single in the first inning, a baserunning error at third base signaled a change in momentum. Two Memorial errors and two subsequent Goffstown runs in the bottom of the frame affirmed the shift.

“I told them after the game they have no right to hang their heads,” said Menswar. “You know, with beating a team like (No. 2) Keene, with beating a team like (No. 7 Pinkerton) and giving Goffstown all they wanted, I’m proud of these kids.

“They battled, but you know, against a team like Goffstown … we had (pitcher) Matt Gifford on the ropes in inning one. But they made the plays, and we didn’t.”

One person not surprised to see Memorial in the semis was Grizzlies coach Matt Benson. “The south end (of Manchester) always has good baseball players. Memorial is an outstanding … baseball school, and they’re notorious for that,” said Benson. “Those kids play baseball all summer, Sweeney Post is an outstanding program, and those kids, they know how to win. They know how to play tournament baseball. I could have easily seen them winning, no problem.”

Menswar said his players, at least until very recently, underachieved throughout 2008, and he noted next season may be an even greater challenge.

“We have six kids coming back,” said the manager. “The biggest message they have to get is you’ve got to scrap and battle every inning, and that’s what they learned in the playoffs that they didn’t in the regular season.”

There may have been no better example of how to conduct oneself on the field than Auburn’s Morrill, who sacrificed his high school pitching career to dedicate himself to solidifying the team’s defense as shortstop.

“You don’t replace a kid like Kyle,” said Menswar. “Kyle Morrill is a kid who as a sophomore came up for us and pitched two dynamite games for us and helped us win the tournament. He’s a class kid from a class family, and Keene State (College) is lucky to have him next season.”

Sub-.500 Memorial two wins from state championship

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:49:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

As Pinkerton baseball manager Ron Manseau and his players boarded their bus, heads hung in defeat, a voice from behind called out. “Hey, did you guys catch something, or what?” “We caught something alright,” replied Manseau. “We caught lighting.”

The shock came when the seventh-seeded Astros fell via the mercy rule, 10-0, to Manchester Memorial, the No. 15 seed, in the quarterfinals of the Class L tournament.

“We haven’t been ‘10- runned’ all year, so it’s kind of embarrassing,” said Manseau. “It started with the Keene game, and (Memorial) just started putting it together at the right time. We ran into a buzzsaw. What can I say?”

Indeed, after a 7-12 regular season, the Crusaders used a two-week layoff to regroup before upsetting 16-win and No. 2-seeded Keene, 8-4, in the opening round of the playoffs.

“’I’m not going to say those two weeks helped us, but it got our 10 seniors in a frame of mind where they realized this year is it,” said Memorial’s manager, Don Menswar. “And now that every game could be their last day, they’re at a point where they’re playing like we expected them to all season.”

The team showed hardly a glimpse of its current form during the regular season, so add Menswar to the list of those surprised by the recent developments.

“We were averaging six walks a game, three errors, a couple hit batsmen. We’d win a ball game here and there, but it’d be 15-14,” he said. “We lost our last three … I really wasn’t confident in this team. I mean, we haven’t done this all year. Forget up and down, we’ve been down. We flat-out struggled all year.”

But Menswar credits his seniors, including Kyle Morrill of Auburn, for turning the season around at the right time. “We’re gelling at the right time,” said the coach. “We’re throwing strikes. We’re getting hits in timely situations. We’re not making errors. We’re just playing good, good Memorial baseball.”

Even up 10 runs against Pinkerton, however, the Crusaders were kept on their toes. Twice the players ran out of the dugout and onto the field in jubilation. Twice they were sent back.

On the third attempt, Memorial was finally allowed to celebrate its accomplishment.

An umpire first called the game based on the 10-run Class L mercy rule, another stepped in and said the procedure applied only to opening-round games. After a conference, the officials changed their minds three more times until finally Memorial was declared the winner and sent to the semifinals against No. 3 Goffstown. The contest was scheduled for Wednesday, June 11.

“We’re on a roll,” said Menswar. “They’re as good as we expected, and we’ve been telling them all year that they’re this good, and they didn’t believe it. I don’t know, maybe they’re believing it now.”

Memorial’s first-ever varsity victory buoys team’s morale

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:08:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

With his boys lacrosse team led by a stingy defense and a solid core of veterans, Memorial coach Joe Bernier said it may finally be time to accumulate some wins.

In fact, the Crusaders notched the first Division I victory in the program’s fouryear history on April 14, a 6-5 triumph over Nashua South – a playoff team last season. Memorial overcame a 4-1 fourth-quarter deficit to win the contest.

“That was a huge step for us because it kind of showed the kids we’re worthy of competing in Division I,” said Bernier. “Before that we always just entered games assuming we were going to get killed, so it was nice to build some confidence.”

Because Memorial has no funding for a junior varsity or freshman team, however, Bernier said it’s tough for his program to be competitive in D-I with the likes of Bishop Guertin, Pinkerton, Hanover and Exeter. All have deep player pools.

The good news this year, said Bernier, is the Crusaders get through most of their tough opponents by midseason, which gives them the opportunity to string some wins together and pick up momentum. Heck, they may even sneak into the playoffs.

“We’re definitely much improved over last year and absolutely the most competitive team Memorial has had yet,” said Bernier. “I’m really excited about this team’s potential this season.”

Senior captains Jack Croasdale, TJ Burkish, Pat Bresnahan and Cody Kelley led the Crusaders.

Croasdale, who won the team’s MVP last season, and Burkish anchor a “tough as nails” defense, while Kelley, a long-stick midfielder, and Bresnahan handle the team’s transition game.

Croasdale plans to play prep school lacrosse next season. Bresnahan, the team leader in goals and assists, has been recruited to play at LaSalle University, said Bernier. Both are likely all-staters, and Kelley may earn the honor as well, he added.

Auburn’s Steve Delahanty, a junior attacker, is one of the hardest workers and most versatile players on the team, said Bernier of the third-year starter.

Attacker Brandon McMaster, who started every game as a freshman, is as good a sophomore as you will find in the state and will likely play college lacrosse, said his coach.

Another sophomore, Dillan Norcross, started all but three games on defense last year and is another player Bernier said he’s excited to watch develop. Senior goalie Richard Kelley provides the team with solid play in net, said Bernier.

Also on this year’s team are seniors Scott Morin, Mike Marshhausen and Adam Pike; juniors Josh Lee, Corey Bartlett, Chris Brunelli, Shawn Mancini, Cody Quinn, Pat McLaughlin and Joey Mason; sophomores Mike Marcotte, Jon-Luc Gagnon, Chris Emery, Pat Lewis and Nick Voight; and freshman Eric O’Connell.

Abrupt end to solid ’07 season leaves Memorial wanting more

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:47:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Led by two veteran locals, the Memorial High School Lady Crusaders are prepared to better last season’s 13-6 record and make some noise in the Class L postseason.

“We are young, but we certainly have the talent, and at this stage of the game, we certainly have the leadership,” said coach Dave Hedge. “This is a focused group looking forward to making amends for last year.”

In 2007, Memorial’s 13 wins earned the team the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, but a 5-1 19-inning loss to No. 10 Spaulding prematurely ended the campaign.

This season, Memorial returns three seniors and adds a fourth in its quest for postseason success.

Sara Murray and Kelsey Isham, both of Auburn, anchor this year’s squad.

Manchester’s Kerry Webb is the team’s third captain, and Lauren Cawley joins the varsity unit to complete a senior core of four.

Playing primarily first base, Isham didn’t commit an error last season, said Hedge. She fielded 27 chances in the 19-inning playoff marathon alone, turning two unassisted double plays. Murphy, Webb and junior Rachel Hedge, said their coach, form a solid rotation.

“Last year was a good year that ended on a sour note,” said Murphy. “Right now we’re just working on our team unity, but we definitely want to make it to the playoffs and live up to our expectations.”

First things first, said Isham.

“We want to win the (Queen) city championship.”

Indeed, part of the fun of playing in Manchester is vying for annual bragging rights amongst Central, West and Trinity.

Helping the seniors reach their goals this season are Desiree Letendre, Kelsey Johnston, Sam Hebert, Meredith Doyle, Reilly Sheehan and Courtney Tumble.