Bow News : Hockey

Bow edged in quarterfinals, ousted from tourney by Lebanon

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:56:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

It wasn’t a storybook ending for Bow, though it was a tale fans of the Falcons have seen before.

Seventh-seeded Bow fell to second-ranked Lebanon, 4-3, in the quarterfinal round of the Division II ice hockey tournament on Saturday, March 7.

“We had a couple chances. We had a power play and one where the goalie was down, but we couldn’t put the puck away,” said head coach Tim Walsh. “It’s been the story of the season, where we had chances but couldn’t put it in the net.”

The loss ended the Falcons season at 8-9-1 and sent Lebanon to the semifinals to take on Oyster River.

Bow took a 2-1 lead into the third period, thanks to a goal by Luke Enderwick in the first and Greg Bueddeman in the second. Lebanon grabbed two goals early in the final period to take a 3-2 lead before Bueddeman’s second goal of the game tied the contest at 3-3.

With 4:30 remaining, however, the home team grabbed the lead for good and ended the Falcons’ hopes of an upset.

It isn’t all bad news for Bow, which loses only senior defensman Matt Champagne to graduation. “We’re excited about what’ll happen next year,” said Walsh.

Bow enters playoffs with win against top seed, losses to lesser foes

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:07:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Call it a roller coaster season. Call it a year of hills and valleys. Call it what you will, but after 18 Division II ice hockey games, Bow finds itself exactly where it is every March … in the playoffs.

Though the Falcons slipped in their regular-season finale at home, 4-2, to three-win Winnacunnet, head coach Tim Walsh quickly noted the setback was no more an indicator of the team’s postseason chances than a 2-1 victory on Jan. 24 against top-seeded Timberlane, the Owls’ lone loss.

“We’ve kind of played to the level of our competition, whether they’re good or they’re not very good, and maybe that’s a good thing for us heading into the playoffs,” said Walsh. “All eight teams can beat all eight teams. It’s crazy this year. It’s wide open.”

After a 4-3-0 start to the season, Bow dropped five consecutive contests and was in danger of missing the playoffs.

But the Falcons proved resilient, putting together a 4-0-1 run to lock up a tournament spot before dropping their final contest by allowing three power-play goals and a late-game empty-netter.

“Right there, today’s game was a microcosm of our whole season. It’s no sense of urgency, it’s not catching passes, it’s not finishing around the net, it’s not picking guys up in the (defensive) zone. That’s why we’re 8-9-1,” said Walsh. “You’d like to think this kind of game would serve as motivation. And I hope it does, but I never like to go into the playoffs not playing our best hockey, and I really don’t think we’ve played our best hockey this year.”

Bow players and coaches know all to well the postseason disappointments of the last five years, which have ended in the D-II semifinals.

Last year’s heartbreak came when the fifth-seeded locals led top-ranked Spaulding by two goals with five minutes remaining in their semifinal matchup.

Two power-play goals and an overtime 2-on-1 breakaway later, the Falcons were sent home, in Walsh’s mind, prematurely.

This year, Bow enters the tournament as the No. 7 seed.

“It’s a different situation for us this year,” said Walsh. “But we’re in, and who knows, maybe we’re going to take a different route this year and it’s going to get us to where we really want to be in the end.”

The Falcons open the playoffs on Saturday, March 7, at Lebanon, a team they lost to, 4-3, on Feb. 4. The puck drops at 4 p.m.

Game notes
Backup netminder Chad Wilkinson stopped 21 shots in the losing effort to Winnacunnet, but he and the Bow defense allowed several second- and third-chance opportunities.

Junior Greg Bueddeman scored both Bow goals. Senior captain Matt Champagne and sophomore John Fanaras assisted on the first with 7:47 remaining in the first period. The second came unassisted, 1:25 into the second period.

Bow's Thomas tops on ice

Bow Editor — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:17:00 GMT

DENVER – Andrew Thomas, senior captain of the University of Denver hockey team, earned the annual Western Collegiate Hockey Association post-graduate scholarship for 2008-09. The award capped a remarkable undergraduate career for the Bow resident, both on the ice for the perennial power and in the classroom.

As team captain in 2007-08, Thomas saw action in all 41 of the Pioneers’ games, helping anchor their nationally ranked scoring defense and leading Denver to an overall record of 26-14-1, a third-place finish in the WCHA regular-season race, the Broadmoor Trophy as team champions of the 2008 Red Baron WCHA Final Five in St. Paul, Minn., and another berth in the NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey championship.

He led the team with a +14 plus/minus rating, an indicator of the net team goals while a specific player is on the ice.

During his 161-game collegiate career at Denver, Thomas was a defensive regular all four seasons, contributing 26 scoring points and helping the Pioneers earn the 2004-05 MacNaughton Cup, the Broadmoor Trophy and the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four national championship team.

A 2005 fourth-round draft pick of the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals, he was chosen to participate in the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge April 11 at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

“Andrew always set the example for his teammates with his mature and serious approach to his academics and to his hockey training,” said George Gwozdecky, Denver hockey coach. “Throughout his four years at the university, he volunteered his time to many community activities, including the Starlight Starbright Foundation and the University of Denver Youth Hockey Association. He also represented the hockey program at numerous other volunteer activities throughout the region.

“He is one of the finest student- athletes and leaders to have ever worn the Pioneer hockey jersey,” added the coach. Thomas was selected to the WCHA All-Academic Team every year since 2005. He graduated June 8 from the University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in management and a 3.85 grade-point average. He received the Daniels College of Business Managerial Leadership Award.

He plans to pursue a career in professional hockey.

Bow senior hockey player finds success with unique approach and talent

Bow Editor — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:23:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Standing in the tee box on the eighth hole at the Overlook Country Club in Hollis, a 194- yard downhill par 3, Brett Borbidge had a decision to make.

Would he use his 6-iron or 7- iron? Maybe his 8-iron?

Glancing at teammate Jimmy Fellows, a left-hander, Borbidge asked to borrow a club. Turning his hat backward, and taking his stance on the opposite side of the tee box, the suddenly southpawed senior swung Fellows’ 4-iron and planted the ball three feet from the pin.

That’s Brett Borbidge, said his hockey coach, Tim Walsh, who noted the star forward, for much of his four-year career, brought much the same mentality to the ice.

“He definitely does things a little differently,” said Walsh. “A lot of people have asked me over the last couple years, ‘Do you have trouble with him?’ “I’ve always said, ‘No, Brett wants to win as much as anyone. He just goes about it a different way.’

“Some people see it as arrogance. I see him as a very confident kid who is very comfortable with himself but wants to do everything he can to win.”

While Borbidge has never lacked exceptional talent, no matter his demeanor, Walsh said something unexpected happened late in this past hockey season.

With the Falcons coming off a 1-2-1 stretch to end January, Borbidge put the jokester away and replaced it with a determination his coach had yet to see.

“Brett has always been a very talented, very offensive-minded kid, and he really came into his own with his intensity down the stretch,” said Walsh. “He was clearly our best player the last month of the season and played the best hockey he’s ever played the last few games of the season and in the playoffs.”

The senior captain led Bow on a 4-1-0 run to end the season and then, in the playoffs, skated from the box in overtime and, following a 10-minute major penalty, set up the game-winning goal in a 4-3 win at Goffstown.

“Instead of going 80 or 90 percent in drills, I was going 100 percent in practice and in games. I felt a lot more serious … a lot more focused,” said Borbidge.

“Since I’m a senior, and it was my last six or seven games, it kind of hit me, and I just really wanted to go out as a state champion.”

He came close.

Against Spaulding in the Division II semifinals, Borbidge had a hand in each of Bow’s four goals. But the Falcons allowed a late two-goal lead to slip away and lost, 5-4, in overtime.

Even with the personal and team success, Borbidge said he will never forget how close the Falcons came to reaching the first title game in school history.

“We were just so close to winning it … Before the third period, I thought we were going to get rid of the burden (of never making it to the final),” he said. “It’s just tough it ended the way it did, but I’ll never forget the emotions of that game.”

Spaulding coach Paul George said he will never forget it either, noting Borbidge dazzled Red Raiders’ defenders throughout the contest.

Walsh said those skills developed quickly as the forward evolved from a mediocre skater as a freshman to a standout in all aspects of the game.

“He has a very creative, free-spirited mind … creative to the point I’ve let him get away with trying things I won’t let other kids do. It’s been that way since sophomore year,” said Walsh. “He’s got great vision. His shot isn’t the hardest, but he makes up for it with his accuracy.”

For the fifth-straight year, Bow hockey ousted in semis

Bow Editor — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:09:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Spaulding ice hockey coach Paul George had to admit he thought this was the year.

The Bow Falcons, having never reached the Division II title game in the school’s 10-year history, led George’s Red Raiders, 4-2, with five minutes remaining in the semifinal matchup on Tuesday, March 4, at the Rinks of Exeter.

But consecutive Falcons’ penalties gave the two-time defending state champs a two-man advantage, and they capitalized, scoring once with 4:51 left in the game and again, while still on the power play, exactly one minute later.

In the extra frame, the two squads traded chances until Bow gained a power play. Opportunity after opportunity hit the post, sailed just right or just left, or was knocked from the crease by Spaulding goalie Justin Lavertue.

Even after the power play ended, Bow maintained control – until Spaulding broke away on a 2-on-1 sprint down the ice. A sleek pass from Jamie Ferullo found its mark, and Nick French redirected the puck just past Bow’s anticipating goalie, Colin Evans.

The result was a 5-4 loss for the locals, which reached the state semis for the fifth straight year.

“All I can tell you is that (Bow) is going to get there, and I had a feeling it was going to be tonight,” said George. “That’s not a team you want to face anywhere, at anytime.”

Bow coach Tim Walsh, however, had trouble looking past what had just happened on the ice.

“I think this is the tops (in terms of) frustration. Our kids scored four goals against this team, and we haven’t done that it years,” said Walsh. “I mean, to play the way we did and not come away with the win … That’s the hardest part, knowing that the kids gave everything they had, and did everything we asked them to do, every single thing.”

The Falcons had already proved they could win a tight postseason game.

After ceding a 3-1 third-period advantage to Goffstown in the quarterfinals three nights earlier, the Falcons responded in overtime when sophomore Luke Enderwick knocked in a loose puck to keep the season alive. Walsh said he thought that victory gave his squad a slight mental advantage in the extra frame against Spaulding.

“Even in the five-on-five in overtime, I thought we outplayed them,” he said. “We just couldn’t finish.”

Most impressive, said Walsh, was the play of forward Brett Borbidge.

The senior captain contributed on all four Bow goals. He lit the lamp twice in the first period, the first on an assist from fellow senior Andrew Hunter and the second on a Peter Forsberg-like wraparound that dumbfounded Spaulding defenders.

Hunter and Zy Noury set up the play. In the second period, Borbidge drew Lavertue’s attention, then sent a last-second crossing pass through the crease and connected with freshman Edward Burke, who tallied Bow’s third goal. He also provided the helper on Enderwick’s third-period notch.

“(Brett) played his best game of the season each of the last five games,” said Walsh.

While Bow loses Borbidge and four other contributors, George said he foresees a smooth transition from Borbidge to Greg Bueddeman in terms of scoring. The Spaulding coach added the Falcons have plenty of talent – including freshmen forwards Tyler Estee, Bruce Lacasse and Burke, as well as sophomore netminder Evans – surrounding Bueddeman.

“That team is built to last. They have a lot of young kids doing a lot of good things,” said George. “That’s my preseason favorite for next year. In fact, that may be the team to beat for the next couple years.”

Bow goalkeeper continues growth process at SNHU

admin — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:58:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Taking the rink for the first time at Southern New Hampshire University, freshman Matt Courchesne of Bow looked at the two standout seniors ahead of him on the depth chart and shrugged.

Never had he let a challenge get in his way before. He certainly wasn’t about to shy away from this one.

When starter Martin Stehl was hurt in the midst of a fine season, Courchesne seized the opportunity, winning two of three starts, including a 4-3 overtime thriller against St. Anselm College. His 24 saves helped SNHU to the first victory in school history against its crosstown rival.

Though Stehl took the starting gig back when he returned late in the season, he struggled and forced coach Ken Hutchins to turn back to the hot hand of Courchesne in the playoffs. In a 6-3 Northeast-10 Conference semifinal win against St. Michael’s, Courchesne made 26 stops. He then lost a rematch to St. Anselm in the NE-10 final, 5-3, but tuned away 32 of 36 shots.

He finished the season 3-4-1, with a 4.55 goals-against average and a .851 save percentage. Hutchins remembers the season well, saying a very young Courchesne came in “a little on the cocky side.”

“I’ve improved tremendously since high school. My biggest gains came during the 65-game schedule I played in juniors,” said Courchesne, who has been skating since he was 3 and a goaltender since he was 4. “I really honed my skills and got it going by the time I got to Southern New Hampshire, and I made an impact right away, coming in against two established goalies and pushing them like I did.”

It’s that very attitude, said Bow High School coach Tim Walsh, that gives Courchesne his edge.

“He just works hard and has persevered at every level,” said Walsh. “He had to battle against (current University of Vermont netminder) Mike (Spillane) in high school, then he had to go to junior hockey and battle, and now he’s doing it in college. He has a lot of heart and has never given up, even when people have told him, ‘No.’”

While at Bow High School, Courchesne and Spillane split time for the Falcons, each earning New Hampshire select status three years in a row. Though the latter may have had more raw talent, Walsh said Courchesne had something else that made him special.

“Matt was a kid you would refer to as a gamer,” Walsh said. “He was a kid that would always, no matter the situation, make the big saves when he had to.”

But Hutchins said Courchesne has, at times, taken that skill for granted.

“To be honest, I expect more out of Matt, and he knows that, and we’re working together to meet both his personal and our team goals,” said the SNHU coach.

“He still needs to improve his work ethic and tweak some of the details of the goaltender craft. I feel confident he can do that. He just needs a nudge here and there.”

Unchallenged for the starting job his sophomore year, Courchesne minded the net 24 of 27 games and finished the season with a .872 save percentage, a 4.04 goals-against average and a 11-13 record. Now in his junior season, Courchesne has had to fight for playing time again.

After being suspended for two games earlier in the year for disciplinary reasons, Courchesne battled sophomore Shane Brooks and freshman Todd Rowley for the starting job. The three split time in net for the first 14 games of the season before the junior earned the nod.

“This year, he finally came into camp in better physical condition. He’s been hitting the weight room, doing the running, participating in the offseason program, but he still needs to even get better,” said Hutchins. “Matt has the all the tools, he just needs to continue to constantly upgrade his tool box. I’m talking about both the mental and physical parts of the game.”

Once he grasps those concepts, Hutchins continued, Courchesne may finally reach elite status.

“With the competition and the fact he’s getting older, he’s starting to mature and become more responsible,” said the coach. “I’ve seen those strides, and he’s improving every day. If he continues to work hard, he can become not just a good goaltender at our level, but a great goaltender.”

Still, the numbers need to improve for him to get there – starting with wins. After opening this season 8- 2-1, the Penmen have dropped five games in a row, most recently a 7-0 mauling by UMass- Dartmouth.

Courchesne’s save percentage has dropped below .900 during the stretch. He’s currently 4-4-0, with an .882 save percentage and a 3.63 goals-against average.

But numbers aren’t always indicative of a goaltender’s talent, said Courchesne.

“Playing only 20 some-odd games, one bad game sticks with you all the way through. It’s not like juniors where you play 65 games and one rough outing doesn’t matter,” he said. “It’s tough to look at goals-against average because that’s more of a team stat. And save percentage, that stat, it affects goalies, but you also have to look at the team you have in front of you. Look at any goalie on a winning team, and they will have much better stats.”

While Hutchins didn’t disagree, he said personal accountability is part of any maturation process. In the midst of both personal and athletic growth, Courchesne has earned all-academic status to go along with an ECAC goalie of the week award and several other honors.

“I know I’m not going to make a living playing hockey, so it’s nice to have that bond with my teammates and enjoy my passion of playing hockey, while at the same time getting a great education,” he said.

“Matt does a nice job off the ice as well,” said Hutchins. “He’s been donating his time to youth hockey and different youth organizations, and he’s really starting to round out as a fine young man.”

With playoffs in sight, Bow must shake off disappointments

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:47:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

Spaulding had won 40 consecutive Division II games and two straight state titles headed into this season.

Its only blemish this year came was a 6-3 setback on Dec. 22 at Timberlane.

Still, the 7-1 Red Raiders took notice when they saw 6-3 Bow waiting on Saturday, Jan. 19.

“Their coach has a lot of respect for us as a program. Everyone else gets up for them. He said we’re one of the teams his squad gets up for, us and Dover,” said Bow coach Tim Walsh. “They didn’t need a wake up call from us; they already knew.”

Playing at home, the Falcons held a 1-0 lead from the first minutes of the contest – when freshman Tyler Estee knocked a rebound off a Brett Borbidge shot into the left corner of the net – right through one minute, 20 seconds left in the regulation.

That’s when 2007 D-II player of the year Jamie Ferullo knotted the game on a power-play goal.

Bow held on for the tie, but Walsh said the late goal knocked the wind out of his players.

“The kids did everything I asked them to do,” he said. “I was more disappointed for the kids, that we played so well and nearly shut down the best player in the state, and didn’t win the game.”

Unfortunately, said Walsh, his players couldn’t match their intensity two days later when they hosted 8-1 Timberlane.

The Falcons were dominated from start to finish, dropping the contest 6-1.

“I guess you can call it a Spaulding hangover,” said Walsh. “This doesn’t come anywhere near our best effort”

Estee scored the Falcons’ lone goal, ricocheting the puck off a defenders skate and into the net.

Though Bow has struggled at points this season, upset by now 3-5 Alvirne in its first game, losing to Timberlane twice, and falling to Goffstown, 6-5, Walsh said this is not a rebuilding year for his young squad.

The players, he said, just need to realize that each and every opponent has Bow circled on the schedule, and they need to be ready every time they lace up the skates.

“We’ve won a lot of games in the last seven years, so we’re not sneaking up on anybody anymore. We did that five, six years ago,” said Walsh. “I mean, Timberlane won last year in overtime, and you would have thought they won the Stanley Cup. We’ve been one of the top programs in Division II for awhile now, and everyone knows it.”

After winning three games in a row and five out of six prior to the Spaulding contest, the Falcons were picking up momentum, said Walsh.

Now, if they are to earn a high seed in the postseason, perhaps even host a first-round matchup, they need to start clicking again, immediately.

Up next for Bow is 3-3-1 Kingswood on Saturday, Jan. 26.

“They’re a very well-coached, very disciplined team,” said Walsh. “They work hard and don’t give you anything easily.”

Many athletes reached pinnacle in 2007

Bow Editor — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 20:28:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

It began with some strong individual efforts in the winter – a trickle of championships earned by Bow, Hopkinton and Concord athletes on the slopes and the mats.

It continued in the spring and summer, with various teams hoisting title plaques for their lacrosse, baseball and softball prowess.

It concluded with the Hopkinton boys soccer team winning a second straight Class M crown.

In between, 2007 included some poor behavior from socalled fans in the stands at a Little League game and the arrest of a rising basketball star at a local college.

But those two disappointing examples and some near misses on local fields couldn’t overshadow a successful year in Bow-area athletics.

Winter

Wrestling
Bow High finished fifth at the Division II championships. It was a bit of a disappointment for the team, said coach Jim Kaufman, but not for D.J. Meagher. The 145-pound senior pinned his opponent in the finals in under two minutes, earning him a trip to the Meet of Champions. Connor McDonough, Ben Morrow, Josh Nawn and Spencer Wolverton joined Meagher at the M of C.

Concord, after defeating nemesis Timberlane for the first time in regular-season history, fell to the Owls in the Division I championship, 239.5 to 237.5 points.

“This one’s gonna sting for a while, a long while,” said senior heavyweight Dan Herrick, who lost a tight match in the closing seconds that swung the outcome. Still, Tyler Saltsman, Alex Buessing, Derek Bisson, Rob Garcia, Harry Paul, Marshall Gleason, Brandon Paige, Pat Boyle, Bob Daniel, John Meadows and Levi Byers all joined Herrick at the Meet of Champions.

Once there, Bow’s Meagher and Concord’s Saltsman and Buessing won the M of C in their respective weight classes. Meagher and Saltsman then dominated at the New England wrestling championships, with Saltsman winning his first regional crown and Meagher his second in a row.

Skiing
The Concord boys won the Division I Alpine title, and both the boys and girls teams won the Nordic title.

Bow’s Ian Hanson not only won the Division III state slalom title, he finished second in the giant slalom, then took 10th at the Meet of Champions and earned an invitation to the Eastern High School Championships.

The Nordic teams were also impressive for the Falcons. The boys won the Division III state title, and the girls finished second. The group also turned the usual pecking order on its head in the process.

“Our seniors, and especially our captains, are also coaches, setting examples for teammates,” said head coach Chris Naimie. “They even wax the skis for everyone else.”

Sarah Gilroy of Hopkinton won the girls Division IV slalom crown.

Hockey
Bow, for the fourth straight year and fifth in six years under head coach Tim Walsh, reached the state semifinals and was stopped.

“You have to look at the positive side that we’re here and other teams aren’t …” said Walsh. “But it is frustrating because I’m sick of … going in there and saying, ‘You know, it was a great season, but, unfortunately, we didn’t come out on top.”

Bishop Brady outplayed the state champion Bishop Guertin Cardinals in the state finals, but despite a goal from Bow native Brooks Herrington, Brady fell to Guertin, 2-1.

Gymnastics
Concord entered the girls gymnastics state championship as the top seed, but left in fourth place. Bow’s Stephanie Cormier competed as an individual and placed eighth, while Hopkinton’s Julia Lynch finished 19th.

Basketball
The Bow Memorial girls and boys teams turned in impressive seasons. The girls went undefeated. The boys won the Bow Athletic Club tournament, defeating Hudson, the lone team to hand the locals a loss in 2007.

No area high school team – Bow, Hopkinton or Concord – reached the state semifinals, though the Hawks were within range of top-seeded Conant. A slow-down tactic left the Hawks trailing after three periods, 12-3.

At the college level, cousins Mike Chergey, at Plymouth State University, and Paul Chergey, at Southern New Hampshire University, overcame hand injuries to contribute important minutes as freshmen. As the 2007- ’08 season approached, Paul Chergey was indicted on drug charges and suspended from the SNHU team.

Indoor track and field
Brendan Hyland and Kyle Audet finished second and third, respectively, in the 1,500-meter run at the Class L indoor track and field championships.

Bow’s 4 X 200-meter relay team of Emily Hannon, Jill Hannon, Julia Waddell and Timiny Mosher earned all the team’s points with their third-place effort.

Swimming
Hopkinton sent a team of young athletes to the state swimming and diving championships in February. It was the first time the school sent a relay team to Durham.

“Hopkinton is a small, small school, but I don’t think (swimming) is going to go away,” said coach Joanne Jackson.

Spring

Baseball
Hopkinton, the top-ranked team in Class M, lost to Conant in the semifinals, 4-3, leaving the bases loaded and ending an otherwise stellar year.

“It’s a painful loss. Conant was a team we beat readily twice in the regular season,” said Hopkinton manager Dave Chase. “We had such a strong season. I honestly don’t know if the better team won, but I think they had a better day than us.”

Track and field
Hopkinton’s girls team won the Class M-S championship with 124 points, 51 more than its closest pursuers. The Hopkinton boys took ninth.

Christine Head won the pole vault at the Meet of Champions with a 10-foot effort, then improved to 10-06 at the New England Regionals the following weekend.

“I usually get nervous when I have to perform in general, so I purposely did things that forced me to be in front of lots of people,” said Head. “… I want to do well in college, so I’ve got to start working on those things before I get there.”

The Bow boys finished 10th at the Class I meet, while Concord’s Brendan Hyland again won the Class L 1,600-meter run.

Softball
Concord, as the No. 6 seed, reached the Class L semifinals, losing to second-seeded Londonderry, 2-1.

Lacrosse
Bow put both its teams in the Division II state final. The boys, seeded third, fell to top-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas, 7-5.

But the girls, on then-junior Kiley Corson’s shot with less than 20 seconds remaining in the match, added to the school’s trophy case, beating Hanover, 17-16, for the Division II state title.

“I shot at the same spot earlier and scored, so I figured I’d aim at the same spot and try again,” said Corson.

It was the second time in three years Bow beat Hanover for the crown.

Hopkinton, the No. 1-ranked boys team in Division III, was stunned in the semis by No. 4 seed Merrimack Valley in overtime.

Tennis
Concord did it again, winning its second straight title, ninth in 10 years and 23rd overall following a 5-2 win over West. Despite losing four of their top six players, the Crimson Tide went undefeated and missed very little en route to the crown – except for their head coach, Dave Page, who dodged the post-game cooler of water.

The Bow boys were knocked from the postseason in the semifinals, a 7-2 loss to Portsmouth that was much closer than the final score indicated.

“The other two coaches for Portsmouth, they were very nervous about what was happening,” said Bow head coach Drew Groves. “This was a lot closer than they had anticipated. Our kids were playing some great, inspired tennis.”

Summer
American Legion baseball Though the Concord senior team missed the American Legion postseason, the junior team earned the playoffs with a 7-6 win over Salem. The group was eliminated by top-seeded Derry, 3-2.

Little League/

Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken baseball and softball
The Kearsarge Mountain South 10U Babe Ruth softball allstar team finished in the top four at the New England regional tournament. “(Spending time together off the field) is what they really enjoy,” said manager Richie Vaillancourt. “But coming in one game away from playing at nationals isn’t something they’re going to forget either.”

The 14U Bedford Hornets softball team, with players from Bow, Hooksett and Windham, won the state American Softball Association tournament and New Englands and advanced to the Eastern national tournament and PONY national tournament.

Bow lost to Concord National and was eliminated from the District 1 Little League baseball tournament, while the Bow girls dropped a pair of Little League games in the 11- and 12-year-old majors softball tournament.

Concord National continued after the win over Bow, handling Manchester East and Goffstown before finally dropping a 10-9 decision to Salem American.

“I’m just really very proud of this group of boys,” said Concord National manager Dave Angus. “… Every coach has to make that farewell speech, and it’s one of the hardest things you have to do.” It was apparently very difficult for some National “fans,” who berated and threw food at the umpiring crew following the team’s elimination.

“I was afraid for my safety,” said umpire William Dreckmann. “I wanted to call the police.”

The Kearsarge Mountain North U10 Cal Ripken baseball team went 5-1 to win the district title, then came up two wins shy of a state crown.

“Just making the state tournament was an achievement, and we played very competitively,” said manager Dave French. “So I don’t think anyone was disappointed.”

Granite State Senior Games After winning the 5,000-meter race walk, Bow’s Jack Finan said he plans to participate at nationals in 2009.

“I’m shooting to make it to San Francisco,” he said. “I want to see if I can get that far after making it to nationals this year.”

Stan Irzyk of Concord won the pistol shoot in the men’s 75- to 79-year-old age group.

*** Croak won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash in the men’s 70- to 74-year-old division.

Donelda Horne of Hopkinton, in her second competitive swimming competition, won gold in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke.

In her first GSSG appearance, 95-year-old Marg Bruner of Concord won the 85-and-older 10-pin bowling gold medal.

Punt, Pass & Kick
Bow’s Jack Yvars won the boys 10- and 11-year-old division at the NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass & Kick, hosted by Neighborhood News at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium.

Hopkinton’s Sam Winslow was second in that division, while Bow’s Mac Kimball was runner-up in the boys 8- and 9-year-old division.

Triathlon
Rob Ricard of Bow completed his first full Ironman triathlon and earned a trip to Hawaii for the Ironman World Triathlon championship in the bargain.

“I had no concept of distance, training or what it would take to qualify for something like that,” said Ricard, who swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and ran 26.2 miles during a very busy day.

Fall

Football
Bow reached the Division V playoffs and trailed just 7-0 at halftime, but couldn’t keep pace with eventual state champion Pelham, falling 42-7.

“You can’t win when you’re inconsistent, and that hurt us today,” said Bow football head coach Paul Cohen. “But it’s been a great season.”

Soccer
The girls of Hopkinton and Bow both fell in the postseason quarterfinals.

The boys of Hopkinton and Bow both reached the state finals. Bow dropped a 1-0 decision to Hanover in the Class I final. But Hopkinton defended the Class M crown with a 3-0 win over Winnisquam.

“Every game has been a tournament atmosphere and everyone’s been gunning for us, so to come in and be able to pull off the back-to-back (titles) is really something,” said Scott Zipke, Hopkinton boys soccer head coach.

At the college level, New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, despite playing with as few as 10 healthy players, went 11-3-2 and won the Yankee Small College Conference women’s regular- season championship.

Golf
Concord took second, falling three shots short of a third straight Class L state title.

“We knew the competition was much better this year … (Our team) actually had a better score than last season,” said Concord golf head coach Chick Smith. The Bow Falcons finished seventh in Class I.

Kurt Eddins and Matt Levins finished third and sixth, respectively, in the two-day individual tournament as Concord’s representatives.

Bow’s Matt Lennon finished two shots out of the top 10 in Class I. Hopkinton’s Colin Barnea tied for sixth at the Class M-S individual tourney.

College coaching New Hampshire Technical Institute’s Paul Hogan earned induction into the Plymouth State Hall of Fame.

Crew
Like swimming, crew is gaining popularity in the state, with Concord’s student-athletes discovering the team-oriented sport.

“When it comes to crew, you need really a perfect harmony between all four or eight people,” said Grayson Richey, a former crewman and present coach with the team.

Cross country
Hopkinton’s girls won the Class M-S crown, then narrowly missed a trip to New Englands following a solid team effort at the Meet of Champions against much larger schools.

Field hockey
Derryfield School, featuring players from Hopkinton, Hooksett, Bedford and Windham, finished the season undefeated and won the Class M-S state title on Oct. 28. The crown is Derryfield’s first in the sport in more than 20 years.

“It’s tough for us because we’re a Class S school, so … we’re always playing teams that are twice our size,” said coach Lenny McCaigue. “To win it is just a dream come true for us.”

Hopkinton reached the state semifinals before falling to top-seeded Newfound Regional.

Bow goalie’s efforts at UVM mean future ice time

Bow Editor — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:14:00 GMT

BY CHRIS QUARTARONE

University of Vermont hockey goalie Mike Spillane has vivid memories as a youngster learning to play hockey.

“My brother needed someone to pound pucks at, and I was that someone,” said the Bow native.

The UVM sophomore is currently working hard to become the best goalie in Catamounts history.

“He is one of the hardest working kids I have ever coached,” said Bow High School hockey coach Tim Walsh, who mentored Spillane from 2001 to ’04. “Mike would work so hard in practice we sometimes had to hold him back.”

The former Falcons standout was born into a hockey family and started skating when he was four-years-old.

He said he knew he wanted to be a goaltender when he was young and his father, Kevin, ran youth hockey programs in Concord.

“My dad tried to keep me out of the goalie equipment at first, but my second year I finally got in the goalie gear, and I’ve never gotten out,” he said.

As an up-and-coming hockey player, Spillane looked to many professional keepers, including current Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco, who is known for his stick handling abilities.

“Mike can play the puck extremely well for a goalie,” said UVM head coach Kevin Sneddon. “He can make a mistake and recover without getting into trouble because of his athleticism.”

Sneddon, like Walsh, is impressed with Spillane’s mental toughness at game time. “The thing I like about Mike is that he’s always ready to play,” he said.

Spillane appeared in seven games during his freshman campaign a year ago and went 1-2-2 with a 1.96 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.

Before Vermont, the netminder played with the Green Mountain Glades in the Eastern Junior Hockey League for one year. He then played for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL.

Walsh remembered how superstitious Spillane was when he played for Bow High School.

“Back then he would find things to be superstitious about,” said Walsh. “He’d even worry if he put on the left sock before the right sock.” But Spillane conquered his superstitions.

“I always think about how silly they were,” said Omaha’s team MVP in 2005-’06. “Now I just go out there and play.” Spillane was recruited by seven colleges, including the 2006 national champion Wisconsin Badgers.

He said he decided to attend UVM because the team’s goals were similar to his. There is also a long family history at the school.

His older brother, Ryan, currently attends UVM and his father is a 1973 graduate. His mother, Jean, received a graduate degree from UVM and his uncle Philip graduated in 1977.

“I can’t explain how excited I am to have this chance,” said Spillane. “I’m trying to work as hard as I can, and when you see that hard work pay off, it is a great feeling.”

Sneddon said the sophomore’s future could include even better feelings.

“I’m convinced you will hear the name ‘Mike Spillane’ called out as the starting goaltender,” he said.

Senior all-stars mix fun, competition on ice

Bow Editor — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:14:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

At the Senior Hockey Classic inside the Icenter in Salem, Neighborhood-area players approached the March 17 game with an eye toward enjoyment.

But each took the ice with a clearcut determination to play hard, play well – and play on.

The White team came back from a pair of two-goal deficits to tie the match, 4-4, then beat the Black squad in a shootout.

More importantly to these athletes, the contest was a chance to prove they deserved to represent the Granite State in the New Hampshire-Vermont Make-A-Wish game in late June.

“We have to make that determination not just on goals scored or goals allowed, but on how well these players skate, pass and show their understanding of the game,” said Goffstown High mentor Peter Bedford, part of White’s winning coaching staff along with West High’s Bob Rougier.

Two local players from White, goalie Corey Cotnoir of Bow and forward Matt Denning of Bishop Brady, joined a quartet of Black’s best with Neighborhood ties – forward Jay Paradis and defenseman Patrick Jaeger of Salem, and forwards Sean Polombo of Trinity and Colin Merrit of Memorial – as Make-A-Wish selections.

And West defenseman James Ahern was picked as an alternate for the team, which travels to Burlington, Vt., from June 21 to 23.

However, they weren’t the Neighborhood’s only shining stars at the Icenter.

Pembroke’s Tyler Rumfelt, one of a handful of Division III players among the 42 invited to the classic, said the action was faster than he faced all season in D-III, but that didn’t prevent him from scoring White’s first goal in the second period, cutting the Black lead in half.

“Everyone’s out there showing what they’ve got,” said Rumfelt.

“You want to win, but you also want to have fun, too.”

Salem’s Jaeger agreed. He took an approach that was similar to most athletes on the ice that night.

“I just wanted to skate nice and loose, and have a good time.

But it’s still competitive,” said Jaeger, who assisted on Pat O’Kane’s tally late in the second period, giving Black its last two-goal lead, 4-2.

Kyle Charbonneau of Memorial said it was interesting to get to know – at least a little better – some of the athletes he’s faced only as foes. The experience, he said, only increased his respect for all of them.

Game notes
Salem’s Paradis assisted on Mike Tiano’s goal late in the first period, giving Black a 2-0 lead.

Bow’s Cotnoir faced 14 first period shots in White’s net, stopping 12. The keeper left the arena immediately after his stint for personal reasons, but he also left a good impression on both coaching staffs – Mark McGinn of Salem was one of Black’s mentors – because he’s one of just two goalies who’ll make the trip to Vermont.

For a complete box score and the Make-A-Wish roster, visit nhhockey.com.

Bow falls short of final again

Bow Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:13:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

For once, Bow hockey coach Tim Walsh said he would like to feel what it’s like to be in the other locker room following a Division II semifinal game.

So, on Tuesday, March 6, he did.

Moments after speaking with his team following its 6-3 loss to Spaulding of Rochester at the Rinks at Exeter – Bow’s fourth straight defeat in the league’s final four – Walsh walked over to Spaulding coach Paul George, asked if he could have a minute with his team and walked into the Red Raiders’ joyous locker room.

He just wanted to congratulate them, of course, and wish them luck in defending their state title in the final against Oyster River on Sunday, March 11.

And perhaps for once, Walsh wanted to see how the other half lives.

“You have to look at the positive side that we’re here and other teams aren’t; we’ve been here every year but one in my six years,” said Walsh, whose team finished at 12-5-3. “But it is frustrating because I’m sick of having this speech with my kids. I’m sick of going in there and saying, ‘You know, it was a great season but unfortunately, we didn’t come out on top.’

“I’d much rather have the other conversation and the celebration,” he continued. “But we’re going to stick with it and keep plugging away, and we’ll do it. We’ll do it.”

Unfortunately for the fourth-seeded Falcons, Tuesday wasn’t the day they did. Top-seeded Spaulding riddled Corey Cotnoir and the Bow net with 36 shots, 16 more than the Falcons, and unleashed 20 in the first period alone.

Cotnoir made 19 of his 30 saves in that frame, but neither he nor the Bow defense could hold off the Red Raiders thereafter.

Junior Jamie Ferullo netted a hat trick and added two assists, and Matt Norraik added two more goals for Spaulding. Together, they negated scores from Bow’s Greg Bueddeman, who put his team up 1-0 in the first; Brett Borbidge, who made it 3-2 in the second; and Alex Stevens, who gave the Falcons a slight glimmer of hope when he closed the gap to 5-3 in the third.

Yet, Spaulding was quick to respond each time, netting a goal 2:09 after Bueddeman’s, 1:39 after Borbidge’s and again 2:09 after Stevens’, the final score coming off the stick of Eric LaBatte.

Walsh called that responsiveness a sign of a champion. George said it was simply about doing his homework.

“I’ve seen five or six of (Bow’s games on film),” said George, whose team is now 20-0 and owns a 39-game winning streak. “The kid’s (Cotnoir’s) hands are gold ... so everything that goes from his waist up, he eats. So we tried to keep the puck down, we tried to get second or third opportunities, and we just tried to create chaos and confusion around the goal.”

Spaulding had little problem executing its game plan, turning what many thought would be a low-scoring affair into anything but that.

“I said all along, ‘If we score three goals, we win,’” Walsh said. “I would have told you three years ago if we scored five against Dover (in the semifinals), we’d win. But in the playoffs, funny things happen, and some guys rise to the occasion, and their guys rose to the occasion tonight.”

Contenders or pretenders? – Bow still inconsistent

Bow Editor — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:10:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

Tim Walsh was a frustrated man Sunday, Feb. 11, at the Whittemore Center.

Following his Bow boys hockey team’s 2-2 tie with Oyster River, the Falcons coach counted on one hand – literally – the number of minutes he felt his team gave a full-on effort. As for the number of times he’s left a game feeling the same way this season, he’d need more fingers.

Though still in prime position for a home-ice date in the Division II state tournament, Bow is far from where it wants to be come playoff time. At 8-4-3 entering a crucial match-up with Timberlane that could determine their chances for the No. 2 or No. 3 seed, the Falcons have repeatedly hurt themselves with lackluster efforts this year, Walsh said, and it’s getting to a point where the coaching staff is running out of solutions.

Walsh said he’s tried “old-school yelling between periods.” He’s sat down with players one-on-one to get their take on the team’s inconsistent play. He’s even threatened to take away ice time, much like he did prior to the second period on Sunday.

In that game, it worked – to a point. The Falcons opened the second frame at a torrid pace, scoring two goals in the first three minutes off the sticks of Pat Acone and Alex Stevens.

Then, they reverted to taking penalties, handing the momentum back to the hosts, who gladly took it to tie the game later in the third and ring up 47 shots to Bow’s 14 by game’s end.

“It keeps coming back, keeps coming up,” Walsh said. “We have the same talks in the locker room. We tried a bunch of different approaches. But it seems like there are a lot of individuals in this locker room who put their own agendas first.

“We’ve tried sitting guys when they don’t perform,” he later added. “But guys take it personal when they (sit), not that they’re not playing well. They need to look in the mirror and say, ‘What do I need to do to get better?’”

Though the tie, the second in three weeks between the two teams, solved little in the standings – Bow and Oyster River remained deadlocked at No. 3 in the league, with 7-4-3 Goffstown trailing closely – it did reassert the importance of Bow goalie Corey Cotnoir.

The senior’s 45-save effort continued what easily could be an all-state season; Cotnoir entered Sunday with the league’s second-best goals against average and save percentage – he trails different players in both categories – and has been a saving grace for an otherwise spotty Bow group.

At 3-2-2 in their past seven games before Wednesday, the Falcons scored one goal three times and two goals twice, but also scored seven on two separate occasions, albeit against Kingswood and Alvirne, two teams that combined have as many wins as Bow.

“One game we’ll have it, and the next game we won’t, and I think it’s kind of contagious,” Cotnoir said. “One or two kids stop trying, one or two kids aren’t skating full to the puck, and then the rest of the team does the same.

It kind of sets the tempo, and then the rest of the game is kind of stuck like that.

“(On Sunday) for five minutes of the whole game, I would say, we put a real good effort in,” he continued, “and we put two goals in during that five minutes. We know what we can do, but we didn’t do it."

A little something - Bow’s late-game goal forges tie with Goffstown

Bow Editor — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:59:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

GOFFSTOWN – His team had all but dominated its opponent for the last 38 minutes of hockey. It finally figured out how to beat Goffstown goalie Steve Case. And it turned nothing – a possible 1-0 loss – into something – a 1-1 tie.

But during a post-game interview on Monday, Jan. 8, at Sullivan Arena, Brett Borbidge couldn’t stop running his hands through his tousled black hair. If he could, he probably would have yanked out every last strand.

“This has been the most frustrating few games for us,” said Borbidge, a junior forward for the Bow boys hockey team. “It’s been very frustrating.”

Such is the state of the Falcons, a team used to dominating every aspect of the game, including on the scoreboard. In the 1-1 tie at Goffstown, Bow outshot the Grizzlies, 42-22. In the final two periods and overtime, the margin was 34-13.

Bow managed five power plays, but converted just its final one, with 1:27 left in regulation. Though Evan Pratt finally put one past Case – an emerging star for a much-improved Goffstown squad – Bow’s struggles were nothing new.

In its past four Division II games entering Wednesday, Jan. 10, the Falcons scored just six goals, three against a winless Merrimack squad. Meanwhile, Bow has consistently flirted with the 40-shot plateau and, on some occasions, broken it.

Compounding matters for the Falcons is the feeling they have everything else to compete. They have all-state goalie Corey Cotnoir, a player Borbidge said was “the best goalie in the state,” before adding, “But we can’t make (him) stand on his head every game.”

Their defense, led by junior Mike Wolfe and senior Pat Acone, is also tested, and, as a whole, they’re experienced; Bow has 14 juniors and seniors.

After losing several of last year’s top scorers to graduation, Bow coach Tim Walsh knew it would be a struggle scoring this season. But as his team ran its record to 3-2-1 entering a game at Dover on Wednesday, Jan. 10, Walsh could only wonder when all these shots would start finding the back of the net.

“We don’t have a lot of natural goal-scorers on this team, but the guys, they’re trying hard,” said Walsh, whose team’s two losses both came by a 2-1 score. “It’s a matter of concentrating in practice and finishing there and carrying it over to the game. We’ve been really working the past week or so just on picking corners; like don’t even look at the goalie, just look at the open corners of the net.”

Borbidge said he’s sure Bow will devote some upcoming practices totally to shooting, but Walsh said it will be up to players like Borbidge, Pratt and freshman Greg Bueddeman to eventually cure what is currently ailing the Falcons.

“But,” Walsh said, mentioning others like Brendan Bly, Jack Mulvaney and Alex Stevens, “they can’t score every goal.”

In control, Bucchino now flourishing for D-III power

Bow Editor — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:34:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

A.J. Bucchino knows there are things he can control. The soft wristers, the slap shots from the point and each game he plays for the University of Wisconsin- River Falls hockey team – it’s in the Bow native’s power to dictate the outcome of each.

Yet, the beauty of Bucchino’s ascent into one of Division III’s top goalies also stems from his understanding that there are things beyond his grasp.

Unlike the countless shots that have gone and died in the webbing of his left-handed glove, things like the past – including one “angry” year at the University of New Hampshire – and, to an extent, his future, are out of his hands every time he skates in net.

He knows this, and it’s helped him be so in-tune to what it takes to dominate. But it wasn’t always this way.

As a junior netminder, Bucchino is off to another great year for the 7-1 and sixthranked Falcons. He ranks in the top 20 in the country in goals-against average at 2.11, save percentage at .931 and minutes played.

He’s helped spearhead a penalty kill that hasn’t allowed a power play goal in 37 straight situations, and the hours of game tape he’s watched to critique himself have helped him become “one of those goaltenders who can win a game by himself,” said UW-River Falls coach Steve Freeman.

Having the requisite talent has never been Bucchino’s problem. A two-time MVP and champion at the Tilton School and a standout for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, Bucchino entered his freshman season at UNH in the fall of 2003 with hopes of proving himself as a Division-I goaltender.

But playing behind senior workhorse Michael Ayers and sophomore Jeff Pietrasiak, Bucchino never got that chance.

“I’m not going to lie, I was very angry,” Bucchino said. “My confidence was a little shot because that was the first time in my career that I was second fiddle, maybe even the third fiddle on the bench. I have too much of a good arrogance to sit on the bench and watch the game go by and knowing I could go somewhere else to play.”

Luckily, as Bucchino stewed and a second stint with Des Moines proved a viable option, a lunch date changed his life.

Connected through a mutual family friend, Bob Tewksbury – a former Major League pitcher, Concord resident and sports psychologist – asked Bucchino to meet with him to talk about his situation.

At the time, Tewksbury was finishing his masters degree at Boston University and was still about a year away from working for the Boston Red Sox, whom he still serves as a sports psychologist in their minor-league system.

Bucchino was the first hockey player he dealt with, while Tewksbury – whose son, Griffin, plays for the Concord High team – was Bucchino’s first step toward “putting my head back on my shoulders,” Bucchino said.

“A.J. has focused on the process,” said Tewksbury, who still trades phone calls and e-mails with Bucchino. “And I think the reason he’s been able to do so well is that he thinks about what he has to do today to be good, and he doesn’t worry about anything else.”

Bucchino’s more level-headed approach has helped him finally feel comfortable, now playing at UW-River Falls. He hopes to repeat as an All-NHCA first-team selection, help lead the Falcons to a national title and one day play hockey professionally.

“He’s such a fiery competitor,” Freeman said. “And since the beginning of last year to the beginning of this year, I think he’s more consistent as far as controlling his emotions. He’s able to bounce back if he gets beat.”

That ability, however, has always been under his control.

Bow a producer of college hockey netminders

Bow Editor — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:20:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

Rob Day can’t explain it beyond saying “they’ve been blessed with good genes.”

A.J. Bucchino called it luck. Mike Spillane, on the other hand, didn’t even go that far.

“To be honest with you,” he said, “I don’t think there is an explanation.”

Whatever it is, with Bow natives Ryan Simpson at Providence College, Bucchino at Wisconsin-River Falls, Spillane at the University of Vermont and Matt Courchesne at Southern New Hampshire University, the town has accomplished something few, if any, towns outside of Canada or Minnesota can boast.

Bow’s a goalie gold mine.

Thanks to a solid high school program, quality coaches in the area and opportunities to play far beyond the borders of New Hampshire, there are reasons why a town of roughly 7,000 residents and 28 square miles can produce four quality college netminders in less than five years.

Yet, it’s still what Simpson called “fascinating,” especially when you consider that despite their point of origin, each took slightly different paths to get to their current destinations.

Simpson, a member of the Bow High team as a freshman and at times as a junior, also spent a year at the St. Paul’s School in Concord before embarking on two highly successful years with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs in the Eastern Junior Hockey League.

There, he earned EJHL Goaltender of the Year honors, and, after pulling his groin in the first period of the championship game, according to goalie coach Day, he remained in net to help lead the Monarchs to a 6-5 win and the title.

“I went to go watch him play against Walpole last year,” said Providence coach Tim Army, “and after the first period of the game, I was convinced.”

Bucchino, born in New York, played two years at the Tilton School, spent another in Des Moines playing in the United States Hockey League – the country’s top junior circuit – stayed for a year at the University of New Hampshire and has since transferred to Division-III Wisconsin- River Falls.

Last season, he earned first-team all-league honors and is off to a 7- 1 start this year.

Spillane and Courchesne spent the most time on the Bow High team – Courchesne all four years and Spillane three – and the two continually battled for the starting job. Spillane ultimately left to play for the EJHL’s Green Mountain Glades his senior year before joining the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, where he was named team MVP in his only season there.

Courchesne spent time with the Exeter Seawolves before passing on his two final years of junior eligibility to join the Penmen. It was a good move, as he took over the starting job by playoff time last season and now is the team’s top goalie as a sophomore.

Besides the town, however, there are connections that help explain all four players’ rise into college hockey.

At one time or another, each worked with Day, the Junior Monarchs’ goalie coach. Simpson has been with Day since 1999. Spillane still works with one of Day’s former students and a former pro goalie, Mike Buckley, who “I owe a lot of my successes to,” Spillane said.

Bucchino said several of them also attended the same camps. “We were all just in the same environment at the same time,” he said.

There’s also the idea that one good goalie begets another.

“In the (state) semifinals my senior year when we lost and Spillane was in net, I didn’t play,” Courchesne said, “but when we were leaving the locker room, Spillane said, ‘You’re the reason. You pushed me day in and day out.’

“And that’s what it was,” he continued. “We forced each other to get better.”

Day could see it. Working with each of them – including another local goalie in Pembroke’s Brian Foster, who’s a freshman at UNH – he said they all already had “good skill bases.”

“But who knows?” Simpson said. “Maybe there’s something in the water.”