Bow News : bedford

Bow’s deep D-1 run ends with tight loss to title winners

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:07:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bedford’s ride to a District 1 championship nearly hit a speed bump, courtesy of a powerful Bow team.

On July 15, Bow’s 11- and 12-year-olds pushed the eventual champions to the limit but lost, 6-4, during the losers’ bracket quarterfinals.

Bow fell behind after the first inning, 3-0, but Colby Fortin began his team’s comeback with an RBI groundout in the top of the third.

Though small ball helped put Bow on the board, the long ball put them ahead in the visiting half of the fifth, when Nate Corriveau and Fortin hit back-to-back home runs to give their team a 4-3 lead.

After Evan Vulgamore led off the inning with a double, Corriveau launched a rocket over the fence, and after a Bedford pitching change, Fortin followed suit.

While the bottom of the frame started quietly enough with a strikeout and two infield singles, Bedford recaptured the lead soon after with a two-out bases-loaded triple that scored three runs.

“I was surprised it was such a hit-fest,” said Bow manager Jamie Vulgamore. “When they went up, 3-0, you just never know how the kids are going to battle back. They answered nicely.”

Despite his team’s elimination from the bracket, Vulgamore said he doesn’t believe it’ll be the last time his players suit up together.

“We’re a small town, so for us to be able to compete against these teams, I don’t see anyone that can keep up with these guys when they get to the high school level,” said Vulgamore.

Team members were Ryan Boldwin, Vulgamore, Corriveau, Fortin, Sam Morrow, Sebastian Strong, Dylan Bibeau, Stephen Panella, Travis Reynolds, Nathan Cunningham, Patrick Hughes, Connor Simpson and Nick Kruger.

Perennial power Bow thumps Bedford in opener

Goffstown Editor — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:33:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Despite falling in the 2008 Division II finals to Hanover and graduating seven seniors, Bow High School girls lacrosse remains in the midst of a dominant run that began in 2002, when the league was first established.

“This program has a certain amount of history, and they have pride for that,” said head coach Chris Raabe. “They don’t want to be the class to break that.”

Raabe’s Falcons left the gate quickly in 2009, easing past firstyear Bedford High School with a 20-3 victory. Five goals from senior attacker Caitlin Pratt and a hat trick from sophomore Lindsay Bucknam led the team.

Even in victory, Raabe wasn’t completely satisfied. She has plenty of time to work with her group. The team’s next scheduled game is Saturday, April 25, against St. Thomas Aquinas.

The coach said her team’s passing against Bedford was sloppy at times. She said poor passing was one of the causes of Bow’s title-game loss in ’08. Mackenzie Langsten scored 2009’s first goal, tallying 43 seconds into the contest and adding another little more than two minutes later.

Bow’s high-octane style of play utilizes its deep roster of experienced players, including seven seniors.

“I lay more on them because I know they’ve been through it,” said Raabe. “And I know what they are able to handle.”

As Bedford continues its inaugural season, the Bulldogs eye the Falcons as a model program. “It was a great learning experience (opening against Bow) and a chance to see the caliber of play and where the bar is set,” said Bedford’s head coach, Jill Bartlett. “That’s a team that we can look at and try to emulate.”

Bow counselor is a happy camper

Bow Editor — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:58:00 GMT

Phil Sletten of Bow is working as an instructor at the Friends of the Eagle New Hampshire Audubon day camp for 8- to 10-year-olds at the McLane Audubon Center in Concord.

In a recent interview by Zach Blatt of Bedford, a volunteer for the New Hampshire Audubon, Sletten talks about his experience working with youngsters. Sletten is a 2007 graduate of Bow High School and is a sophomore at Grinnell College.

Q. What is your typical day like?

A. “We begin with morning circle, which is where we might sing a song or play show and tell. Then we usually go for a short hike. After lunch, we do an activity such as a ropes course or the zip line. Then we sing more songs or tell jokes or do an artsand- crafts project.”

Q. What animals have you shown the kids?

A. “Painted turtles, Eastern box turtles, a corn snake, a ball python, frogs and other land creatures. We’ve also shown the kids the bald eagle and peregrine falcon we have at our Concord site. The kids really love to feed the turtles.”

Q. Do the kids handle the animals well?

A. “Yes, for the most part. Usually, the kids follow directions. The kids have a bit more of a fear of the snakes, though. They are really in awe of the animals and quiet down when we need them to cooperate.”

Q. What other activities have the kids attempted?

A. “One activity I particularly enjoy is ponding, which is when the kids go fishing in the pond right behind the McLane Center with a big net and water proof pants. We’ve caught water skimmers and small fish on occasion. The kids also hike to Blueberry Point, a nearby hill, or play games in the field.”

Q. You are a former camper, what do you remember about that experience?

A. “I attended my first New Hampshire Audubon camp here in Concord when I was 5. I enjoyed the Explorer Camp the most. We would hike mountains, go canoeing, camp at Newfound Lake. It was great fun making friends with a bunch of guys my age and going camping. I still remember a lot of the silly camp games that we used to play.”

Q. What have you gained from being a camp counselor?

A. “Being a New Hampshire Audubon camp counselor has given me a great opportunity to give back to the community as well as relive memories from my youth. It has helped me hone my people skills and relate better with children. It has definitely offered a different perspective. The kids I work with are starting to develop a rebellious attitude and don’t want to be told what to do by someone my age. It has taught me how to be a teacher, but also a leader as well.”

– Submitted by Zach Blatt