Bow News : high school sports

Bow’s fine season stopped by unbeaten Pioneers

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:58:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

It wasn’t the way Paul Cohen envisioned bidding farewell to the Bow High School football campaign. The Falcons, who were at one time 5-0 and tied atop the standings, were thumped by Trinity High School for a second consecutive week, losing in the Division V semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 7, 37-0.

“We kind of came spiraling back to Earth (after that strong start to the season),” said Cohen, Bow’s head coach. “I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the season, but unfortunately the season said goodbye to us.”

Bow drove into Trinity territory early on and showed it could move the ball on a Trinity defense that has not allowed more than 24 points in a contest this season. But finishing those drives was a problem. Three lengthy field goal tries all failed to connect, including two tries of 50 yards.

The two teams met one week prior to the game to conclude the regular season, and the Pioneers came away with an easy 59-0 victory.

Trinity’s head coach, Gary Leonard, said that win led to poor execution from his team, despite a second consecutive lopsided outcome.

“It made us overconfident,” said Leonard, whose team hopes to win its first title since 1988. “We battled that all week long, and then we came out flat. It took us a little while to wake up.”

Wingback Connor Lyons gave Trinity a jolt of energy, running for three touchdowns and taking a punt in for a score as well. The senior reached the end zone twice on plays of 80 yards.

Gregory Polish grabbed an interception in Trinity territory in the final minute of the first half and Tom Poitras recovered a fumble in the third quarter, but the Falcons were unable to capitalize on either occasion.

With running time put to use in the second half due to the score, the Falcons ran few offensive plays. In fact, Bow didn’t touch the ball on offense in the fourth quarter; Trinity ran a 17-play drive to end the game.

Poitras led the Bow offense with 47 yards on six catches from the wide receiver position, but Bow receivers struggled to haul in throws from quarterback Austin Hill throughout.

Despite the loss, Cohen said he viewed the season as a successful step for the program. “We weren’t going to have a repeat of 2008 (when the team struggled),” said Cohen. “We saw early on in camp how they came together, and that showed in the first games. There was no deer-in-the-headlights look. We had nothing to lose, and I didn’t feel we were intimidated.”

Bow High School Falcons now 4-0 after another heart-stopping football victory

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:13:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Bow High School football team has given faithful hearts weekly workouts in 2009. The most recent example was a 17-14 win at two-time defending state champion Pelham on Friday, Sept. 25.

The Falcons scored the game-winning touchdown with just 30 seconds remaining. So far, Bow’s four victories have come by a combined 14 points, none more than six points.

“Every game has been a cardiac finish for us,” said Bow’s head coach, Paul Cohen. “We may be down in a game, but we are never out of it.”

Tom Poitras contributed in nearly every facet – kicking a 25-yard field goal, grabbing an interception and tallying a sack as time expired, and this came after he gave the Falcons the lead 30 seconds earlier.

Bow dominated time of possession in the second half, running its offense for 19 of a possible 24 minutes, culminating in its final drive that began with 6:26 remaining and the Falcons trailing, 14-10.

On 2nd and goal from the Pelham 10-yard line, Austin Hill dropped back to pass and threw a fade to the corner of the end zone, where Poitras was waiting with a well-positioned defender in front of him.

But the 6-foot-6 senior jumped into the air, reached over the defender’s helmet, secured the ball with two hands and gave his team a three-point lead after kicking the extra point.

Bow fans were still uneasy after the Pythons returned the ensuing kickoff to the Bow 43- yard line, then nearly came away with the win.

With three seconds left, Pelham quarterback Joseph DeAngelo threw a perfect spiral to an open receiver in the end zone, but the ball went right through his hands and incomplete. A play later, Poitras sacked the scrambling DeAngelo to seal the win.

“We know every year about him. We’re scared to death of that kid,” said Pelham’s head coach, Tom Babaian, of Poitras. “We had it covered perfectly. What else are you supposed to do?”

With the win, Bow is now tied with Trinity atop the Division V standings. Cohen said he hopes this win opens people’s eyes.

“We knocked off Kearsarge, and it was a fluke. We beat Stevens, and it was ‘So what?’ Now people are starting to wake up to the reality that we are for real,” said Cohen. “We’re sitting high and pretty right now, but we know we need to keep our egos in check because things can change on a dime.”

Bow man pitches, runs team into championship position

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:55:00 GMT

Athlete of the Month sponsored by Indian Head Athletics

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

He’s quiet in general, but Wade Brown’s pitching in particular has silenced opposing bats in the New Hampshire Baseball League’s postseason, helping his Bow Falcons close within a single victory of the league title.

Brown is 3-0 so far in the wooden-bat league’s playoffs, earning him the Indian Head Athletics Athlete of the Month for August.

The postseason is no aberration for Brown, who allowed one earned run during three starts and five relief appearances while posting a 0.28 ERA in 32 innings pitched for the regular- season’s top team.

And it wasn’t just Brown’s arm that’s helped Bow reach the title series against the defending champion Manchester Eagles. Brown’s legs were the deciding factor in the semifinals.

Facing Bedford in the second game of the best-ofthree series, Brown led from second base in the ninth inning of a tied game.

Mike Percy singled to left, and the throw from the outfield was on target, but Brown’s hard, clean slide jarred the ball from the catcher’s glove, bringing the Falcons onto the field in celebration of their two-game sweep. Bow continued its strong play in game one of the best-of-three NHBL finals, beating the Eagles, 7-3.

Frank De Maria, Bow’s manager, said Brown is an unassuming family man during the week, but he becomes a fiery competitor when the uniform’s on.

“He is totally focused when he’s playing,” said De Maria. “He’s soft-spoken, but he comes out and gives a Herculean effort every time he’s on the field.”

According to De Maria, many in the league, which includes athletes 38 and older, have played high-level college baseball, with some playing professional baseball in their prime.

Brown was a solid high school player, but he never played college ball.

“That’s what makes it even more amazing,” said De Maria. “He’s just such a great athlete.”

Brown’s success in the league is an added bonus; he joined five years ago for different reasons.

“The camaraderie with teammates is just as important as trying to stay in shape and play some good, honest baseball,” said Brown. “This gives you the opportunity to do what you did as a kid, and really enjoy yourself.”

(Editor’s note: The Athlete of the Month receives a $50 gift certificate courtesy of Indian Head Athletics.)

Bow boys take second straight title

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:09:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Chris and Steve Gaudreau keep sharing the wealth.

On Wednesday, June 10, the brothers coached the Bow boys lacrosse team to a 15-8 victory over Dover, clinching their second consecutive Division-II title and third in six years.

Last year, Steve returned after a one-year hiatus, joining Chris and 10 seniors en route to the championship. This year, after taking a heavy hit from graduation, Chris said there were many holes to fill but added the players in the pipeline made the transition nearly seamless.

“For us, it’s like deja vu. It’s almost too good to be true,” said Chris Gaudreau.

“We’ve used the word lucky, but a lot of it is that we’ve been very fortunate to have these great kids that listen, work hard and allow us to coach them. I hope we can continue to be in the mix, but you never know, which is why these last couple years have been so special.”

Though the Falcons continued their dominance after losing double-digit seniors the last two years, Gaudreau said the departure of goalie David Bucchino and attacker Sean Dippold – two of three captains and four recent graduates - may be just as tough to overcome.

“David is a phenomenal player, and with all his (personal) honors, he was a leader in the truest sense of the word,” said Chris Gaudreau. “And Sean, he stepped in his junior and senior years and was just an absolutely tremendous competitor. He led by example by the amazing amount of emotion and intensity he brought. And he took it to even another level in the playoffs this year.”

While Dippold notched three goals to help lead the Falcons past Dover, Bucchino stopped 16 shots to secure the victory.

Junior Alex Davies stole the offensive show with six goals, and classmate Christian Calkins impressed with five assists to complement his three tallies.

“We’re very proud of this team, especially because these kids played their best at the end of the season,” said Chris Gaudreau. “We were simply dominant at times in the playoffs, and more importantly we carried ourselves well. We made mistakes along the way, but we owned those mistakes.”

Along with Davies and Calkins, the Falcons’ third captain, backfielder Griffin Sandler, is expected back, as are midfield standouts Greg Bueddeman and Chris Roberts and sophomore defender Greg Stevens, among a plethora of other talented athletes.

Chris Gaudreau said it’s tough to envision a change in the current co-coaching arrangement.

“We’re both young, and splitting responsibility equally, we’re able to stay sharp and energized,” he said. “Never say never, and things change, but I don’t see either one of us going anywhere anytime soon.”

Bow girls win crown – again

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:06:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

They’ve been there. They’ve done that. And they didn’t mind doing it again.

Bow High School’s girls lacrosse team has been to every title game since Division II play began in 2002, and on Thursday, June 11, the Lady Falcons won a fourth state championship with a 13- 7 victory over Bishop Guertin at Southern New Hampshire University.

Alison Meagher and Samantha Gallerani notched four goals and two assists apiece to lead Bow.

Early on it appeared the nearly 500 spectators on hand were in for a see-saw battle; Bow clung to a 3-2 lead after only 4 minutes, 59 seconds of play.

The Cardinals knotted the score at 3-3 with 15:07 remaining in the half, but the Falcons outscored Guertin, 4- 1, in the final 15 minutes of play to take a 7-4 lead into halftime.

The lead expanded to as many as eight, and Bow cruised to the win.

Sophomore Lindsay Bucknam scored twice and assisted on a pair of goals; senior Caitlin Pratt added two goals, and sophomore Rachel Roberts and junior Lauren Wheeler both collected an assist.

“They’re tough every single year,” said Bishop Guertin head coach Ron Cote. “They just know how to win.”

Bow was 12-1 during the regular season to earn the No. 3 seed in the bracket, but none of the teams in the postseason gave the Falcons much of a challenge.

In fact, the six-goal decision over the Cardinals was the closest game Bow played this postseason.

Goaltender Leanna Shea returned from a toe injury only a few weeks ago, bouncing back extremely well in the title tilt to stop 14 shots and earn the win.

Bow’s head coach, Chris Raabe, said returning to the final contest of Division II play is always the preseason goal.

“At some point, the streak will end,” said Raabe. “That’s how we start each year, using that as motivation. They don’t want to be the team who doesn’t make it here. It’s become tradition for us, and having them know that every year makes my job a little easier.”

Bow, Pembroke carry varied expectations to the court

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:46:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

In a battle of two teams at opposite ends of the Class I girls tennis spectrum, Bow cruised past Pembroke Academy on Friday, May 15, as both teams wind down the regular season.

The Falcons earned a 9-0 home victory over the Spartans to improve to 9-3, while Pembroke dropped to 3-8.

Bow begins preparations for the postseason. Despite their strong record, the Falcons currently find themselves seventh in the standings with two matches remaining.

Bow lost a combined seven games during the six matches of singles play, beginning with Kate Torres’ 8-3 victory over Lindsay Crete at No. 1.

Mariah Leven at No. 2 and Steph Malanga at No. 6 each earned 8-0 decisions over their PA opponents, while Hayley Maccani and Pooja Kasireddy both won by 8-1 scores.

Emma Mulvaney rounded out the six singles victories by besting Megan Bobola, 8-2, at No. 4.

“One thing we were able to do was keep the ball in play and work on things that we had eyed individually,” said Bow head coach Jean Ver- Planck. “It was about coming in with a plan and then being sure of the execution.”

VerPlanck said she has been particularly impressed by Kasireddy’s improvement. The mentor said she has developed all of her strokes and must now focus on hitting them with consistency.

Pembroke head coach Steve Langevin said his team was focused on keeping the correct mindset entering the match.

“Each game they win they take as a victory,” he said. “They’re not necessarily trying to win the whole match, just taking it individually a game at a time. That’s the approach, instead of being discouraged by being beaten by a better team.”

Crete and No. 2 singles player Steph Allen are the only two seniors in the rotation for the Spartans. No. 3 Sarah Kelly is a sophomore, Bobola is a junior, and the other two players in the lineup, Hillary Dennison and Kendra Rainville, are freshmen.

Rainville began the season on the outside of the lineup looking in, but worked her way onto the ladder and won the first varsity match she played. The Falcons’ three losses have come against teams seeded ahead of them, twice to Bishop Brady and once to Hanover.

VerPlanck said she hopes to prepare her team for the tournament by having them match up against players they normally don’t face in practice, as well as squaring off in matches against members of the boys team.

“We’ll really need to step it up,” said VerPlanck. “That starts next week, before the tournament gets under way.”

Defending champ Bow finds its way following April setback

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 20 May 2009 19:22:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Losses are never fun, but Chris Gaudreau can’t deny early-season setbacks have benefitted his Bow boys lacrosse team the last two years.

Despite losing 10 seniors from the 2008 Division II championship squad, Gaudreau, who coaches the Falcons with his brother Steve, said this year’s unit has shown significant improvement following an 8-6 defeat at Timberlane in its fourth contest.

Since that stumble, Bow has won five straight games and improved its record to 8-1.

On Friday, May 15, the Falcons traveled to Dover, where the Green Wave moved the matchup from afternoon to evening.

“I think they were looking for a playoff atmosphere under the lights,” said Gaudreau.

It certainly provided a litmus test for both squads.

After allowing Dover to score first, the Falcons took a 5-2 lead into the second quarter, held a 7-5 advantage at half time, traded two goals apiece with the Green Wave in the third, and pulled away in the final period for a 12-8 victory.

“That was a real dogfight of a game, but I feel we’ve been playing better and getting better every time out since that early hiccup (against Timberlane),” said Gaudreau. “The challenge is going to be keeping that going and making sure we’re peaking at the right time.”

That’s a reasonable expectation, he said, thanks to the leadership and postseason experience of senior goalie David Bucchino, classmate Sean Dippold, an attacker, and junior backfielder Griffin Sandler, Bow’s three captains.

“All three know what it takes and know what we expect,” said the coach. “They know how to win.”

While Dippold has accumulated 15 goals and 19 assists through nine contests, Alex Davies and Christian Calkins have really sparked Bow’s attack.

Davies, who split time all over the field last season, leads the current squad with 35 goals and 19 assists, while Calkins, who was not with the Falcons in 2008, has contributed 20 tallies.

Junior speedster Greg Bueddeman, on the other hand, has stepped out of the offensive limelight to become a playmaker as the team’s center midfielder.

“For someone who didn’t have a whole lot of experience taking faceoffs in the past, his success in that area is one of the main reasons we’ve had so many quality transition opportunities,” said Gaudreau. “He’s one of the best finishers we’ve ever had here, and he had more than 20 goals last year. We’ve been really impressed with his willingness to change for the sake of the team.”

Junior Chris Roberts, who also started for the locals last season, solidifies the midfield. Defensively, Sandler and sophomore Greg Stevens have saved a backfield almost completely depleted by graduation.

Stevens has utilized superb hands and stickwork to shut down the opposition’s top offensive threats, said his coach.

Though the pieces seem to be falling into place, Gaudreau said the current lot of players still has a lot to prove if a repeat is expected.

“We’re definitely on a similar track (to last year) in that we had that early game where we just didn’t bring it, which seemed to wake us up and give us that drive,” he said. “But … this league is stacked. Every team that makes the playoffs is going to have an extreme fight on its hands. If you don’t put out your best effort, you’re probably going to lose in this league.”

Those contributing for the Falcons for the first time this season include senior Nat Bresler; juniors Curtis Perry, Kyle Tracy, Chad Wilkinson, Jacob Hughes, Collin Evans and Michael Dal Pos; sophomore Dylan Erickson and freshman Brad Clark.

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 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 girls’ uneven effort – ‘a microcosm of the season’ – produces a win

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:32:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

In case you missed the Bow High School girls basketball season to this point, the Falcons provided a CliffsNotes version against Kingswood.

Much like this season, Bow started slowly, hit the accelerator in the middle of the game and slowed at the end. Facing Kingswood, the Falcons still came away with a 60-51 win on Monday, Jan. 19.

Bow has a pair of 1-2 stretches this season sandwiching a five-game winning streak, and head coach Corey Boilard said the inconsistency in the Kingswood game was an indicator of how things have gone so far this year.

“I guess it was kind of a microcosm of the season so far,” said Boilard. “There were times we were playing strong and went on a run, but then we were inconsistent and couldn’t get a basket or a (defensive) stop.”

The Falcons trailed at the half, 31-27, but pushed their lead to as many 15 in the fourth quarter. However, Bow allowed Kingswood to cut the lead to 55-48 late in the contest before holding on for the win to improve to 7-4.

Maggie Crisman led the team in scoring with 15 during the game, and junior center Kelly Chergey added 14 points, although neither were on the floor in the final minutes after fouling out.

Boilard said the team needed to make mental adjustments in the locker room at halftime. “It’s something we have been struggling with all season,” said Boilard. “The focus and intensity needed to change, and that’s what we talked about at halftime.”

With only five seniors on the team, Boilard said the inconsistency may be a result of youth, although he has been happy with the group’s energy level each game.

Crisman has impressed Boilard so far this season, as she has embraced an aggressive posture on offense.

“She sees the floor so well and has asserted herself as more of a scorer,” said Boilard, who has been pleased with the way the sophomore has filled the box score each night in various categories. “She doesn’t just do a little of everything, she does a lot of everything.”

While Boilard eagerly awaits the time when his young players mature, he refuses to look past the possibilities of the current campaign.

“We can be really good this year, but it’s also exciting to know we can be good for a few years,” he said. “Hopefully we can find some consistency by February because that’s when it matters.”

Underclassmen pepper Bow roster, but coach expects improvement

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:29:00 GMT

BY MARK PETERSON

This year’s Bow boys basketball team may look more like other schools’ junior varsity squads, with several freshmen and sophomores slated to receive significant playing time – and possibly start.

Despite the youthful vibe of a group featuring only two seniors, head coach Chris Gaudreau said his team will remain competitive.

“We’re probably going to have some growing pains early on. We’re probably going to have some inexperience, but we have a really good group. They have a lot of energy, and there’s a lot of talent there. They’re just young,” said Gaudreau.

The Falcons enter the 2008- 09 season hoping to improve on last season’s 10-8 record. They were eliminated in the first round of the Class I tournament, yet Gaudreau believes significant improvement is possible in his fifth season as Bow’s head coach, despite some stiff competition within Class I.

Sophomore guard Connor Hill, who spent his freshman season as sixth man on the varsity team, is likely to move into the starting lineup. Sophomore Ryan Hill should see an increased number of minutes this season, splitting time at forward and guard.

“There’s a lot of young kids we’re going to have playing large roles for us this year,” said Gaudreau. Last season, Bow was on both ends of close battles, including a thrilling, buzzer-beating, 39-38 win against Merrimack Valley last February and a tightly contested 67-61 loss against Monadnock Regional that same month.

“I really think that we’re going to remain competitive and stay in some close games,” said Gaudreau. “When you’re in those close games, the difference between a five-win team and a 12-win team is whether you are able to close those close games or not.

“You go in with the attitude that if we can just keep it close until the fourth quarter, that’s all I can ask for. But once you get into that position, every competitive person in the world wants to win,” he added. “I hate moral victories, but they do exist. They can be good learning tools, but if you have too many, they get tiring pretty quick.”

Junior forward Tom Poitras and senior guard Michael Finnegan share team captaincy. Poitras led the team with 16 points in a tournament loss to Hollis-Brookline last March. He averaged more than 10 points per game in 2007-08.

Because Bow’s nucleus is so young, many of its players can develop the chemistry needed to move the Falcons back to the top tier of Class I, where they spent much of this decade.

“Next year, we’re talking about only losing two players, so you would hope that we’re setting the stage for something pretty good,” said the coach, who identified road dates in January against Pelham and Kearsarge as two of the toughest games on the schedule.

The Falcons opened the year on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at home against the Lebanon Raiders.

Early loss serves as strong motivation for young Bow team

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:39:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The third time isn’t likely to be the charm, but for Corey Boilard, that’s not cause for alarm. Boilard, entering his third season as head coach of the Bow girls basketball team, isn’t expecting a Class I title in 2009. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t hope to compete for one.

The Lady Falcons are, indeed, young – 20 of 25 players in the program are underclassmen. But they’re talented, and on Friday, Dec. 5, they proved they’re resilient, too.

After suffering an embarrassing 48-12 setback to defending champ Hanover in the season opener on Dec. 2, Bow traveled to face another up-and-coming squad, Pembroke Academy, and knocked off the hosts in a highly competitive 47-44 contest.

“We’re going to be referencing that Hanover game a lot, and we’re already showing we learned from it. Even though they’re using that experience to improve themselves, they’re always looking forward,” said Boilard. “I think we certainly have a lot of potential, especially with all the hard work I’m seeing and the way we’ve been supporting each other. You know, we have a lot of positive energy in the gym every day, which is great."

The Lady Falcons lost some key contributors from a 2007- 08 unit that finished 11-7 and reached the postseason, but those returning hope to improve on last year’s first-round Class I playoff exit.

Senior guard Meghan Faretra, junior center Kelly Chergey and sophomore guard Maggie Crisman lead the team, but Alison Meagher, Caitlin Heindl, Katie Barry, Leanna Shea, Lexie Welch, Sarah Moore, Brianna Bean and Divya Vig are all expected to play significant roles.

Sophomore Kendra Toellner, who missed last season after knee surgery, and freshman Jillian Chergey are new to the 13-player varsity roster. “We have a lot of versatility, a lot of names I can throw out there, which is good,” said Boilard.

“Each player has weaknesses, but they all have great strengths, too, and when we put them together, we make a pretty good team. I think by season’s end we’ll be much better than we are now.”

Bow, with a largely new roster, seeks continued success in Class I boys soccer

Bow Editor — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:48:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

It wasn’t an altogether unfamiliar feeling.

As the Bow boys soccer players sat under their own net, heads hung after a 2-1 season-opening loss on Friday, Aug. 29, to Pembroke Academy, their coach, George Pinkham, stood over them and explained how some of his best squads from the past had overcome early adversity.

Only a few years earlier, he noted, when the Falcons moved up to Class I, they lost their first game of the season to Pelham, a team they dominated annually in Class M.

Yet Bow fell only once thereafter and finished second in the standings.

Prior to starting the soccer program at Bow 11 years ago, Pinkham spent 11 years at Concord. His best season there, he said, came after the Crimson Tide were blown out in their first three contests. They didn’t suffer another setback in the regular season.

So when one of his current players pointed out Bow still has 15 games to play, Pinkham was quick to correct the young man.

“No. We’ve got 15 plus,” he said.

The Falcons, after all, have never missed the postseason, and Pinkham said the expectations are no different this year, despite losing 13 players to graduation – including several all-staters and one all-New Englander – from a team that finished 2007 as runner- up in Class I.

Despite returning just one starter from last season, the team name on the front of the jerseys paints a bull’s-eye on the backs.

“We’ve been in the top four every year since we’ve been in I … Just about every game, going in last year, I expected to win by three or four goals,” said Pinkham. “This year, this team, like tonight, it’s going to be one-goal games, and we’re going to have to fight for everything we get. Nobody is going to look past us.”

Sean Dippold, who started at outside defender the second half of 2007, moves to center midfield this season.

The rest of the players, most of whom played JV last year or only saw action when the team was up several goals, are learning on the fly.

Ian Verderame and Mike Neves captain this year’s squad. Junior Nick Nolin, who scored Bow’s first goal of 2008, and Ian Cascadden, who assisted on the tally, are expected to see plenty of playing time.

Junior goalie Carter Bennett, who turned away several quality PA offerings before allowing two late scores, didn’t play in net until two years ago.

He’s expected to mature into the role as the season progresses, said Pinkham.

Others contributing are Josh Faber, Jake Jensen, Will Stuart, Tyler Blais, James Miller, Ian Kervick- Jimenez, Chris Roberts, Kyle Zaczyk, Ian Kipperman, Greg Wnuk, Tyler Couture, Ted Wyly, Josh Faber, Bryan Barker, Jacob Bull, Eddie Berke, Ethan Johnson, Alex Davies, Josh Serard and Alex Rizzi.

Falcons take care of unfinished business, win D-II title

Bow Editor — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:05:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

It was a familiar feeling, to be sure. Chris Gaudreau jumped in the air, his arms pumped, his smile broad.

Next to him, his brother, Steve, did the same.

In 2004, the last time the Bow boys lacrosse team won a state title, the two were together, only then Steve was the head coach and Chris was his assistant.

Steve left the program following that season, and Chris took over.

Steve returned as assistant to Chris, though they say they’re co-coaches.

The combination of the two, in any order, apparently means championships. “I told him he must be the difference maker,” said Chris.

On Tuesday, June 3, the Falcons defeated upstart Oyster River, 11-5, to lay claim to their first title in four years.

That, after the program graduated 14 seniors following a 2007 season in which it finished Division II runner-up to St. Thomas.

“We came in this year with a lot of holes to fill and a lot of hard work to be done, and I just feel like this group has grown so much over the season,” said Chris Gaudreau. That maturation, said the head coach, likely began after Bow suffered its first and only loss of 2008, an 8-2 setback against Dover on April 15.

“We had a little bit of a pit stop there, and we really took a look at what we were doing and how hard we were working, and we really dedicated ourselves,” he said. “After that Dover game we really questioned our toughness. We knew there was some talent out there, but we won this thing because we were mentally tough.”

Not only did the Falcons carry one loss into the DII tournament, where they earned the No. 1 seed, but they added three playoff wins – including an 8-4 quarterfinal triumph against Bishop Brady and a 5-4 semifinal squeaker against Winnacunnet - to their 14 regular-season victories.

Their most convincing win, however, came on the state’s biggest stage, at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter. After going down by a goal in the first minute, Bow responded with six unanswered goals and didn’t allow Oyster River to score again until midway through the third quarter.

The two squads then traded goals, but the contest was never closer than four points, and the Falcons pulled away late to secure the crown.

“(Oyster River) beat the No. 2 and No. 3 seed, so we didn’t take them as a No. 7, we looked at them as a No. 2,” said senior Steve Gallerani, who scored four of Bow’s goals. “Wow, this was just a great ending for all the seniors who didn’t really get a chance last year. It was just a great year.” While Gallerani led the team in scoring, Alex Grip found the back of the net twice; Brian Moore added a goal and two assists; Alex Stevens and Sean Dippold each contributed a goal and an assist; and Greg Bueddeman and Stephen Lagos each scored once. Alex Davies also offered a helper.

In the semifinals, Bow dispatched a Winnacunnet team that had not lost since April 25. “That was a hot team, that was a very good team, and we were lucky to get the win,” said Gaudreau, who added that his squad wouldn’t even have a shot at the title if it weren’t for the stellar play of David Bucchino and his 18 saves against the Warriors. “He was just fantastic,” said the coach. “He saved us an awful lot. I mean, our defense played well, but Winnacunnet had some quality possessions and great looks, and when they got there, time and time again David came up big.”

While Bucchino took care of business on his end, Dippold led the Falcons in scoring with two goals and one assist. Davies, Zack Steck and Stevens also notched points, and Grip added an assist.

“These kids, you know, only if you spend every day with them in the trenches do you know how hard they work,” said Gaudreau. “We ask an awful lot out of them. I’ll tell you what, I’m so proud of these kids right now.”