Bow News : soccer

Bow girls soccer team falls in OT to eventual state runner-up

Bow Editor — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:17:00 GMT

With the season’s first snowfall as the backdrop, the No. 8 Bow Lady Falcons missed several key opportunities, including a shot off the crossbar late in the second half, and Hollis-Brookline, the ninth-seeded visitors and eventual state runner-up, scored three minutes into sudden death to secure a Class I opening-round victory on Oct. 29.

Still, Bow girls soccer coach Jay Vogt said the season was one of growth, especially for the younger players.

“Some of them started off somewhat tentative, but as the year progressed they became comfortable in their roles and the speed of play and did a great job contributing to the success of our team,” said Vogt.

Though the Lady Falcons lose eight seniors – captains Colby Jacobson, Lauren Allison and Caitlin Pratt, as well as Caitlin Heindl, Mariah Leven, Leanna Shea, Emily Shirlock, and Kate Torres – Vogt said he fully expects his strong crop of juniors to step up and lead the team.

“I expect everyone to take their game to the next level. We were all disappointed in ending our playoff run so early this year, so hopefully that motivates everyone to work hard and come back as better players,” he said. “My expectations are that we will be as competitive next year as we were this year. A lot will depend on what the returning players do from now until the start of tryouts next August, what JV players are ready to step up to varsity and contribute, and if any incoming freshmen can step in and play on the varsity level.”

Expected back next season are juniors Hope Hartley, Hannah Whitley, Lauryn Wheeler, Olivia Foy and Emily Hannon; sophomores Taylor Grip and Kassadi Phelps; and freshmen Rachel Kramer, Kyle Duval, Missy Gloekler and Molly Perkins.

Bow boys soccer team loses again to Pembroke

Bow Editor — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:59:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

This time last year, the Bow boys soccer team had locked up a top-four seed in the Class I tournament, par for the course for George Pinkham’s squad.

Peter Bisson, on the other hand, was completing his first season at the Pembroke Academy helm. His team had shown signs of progress, but were out of playoff contention nonetheless.

This year, things are a little different. Though the Falcons are in the playoffs again, it’s they who are playing the unfamiliar role of underdog while Bisson’s boys continue to crash the Class I party.

In fact, Bow was the first on what’s become a long list of foes to suffer a surprise setback at the hands of the upstart Spartans.

On Aug. 29, PA traveled to Bow to open the season and defeated the defending state runners- up, 2-1.

This time around, the Falcons had a better idea what to expect, yet the result was no different.

Behind three goals from striker Ryan Clark and another from Caleb Bonanno, the Spartans won again on Monday, Oct. 21, 4-0, and improved to 9-3-2, good enough for fourth place.

Bow, now 7-7-1 on the season, was 6-2-1 in nine prior contests and hadn’t given up more than two goals in a game since Sept. 6. Yet Bisson said he had a feeling his players were due for a big performance. Scoring the first goal against Bow’s staunch defense, he said, gave them all the confidence they needed.

“The energy was there. I don’t know if it’s because it was our last home game or what, but if we can maintain that energy and finish teams off, we’ve got a real shot,” said Bisson. “I’ve got a lot of talent and the right players are in the right spots. I’m willing to put it all in their hands.”

Despite the 2-0 record against the Falcons during the regular season, Bisson said that doesn’t mean he’d like to see them again in the playoffs.

“They’re dangerous,” he said. They defend well and they can get forward very quickly. They’re right in there with a lot of good teams that can easily beat you on any given day.”

Pinkham said he’s happy just to be in the playoffs. In fact, he said he hasn’t looked at the standings since mid-September.

“We’ve struggled all year offensively. We know that and we now we need to hold teams down with our defense,” said Pinkham. “I give this Pembroke team credit, the chances they had they finished. They look very strong.”

Good John Stark and Bow girls soccer teams use OT to verify there’s room to improve

Bow Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:59:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow’s and John Stark’s girls soccer teams couldn’t muster any serious offensive threats through 80 minutes of play.

But it took John Stark forward Joan Hamel only 1 minute, 4 seconds to break through the afternoon shadows that consumed the Bow High School field and a host of Falcon defenders. Her goal gave the Lady Generals a 1-0 overtime win.

The Friday, Oct. 10, contest was a battle of Class I postseason contenders; both teams entered the game with eight wins.

Coming off a difficult 2-1 loss to Kearsarge, John Stark’s head coach, Heather Doucette, preached to her team about the importance of a road win against Bow prior to the game.

“(Bow) was obviously fired up for us, and we came out and really needed to utilize our speed,” said Doucette. “They did a good job of keeping us off of our game. This was big for us after a disappointing loss, so I think it gave us some confidence to finish strong.”

During regulation, the majority of play took place near midfield, with neither goalie tested regularly.

Early in overtime, Hamel picked up a loose ball near midfield and carved through multiple Bow defenders, blasting down the sideline and powering a shot into the upper- right corner of the net.

“In a tight game, it just takes a mistake or someone to step up,” said Bow’s head coach, Jay Vogt. “It happened so quickly. I’m still not really sure what happened. Obviously it’s frustrating.”

Including the loss to the Generals, Bow has been shut out in two of its last three games, a problem Vogt said his squad needs to correct.

“At times we moved the ball, and we did everything until we got to the final third (of the field),” said Vogt. “That’s it. We have to find a way to finish. We just need to create some opportunities and get some shots on net.”

Midfielder Caitlin Heindl and defender Caitlin Pratt played well for the Falcons, while John Stark midfielders Alyssa Charest and Allison Harris were in the middle of the action throughout the contest. The win improved the Generals to 9-4-0 on the season, while Bow dropped to 8-4-0 with the loss.

Despite the win, Doucette said she knows her team, which has scored one or fewer goals five times this season, has to improve offensively.

“Being able to beat a team like this can boost us, but we need to be able to get more creative up front,” said Doucette. “There’s a lot to be done.”

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.

Preseason jamboree gives coaches glimpse of upcoming year

Bow Editor — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:06:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

For one day, 18 soccer teams from four different classes converged on Manchester’s West High School.

Among those squads were Class I’s Bow Lady Falcons and Class M’s Hopkinton Lady Hawks.

The coaches of both units left the Saturday, Aug. 23, event without a sure feel for how their respective seasons would develop. After all, the competition included Class L’s Concord, Nashua North, Manchester Memorial and the host Blue Knights. But each coach certainly gleaned a better reckoning of the players – and talent – at their disposal.

“This is a great start, us playing Concord and West – two solid Class L programs,” said Bow head coach Jay Vogt. “Obviously, our goals are to make the playoffs and go as far as we can … but we just finalized our team, so we really don’t have any expectations yet. We’re just seeing what we have to work with right now.”

Curt Martin agreed.

“We have some talent, and we knew it would be a good experience for them playing a tough Class L team,” said the Hopkinton mentor. “Plus we don’t play every day on the turf, so that makes a lot of difference getting used to the bounces and such. Hopefully we learned some things and that will help us get ready for the season opener.”

Bow

After reaching the 2007 state semifinals and losing in a shootout to the eventual Class I champs, Bow graduated nine seniors.

“We’ve had good teams, but hadn’t been able to get over that hump and win in the first round,” said head coach Jay Vogt. “Last year, we did that and got some confidence and just couldn’t quite get by Oyster River.”

This year, Vogt said the challenges are different, but the playoff goal is the same.

“We only have seven players back from last season, so we need to figure some things out … what type of team we’re going to have and what kind of personality we’re going to have,” said Vogt. “This is a good group of girls, but it may take us a little while to get going. I expect my seniors to step up. It’s their team. It’s their year.”

Those returning are four-year players Colby Jacobson and Caitlin Pratt, as well as Lauren Allison, Mariah Leven, Caitlin Heindl, Leanna Shea and Kate Torres. This year, Bow carries eight seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and four freshman.

“I don’t usually have so many (freshmen) … but these girls all showed they can play,” said Vogt. “Now it’s just a matter of getting used to the bigger girls and high school ball, but they should all do fine.”

Missy Gleckler, Rachel Kramer, Kayla Duval and starting goalkeeper Molly Perkins each enter their first high school season.

Hopkinton

With four state titles in the last 10 years, Hopkinton is considered by many a perennial favorite in Class M. Despite a disappointing quarterfinal-round loss in the 2007 tournament, Martin said his squad is likely to once again contend in 2008.

“My expectation is always make the tournament and then hopefully get into the top four,” said Martin, who has been at the Hopkinton helm for 13 years. “We have some talented kids, some pretty fast kids from one end of the field to the other, so it’s just going to depend on their work ethic and how they gel.”

Alicia Ewing, Sara Dobe and Jacki Fotey are expected to lead this year’s squad. One of their goals, said Martin, is to help the younger athletes maintain their composure.

“I think sometimes we need to be a little bit more patient and maybe not get so excited,” he said. “This is a good group of kids that want to work, but there are some other teams out there that are going to be good. So our success, in large part, depends on how good those teams are, too.”

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’s success a group effort keyed by all-state selections

Bow Editor — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:40:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

For coach George Pinkham, the 2007 Bow boys soccer team was as satisfying a group of players as he could imagine mentoring. Having graduated 13 seniors from a team he considered the best in school history, Pinkham was prepared to rebuild.

But the guys playing the game carried Bow to the Class I finals, where they lost a 1-0 heartbreaker to now-three-time defending state champ Hanover.

“These players, from the preseason on, kind of bloomed and blossomed as a team. They found their identity and developed talent as a team, and as the year went on, their success surprised me,” said Pinkham. “I knew they’d be a tournament team, but was I expecting to go to the state final and be that close to a championship? No.”

Moreover, the coach said his team went about winning the right way, drawing one yellow card throughout the undefeated regular season, while also earning the competitive respect of their opponents.

Class I coaches certainly recognized the talent, as four Falcons were named to the all-state team.

Ryan Obolewicz, who tallied 31 goals in 2007, not only made first-team allstate, but was also recognized as one of four all-New England forward selections.

He is the third Falcon in the school’s 10-year history to join the exclusive club.

“He’s just a gifted offensive player who will be sorely missed, that’s for sure,” said Pinkham of his senior captain.

Kyle Geddes, another of Pinkham’s tri-captains, directed the team from his position as center-midfielder, where he scored 17 times himself and assisted on 11 other occasions.

“He’s a big, gifted kid in terms of size, and a lot of colleges noticed,” said the mentor. “He was one of the first kids mentioned every time I got a call. He can play in college, no question, him and ‘Obi’ both.”

And like Obolewicz, Geddes will represent the Granite State in the Lion’s Cup against Vermont in July.

While the two Twin-State players consistently put the Falcons on the board, sweeper Brian Raffio kept foes off it.

Raffio was selected as second- team all-state in his first year in the backfield.

“He’s always been an offensive player and last year came off the bench as an offensive midfielder, which is where I could see his potential early,” said Pinkham. “But he knew we had graduated everyone in the back, including our goalkeeper, and he came to me before the season and asked me to look at him to step in. He was the first one I looked at, and he didn’t move out. He started every game as our sweeper.”

Fellow defender Jason Langevin was also recognized, receiving an honorable mention from the Class I coaches.

As Bow’s center-back, the senior solidified an inexperienced group of defenders to shut the opposition down throughout the year.

Certainly, the departure of the four seniors leaves gaping holes to fill, though Pinkham noted he’s been here before. “I look at the last two years and we will have graduated 25 kids going into next season. That team will have a big hill to climb,” said Pinkham. “But I’m just going to tell them, ‘It’s your turn. Now let’s see what you can do.’”

Pinkham said the departing all-staters will likely play college ball, as well as a few others from this year’s state runner-up.

Obolewicz is receiving strong interest from Babson College, which his coach said would seem a perfect fit. The school offers what is considered one of the top business schools in the country, in addition to a chance to play everyday.

“There’s no question he will play someplace,” said Pinkham. “But he’s an incredibly smart kid, one of the best in the high school scholastically. He’s right there at the top, and he’s very interested in pursuing business.”

Geddes is considering staying in New Hampshire and playing at either D-III Keene State or Plymouth State, where teammate Bobby Waddell may play as well.

Raffio is taking a hard look at Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, and Langevin may play at the University of New England.

One short – Bow barely misses state title

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:01:00 GMT

BY CHRIS QUARTARONE

It wasn’t the way the Bow boys varsity soccer team wanted to end the season, but according to head coach George Pinkham, his players should be proud of their effort.

“When you get to this game, all the kids are going to give it their all, and they did,” said Pinkham following the team’s 1-0 loss to unbeaten Hanover in the Class I tournament finale on Sunday, Nov. 4, at Bill Ball Stadium.

The lone goal was scored with 5:08 left in the first half by Hanover midfielder Eric Barthold during a series of headers near Bow’s goal.

Keeper Al Grip punched the ball away from net, which was headed right back in by Barthold.

The Marauders’ coach, Rob Grabill, knew his team needed to expect a counterattack once the second half began.

“I told our guys, ‘You’ll have to weather the storm,’” said Grabill.

Bow aggressively attacked, creating multiple chances early in the second half.

Bow midfielder Kyle Geddes’ shot forced a diving save from Hanover’s keeper, leading to a Bow corner kick.

That kick sliced into the goalie box, giving midfielder Ian Verderame a chance for the tying goal, but the ball sailed just over the crossbar.

Forward Ryan Obolewicz put another ball in front of the net. Verderame’s second opportunity, once again, just cleared the crossbar.

“Those were our best chances,” said Pinkham. “It could have gone either way.”

Grabill said he was impressed with the Bow team and knew Bow’s push could have tied the game.

“They scared us like no other team has all season,” he said.

It was the third championship in a row for Hanover, and Grabill was both ecstatic and relieved after the contest.

“We never got caught up in being the best team,” he said. “Both teams played great tonight, and we were able to come out on top.”

One up, one down – Bow reaches q-final, falls in tight match

Bow Editor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:50:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

After two hard-fought games – a dramatic win and a shootout loss – Bow’s varsity girls soccer team was eliminated from the Class I tournament in the quarterfinal round.

On Thursday, Oct. 25, the No. 7-seeded Falcons shut out the 10th-seeded Souhegan Sabres, 2-0.

“We came out with intensity, and we didn’t stop,” said Bow’s head coach, Jay Vogt.

Senior forward Katelyn Hinck scored both Bow goals in the second half, putting two shots past junior goalie Kristin Elliot. Hinck’s classmate, forward Jill Hannon, assisted on both tallies.

Falcons junior Orli Gottlieb made several saves before intermission, and her second-half replacement, junior Mackenzie Langsten, followed suit, despite consistent pressure from the frantic Sabres.

“They outplayed us today,” said Souhegan coach Dwayne Andreasen. “Jay’s got a great team …”
And the Falcons put forth a great effort in a shootout loss to the No. 2-ranked Oyster River Bobcats on Sunday, Oct. 28, in Durham, ending Bow’s season.

After a scoreless two hours of play, the ’Cats landed on their feet, outscoring the locals in the shootout, 2-1. Middle forward Colby Jacobson, a junior, scored the Falcons’ only goal after regulation and two overtimes.

Despite the loss, Vogt said he thought his team outplayed Oyster River, maintaining possession and creating more chances.

“We didn’t reach our goal,” said the Bow mentor. “Our goal was to win a championship, and we obviously fell short of that. But it was a very good season for us.”

The Falcons finished the season, including the playoffs, 12-4-2.

Vogt must contend with major turnover next year; nine senior players graduate, leaving the coach to fill the roster with current junior varsity players.

Kassadi Phelps, playing midfield and forward, was the only freshman on the varsity team this year.

Finally – Explosive Bow boys reach championship match

Bow Editor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:48:00 GMT

BY CHRIS QUARTARONE

The Bow boys varsity soccer team beat up on 11th-seeded Souhegan, earning a trip to the Class I state final following a 4-2 win at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

Bow forward Ryan Obolowicz scored three goals, giving him 31 on the season.

“It really wasn’t just me. Everyone had a hand in the win,” he said.

Bow forward Dorian Hohm fed a fine pass to Obolowicz for the first goal 10 minutes into the match.

Soon after, Souhegan defenseman Mathieu Bemis took down Hohm in front of the Sabres’ goal.

The referee awarded a penalty shot to Bow, and when he argued with the referee, Bemis was given a red card and kicked out of the game.

“I wish Matt could take what he said back,” said Souhegan assistant coach Tom Bellen. “It makes it tough to win a game when you’re a man down.”

But Bow missed the penalty kick high over the cross bar, and Bow head coach George Pinkham thought momentum had returned to Souhegan.

“In the first half we weren’t winning balls. With our missed penalty kick, it kept Souhegan in the game,” he said.

Indeed, Souhegan tied the game with only a few minutes left until halftime.

It took Bow 15 minutes of second-half play to score again.With 25:37 left Obolowicz scored his second goal after Kyle Geddes sent a beautiful lead pass toward the net.

It took Bow less than one minute to score a third time. Fifty-six seconds later, in fact, Hohm beat Souhegan goalie Adam Tofte for a 3-1 Bow edge.

Brian Raffio assisted Obolowicz’s last tally with 7:30 left in the match.

When the final whistle blew, Bow players rushed Bow goaltender Al Grip in celebration.

The team prepares for its last match, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 3, at 4:30 p.m., again at Bill Ball Stadium.

“If we come out on Saturday and play our game, I think we have a good shot (to win),” said Obolowicz.

• • •

Bow won its quarterfinal-round match on Friday, Oct. 26, defeating No. 7 seed John Stark, 2-0.

Bow forward Ethan Archundia pressed John Stark with countless crosses into the goalie box, but the teams went into halftime locked in a scoreless tie.

Five minutes into the second half, Bow forward Dorian Hohm sent a ball in front of the net, and Ethan Archundia controlled and kicked it past John Stark goalie Ben Titcomb for the game’s first goal.

“Once they scored the first goal we didn’t pick it up when we had to,” said Mark Bograd, John Stark’s head coach.

Obolowicz scored Bow’s second goal on an assist from midfielder Kyle Geddes with around 13 minutes remaining.

John Stark forward Ross Macklin did his best to create scoring chances, but the Bow defense remained rock-solid.

“I thought we stayed with them, but we couldn’t build anything on offense,” said Bograd.

The focus factor – Dominant for stretches, Bow also shows lapses

Bow Editor — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:51:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

They outshot ’em, outmuscled ’em, even outhustled ’em. But the girls of Bow High School soccer needed overtime to outscore the hosts of Coe-Brown Northwood Academy, 2-1, on Saturday, Sept. 8, at the Robert E. Bailey Athletic Complex.

“It’s good for us,” said Bow head coach Jay Vogt. “The girls have to find out how to play in close games.”

With a little luck for the locals, this particular game would have been anything but tight.

The Lady Falcons hit the crossbar twice, once in each half. They completely controlled play from the third minute of the contest through the 78th minute, forcing Coe-Brown’s keeper, Kim Comtois, into save after spectacular save. They didn’t allow the Bears a single shot on goal until the 79th minute, leaving Falcon keeper Orli Gottlieb as a bystander at the far end of the field.

With approximately one minute remaining, the lone Bow defensive breakdown left Gottlieb with no chance to stop a point-blank shot from her left, completely shifting the psychological advantage to the Bears for OT.

“We’ve lost that focus for stretches of time,” said Vogt, who added the team allowed three goals in its first four wins, all in the final three minutes of a match. “It didn’t hurt us those other times, but you can’t be individuals in a game like this. You’ve got to continue working as a team.”

Midfielder Katie Foy deposited “a great shot,” said Vogt, for the golden goal, curling the ball past the keeper and into the lower right-hand corner of the net, putting smiles back on frustrated faces of her teammates.

The Lady Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the game’s 27th minute when midfielder Cammy Laboe put one in net off a corner kick from forward Lauren Allison.

Vogt said the 2007 season can end as happily as Saturday’s struggle – if the team’s nine seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores and one freshman embrace the idea of a single, strong group.

Depth perception – Bow boys strong again; bench could decide team’s fate

Bow Editor — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:44:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

The 2-0 victory over host Coe-Brown Northwood Academy on Saturday, Sept. 8, was methodical, marked by an occasional flash of athleticism from the victors. It certainly wasn’t exciting or nail-biting. Bow High School boys soccer coach George Pinkham wouldn’t have it any other way.

His team hasn’t lost a regular-season contest since 2005, which Pinkham said is a testament to Bow’s talent and competitive nature.

“Teams look at us as a measuring stick,” said the 11-year BHS mentor. “When we win a game, we’ve got to take it.”

Bow has taken four wins in 2007. Against the Bears, the seniors once again led the Falcons.

Midfielder Kyle Geddes put Bow on the board less than two minutes into the game. That was all goaltender Alex Grip needed, though the senior had to make one terrific save at the 10-minute mark to preserve the lead.

Forward Ryan Obolowicz nearly scored eight minutes into the second half, clanging a shot off the left post, but midfielder Clay Niemiec was in position to end the sequence, depositing a rebound to account for the final score.

Pinkham spent the majority of the game using equal parts encouragement and chastisement to push his charges. But having outscored their first four foes by an 18-1 margin, the Falcons seem to need little motivation.

That’s not true, said Pinkham. The coach seeks more consistency from his bench and open minds from his talented upperclassmen, especially the imposing 6-foot-plus Geddes.

“He’s an excellent player, an incredible player,” said Pinkham. “But I told him, ‘You’re a better player when you pass.’ He’s not a selfish player, but sometimes he just wants to take over a game.”

After the early goal, Geddes sent some sterling touch passes to his mates for scoring chances.

It’s the bench players, though, who currently concern the coach. As the season progresses, Pinkham said he hopes to rotate the backups onto the field in close contests. For now, they’ll receive pats on the back for solid play and a seat on the sidelines for ignoring instructions.

“This team has a chance, but we’ve got to find more depth,” said Pinkham, who coached for 11 years at Concord High before coming to Bow when the school opened. “You put kids in a position (to succeed), and sometimes they surprise you.”