Bow News : students

In Bow 378 students out sick with flu

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:47:00 GMT

Bow Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden said attendance levels have returned to normal after a record number of students were absent three weeks ago with flu-like symptoms.

The peak level of absences hit Oct. 22 when 378 students, nearly 25 percent of the town’s public school students, called out sick. It was the largest outbreak of flu-like symptoms in a New Hampshire public school district this year. However, Windham and Londonderry have reported similar occurrences in recent weeks.

“We’re basically back to normal operations,” Cascadden said Thursday, Nov. 5. “We’re back to around 5 percent with single-digit absences.”

The majority of the absences occurred at Bow Middle School, where just over 30 percent of students stayed home at the height of the outbreak. Bow High School had slightly more than 25 percent of students absent and Bow Elementary School had about 14 percent absent at its peak.

From Oct. 4 to 20, the state tested 183 people with flu-like symptoms and determined 21 had the flu – all with the H1N1 strain, also known as the swine flu, according to the Union Leader. About 1 in 9 people with flu-like symptoms actually have swine flu.

Cascadden said the school district has a number of students who are suffering from secondary bacterial infections after initially becoming sick.

“There are some kids who are having a much more difficult time shaking illness, and a lot of that is because there’s a secondary infection,” he said. “We want people to really monitor their kids. Don’t panic, but don’t take it lightly. There will be some kids who have to see their health care provider.”

Cascadden says it’s not unprecedented for a large number of students to get sick at one time, but that in years past, it’s occurred around January or February.

“It’s usually high during flu season, but the unusual thing about H1N1 is that it never went down,” he said. “The H1N1 never had an off-season.”

Bow Marine Shawn MacDonald returns from active duty in Iraq

Bow Editor — Wed, 28 May 2008 20:04:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Seven Bow Memorial School students stood in line waiting to shake Shawn MacDonald’s hand.

He’s been shaking a lot of hands lately.

MacDonald, 22, a lifelong Bow resident, returned from Iraq May 21, after serving with the Marines, completing his active duty following four years of service.

In honor of his service, MacDonald was asked to speak during Bow Memorial School’s annual Memorial Day assembly on Friday, May 23, where he had simple advice for the gymnasium full of students.

“You really need to respect everyone who has served in the military just for the fact that they understand what it is to give up your freedom,” MacDonald said.

Only 48 hours after his 2004 graduation from Bow High School, MacDonald was off for 13 weeks of training. Having enlisted during his junior year, MacDonald was ready to leave Bow.

“I set that (the short amount of time before leaving) up by design,” he said. “I wanted to get there as soon as possible.”

Life as a Marine changed MacDonald a great deal.

“How hasn’t it changed me?” he said. “The major thing is understanding freedom. Until I actually sacrificed my own, I never really knew what having that freedom meant.”

The Bow resident was a member of the Second Intelligence Battalion in Iraq, where he enlisted as an infantryman. MacDonald stayed in touch with friends and family via e-mail, but those who know him will be glad to have more personal conversations with him.

“I feel so blessed to have him back. There are so many parents who haven’t been as fortunate,” said MacDonald’s mother, Connie. “It will be nice not having to talk to him over the cell phone, I can look him in the eye.”

According to family friend, Ed King, having MacDonald back means relief for everyone involved.

“To have him back is so nice. The best part is knowing he’s safe, and seeing his parents be able to relax finally,” said King. “It’s been four years of waiting to breath, waiting for the phone to ring. When he came back, the pressure was off.”

King hosted a surprise return party for MacDonald, who returned to his friend’s home following a motorcycle ride with his father, Mike.

As he pulled into the driveway he saw tents, food and people waiting to greet him. He knew many of the faces, but several he didn’t know waited to greet him and thank him for his service, including Bow resident Eric Barricklow, who recently returned to town after serving a year and a half in Afghanistan with the Army.

Mike MacDonald said although he is glad to be able to exhale with his son being home, he joked that he now faces a new challenge.

“It’s very tough with some of the things he’s told me, and some that I’m sure he hasn’t,” he said. “It’s a relief that I don’t have to worry about him anymore. Now I just have to worry about what he’s doing here in town.”

Standing in front of Bow Memorial students was a different feeling for MacDonald.

“It is strange. I don’t think of this as a personal honor,” he said. “I think it is more of them honoring the military, and I just happen to be wearing the uniform.”

The students got to see firsthand the meaning of Memorial Day as the assembly came to a close. MacDonald stood in silent recognition as 27 names were read, and a moment of silence was held for those 27 New Hampshire soldiers who had lost their lives during combat in Iraq, followed by the playing of ‘Taps.”

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.”

Supreme Court holds session at Bow High School

Bow Editor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:02:00 GMT

BY MICHELLE KIM

Court was in session at Bow High School, when more than 600 area students and faculty from 12 schools got an intimate look at the inner workings of the state’s highest court.

On Thursday, Oct. 25, the ninth “On the Road” session of the New Hampshire Supreme Court took place in the packed auditorium of Bow High School. The auditorium was transformed into an appellate court, complete with court security and protocol, moderated by Superior Court Justice Carol Ann Conboy, as justices heard arguments from lawyers regarding two actual state Supreme Court cases.

The first case addressed whether multiple drug charges could be tried at one time under the same jury. The second case presented questions of sufficiency of evidence and the correctness of a trial judge in setting aside a jury’s verdict.

The five justices were seated on the stage at a black cloth-draped table that served as the bench where they grilled appellate and appellees for 15 minutes each, often backing the attorneys into verbal corners.

After each case hearing, presenting lawyers took questions from the audience while the justices went backstage. Because these were actual upcoming cases, the justices were not allowed to answer student questions on the cases or hear materials other than what was presented.

But after the hearings, the justices derobed and took questions from students on topics ranging from the experience of being a Supreme Court judge to childhood ambitions.

When asked about the aspects of the job they liked most, the justices mentioned the variety of cases they saw and the privilege of holding a public trust. Isolation topped the list of things they disliked, as the justices must monitor everything they say and do in public and often limit their social circles.

Justice Linda Dalianis said to avoid conflicts of interest, judges disqualify themselves from cases involving associates. Each justice maintains a rigorously checked disqualification list of people they socialize with.

“It’s sometimes easier not to socialize,” added Justice James Duggin.

A Bow High School student asked Dalianis about being a woman on the Supreme Court.

“It was a tough adjustment!” chimed in Justice Richard Galway, to much laughter.

“I can tell you they don’t mess with me,” said Dalianis.

Dalianis, the first woman on the New Hampshire Supreme Court, said early in her career she felt an enormous responsibility to the young women that would follow after her, but that she got “over it” about 25 years ago.

The students also asked the presenting attorneys about the experience of being put on the spot by the justices.

“Fifteen minutes seems like an awfully long time,” said Assistant Attorney General Susan McGinnis.

“But when they’re banging away at you, they’re really looking for answers,” said attorney Henry Spaloss.

Justice Richard Galway said later that justices are looking for the lawyers to educate them on the case.

Although a few students used the time to nap or doodle, most paid close attention.

Hopkinton High School seniors Sam Grady and Alexandra Winzeler, who take Rob Nadeau’s “Law and You” class, both found the session interesting.

“I was surprised at how much the justices had to poke holes in both sides of the arguments to get the best understanding of what was really factual,” said Winzeler. “I didn’t expect them to be so harsh.”

Grady took the other point of view.

“Some of the lawyers, they didn’t seem to know what they were talking about,” he said.

Winzeler, a senior at Hopkinton High, asked attorney Theodore Lothstein about the most unusual error of law he had argued for or against. Though it took a few minutes to determine, Lothstein recalled a tragic case of his where a man had shot his brother in mistaken self-defense.

Students were able to follow along with the oral arguments thanks to briefings they received from volunteer lawyers who visited each class to explain the cases and answer questions about the practice of law.

Richard Uchida, former president of the New Hampshire Bar Association, has participated in several “On the Road” sessions and briefed students at Pembroke Academy. He applauds the New Hampshire Supreme Court for making its decision-making process transparent.

“I think that builds faith in the system of justice,” he said. “We may disagree with a result and we may disagree with the outcome of a case, but we have faith in the system itself.”

Contrary to the perception many people may have, Chief Justice John Broderick feels the judicial system is the most public branch of government.

“All our courtrooms are open to the public,” he said. “Our opinions are published. We have to explain what we do.”

He and the other justices hope by bringing the Supreme Court to the students, that they’re demystifying the court system and making it more transparent.

“We enjoy it immensely,” said Broderick, who originally proposed the idea back in 2000.

For the justices, seeing the faces of hundreds of young people is a vivid reminder of the public trust they hold, he said.

The “On the Road” program, which held its first session in 2002 at Saint Anselm College in Manchester and has traveled throughout the state, is looking at the southern tier for next year’s location.

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.

Bow Memorial appeals Annual Yearly Progress report

Bow Editor — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:43:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

After being named a school in need of improvement when the Annual Yearly Progress reports were released, Bow Memorial School administrators are still in the process of appealing.

The first appeal to the Commissioner of Education was denied, so Bow Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden wrote a letter of appeal to the State Board of Education on Oct. 9.

When the test results were released in early September, Bow Memorial was placed in the category of needing improvement because students in the educational disability category didn’t achieve the proper score in math.

However, under the test regulations, if a school shows improvement of at least 10 percent from the previous year’s scores, it makes Annual Yearly Progress, or AYP, under the safe harbor exception.

“Our position is that the data is incorrect. Because of that, the school is incorrectly given the label. If the data is corrected, then we will make AYP,” said Principal Kirk Spofford. “We feel based on our statistics and a review of the state’s figures that the state figures are clearly wrong. We think the state should allow the figures to be corrected.”

Going back to the 2005-06 data, the state reported Bow Memorial had 33 special education students, when the school actually had 37, according to Spofford. In this year’s data, the school is listed with 31 students, while Spofford said there are 34.

The state denied the original appeal because it does not look at data that “is not current.”

Cascadden said he knows the school is correct in its stance that the data should be fixed.

“I think we’re totally right, and I think it’s in the spirit of the law. And, we should be able to correct that data and be removed from the school in need of improvement,” he said.

Spofford agreed with the superintendent’s feeling. “We want kids counted where they belong. If you take the kids who are really special education students and take their scores, we make AYP,” he said. “The reality is, what the state used for students who are special education are not correct. They counted a certain amount, and the number they counted is incorrect. We want kids counted where they belong. If you take the kids who are really special education students and take their scores, we make AYP.”

Safety net – Group focuses on keeping students safe on the Web

Bow Editor — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:35:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow school administrators held a focus group to look at how the district can get the most out of current technology while keeping students safe on the Internet.

At the Oct. 3 meeting, community members and educators gave input on the question, “How do we teach our students to be responsible users of 21st century technology?”

The session included about 30 people. School Board Chairman Pansy Bloomfield said Bow school officials left knowing it was time to make some changes.

“We concluded that the policy needs a few modifications in order to be applicable,” she said. “We need to go to each school and see what is acceptable for different grade levels. This (meeting) is a beginning.”

Bow resident Susan Hatem attended the forum to learn about the policy and give input on how she feels her four kids can be kept safe while maximizing the resources available.

“I do think the policy needs some change. In order to be competent on the Internet, kids should be taught and know how to use some of the interactive aspects of it,” said Hatem. “They can do some research and get information, but not participate in methods to learn from other people around the world.”

Finding that middle ground is something Bloomfield knows will be tricky.

“We want to find as much balance as is comfortable with the community,” she said. “There needs to be a safe, manageable and age-appropriate access education focus. The trick is implementation.”

Following the meeting, administrators will be going back to each school to find the best way to let students explore while being safe – a crucial aspect to Hatem.

“It’s very important to keep them safe,” she said. “There should be age-appropriate control protecting younger kids from themselves. They could easily give out information that could provide a risk. You want to protect middle school kids from cyber-bullying and things like that. Middle school kids are more vulnerable to that.”

High schoolers are getting older, reaching toward adulthood, she said.

“They need to be protected some while also learning to use the tools responsibly,” said Hatem.

The focus group involved an explanation of the current policy, including two different levels of Internet filtering. However, in some cases, the filtering is at such a high level that students have no access to Web sites that aren’t necessarily inappropriate.

Those at the meeting, which was led by a facilitator, were then split into smaller groups and given different roles. Parents, faculty members and a few students were on hand to give input on a variety of levels.

Bloomfield stressed how important community involvement is as the process continues and to find the best method that will not take time away from teachers.

Despite the good attndance at the meeting, there was always room for more.

“I wish more people had been there, and I think it’s important to keep people informed on the progress we’re making,” said Hatem.

Falcons finish seventh

Bow Editor — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:23:00 GMT

On Thursday, Oct. 4, the boys of Bow High golf took the course at Beaver Meadow in Concord for this year’s Class I championship tournament. Entering the tournament ranked seventh, with an 18-7 record, the Falcons placed seventh overall, shooting 421 as a team.

The match included the top-20 teams in Class I, with the top-10 teams allowed eight golfers and the top five scores accounting for the final team score.

Squads 11 through 20 brought two golfers to compete for the chance to advance to the individual tournament. The top 24 golfers, including ties, moved to the individual championship on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Matt Lennon led the Falcons with a 79; James Fellows and Ryan Varney each shot an 84; Bret Borbidge and Dan Achorn both carded 87s; Sam Cole shot a 92; and Andrew Knight finished with a 93.

Closing argument – Bow’s postseason chances lie with play on back nine

Bow Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:44:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

The 2007 Bow Falcons golf team is a loose bunch, with one eye on the postseason prize and the other on a nearby teammate who’s joking around.

“We take it seriously, but we try to enjoy ourselves,” said head coach Mike Seraikas, who last year watched his team finish on the outside looking in at the season-ending Class I championship tournament, the first time that’s happened in his nine-year tenure.

The Falcons finished this season at 18-7 after splitting the final regular-season match on Friday, Sept. 28, at Overlook Country Club in Hollis. They defeated Pelham, 206-211, but lost to host Hollis-Brookline, which shot 194.

As was the case most of the year, senior Matt Lennon led the Falcons in scoring with a 39.

Lennon, a four-year letterman, has medaled three times this season, including a 34 against Hanover at Claremont on Sept. 19.

“Last year, Matt’s problem was closing,” said Seraikas. “This year, he’s really overcome that. He’s really become a strong player who takes this game very seriously.”

Lennon attributed his recent success to plenty of practice and repetition during the summer.

In addition to his ace, Seraikas said Bow’s other three top golfers give the squad a chance to compete with anyone in the state.

Seniors James Fellows and Brett Borbidge have been consistent all season, as has sophomore Sam Cole, said the coach.

Seniors Dan Achorn and Andrew Knight, sophomores Jake Hughes and Ryan Varney, and freshman Peter Cummings round out the Falcons top nine, and while less consistent than his fearsome foursome, Seraikas said each is capable of putting up a top score on any day and course.

Also representing the Falcons this season are seniors Jack Mulvaney, Jonathan Parker, Matt Raffio, James Richards and Marc Simpson; juniors Corey Johnson and Joseph Pelton; sophomores Gerald Kuenning, Ryan Varney and Connor Whalley; and freshman Ryan Meaney.

Now, Seraikas and the Falcons head to the Class I tournament at Beaver Meadow Golf Course in Concord beginning Thursday, Oct. 4.

“My goal is to come in the top five, but I think we have a shot (to win the tournament),” he said. “You play the whole season to get there, and once you’re there, the regular season has no bearing. So it all comes down to next Thursday and what the kids can do.”

The challenge, according to Seraikas, will be how his student-athletes respond to playing 18 competitive holes instead of a standard nine-hole regular-season match.

“A lot of kids I’ve seen in the past will go out there and have a great 13 holes, then their proverbial wheels fall off. So it should be interesting to see how these kids hold their concentration,” he said.

Building confidence – Bow’s second-half offensive outburst means victory

Bow Editor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:17:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Lacking a consistent offensive punch so far this season, the Bow High School field hockey team appeared to be in rough shape on Friday, Sept. 21, against visiting Pelham High School.

Things aren’t always as they appear.

The Falcons bounced back to score three unanswered goals en route to a 3-1 victory, improving the team to 3-5 on the season.

Bow senior captain Becka Keyes tied the contest with 15:58 remaining after Pelham’s Kellie Chadwick broke a scoreless tie two minutes earlier.

“In field hockey, unless you are an amazing field player, it comes down to heart and who wants it. You have to have that will and desire,” said Falcons head coach Tracy Berube. “We saw that (our players) could run and hang with Pelham, and they just had to want it more.”

At halftime, Berube asked her girls if they wanted to score one goal. After they replied, “Yes,” she said to them, “No! You’re supposed to say we’re going to score more than one!”

Heather Bennett put Bow ahead for good with 10:45 remaining when she punched in a rebound, and Julia Romano added the final score with a little more than one minute remaining in the contest to seal the victory.

Despite allowing the three goals, Pelham’s Alex Catalano was outstanding in goal, making 14 saves, many under heavy pressure from the Bow offense.

The Pythons spent much of the day near the Bow goal, something Pelham head coach Mary Johnson said is difficult to overcome.

“Punching the ball in when you’re that close is the most impossible thing to teach. It’s right there, and it’s just a matter of wanting it,” she said. “You can take the ball 100 yards and get it to that 10 inches, but sometimes that 10 inches seems even farther.”

Sarah Strumpfer played well in goal for Bow before leaving with back pain.

The Falcons have yet to build momentum so far this season, but perhaps the victory over 2-6 Pelham is the start.

Berube said her team met the night before the contest and left the casual conversation with a good feeling.

“We had a good talk last night about who we are and who we want to be,” she said. “Today was a really good day for our confidence."

Dominant effort – Bow beats up on overmatched John Stark, 10-0

Bow Editor — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:02:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow High School’s field hockey team had scored three goals in four games heading into a Sept. 12 home contest against John Stark. That goals-per-game average certainly received a boost by game’s end.

The Falcons defeated a weaker opponent, spending nearly the entire game on the offensive side of the field in 10-0 win over the Generals.

Lexie Welch began the scoring early in the first half and Bow never looked back, opening a 4-0 halftime lead. Falcons head coach Tracy Berube said the outburst should help her team down the road.

“We haven’t been scoring a lot so far this season, so scoring 10 was good to see, especially how we were able to spread them around,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, whether it be John Stark or Merrimack Valley. Our skill level should not change.”

Bow had multiple players score on consecutive attempts. Heather Bennett scored two goals in a row late in the first half, Molly Strempfer netted consecutive scores early in the second, and Sarah Strempfer added the final two goals of the contest for the Falcons.

The win for Bow was the team’s second consecutive after losing three straight to open the 2007 campaign. The girls lost on Friday, Sept. 14, to Milford, 3-1. Berube said inexperience is still an obstacle for her group to overcome.

“We are a very young team, and we are still building,” she said. “But we have these building blocks of confidence, and that’s good. We were able to try some different players out in different positions today, which is helpful for down the road.”

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.”

Opening statement – Bow pulls away in first-game victory over Campbell

Bow Editor — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:08:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Two years after winning the 2004 Division V title, the Bow Falcons stumbled to a 2-7 record last season and missed the playoffs.

That’s why Bow head coach Paul Cohen said his team’s first game, a 34-14 road win at Campbell High School of Litchfield, was so important.

“It was about the first time making a statement in this division,” said Cohen. “Through a very hard preseason camp and with the remnants of last year’s team, with a lot of memories of very bad Saturdays from last fall, I think we made our statement loud and clear.”

Last season, after losing his starting quarterback to injury, Cohen turned to then-sophomore quarterback Andrew Vinnenberg.

He said the field general has “really grown up this year” and showed it against Campbell, maintaining his composure throughout the contest despite the foes coming back and tying the game twice in the first half, at 7-apiece and then again at 14-all.

But senior tailback Ian Hanson was the story of the game.

“Ian said to me at the end of last year that his mission as a high school football player was unfulfilled, that he needed to take the next step. He took that step in a big way this week,” said Cohen. “I’m not sure how many yards he had this week, but basically he was unstoppable.”

He amassed 202 yards … and five touchdowns … in three quarters.

On defense, senior cornerback Steven Gallerani intercepted three Campbell passes, including one in the end zone that thwarted a long Cougar drive fueled by multiple Bow penalties.

Cohen, however, while recognizing Hanson’s stellar running and Gallerani’s stout coverage, gave credit to the players in the trenches for the victory.

“The offensive line did exactly what we’ve been training them all through camp to do: they opened some very big holes and really dominated for 90-plus percent of the game,” said the head coach, adding that the three interceptions and second-half shutout were direct results of strong defensive line play.

Bow’s home opener is Saturday, Sept. 8, against Pelham, the team it beat for the 2004 championship.

“I think they’re probably still thinking about 2004,” said Cohen. “November 13. I know we still think about it too. They’re going to come ready to play.

“It’s our first home game, and I’m sure they’d like nothing more than to spoil it for us,” he continued. “But for the moment we’re riding high, and we’re going to take this momentum the right way, and we’ll be ready for them.”