BY SAPNA PATHAK
Goffstown faced better, more experienced opposition, but Liam House-Myers wanted even more.
The team lacked wins, but motivation and a positive attitude defined Goffstown’s first-ever varsity boys lacrosse season.
“I definitely feel like we could’ve won more games,” said the sophomore midfielder. “We started getting a lot better towards the end of the year, and if only it were longer, I think we could’ve put some wins on there.”
Introduced to Division II competition, the Grizzlies have two wins in 2007, entering their final game against Con-Val on Saturday, May 26, with a 2-11 mark.
Against the division’s best, Bow, the Grizzlies fell, 15-2, on Saturday, May 19. Drew Simoneau and Tyler Ellis scored for Goffstown.
The Grizzlies lose seniors Mike Richards and Mike Carney but return most of their players next year. Juniors Chris Battey, Scott Turgeon, Josh Marks, Tim Maloney, Ian Gage and Kian Colbert should account for head coach Dave Moloney’s core next season.
“They went through their struggles this year,” said Moloney. “But that was expected. They were competitive and the desire to win was there, that’s half the battle. We’ve gotten through the first season, learned a lot about the competition, and now we can think about how we’ll approach it next year.”
Offensive threats Ellis, House-Myers and Brendon Shearin, as well as defensive weapons James Waller and Connor Nolan, keyed Goffstown’s balanced attack. Practices spent teaching new skills and running basic drills in ’07 will give way to a more advanced game plan in ’08.
Moloney, former men’s lax coach at Saint Anselm College, said shifting the team’s focus to the future provided the fuel needed for the Grizzlies to stay dedicated.
“We’re satisfied with how the season went in terms of us learning, growing and getting better,” said House-Myers. “But coach definitely reminded us that we have plenty of better years to come, especially since we’re so young. It’s kind of exciting to think about where the team will be when I’m in my last year.”