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Central controlled, beaten in state championship game by Exeter

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:20:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Whenever a Manchester Central girls soccer player looked up, an Exeter foe loomed large on the Southern New Hampshire University turf.

The Blue Hawks smothered the Little Green on Friday, Nov. 6, in the Class L state finale, a 2-0 outcome that doesn’t fully indicate Exeter’s control of the contest, nor do justice to Central’s fine followup to its state championship in ’08.

The physical contest included four yellow cards, two issued to each team, but Little Green head coach Peter Lally said both teams’ aggressive play was just that.

“Oh, come on,” he said. “If this had been a boys game, there are no yellow cards.” Instead, Lally credited Exeter’s size with stifling his crew’s attack.

Central generated just one scoring chance: in the 27th minute, Hooksett’s Sarah Velasquez fired a shot off Exeter keeper Aby Fisher. The rebound went to Jillian Graff, who left-footed the ball toward the net. But Chelsea Owens, who gave her squad a 1-0 lead just five minutes earlier, leaped and headed Graff’s attempt away.

The Little Green did not threaten again.

Exeter added a second tally off freshman Abby Short’s foot just six minutes into the second half, but Central keeper Lindzy Hamel made several fine saves to keep the score close.

Trailing by two, the Little Green’s fine 16-4-0 season ended quietly, its usually productive attack – and boisterous fans – silenced by the Blue Hawks.

Lally said his seven departing seniors – Tanya Robidoux, Christina Denbow, Abigail Wurtele, Krista Lucas and captain Lindsay Johnson, all Hooksett residents, plus Hamel and captain Ainsley Smith – led a team that few expected to return to the state final. He mentioned Johnson, softballer Robidoux and gymnast Smith as athletes who could easily continue their soccer careers in college.

Among his starters, Kaylee Thrasher, Velasquez and fellow Hooksett residents Jayne Kelley, Carly Auger and Deven McKiernen return for a final varsity year.

And because Central’s freshman and junior varsity teams dropped just three games combined in 2009, Lally said he’s confident the program can continue its recent success.

Central boys, with Hooksett help, take fi rst state championship

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:18:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Manchester Central boys made one final run before leaving the soccer field for the last time in 2009.

This time the Little Green didn’t have a ball at their feet, but rather bottles in their hands as they showered their head coach with sparkling cider in celebration of the school’s first-ever boys soccer state championship.

Hooksett’s Chris Beauchesne tallied the gamewinner with 27:25 remaining in the first half, and Central beat previously undefeated Exeter, 1-0, on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Southern New Hampshire University.

Beauchesne recorded three goals in four Class L playoff contests for fourthseeded Central, which had never reached the state finals.

“He’s always been able to get in the right spot. He just has a knack for that,” said Central’s head coach, Chris Laberge, of his senior striker. “When he’s on a roll, we try to ride him because we know he can get us two or three good chances a game.”

Exeter entered with a 16- 0-3 mark and applied pressure during the first half, amassing 10 shots and four corner kicks.

The Little Green only put three shots on goal during the first 40 minutes of play, but they weathered the Exeter attack, then capitalized on one of their few opportunities when Beauchesne gained control of a deflection inside the box and lofted the ball over goaltender Brendan Laverty’s head.

Senior goalkeeper Will McDonough made eight saves, including a feet-first sliding stop that kept the Blue Hawks off the board late in the first half.

With 3:06 remaining, Exeter’s Josh Vlasich sent a dangerous centering pass from the corner that rolled all the way through the box and past the feet of three teammates, and Central escaped with its second consecutive shutout.

“We knew coming in that we had what it took to bring the win home for Central,” said Beauchesne. “Knowing they hadn’t been beaten coming in, we had to get up, and we did in a big way.”

Also representing Hooksett during Manchester Central’s title game were juniors David Scarpetti and Max Yee, along with freshman Romero Osario.

Laberge said it was critical for Central to notch the first goal of the game, especially after watching his team hold the Blue Hawks scoreless during the regular season meeting between the two.

“We knew we just needed to score one,” said Laberge. “You don’t often get a chance in your life to make history. This team will be able to look back at this years from now, and they’ll always have the opportunity to say that they were the first.”

Defending champ Central edges top-ranked Salem

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:47:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Peter Lally knows from experience what the Salem girls soccer team went through at Stellos Stadium.

Lally’s No. 4 Manchester Central Little Green knocked off the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils in the Class L semifinals on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2-1, earning a shot at winning a second consecutive state title.

“I’ve certainly been in Salem’s position before. I’ve been a top seed and been knocked out, been undefeated and knocked out,” said Lally. “It’s not fun.”

All of the scoring in the game came within a span of 3 minutes, 28 seconds in the second half, beginning with a connection between two Hooksett players.

Deven McKiernan put a ball on net that bounced off Salem goaltender Sarah Snyder, and Lindsay Johnson put the rebound in while falling to the turf with 25:18 left to play.

The Blue Devils responded when Cassandra Chase took a perfectly placed through-ball from Tayllar Righini and capitalized with a wide-open goal at the 22:03 mark to even the score.

A mere 13 seconds later, while Salem’s fans celebrated the equalizer, the Little Green came storming back when Hooksett’s Sarah Velasquez took advantage of a failed clear by the SHS backfield, finding the back of the net to again give her team the lead. Johnson earned the assist after putting the ball into the middle of the box.

“We let down after we scored, and that’s uncharacteristic of us,” said Salem mentor Kendrick Whittle. “I thought we were in the driver’s seat, but that’s what Central does to you. They were just a little bit tougher than us.”

The Blue Devils couldn’t muster many more scoring threats, though Chase did fire twice while closely guarded; the junior sent one high and the other into the side of the net.

As the final seconds wound down, Salem defender Avery Neusch lofted a free kick off the crossbar, but an infraction was whistled on the Blue Devils, and time expired just seconds later.

Both teams had similar runs into the semifinal meeting. Each won a preliminaryround game, 1-0, before surviving quarterfinal-round tilts on penalty kicks.

Lally said his team’s grit has been the biggest factor in reaching the Class L championship, which is scheduled for the campus of Southern New Hampshire University on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.

“We’re not the biggest team, but sometimes they play big,” said Lally. “Our program is as good as any team in the state. The Little Green is still around. I think the ‘little’ part of that is appropriate.”

Soccer camp comes to SNHU

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:19:00 GMT

There are still spots available for the Soccer Sphere camp during April break – April 27 to May 1 – on the campus of Southern New Hampshire University. The camp takes place from 9 a.m. to noon daily and is open to 5- to 16-year-old boys and girls.

The cost is $100 and includes a T-shirt.

For details, contact SNHU men’s soccer coach Marc Hubbard at 645-9703 or m.hubbard@snhu.edu.

Visit snhupenmen.com for applications under the “Sports Camps” section.

Cawley clips South Meadow, collects crown

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Ken McKiernan’s old team had already done it. It was time for his new team to do the same. Four days after the Cawley Middle School team he coached in prior years won the Class M girls soccer championship, McKiernan led the boys to a 4-3 title-game win on Oct. 24.

Cawley’s victory over South Meadow capped an undefeated season for the Hawks, who went 11-0-1 on the year. The tie came against South Meadow and provided extra incentive heading into the finale.

“They had the same record as us, and we only faced them that one time during the year,” said McKiernan. “I think it was definitely good for the boys to play a team they hadn’t beaten. They had to play their best against that team, and they did.”

McKiernan said the strong, spirited play of his four captains – forward Austin Sprague, stopper Rick Prindiville, forward Tyler Gahara and goalie Chris Moquin – was the driving force behind the undefeated season.

Cawley played with intensity, something McKiernan said he needed to rein in at times. “The boys were excitable, and had a lot of energy,” he said. “Trying to keep them under control was one of the challenges at times.”

Also having an important role for Cawley during the season were Tyler Cornellier and Blake Cornellier, eighth-grade twin brothers.

Among the seventh-graders who contributed for the Hawks were Jake Parker, Matt Paradis and Austin Camberis.

With the big leads the team built throughout the season, McKiernan said he began preparations for next season by finding minutes for the talented, largely untested players as well.

“We’re looking promising for next year,” said McKiernan. “We tend to try and get as much experience for the younger players during the year. It really works out well. We had three or four seventh-graders who started, so they’re ready to go next year.”

Cawley girls dominate in all facets while prepping for next year

Hooksett Editor — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:47:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Greg Shaw didn’t have to worry about ensuring all 26 players on his roster saw action on the field.

During an undefeated season and Class M girls soccer championship, his Cawley Middle School team cruised to victories and gave him the chance to secure playing time for the majority of his squad.

On Oct. 20, the team completed its 14-0-1 season with a victory against Hampstead in the title game, winning 4-0. That lopsided outcome followed another laugher for the Hawks – an 8-0 victory over Weare in the semifinal contest. The squad’s lone blemish was a tie with Class L Derry.

Shaw’s roster included 13 eighth-graders, and 11 started during the season. Yet the coach, with an eye on the future, wanted to ensure playing time for all his athletes, including eight seventh- graders and five sixth-graders.

“I purposely took that many (younger athletes) because graduating 13 players, I would only have a few returning players next year,” said Shaw. “When we got big leads I could get them experience and start looking toward next year.”

The sixth-graders, all of whom watched – and helped – their older teammates dismantle Class M foes, were Sara Bartczak, Madison Bennett, Emily Crocetti, Lauren Scarpetti and Sarah Thompson.

“Between sixth grade and eighth grade the pace of the game is a lot faster, and a lot more physical. I pulled up eight seventh-graders so they could get that experience for next year,” said Shaw. “They’ll be the core starters for next year’s team.”

That group includes Chelsea Desmarais, Emily Duchesne, Emily Gregoire, Amber Hochstetler, Ashley Lodge, Alexandra Nelson, Montana Roberts and Lauren Shaw.

The elder Shaw coached the boys last year, and he said there wasn’t simply one reason for the girls’ success in 2008.

“Defense was a key. We allowed very few goals throughout the year,” he said. “If you looked up through the middle of the field, there wasn’t one area that jumped out. We were very well balanced. There were no glaring weaknesses on our team.”

Forward Nicole Rust led the offense with 42 goals on the year. She teamed with Lindsey Read to fuel a formidable attack. Sarah Vaillancourt, Colbie Cookson, Sam Somers and Alexandra Pellerin anchored the defense. In net, goalie Alexis Lievens combined with her defense to hold opposing teams in check. Tri-captains Corrine Auger, Meghan Menard and Catherine Power joined with Margaret Mc- Govern to control midfield play. Classmates Taylor Barker and Bryanna Pearson were first off the bench and completed the eighth-grade contribution.

“The girls (graduating) are one of the most talented groups of players I’ve ever coached, so I expect a lot of them to play at the high school level and play well,” said Shaw. “Previously you’d get four or five players and work around them, but we had an entire team.”

Central impresses in final four, takes state crown

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:53:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Their state crown isn’t the result of any single play or individual, though there were many remarkable playoff examples of both. Instead, the Central girls soccer team rolled to the Class L championship, 4-1, on Saturday, Nov. 8, through a cumulative effect.

“I had nine leaders this year,” said longtime head coach Peter Lally, referring to his seniors. “They all brought something different to a practice or a game.”

In the state final at Exeter High’s Eustis Field, they certainly brought something that top-seeded Merrimack, 18-0- 1 entering the match, hadn’t seen – an ability to take a foe’s best blows, then deliver a devastating response.

The Tomahawks dominated the first 15 minutes of action, amassing corner kicks and chances to forge a lead. Instead, the Little Green took a 1-0 edge, stunning Merrimack and the few hundred fans in attendance.

Senior Meghan Tobin began her fine day by slipping a pass past a pair of defenders and onto the foot of Hooksett’s Lindsay Johnson, who found the right corner of the net wide open. Roughly 17 minutes into the match, No. 2 seed Central had its fourth straight 1-0 edge in the 2008 postseason tournament.

The locals had crushed Timberlane in round one, 6-0, then survived a physically grueling quarterfinals match with Londonderry, 4-0.

Defending state champion Exeter, playing what was in effect a home game, couldn’t hold on in the state semis and fell to Central early in the second overtime, 3-2.

“We all push each other, and all of our younger teammates look up to us,” said Candia senior Cassie Muse, who scored with less than five minutes left in regulation to force overtime against Exeter. “There’s no drama on the team. It didn’t matter who scored, as long as we put the ball in the back of the net.”

Tobin, as it turned out, netted the next two goals against Merrimack. The first came in the 47th minute, just after MHS had mounted a furious attack that forced Central keeper Lindzy Hamel to make a fine save on Merrimack’s star, Kailey Blain, and included an MHS shot that skimmed the crossbar.

Then, when Blain did connect in the 48th minute to cut Central’s lead to 2-1, Tobin effectively ended the suspense 20 minutes later following a scrum in front of the Merrimack net.

Cassie Muse capped the scoring with about three minutes to play, but the defense, which kept many eyes on the unselfish Blain, certainly played a large role in securing the victory.

“She really has great footwork, with and without the ball,” said Hooksett’s Liz Belanger, a senior captain tasked with marking Blain. “I was trying to play her physically and get in her head. It seemed to work.”

Jordan Muse, another senior captain, said she and her teammates, though they hadn’t faced the Tomahawks in the regular season, had seen film of Merrimack and knew Blain’s tendency to distribute to her dangerous teammates. More importantly, the Little Green had confidence they could control their foes.

“We were having a talk before the game,” said Jordan Muse. “We were telling each other we had a great team, and I think we were so pumped up for this. There was no way we were going to lose.”

Lally insisted the trust and respect the team has for him – and from him – was the key to a championship quest that began in August.

After failing to survive the quarterfinals in recent playoff trips – despite posting stellar regular-season marks – Central responded in ’08 to every challenge with a synergized effort that left no chance for an “I” to overwhelm or undermine the team.

“I’ve said this before: I need them to play (hard) for me, to want to play for me,” said Lally. “The goal isn’t to play (on the field during games), and not everyone did play. But everyone contributed to this. I was very fortunate to pick these 20 girls to represent the school.”

Keily Funk, the team’s fourth captain, as well as Melissa Thibault, Tulia Lacroix, Victoria Lund and Sarah Barnes – seniors all – earned Lally’s unwavering support.

Juniors Hamel and Johnson, along with forward Abby Wurtele, defenseman Ainsley Smith, and midfielders Tanya Robidoux and Kristyn Heuslein, must take over that mantle of leadership in 2009.

Carly Auger, the lone sophomore starting this postseason at midfield, as well as classmates Deven McKiernan, Jayne Kelly, Sarah Velasquez and freshman Jillian Graff, return to help defend the title for Central and its beloved mentor for the past 25 years, Lally.

“If we need him for anything, he’s there for us,” said Cassie Muse, whose views were echoed by many of the seniors. “I can’t imagine not having him as a coach.”

Central survives quarterfinals with hard-fought 4-0 win

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:34:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

During a physically challenging Class L playoff match, the Central girls soccer team proved mentally tough.

The Little Green rattled rival Londonderry with a first-half goal and battled the Lancers throughout a bruising second half, eventually earning a trip to the semifinal round with a 4-0 victory on Saturday, Nov. 1.

Central, the No. 2 seed, was scheduled to face No. 3 Exeter on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The winner plays for the Class L state title at Bill Ball Stadium in Nashua on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m.

It was a remarkably different outcome than last year’s quarterfinal- round play, when the Little Green’s sole loss of 2007, to Pinkerton, meant a too-early exit from the postseason.

Central’s first goal against Londonderry had the obvious benefit of relaxing the locals, who played a near-perfect team game according to their head coach, Peter Lally.

The 25-year CHS mentor substitutes freely, and one firsthalf move paid immediate dividends. Meghan Tobin, moments after coming off the bench, set up striker Cassandra Muse just shy of 14 minutes into the match for a 1-0 edge.

“There are no individuals. It’s ‘team’ at practice and ‘team’ at the games,” said Lally. “I’m very honest with them, and they are with me, too. That creates mutual respect and trust.”

The Little Green controlled the aggressive play throughout the match. Players from both sides were consistently launching themselves – or foes – through the air to gain possession of the ball. Still, Lally said his charges had no mental lapses and maintained their composure against the Lancers, 2-1 losers to Central on Sept. 23.

Londonderry’s lone scoring chance came roughly eight minutes into the second half. Though it was the only shot to elude Central keeper Lindzy Hamel, it struck the post, and a subsequent attempt sailed far wide.

From there, Keily Funk took over. She assisted on two goals, one by Melissa Thibault and another on a header by Liz Belanger, who shares team captaincy with Funk, Cassandra Muse and Jordan Muse.

By the time Funk headed in a Belanger assist, the contest was long since decided.

Though CHS cleared what had been a tough hurdle in recent years – the quarterfinal round of the playoffs – Lally noted the task of winning a state crown remains daunting, especially for his banged up, fired up group.

“As long as it says ‘Central’ on the uniform,” he said, “teams are going to come after you.”

Notes
Central improved to 17-1-0 on the season. The team’s black eye was a 2-1 loss to Pinkerton on Sept. 19. The Little Green’s next contest, that 2-1 road win vs. Londonderry, was the start of a 10-game winning streak to close the regular season. CHS outscored its foes during that stretch by a 40-6 margin.

Add the 6-0 first-round playoff win against No. 15 Timberlane earlier in the week, and the gap grows to 50-6 in the last 12 contests.

Last year’s cellar dwellars, Pembroke boys near top of class

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:34:00 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 Tuesday, 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 know 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.”

Central keeps Goffstown at bay on field, away in standings

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:07:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Everyone in Class L boys soccer wants to beat Central, but many teams have been unable to do so.

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Goffstown High School fell into both categories.

The Grizzlies kept up with a fast Little Green team, but two second- half goals propelled Central to a 2-0 home victory over a fast-improving Goffstown team.

“We wear teams down,” said Central’s head coach, Chris La- Berge. “They’re big, strong and definitely the best Goffstown team I have coached against. They were really taking it to us for a while during the first half.”

Goffstown allowed Central few solid scoring chances until Chris Beauchesne pounded home a rebound from a Zachary Hrynowski shot with 19:54 remaining in the game to break the scoreless tie.

Yannick Kabala found the back of the net after a Kyle Thornton shot was saved by Goffstown keeper John Carbonneau with 3:14 remaining in the contest, capping the scoring.

Randy Lovering, Goffstown’s head coach, said his team’s second- half stumble was an aberration. “We may have gotten a little tired towards the end, so we will take care of that,” he said. “It won’t happen again.”

LaBerge said he spends a great deal of time during practices preaching the importance of second- chance shots.

“We work on shooting across the face of the goal. That’s why you shoot low and hard, because you get those second opportunities,” he said. “We talk about it all the time, I yell about it all the time.”

Ian Downing was given Goffstown’s best chance of the contest, and he blasted a shot from about 35 yards out with 28:41 remaining in the second half, a shot that Central keeper Brendan Covey pushed wide of the net to preserve his shutout.

“It was a playoff-like atmosphere out there,” said LaBerge. They want to knock us off at home and really legitimize their season. Teams want to beat Central.”

Goffstown, now 9-4-0 on the season, came into the game looking to make a statement.

“They’re one of those wins you want,” said Lovering. “I sure would like to see them again (in the playoffs).”

LaBerge said his team was constructed to play well on the field turf at Gill Stadium, and the coach of the 11-2-0 Little Green knows the final two rounds of the postseason are played on a similar surface at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter.

“To play on turf you have to be very quick to the ball,” he said, then continued with a smile. “Believe me, I know where those games are going to be played.”

West will be playoff-ready, says coach

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:35:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Entering his first season at the boys soccer helm West High School, Stephen Signor undoubtedly smiled when he glanced at his roster. Despite losing his starting striker and left midfielder to poor grades, the Blue Knights returned 18 seniors from a unit that reached the Class L quarterfinals last year.

Though West is off to a disappointing 2-4-1 start following a 1-0 loss at Salem on Sept. 19 and 4-1 loss to Pinkerton on Sept. 23, Signor said the team is built for the postseason.

“We’re going to turn it around,” said Signor. “Right now, we’re just training like crazy for October, and if you look at who is beating who in Class L … and you consider the No. 8 seed won it all for the girls last season, it’s going to be very interesting come playoffs.”

Once the Blue Knights complete a current stretch that includes contests against strong Bishop Guertin and Memorial squads, Signor said the schedule lightens up considerably, providing his players the opportunity to gain some much-needed momentum heading into the Class L tournament.

The team should not only reach the playoffs, he added, it should be right in the mix for a top-eight seed, which guarantees at least one home contest in the tourney.

“We’re hoping our training and conditioning will show in the playoffs,” said Signor. “Once we get there, our goal is no less than going all the way.”

Despite the losing record, the defense has been solid, first-year goalkeeper Erik Bukowski has performed well, and the midfield and offense have controlled play. The problem, said Signor, has been scoring.

“We’re creating plenty of opportunities, it’s just a matter of putting it in the back of the net.” That was never more evident than against Salem on Sept. 19. The contest remained tied until the 75th minute, when a couple costly breakdowns directly resulted in Salem’s gamewinning goal.

Senior captain Sam Kelley, the team’s primary center midfielder, sat out with bruised shins. He may have been the difference, said Signor.

In addition to Kelley, Brad Andrikowich, Max Charamella and Jeremy Lacerte captain the current lot.

They’re complemented by classmates Evan Bennet, Pat Cote, Stephen Doyon, Andrew Klimm, Dan Lavine, Dylan Manz, Andrew O’Brien, Rodrigo Ojeda, Andres Onoa, David Paddol, Neil Pichette, John St. Charles, Brian Soko and Dana Steele.

Also contributing are junior Scott Schechtman, sophomores Bryan Harty and Mark Robichaud, and freshman Tony Muombo.

Central, Memorial and West eye future, prepare for present season

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:44:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

She played under one coach and with another.

Now their peer, Kris Komisarek rolled out the welcome mat for the second straight year for her former mentors.

You see, Komisarek played under local legend Peter Lally, who has spent the last 36 years maintaining a perennial girls soccer powerhouse at Manchester Central.

Last year, she took the head coaching reins at West High School from Michelle Winning, a former Lady Blue Knight standout who left West to accept the same position at Bedford High School. Winning was a senior captain during Komisarek’s freshman year at Notre Dame.

Now, instead of the once familiar green, Komisarek is clad in blue. She’s crossed over to her formal high school rival. But that doesn’t mean she’s taking the responsibilities of the job any less seriously.

In fact, she’s not only maintained the annual West High School girls soccer preseason jamboree, but this year she expanded it to include teams from classes M and S, in addition to the traditional squads from Classes L and I. Lally and Winning’s squads, of course, were at the top of her invite list.

“I was recently talking to (Lally) about the golden years when I was a great player (at Central), and he said he now foresees me being a great coach,” said Komisarek. “But I told him, ‘You know, it started with you.’”

It wasn’t just acquaintances of Komisarek who were invited to the jamboree, however.

Dan Wyborney, coach of the Memorial girls soccer team for the last eight years, said the West jamboree offers many opportunities to evaluate your squad.

“It’s obviously very important so that we can find out – especially with the new kids coming in – what they can bring to the table this season,” said Wyborney. “You can see it in practice a little bit, and scrimmages are nice, but it’s also nice to play two games in one day at a jamboree so you can see the way the new-bees and the returners play together and where your fitness level is at, as well.”

Moreover, he added, the jamboree offers players the opportunity to test their mettle against top competition from other classes, a chance they rarely receive during the regular season.

Central
In 2007, Central carried a 15-0-1 record and No. 1 seed into the playoffs, but the Little Green were upset by Pinkerton, 2-1, in double overtime of the Class L quarterfinals. This year, the Green return 10 players, and 36-year head coach Peter Lally said his squad is prepared to make another run at the title.

“If they play up to their (talent level), I think they can be as good as last year,” said Lally. “If we stay away from injuries, we’ll be fine.”

Included on this year’s squad are Hooksett’s Liz Belanger, Sarah Barnes, Lindsay Johnson, Abby Wurtel, Jillian St. Pierre, Amanda Davis, Jane Kelly, Deven McKiernan and Sarah Velasquez, and Auburn’s Jillian Graff, Tory Lund, Jordan Muse and Cassandra Muse. The Muse twins, Belanger and Keily Funk captain this year’s team.

Memorial
Returning nine starters from a team that reached the state semifinals in 2007, Wyborney said he’s optimistic about the upcoming season.

A handful of Auburn standouts, including sophomore goalie Ashley Gendron and senior midfielders Desirae Van Rossum and Chantel Van Rossum lead the team.

“We love having the Auburn girls in the program,” said Wyborney. “It’s nice because they’re really the only ones coming in from a feeder program in middle school, so they usually have a good amount of experience by the time they get here.”

The Lady Crusaders also bring back senior Katie Roberge, Class L’s leading scorer for three years running, as well as Lauren Bernard, Emily Menafra, Chelsea Kirker and Shaun Simpson.

West
After finishing fifth in Class L in 2007, the Lady Blue Knights graduated 10 players but return 10 seniors.

Among those returning are Bedford’s Heather Harrington, Cassie Barnard, Meagan Bellemore and Kelsey Connors.

This year’s soccer season marks the last for Bedford players at West High School.

“If anything, this year is it. We’ve got to build this program up from scratch next year without the Bedford kids,” said Komisarek. “But I think it’s a positive thing in the long run because it gives those Hooksett and Manchester kids a chance to step up.”

Hooksett juniors Dani Ithier and Alyssa Nelson lead that charge. They combine with the aforementioned Bedford quartet and six other seniors to headline this year’s squad.

“I think any team in Class L has a chance, but these kids on this team ... It’s in their minds and it’s in their hearts,” said Komisarek. “This is a strong team that’s worked hard on team bonding.”

Historic firsts and championships top 2007 Hooksett-area sports

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:16:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

For Hooksett-area teams and individual athletes, 2007 was a year in which the surprising became the norm, particularly at the high school level.

Though squads such as the Central girls tennis team finished tops in Class L and Cawley Middle School collected multiple titles, other perennial contenders bowed out of the postseason early, or missed the playoffs altogether.

The Central boys hoopsters didn’t reach the finals a year after winning the state title, and the gridiron was strangely absent a Little Green team.

Still, Pembroke Academy football was in the playoff hunt for the first time in school history, and Memorial’s track and field team collected a rare but disappointing mark during the state championships.

Let’s take a look back at the year in Hooksett-area sports.

Winter

Gymnastics
Manchester Central’s Nicole Simoneau repeated as the individual state all-around champ with 36.600 points in the NHIAA girls tournament.

Spirit
In January, the Pembroke Academy cheerleading squad finished tops among Class I participants at Kiwanis.

“A state championship brings a banner to your gym, but this is just as important,” said Pembroke coach Donna Ong.

“We’ve been here lots of years, but to have so many supporters out there is just awesome. It’s what these girls deserve.”

Weeks later, Central finished first in the co-ed competition at the state championships in February.

Pembroke placed third in Class I, and after finishing second at the Kiwanis event, the West cheerleading team finished eighth at states, in the process bidding farewell to eight-year coach Sherri Reinfurt.

“This year was more special because we knew it was our last for us and coach,” said senior co-captain Hayley McDonough.

“We’ve had some great finishes too (two second-place finishes and one third-place award). Hopefully, whoever takes over next year can step in and fill coach’s shoes, but it’ll be hard.”

Wrestling
West’s Mark Watts took home third place in the 145- pound weight class at the Division I wrestling championship on Feb. 17, earning him a trip to the Meet of Champions, where he finished sixth.

Memorial 171-pounder Nick Berube finished second at the D-I meet, and Central 130-pounder Ben Champagne placed third.

Others reaching the Meet of Champions from West by finishing in the top six at the division meet included Jared Crain, David Lamarche and Caleb Earnshaw.

Crain, a 130-pound sophomore, surprised competitors when he finished fourth at the M of C, just missing a bid for New Englands.

Basketball
Defending Class L champ Central hooked up with cross-town rival Trinity in the post-season semifinals. There, No. 3 Trinity avenged a regular-season loss to second-seeded Central, 52-49, before being bedazzled by a last-second buzzerbeater in a 54-51 heartbreaker to Salem in the final.

The No. 16 West girls lost, 53-36, in the first round of the Class L playoffs to top-seed Timberlane, a team that was upset in the quarterfinals by No. 8 Central, 56-51.

The Little Green’s surprising run came to an end in the semifinals when the girls lost to Bishop Guertin, 42-37.

Auburn Village School’s girls basketball team defeated Merrimack, 52-39, to win the Class M Tri-County championship.

Indoor track and field Memorial took second place at the Class L indoor track championship behind strong performances from Wes Cotnoir, fellow Auburn resident Thomas Piccioli and Bobby Johnsen, who placed second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 55-meter dash. Chris Lemieux took third in the high jump.

David Irving won the shot put with a throw of 52 feet, 5 inches.

The Central 4 X 800 relay team of Matt Paulson, Corey Sinotte, Craig Brown and Dante Vitagliano emerged victorious, and the 4 X 200 team of Mitch Albro, Chris Mitchell, Muzafer Aku and Paulson finished third in 1 minute, 36.25 seconds.

Paulson also won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:05.26.

And thanks to Julianne Quinn and Kristin Johnson, the West High School girls finished fifth at the meet.

Quinn, broke two of her own school records by finishing the 1,000-meter run in 3:01.72 and the 1,500 in 4:53.32. She finished second in both. Johnson, like her teammate, finished runner-up in her best event, the 3,000-meter run, with a time of 11:00.37.

Spring

Tennis
Central High School won its third girls tennis title in school history and its first since 1995, defeating Bishop Guertin, 8-2, in the Class L championship.

The Manchester West boys failed to dethrone perennial tennis superpower Concord, losing 5-2 and settling for the consolation plaque.

The Blue Knights girls fell in the Class L semifinals, 7-2, to Central. But Derryfield School won its fifth straight boys state championship, crushing top-ranked Berlin, 8-1.

“The more you do something, the more comfortable you are doing it,” said Cougars coach Bruce Berk. “So they’ve been there, they’ve played in the finals before and have confidence because of that. When kids compete, because they’re kids, all you can do is ask them to play close to their potential. If they can play better in the tournament, that’s what I hope for.”

In the Class M-S girls title match, Derryfield was edged by Gilford, 5-4.

Baseball
While other local teams failed to reach their respective class finals, a Derryfield squad with local talent reached the championship game as the No. 10 seed in Class S. Though the Cougars fell to Lisbon, 7-2, coach Jeff Hastings took pride in the improbable run.

“The team definitely thrives in the underdog mentality,” he said. “I talked it up a little bit because I wanted the guys to be loose, to realize all the pressure was on Lisbon … No one, except us, expected anything out of the 10 seed.”

Thirteenth-seeded Trinity had similar success with local athletes, reaching the Class L final before losing to Merrimack, 7-2.

“No one thought we’d even be here,” said sophomore starting pitcher Sean Lyons. “We knew we had the potential to win this. We knew we were capable of proving everyone wrong.”

Softball
Cawley Middle School, on June 1, celebrated its second straight Tri-County Class M softball title. It wasn’t the Hooksett school’s only championship in 2007.

Track and field
Pembroke sophomore Allison Brehm tied a 45-year-old record, crossing the 200-meter dash finish line in 25.84 seconds at the Class I championship. She then finished second in the 100- meter dash and third in the long jump.

Manchester Memorial became the first team in state history to eclipse 100 points and fail to win a state championship. The Crusaders lost to the perennial thorn in their side, Merrimack, 114-105. Minus its best sprinter, Cotnoir, Memorial still earned nine first- and second-place finishes at the event. Central finished fifth overall.

Among the victors, Memorial’s Lemieux finished first with a 6-foot-4 high jump, David Irving won shot put and discus, William Wrobel took the javelin, the 4 X 100 team won, and Sean Beauvais topped all competition in the triple jump.

Thomas Piccioli finished fifth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.79 seconds.

Matt Paulson took individual titles in the 400- and 800-meter runs and combined with Central teammates Sinotte, Brown and Vitagliano to retain the 4 X 800 crown.

Though West’s Russell Johnson finished eighth in the Class L championship, his personalbest time of 4:32.29 in the 1,600- meter run still qualified him for the Meet of Champions; his effort was one of the next four best times among the four New Hampshire classes – L, I, M and S.

Elias Grijalva also advanced to the state meet, recording West’s lone team point by placing sixth in the 400-meter dash.

For the West girls track and field team, which placed 12th in Class L, Kristin Johnson came in third and Kelsey Hunt finished fifth in the 3,200 meter run, Julianne Quinn took fifth place in the 1,600, and the foursome of Quinn, Brittany Frazier, Kay Penny and Haley Lydstone finished fourth in the 4 X 400-meter relay.

Summer
American Legion baseball Sweeney Post baseball reached the American Legion regionals by defeating Keene in the New Hampshire final, 9-6. Shortstop Matt Skeffington of Auburn led Sweeney throughout the tournament.

“He’s a leader, and the kids look to him for the big hit. Between him and Bryan Poltak, I don’t think there is a better shortstop-second base combo in the state,” said Sweeney manager Dave Flurey.

Little League/Babe Ruth baseball and softball Auburn’s 11- and 12-year-old softball team repeated as state champs by defeating Lamprey River in the title game, 13-11.

The Hooksett 10- and 11- year-old Little League baseball all-stars reached the District 1 final, but lost to Goffstown, 6-1, on July 21.

“Winning is nice, but it’s really about constantly improving and coming together as a team, and they did that,” said coach Jim White.

The 14U Bedford Hornets softball team, with players from Hooksett, Windham and Bow, won the state American Softball Association tournament and New Englands and advanced to the Eastern national tournament and PONY national tournament.

“It sounds so cool to say you’re going to be pitching in a national tournament,” said Rachael Morgan. “And we know there are going to be teams that bring some crazy skills. But I know I’ll have a good time because I’ve got a bunch of girls who’ve been together for awhile now, and that’ll make a difference.”

The Bedford Hornets 12U softball team – featuring local players from Auburn, Bedford and Salem, among other towns – placed third in the ASA tournament and second in the New England competition, earning a trip to Ohio to compete for the national championship.

Granite State Senior Games West High School coach and New Boston resident Lee Hess recovered from a 25-foot ladder fall to win the 50-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in the 55- to 59-year-old division.

Candia’s Dave Baldessari won the 65- to 69-year-old pistol shoot.

Punt, Pass and Kick Auburn 11-year-old Joey Dudek won the 10- and 11-yearold division of the local NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium in Manchester on Aug. 7.

He followed that performance by winning the sectional competition in Bristol, R.I., on Oct. 14, and the regional competition on the Gillette Stadium practice field prior to the New England Patriots Oct. 28 contest against the Washington Redskins.

Fall

Soccer
The Cawley Middle School boys soccer team won the Tri- County championship with a 5-4 win over Hampstead, while the girls team fell in the final, 2-1, to St. Joseph of Manchester.

“It was one of the best-played games in both championships we’ve seen in a long time,” said Cawley’s athletics director, John Frazier.

After finishing the regular season undefeated, the Little Green girls were knocked off in the quarterfinals of the Class L tournament.

The West boys team, which came back from a two-goal second- half deficit to beat Goffstown in double overtime in Class L’s first round, lost to defending champ Exeter in the quarterfinals, 3-1.

Fifth-seeded Memorial suffered a tough 1-0 overtime loss at No. 4 Londonderry.

The seventh-seeded Lady Blue Knights were upset, 1-0, by No. 10 Alvirne in the first round, ending the season 8-7-1 The season included wins against the playoffs’ No. 4 and 5 seeds, Merrimack and Memorial.

Football After going to Salem – the team that knocked Central out of playoff contention the week before – and pulling off a comefrom- behind 17-14 upset against the Blue Devils in the regularseason finale, West bowed out in the Division I first round against three-time defending state champ Pinkerton Academy, 34- 7.

Two weeks later, however, West once again came back to win a big game, this time against rival Central in the Manchester Turkey Bowl. West scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win the Queen City championship, 19-13, and avenge a 28-16 midseason setback to the Little Green.

“We made the playoffs, and we obviously hoped for a state championship, but if we didn’t get that, the city championship is the next best thing,” said West coach Travis Cote.

Cross country
Central’s Craig Brown and Cory Sinotte finished second and third, respectively, at the Meet of Champions on Nov. 4. West’s Kelsey Hunt finished fifth at the event.

Cheerleading
The Hooksett Hurricanes Jr. Pee Wee spirit squad was crowned Pop Warner state champs.

It marked the fourth straight year – and fifth in six years – that a Hurricanes cheer team won a state title.

Golf
West High School, which finished No. 1 in the regular season, came in fourth in Class L. For the Blue Knights, Kyle Badger fired an 18-hole round of 68, while Jake Nutter led the Bedford High Bulldogs with a 77.

In the individual tournament, Badger fell one shot short of the Class L title, carding a twoday 141.

Crew
Derryfield School won five medals in eight races at the 2007 Amoskeag Rowing Club New Hampshire State Championship Regatta. The men’s junior-novice- four won gold and the men’s junior-four teams A and B finished tied for second at 16:09. The women’s junior-novice-four placed second, and the women’s junior-four finished third.

Field hockey
Derryfield School, featuring players from Hooksett, Bedford, Hopkinton and Windham, finished the season undefeated and won the Class M-S state title on Oct. 28. The crown was 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.”

Cawley boys win title following extra effort

Hooksett Editor — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:14:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Playing Hampstead in the Tri-County Class M title game, the Cawley Middle School boys were faced with a 4-4 tie following 70 minutes of regulation play, two 10-minute overtime periods and two five-minute sudden death overtimes.

But in the final seconds of the 100th minute, seventh-grader Tyler Gahara, who tallied all four of the Hawks’ previous goals, found a rebound at his feet and swiftly drove it into the back of the net.

“That was the most exciting soccer game I have ever been a part of,” said assistant coach John Lyscars. “It was a great battle of two evenly matched teams.”

Following the marathon affair, Cawley celebrated not only the Tri-County crown, but also retribution against the lone team to tarnish its otherwise flawless record.

The Hawks finished 14- 1, including the postseason, having lost at Hampstead, 2-1, earlier in the season before a 2-0 home shutout win later in the year.

Prior to the final matchup, the Hawks had allowed 10 goals all season.

“Everyone thought the championship game would be a defensive battle, and it was anything but,” said Cawley head coach Greg Shaw. “We really dominated all four overtime periods, and that had a lot to do with our conditioning in that we just had more stamina than they did.”

Hampstead went ahead first before the locals notched the next two goals to take the lead.

But the opposition showed equal fortitude, planting two more goals. The back-andforth battle continued as the teams reached the end of regulation.

And while Gahara accounted for all the scoring, Shaw said it was seventhgrade goaltender Chris Moquin who impressed late in regulation when he stopped three point-blank shots, which would have sent Cawley home as runner up.

Athletics director John Frazier said the title highlights the school’s attitude and standards.

“Our program values (athletic) development and sportsmanship,” he said. “As the development of (the student- athlete’s) abilities and winning a championship are the two main goals of our program, in addition to providing a healthy outlet for our players, it was just enormously successful.”

For Shaw, the championship is also an exclamation point on a plan come to fruition.

“Last year, we went to the semifinals and lost. This year was a more balanced team, and the key to this year’s success was that last year I took six sixth-graders and those six really became the core of this year’s team,” said the mentor of Gahara, Moquin, Austin Sprague, Rick Prindiville, Blake Cornelier and Tyler Cornelier.

But the leadership of Shaw’s eighth-graders was equally important to his team’s success.

Captains Andrew Kafegelis, Scott Bernard and Mark Lyscars steered the Hawks, while the solid play of James Smith, John Godbout and Trevor Reno kept the team on an even keel. Shaw pointed out Smith’s unexpected contribution to the championship run.

“He was in his first year playing, and having graduated four starting defenders last year, my greatest fear was obviously on defense,” he said.

“James was definitely my surprise player of the year.”

Other eighth-grade contributors were Tyler Legue, Ken Frasch and Chris Manning, while seventh-graders Brad Haskins, Sam Ward and Daniel Roberts were title winners in their first year on the team.

Shaw said he fielded a large roster – 21 players strong – to again afford young players invaluable experience, including sixth-graders Aidan White, Jacob Parker and Jenness Peterson.

He added he expects a similar result next year, perhaps even greater dominance.

Soccer shocker – CHS suffers first loss during playoffs

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:16:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

Peter Lally did what he was supposed to. Huddling with his players, the 35-year veteran of high school soccer said the words he knew would comfort his team. He’s just not sure when his players will hear his message.

Ranked No. 1 with a 15-0-1 record entering the tournament, Manchester Central’s girls soccer team saw its season come to an abrupt end in a 2-1 quarterfinal-round loss to No. 8 Pinkerton Academy on Friday, Oct. 26. The Little Green fell in double overtime.

“It’s disappointing and upsetting,” said Lally. “I told them life’s not fair and that sometimes things don’t always play out the way we think they will. There are going to be times where you don’t get something you want. There were a lot of tears. Emotions were high after the game, and you just hope what you say will have an impact, if not now, then 10 or 15 years from now.”

Central beat Pinkerton on Sept. 18 during the regular season, 3-0. The Little Green opened the postseason with a 1-0 win over No. 16 Nashua South on Oct. 23.

The Central and Pinkerton defenses combined for a shutout well into the second half, before Hooksett’s Liz Belanger broke through for a 1-0 Central lead.

But two minutes later, Central keeper Alicia Doucet saw a ball sail past her left shoulder into the upper corner of the net, tying the match, 1-1. After a scoreless 20-minute overtime period, the Astros sealed the upset within the first five minutes of the second extra session.

“We look at it from the perspective that the best team is not playing for the state title this year,” said Lally. “We were certainly the best team in the state, particularly because of what we did in the regular season. It’s not easy going undefeated. It’s a long season, and Class L has very strong competition each year.”

Lally loses three starters in Doucet, Justine Beaudoin and Hookett native Lindsey Jarnutowski.
He returns 11 players from this year’s roster, including Hooksett players Sarah Barnes, Lindsay Johnson, Abby Wurtel, Jillian St. Pierre and Amanda Davis, leaving junior varsity players to compete for nine open spots.

Central’s junior varsity girls mirrored their varsity counterparts by going undefeated in the regular season, then capped the year by winning the state tournament.

“With nine openings and the JV team as successful as it was, it should be interesting to see how things play out next year,” said Lally. “I am very optimistic about the team next year. If they put up the effort and hard work this year’s girls did, they will see success again.”