Hopkinton News : soccer

Hopkinton wins fourth straight title behind prolific Abildgaard

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:55:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Members of the Gilford defensive backfield tugged at the side of the net, hoping to find a hole that the ball could have slipped through, not willing to believe the ball indeed snuck into the upper right-hand corner of the goal.

The Golden Eagles joined the list of teams left baffled after a jaw-dropping postseason run by Hopkinton junior forward Kris Abildgaard.

Abildgaard scored 11 goals in four Class M boys soccer playoff games, the final tally giving his team its fourth consecutive state championship with a 2-1 victory over top-seeded and previously unblemished Gilford on Sunday, Nov. 8.

“That might be the most dominating stretch New Hampshire has ever seen from one player in a while, maybe ever,” said Hawks head coach Scott Zipke. “He also proved that he was able to use his teammates. Yeah, he scored, but today I was impressed with how he utilized the guys around him.”

Neither team cracked the scoreboard in the first half, but Gilford broke the drought little more than three minutes after the intermission.

But Hopkinton bounced right back. Billy French headed home a feed from Carter Rouleau to knot the score just 31 seconds later.

Then, with roughly 14 minutes to play, Abildgaard teed up a corner kick from the left side, but the ball was pushed out of bounds by a defender on the other side of the goal line. On the second attempt, Abildgaard bent the ball in with 13:46 remaining.

Zipke said Abildgaard has scored off corner kicks close to 10 times this year, though it was the first time he had done so from that side of the net.

“I’m never surprised by him anymore,” said Zipke. “Every time we have a corner kick we’re dangerous. He can bend it outside and inside. You just try to hit that in the middle and good things happen.”

Jay LeBlanc made five saves in net for the Hawks, and his head coach said the senior keeper and the defenders in front of him felt embarrassed following a 5-4 overtime semifinal victory against Prospect Mountain.

Abildgaard scored four times in that contest to lead his team to the win, but the defenders felt they had changes to make for the title game.

Brian Scala, Dan Lux, Adam Coen and Brandon Mansfield all bounced back in the championship tilt to limit Gilford, a team that had scored 112 times in 19 games entering the finale.

“The (defenders) had a lot to prove, and they wanted to show that (the semifinal) was an aberration,” said Zipke. “Our offense won us the semifinals, but it was our defense that won the championship.”

Unlike last year, when the Hawks entered the title game as the top seed, Abildgaard said there was less pressure arriving at Southern New Hampshire University as the No. 3 team.

“It was not looking at it like every team is looking to beat you since you’re on top,” said Abildgaard. “It was almost like we were the underdog.”

Seniors on the team include LeBlanc, Lux, Mansfield, Coen, Zak Jantzen, Tim Glanville, Nick Ellis, Carlos Banda Halla, Erik Kilens and Robby Keilig. Each has known nothing but that championship feeling in their years at the school.

And with state titles in each of his first three seasons, Abildgaard has similar plans. “We’ll have to make it another year,” said Abildgaard. “I want four.”

Hopkinton boys soccer team wins third straight title

Bow Editor — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:12:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

As the saying goes, defense wins championships. Of course, scoring six goals in the state finals doesn’t hurt either.

The Hopkinton High School boys soccer team completed its quest for a third consecutive Class M title with a 6-0 win over Sanborn Regional on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Merrimack Valley High School.

During its four tournament games, the defense didn’t allow a goal as Hopkinton outscored its opponents by a 13-0 edge.

“First of all, I have to compliment our defensive unit,” said Hopkinton’s head coach, Scot Zipke. “From Jay Leblanc in goal, to sophomores Brian Scala at sweeper and Brooks Wood at stopper, to senior marking backs Duncan Sweny and Kim Long, the boys secured four straight shutouts in the biggest four games of the season. The way they contained and shut down the Sanborn attack was impressive and absolute.”

Sanborn handed Hopkinton its only loss on Oct. 24. That 1- 0 final closed the regular season and denied HHS an unbeaten campaign, but the Hawks dashed any hopes of a repeat performance early on.

Little more than two minutes into the contest, senior captain Travis Fuglestad broke down the left sideline and scored from about 25 yards out, giving Hopkinton a 1-0 edge.

“That was important because if it goes on 0-0 for too long, you’re going to lose your advantage,” said Zipke. “We built this team as an all-around team. It really is just a balanced team.”

Before the Indians’ defense could settle again, the Hawks went on the offensive once more. Senior Will Rendell headed home a pass from Kris Abildgaard to take a 2-0 advantage just 3:47 in.

Fuglestad left the game following a shoulder injury, but after several minutes on the bench, he made an immediate impact upon re-entering the game. Within seconds of returning to the field, the striker spun his defender and scored to extend the Hopkinton lead. Long recorded an assist on the play. It was the second of three goals for Fuglestad in the state final, all in the first half.

“I think he’s the best striker in the state,” said Zipke. “He’s so explosive. To lead us to a championship in his last year … he’s going to be sorely missed.”

Taking the early lead was important for Fuglestad, who was a member of all three championship- winning teams.

“Those first two goals were huge. We just kept hitting them and hitting them,” he said. “At halftime our coach was just saying that we couldn’t play (based on) the score. With five minutes left, though, you can’t help but say, ‘Oh, boy. This is the end.’”

Fuglestad also notched an assist on Abildgaard’s goal with 17:44 left in the first half, giving the Hawks a 5-0 lead heading into intermission.

Billie French ended the onslaught with an unassisted goal in the 67th minute. Hopkinton’s players soaked in the day, getting together for breakfast the morning of the game, then meeting at the school to tailgate before heading to Penacook in search of title No. 3.

“We really are a close team. We have a lot of camaraderie,” said Fuglestad. “To get three in a row going out, you really just couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Hopkinton boys soccer needs pair of wins for another championship

Bow Editor — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:56:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

With a six-goal differential in two successful playoff outings, the Hopkinton Hawks moved two games closer to a more important goal – their third straight Class M boys soccer title.

The top-ranked Hawks, with a 5-0 opening-round triumph against Fall Mountain and a 1-0 quarterfinal-round win against Stevens, advanced to the semifinals, where they were scheduled to play fourth-seeded White Mountains on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

The winner advanced to the title game, slated for Saturday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m. at Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook.

Against Stevens on Friday, Oct. 31, it took the locals 17 minutes to score the one goal needed for victory, yet it took 80 minutes of staunch defense and ball control to secure it.

With 23 minutes remaining in the first half, Will Rendell tapped in a rebound off a near-miss by Kris Abildgaard.

“Our team goal coming into today’s game was to play the way we can play – lots of possession and lots of balls to the end line,” said head coach Scott Zipke. “Stevens’ game plan was clearly to try and counterattack all day and catch us snoozing for a breakaway.”

Though Zipke said both teams executed their game plans well, it was the Hawks’ backfield that won the game. Led by sweeper Brian Scala, marking backs Duncan Sweny and Kim Long, and stopper Brooks Wood, the Hopkinton defense never allowed Stevens to succeed with its “boomball-type play,” said the coach.

Conversely, the forwards controlled the ball up top the final 20 minutes of the game. While his teammates fired eight shots on net, Jay Leblanc made two saves for the victors. The first came on a semi-breakaway midway through the first half, and the other on a well-struck corner kick he rejected.

In the preliminary round, the Hawks baffled the Fall Mountain defense, converting five goals among 10 shots on net.

Still, Zipke said his team never took the visitors lightly.

“We knew coming into today that Fall Mountain was not a normal No. 16 seed. They lost four overtime games this season and only lost once by more than a single goal,” said the coach. “The quality of the opponent makes today’s win all the more satisfying and beneficial.”

Rendell, like he did three days later, scored first in the 17th minute. From 20 yards out, he punched a one-timer into the upper-right corner of the net.

All-state striker Travis Fuglestad followed up with a header off a corner kick in the 25th minute. Travis Kuster earned the assist on the second goal, then redirected a skillful Abildgaard cross past the goalie in the 53rd minute.

Joe Merrow scored off his own rebound in the 74th minute, and Fuglestad notched his second tally of the game with less than five minutes left when he sent “a gorgeous left-footed knock” into the upper-left corner of the net from 22 yards out.

The defense gave Leblanc a virtual day off, allowing only one shot on goal.

Hopkinton boys soccer team continues fine season with pair of recent victories

Bow Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:53:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

They may not be as big or as fast as the 2006 or 2007 Class M championship teams, but they’re in a familiar place nonetheless.

The Hawks, 4-1 winners at Raymond on Friday, Oct. 10, celebrated Columbus Day with a 4-0 triumph against Mascenic on Monday, Oct. 13. Hopkinton currently sits atop Class M boys soccer with a 10-0-2 record.

“They’re a different team from last year, and last year was a different team from the year before,” said head coach Scott Zipke. “This year we don’t have the size or speed we’ve had the last couple years, but we possess the ball better and are able to rely on our skill.”

Indeed, most teams key on Travis Fuglestad, one of the state’s most prolific scorers, but the rest of the Hawks have managed to spread the field and open space up the middle.

While HHS has succeeded so far, Zipke said the next week should clarify how his squad stacks up against the rest of Class M’s best.

The Hawks won’t see 9-2-0 Prospect Mountain, 9-2-1 White Mountains or 10-3-0 Gilford during the regular season, and they don’t play 9-3-0 Sanborn until Oct. 24, the last game before the playoffs.

Yet they’ve already beaten and tied 7-2-2 Campbell, and this week they were scheduled to host a Belmont team who Zipke said is much better than its 4-8 record indicates and will be looking to make a statement against the top team in Class M on Wednesday, Oct 15. After that, the locals travel to 9-3-0 Epping on Friday, Oct. 17.

Most recently, however, Hopkinton took care of business against Mascenic, putting 15 shots on net and converting almost a third of those opportunities. Will Rendell put HHS on the board early when he knocked a rebound into the top-left corner of the net in the 10th minute. In the second half, Fuglestad, who averages 1.7 goals per game, notched his 20th tally of the season, courtesy of a fine Nick Windhurst touch pass in the 44th minute.

Two minutes later, Kris Abildgaard sent a low laser toward the net off a corner kick and connected with Joe Merrow, who redirected the ball past Mascenic’s goalie.

Abildgaard completed the Hawks’ scoring in the 56th minute on a 45-yard free kick that missed his teammates’ header attempts, and instead found the back of the net on its own.

Bret Minnehan made two saves for the victors, and helped earn them their fifth shutout of the season. Their goals-against average is less than one per contest.

“For the second straight game we were able to possess the ball and open up the field in a big way,” said Zipke.

Three days earlier, Hopkinton quickly showcased its road prowess in Raymond.

Fuglestad knocked in a rebound off an Abildgaard corner kick in the third minute, and then tallied two more goals in the 36th and 45th minutes on assists from Travis Kuster and Merrow, respectively.

While his teammates peppered the opposing goalkeeper with 28 shots, including 18 on goal, Jay Leblanc made good on two of three save opportunities. Abildgaard continued his fine season with the final goal, in the 65th minute, when he danced around four defenders and slipped the ball past the keeper.

Hopkinton boys soccer still unbeaten after OT win vs. Fall Mountain

Bow Editor — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:57:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Despite thoroughly outplaying their opponents, the Hopkinton Hawks were forced to scrap for victory No. 6.

Still, by handing Fall Mountain its fourth overtime setback, 2-1, on Monday, Sept. 29, HHS remained undefeated and on track to compete for a thirdstraight Class M title.

“Today’s game was a true test of our patience, as we attacked all day ...,” said head coach Scott Zipke. “Some games the biscuit just won’t go in the basket and you are just worried about getting the victory.”

Hopkinton compiled 35 shots, including 22 on goal, but was only able to convert one opportunity during regulation. In the 26th minute, Travis Fuglestad knocked a Kris Abildgaard cross into the far side of the net. Fall Mountain scored on a free kick seven minutes later, but Zipke said Fall Mountain generated only two legitimate scoring opportunities the entire game.

In overtime, Fuglestad returned the favor. He beat a defender and knocked the ball across the goal mouth, where Abildgaard planted the game winner in the 98th minute.

“When (we) eventually start hitting the net (consistently), teams that haven’t seen (us) play will be in for a surprise,” said Zipke.

Jay Leblanc made three saves for the victors, including a denial on a free kick.

Hopkinton boys soccer team dominates opponents in recent action

Bow Editor — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:47:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

With two more decisive victories, the Hopkinton boys soccer team continued its march to the playoffs and a shot at a third straight state title.

After shutting out Conant, 5-0, on Sept. 17, the Hawks thrashed Stevens on the road, 5-1, on Friday, Sept. 19, to extend their record to 5-0-1.

“Tonight’s game was very satisfying in that we went to a tough place to play on a Friday night and totally controlled the pace of play,” said coach Scott Zipke. “Throughout the game, including spurts where it got pretty rough and tumble, we kept our composure and continued to work the ball around looking for chances.”

The hard work of starting center midfielder Travis Kuster and striker Kris Abildgaard paid off for both players, said Zipke. Each notched two goals.

Kuster found the back of the net first, in the 13th minute, after Joe Merrow sent a spot-on cross in the direction of Eric Kilens, who laid the ball in front of Kuster for the easy knock-in.

Travis Fuglestad scored next, a minute later, on a penalty kick after a Stevens defender saved a sure goal by Abildgaard.

Abildgaard notched his tallies in the 40th minute, off a Fuglestad pass at the near post, and in the 50th minute, from a Kuster pass that was headed and flicked into a mass of players in front of the net.

Kuster capped the Hawks’ scoring on an assist from Tim Glanville in the 61st minute. Stevens’ lone goal came in the 77th minute.

Jay Leblanc made two saves for the victors. Against Conant, the Hawks peppered the opposing goalie with 15 shots on net and 26 attempts overall, while Leblanc was only forced to stop one shot.

Zipke said the team accomplished both its goals – to start quickly and to get players other than Fuglestad on the scoring sheet.

Brooks Wood contributed first, burying the ball from 20 yards out after stealing it and beating two defenders. Fuglestad, with nine goals entering the match, added to his season totals with a left-footed blast from 20 yards out, and an easy tap in after Will Rendell drew the goalie the out of the net. Rendell assisted on Fuglestad’s first tally as well.

In the 66th minute, Abildgaard ran past four defenders near the endline and planted the ball in the back of the net.

Nick Windhurt contributed as well, speeding past several Conant players on a 50-yard sprint down the field and notching the fifth goal. The Hawks were scheduled to play next on Wednesday, Sept. 24, against 4-1 Mascenic Regional. They host 3-4 Fall Mountain on Friday, Sept. 26.

Hopkinton girls soccer team shows talent and mettle in loss to unbeaten Gilford

Bow Editor — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:41:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

For Hopkinton, the fullgame effort was certainly there. Unfortunately for the hosts, it was also there for Class M’s top-ranked girls soccer team, Gilford.

The visiting Golden Eagles took an early lead and withstood the Hawks’ response to win on Friday, Sept. 19, 3-1. In the process, they dropped Hopkinton to 2-1-2 and left town with a 7-0-0 mark.

“I think we certainly showed we can play with them,” said Hopkinton’s longtime mentor, Curt Martin, who said his team competed without fear against a group that outscored its previous six foes by a 36-6 margin.

The Lady Hawks controlled the first 25 minutes of play, but Gilford’s star striker, senior Cassie Crockett, deked a pair of Hopkinton defenders and right-footed a shot over Emma Brown’s extended arms for a 1-0 Golden Eagles’ edge 13 minutes into the contest.

Despite strong pushes from Elise Ewing, Jen Merrow and Kaley Cook, the Hawks did not find the net. When Cassie Crockett took a feed from her sophomore sister, Chelsea, and scored three seconds before halftime, Hopkinton could have given up.

Instead, Melissa Baron’s corner kick set up Ewing’s goal just 90 seconds into the second half, and the Hawks trailed by one. On the play, Cook forcefully engaged a Gilford defender, freeing Ewing for the score. It was perhaps the strongest example of Hopkinton’s refusal to step aside for Gilford.

“They’re starting to do the things we’ve asked them to do – finding the right option once they have the ball, and staying in control of the ball and themselves,” said Martin.

Brown, helped by starting defenders Jill Peters, Katie Babson, Sarah Dobe and Heather Scammon, played well in goal. She had no chance to save either of Crockett’s accurate first-half shots.

The defense’s solid stand, coupled with steady midfield play from starters Jacqui Foti, Katie Jackson and Melissa Baron, prompted Martin to make a bold prediction regarding the group’s remaining 11 regularseason contests.

“I told them right after the game,” said the coach, “‘If you play like you played today against Gilford, there’s not a team left on the schedule that can beat us.”

Hopkinton boys soccer team remains unbeaten with disparate victories

Bow Editor — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:25:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Two drastically different victories kept the Hopkinton boys soccer team unbeaten through two weeks of the Class M season.

Two days after soaring past Somersworth, 5-0, the Hawks clawed back from an early 2-0 deficit and overtook Mascoma, 3-2, on Friday, Sept. 12.

Mascoma scored twice in the first 12 minutes, but Hopkinton’s still-gelling defense locked down and prevented another tally. In the meantime, all-stater Travis Fuglestad notched three unassisted goals.

He first found the back of the net in the 13th minute, before planting the ball in the upperright corner on a free kick in the 39th minute. Fuglestad capped the scoring in the 52nd minute.

“His last goal came on pure hustle when he saved a slowrolling ball while going out for a goal kick near the corner flag,” said his coach, Scott Zipke. “(He) then took it straight to the goal, running by defenders and hammering it past the keeper.”

While Fuglestad’s name dominated the box score, fellow striker Kris Abildgaard played very well, said Zipke, creating several opportunities for his teammates.

Hopkinton finished with more than 20 shots. Bret Minnehan made four saves for the winners.

“All in all, today was great experience and made us a much better team,” said Zipke. “My guys showed a positive attitude the whole game, and their superior fitness certainly paid off as well.”

Hopkinton’s conditioning was evident against Somersworth as well.

While holding their foes to zero shots on goal, the Hawks peppered the opposing netminder with 16 shots.

While Fuglestad garnered another three scores, Zipke said the player of the game was sophomore Billie French.

“Billie played a stellar game both defensively and offensively at outside mid and had his hand in on a number of scoring opportunities other than the two that made the stat sheet,” said the coach.

In the 21st minute, Abildgaard fed a cross to French, who placed the ball perfectly for Fuglestad to notch the first tally. French then took a long pass from Abildgaard, faked a defender and the goalie, and scored the second goal himself.

Abildgaard relayed a shot off the crossbar to Fuglestad for the third point, and Joe Merrow assisted on a Will Rendell header before Eric Kilens provided the helper on Fuglestad’s third goal.

Hopkinton was scheduled to host Conant on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

Hopkinton Hawks gear up for chance to wear third straight boys soccer crown

Bow Editor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:23:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The pieces are in place for another title run. The expectations are rightfully there. Now the Hopkinton boys soccer team must work to earn a third straight state championship.

“After the last couple years, our goal is certainly to get back to where we were last year. The kids would have a hard time setting our goals any lower than that,” said head coach Scott Zipke. “Then it just comes down to – can we defend? Through the preseason and first couple games, the defense is weaker than it has been … I’m not super impressed.”

The fact his team has given up one goal in its first two contests – a 4-0 triumph against Hillsboro on Sept. 2, and a 1-1 tie at Campbell on Friday, Sept. 5, is deceiving, said Zipke, noting Campbell missed several relatively easy chances.

Senior Kim Long, a returning first-team all-stater, anchors the defense. He’s complemented by senior Duncan Sweny and sophomore Brooks Wood, who both saw significant playing time last season.

Sophomore Brian Scala, whom Zipke said has exhibited hard work and solid communication throughout the preseason, takes over at sweeper.

“They’re certainly fairly experienced. Right now we’re spending a lot of time working on individual marking and stuff like that,” said Zipke. “I fully expect to get the defending down sooner rather than later.”

Travis Fuglestad, who also earned first-team all-state honors last season, pairs with sophomore Kris Abildgaard up top to create one of the most prolific offensive tandems in the state.

Abildgaard, who scored twice in Hopkinton’s season-opener, is an important element of Zipke’s winning formula this season.

“Travis is one of the best strikers in the state, and I fully expect people are going key on him, so Abildgaard and guys like Will Rendell are going to have to step up and have consistently solid offensive outings, which I think they can do.”

Travis Kuster, who earned an all-state honorable mention as the team’s starting sweeper last year, teams with fellow returnee Joe Merrow to solidify the midfield.

Senior Bret Minnehan, who backed up first-team all-state goalie Zach Winters last season, competes with junior Jay Leblanc to start in net.

Zipke said he may not settle on one.

“They’re battling it out, and right now, I’d say they’re pretty even,” said Zipke. “They’re both playing pretty strong, so if there’s no reason to change, we’ll keep it the way it is.”

Others hoping to take their turn wearing the Class M crown this season include senior Nick Windhurst; juniors Adam Coen, Nick Ellis, Tim Glanville, Zak Jantzen, Robby Keilig, Eric Kilens, Dan Lux and Brandon Mansfield; and sophomore Billie French.

Game notes

Hopkinton refused to lose its first contest of the year in its second game, but the team cut it mighty close.

After Campbell took a onegoal lead midway through the first half, the Hawks waited until the 80th minute to knot things up. Adam Coen connected with Fuglestad, who redirected the ball past a diving keeper.

In overtime, Fuglestad just missed two wide open nets, and Campbell knocked one off the crossbar in the golden goal sessions. Hopkinton, 1-0-1, was scheduled to host Somersworth on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

State champs prove talent isn’t confined to bigger schools

Bow Editor — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:32:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Hopkinton coach Scott Zipke said he hopes the memory of back-to-back state champions reverberates for years to come.

“Those leaving, they left a legacy of excellence and served as an example that we strive for excellence here at Hopkinton,” said Zipke. “You often see trends set where if you have an average year, the kids next year will aim to be average. But if you get on a roll and kids see that goals are being set higher, they want to do just as well or even better than those before them.”

That’s quite the lofty task, added Zipke, who noted his five Class M all-staters this year are good enough to excel at any level of high school competition.

“To replace players like that … Well, you can’t hope to replace them, but you just do your best to fill the holes as best as you can and continue to set the bar high.”

And while the team must fill holes for 10 departing seniors, including first-team all-state selections David Wood and Zach Cousens, Zipke said he is confident the return of three other all-state selections – first-team picks Travis Fuglestad and Brian Long among them – means continued success.

“Having four first-teamers is really tremendous,” said Zipke.

“It’s a little unusual, I think, but it really shows that other coaches in the state recognize the caliber of these guys. That they looked at them and said, ‘It doesn’t matter they are on the same team, this is how I have to vote.’” Wood, a midfielder, came in eighth in voting for the all-New England team, just missing the exclusive honor.

But Wood, who Zipke said was the best in Class M this season, earned a spot on the Twin State team and will compete for New Hampshire with 21 other players from all four New Hampshire classes – L, I, M and S – when the Granite State faces Vermont in July.

“Statewide, people really know who Dave Wood is, and it was good to see him recognized as one of the best players in the state in any division,” said his coach. “Even when opponents marked him, he was able to distribute the ball so well that it gave other players the time to really blossom and made us that much more dangerous.”

Cousens, the other senior first-team all-state selection, doubled the vote total of the next closest goalkeeper.

“Zach Cousens made saves the last two years that simply kept us from losing games in the semi-finals and finals both years,” said Zipke.

Fuglestad, who scored 21 goals this season, made his second consecutive first-team allstate appearance.

“Coming in, he had big expectations, and I think making first team again proved he really belongs in that upper tier of players,” said Zipke. “He was probably a bigger threat to score goals than any other player we saw all year.”

That may be due, in larg epart, to Long.

Zipke can’t remember an opposing player beating him all season.

“He isn’t the most imposing player physically, but the best players in state just couldn’t get by him,” he said. “I mean, he flat out was just able to stop them.” Assisting Long in the backfield was sweeper Travis Kuster, who received an honorable mention in his first year playing varsity soccer.

The tandem of Kuster, Long and Cousens on defense, said Zipke, made each a standout on the field as they held opponents to 11 goals throughout the season.

The defense rests – Marked all year, Hopkinton still takes second-straight crown

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:55:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

If Winnisquam was Cinderella, then Hopkinton refused to be Prince Charming, smashing her glass slipper and leaving its own 3-0 footprint instead.

In the Class M boys soccer championship on Monday, Nov. 6, the fourth-seeded Hawks allowed their opponent to hang around just long enough to make the contest interesting – roughly 62 minutes – before dashing all remaining Winnisquam hope in a minute and a half.

Though the first half’s only tally was a Steve Olimpio header off a Travis Kuster cross, Hopkinton created separation with just more than 18 minutes remaining in the second half when Travis Fuglestad, from roughly 15 yards out, redirected a Ricardo Colonna assist past a diving Winnisquam goaltender.

Then, at 16:41, Doug Fuller received a David Wood pass, juked two Bears defenders and sent a low liner across the goal, ricocheting the ball off the right post and into the back of the net for the exclamation point.

Hawks coach Scott Zipke said it is a credit to his players’ mentality that they avoided allowing a storybook matchup between an upstart No. 11-seed and the defending state champs to stand in the way of another Class M crown.

“My guys are super intelligent, and they knew they had to come in here and play hard and were smart enough to enact the game plan and ignore all the hype,” he said. “Once they got through (No. 1) Gilford (in the semifinal) they might as well have been the No. 1 seed, so I’m not sure there was a chip on their shoulder today. They just displayed pure soccer intelligence out there.”

In fact, Winnisquam, which had received two yellow cards all season, was hit with five penalties in the contest, something Bears coach Amy Dutton said is a testament to the physical play of a well-balanced Hopkinton squad with great speed.

Though Zipke couldn’t decide which championship tasted sweeter, he acknowledged the 2007 edition had to chew a little harder.

“This year, the whole year has been a little bit more special. Every game has been a tournament atmosphere and everyone’s been gunning for us, so to come in and be able to pull off the back-to-back is really something,” he said. “Last year, we were coming in and we were (Winnisquam). We didn’t have the pressure on us, and we just gave it our all and happened to win.

This year, with a price on our head like that, I couldn’t be more proud of the way my guys played today.”

Bedeviled – Hopkinton eliminated in quarterfinals

Bow Editor — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:53:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Mother Nature visited Saturday, Oct. 27, extending Hopkinton’s season. Epping visited Sunday, Oct. 28, ending it.

Despite what girls soccer head coach Curt Martin called a solid effort, the No. 3 Lady Hawks dropped a 2-1 Class M quarterfinal-round decision to the No. 6 Blue Devils.

“I though we controlled play,” said Martin, whose team finishes the season 12-5-0. “We did what we wanted to do for the most part, but we had just a couple minor lapses.”

Hopkinton, in fact, allowed a goal in each half, falling behind 1-0 at the break, tying the match on Kaley Cook’s left-footed goal early in the second half, then allowing the winning goal with little more than 13 minutes left.

The Lady Hawks pressured the guests, but Epping, 12-5-1 after the victory, continued to put two and sometimes three defenders on striker Elise Ewing, who still managed to boot a few shots at a pair of Epping keepers.

Hopkinton did not face the Blue Devils in the regular season, when the Hawks opened with seven straight wins. The girls dropped two straight during a period when Martin said the team played inconsistently, then rallied to win five of seven down the stretch, due in large part to solid leadership from the seniors.

Six Lady Hawks played their final high school soccer match for the school – co-captains Moe McAuliffe, a midfielder, and Dayna Jewell, a defender; starting defender Elyssa Bairstow; and reserves Kristen Murphy, a forward; Gretchen Loft, a forward and midfielder; and midfielder Liz Brown.

“What a good group of seniors. They’ve given tremendous effort since they’ve started with the program,” said Martin. “Some of them didn’t make varsity until this year, so it shows their love for the game.”

Hawks look to forget late-season woes, focus on title

Bow Editor — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:57:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

If the Hopkinton boys soccer team hopes to defend its state crown, coach Scott Zipke said his players must play much more consistently than they did late in the regular season.

“I think they’re ready to go, but they know they’ve got a tough road, which they created themselves by not winning some games that they should have,” said Zipke. “It was good to see them come out hard and go to the ball. They had a sense of urgency that I haven’t seen recently.”

On Monday, Oct. 22, the Hawks opened tournament play by defeating visiting 13- seed Newmarket 6-0 behind scoring contributions from seven different players.

Junior Travis Fuglestad scored early with a low shot to the left post that he sneaked past the opponent’s goal keeper.

Freshman Kris Abildgaard followed by knocking in a cross from senior Matt Demers to put the locals ahead 2-0 at the half.

Demers scored first in the second half off a sleek pass from senior Joe Dammann and senior Dan Forrester notched the Hawks next two goals thanks to assists from Fuglestad and senior Steve Olimpio.

David Wood capped the scoring when he netted Hopkinton’s sixth goal midway through the second half.

But it hasn’t always looked so easy for the defending champs.

After winning their first 10 games in 2007, the Hawks finished out the season 2-2-2, nearly knocking themselves out of the top four spots in Class M.

And though he knows his team could have finished the regular season stronger, Zipke said he is happy to have earned the fourth seed and two home games to start the postseason and hopes to see last year’s experience pay dividends this time around.

“It remains to be seen. You know, it’s one of those things where I don’t want to forget about last year. It’s not like, ‘the heck with it, let’s move on.’ So I think they know what it takes to win the tournament.

They won an overtime game against Campell, they came back against Gilford (in the 2006 championship) and I think there are a lot of guys on the team that learned from that,” said Zipke. “Although I don’t think we used it much today, in the future if we are behind, I’m going to expect these guys to fight and manage a comeback.”

Hopkinton hosts Belmont in the second round of the Class M tournament on Friday, Oct. 26, at 3:30 p.m.

The two squads finished tied for fourth in the standings with identical 12-2-2 records.

More like it – Hopkinton’s fine effort means homecoming win

Bow Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:32:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Less than 10 minutes into a girls Class M soccer match Sept. 19, Hopkinton coach Curt Martin said he knew his team was in trouble against host Hillsboro-Deering.

With the ball rolling untouched near the H-D goal, Hopkinton had a good chance to score, but a complete lack of effort meant the Lady Hawks didn’t even touch the ball, much less produce a shot on net.

“That set the tone right there,” said Martin. “(That was) a big letdown.”

The final score that day: Hillsboro-Deering 2 – Hopkinton 0.

Ten days later, Martin watched the Hopkinton girls accomplish a few things: they beat Hillsboro-Deering in double overtime, 2-1; they ended a two-game losing streak that included a 2-1 setback to Raymond Sept. 25; they celebrated homecoming weekend Sept. 29 by starting all six seniors in a key match between two teams in the top half of the Class M standings; and they played with effort.

“It was a tournament-type atmosphere,” said Martin. “Combine that with homecoming, and they were really focused.”

Senior co-captain and midfielder Moe McAuliffe put the hosts ahead, 1-0, early in the contest. Following H-D’s tying goal before intermission, the teams traded good scoring chances throughout the second half and overtime – Elise Ewing sent one right-footed shot glancing off the left post in the first overtime – before Jen Merrow ended the match.

The Hopkinton midfielder had an attempt deflected in the 98th minute, but she didn’t quit on the play, tracking down the ball near the endline.

Merrow’s curling shot from the corner was nearly caught by Hillsboro-Deering’s keeper, but the ball slipped through her fingers and over the goal line. Kaley Cook rammed the ball into the back of the net for good measure, and the game ended with 2 minutes, 22 seconds remaining.

That’s the kind of all-out effort Martin expects from the girls on a consistent basis. The Lady Hawks have five games remaining, including trips to two-loss Campbell in Litchfield Oct. 10 and one-loss Guilford Oct. 19, in the wide-open race for Class M supremacy.

“If we go out and play like that, we’ll be fine,” said Martin. “When we can put some goals in early, we seem to play better.”

Game notes

Joining McAuliffe among the usual senior starters in 2007 are co-captain Dayna Jewell and Elyssa Bairstow, both defenders. Midfielder Liz Brown and forwards Kristen Murphy and Gretchen Loft were the other members of the Class of 2008 who started the game.

Emma Brown played well in goal for Hopkinton, and freshman Gabby Forrester turned in an aggressive overtime effort for the young Lady Hawks.

Winning combination – So far, Hopkinton’s strengths too much for foes

Bow Editor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:33:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

A month ago, Hopkinton boys soccer head coach Scott Zipke was cautiously optimistic about his team’s 2007 season.

The optimism stemmed from the group’s strong offensive attack and steady, sound goalkeeping. And the words of caution? “We still have two very big spots to fill (on defense), and there is no obvious person waiting in the wings to fill them,” said Zipke on Aug. 27.

“If we can find the right people to fill those spots, I think we’ll be all right. But if not, I think we’re going to be giving up too many goals.” Through Monday, Sept. 24, and seven games, Zipke’s worries were assuaged, largely due to the stellar defense in front of senior keeper and co-captain Zach Cousens.

That defensive corps includes junior sweeper Travis Kuster, as well as backs Nick Windhurst, 2006 honorable mention all-state Brian “Kim” Long and Duncan Sweny, all juniors, senior Nick Babson and Brooks Wood. Even better, said Zipke, less-seasoned players see more playing time because the offense gives the Hawks big leads, affording the coach an opportunity to put freshmen Wood – brother of senior co-captain David Wood – and Kris Abildgaard on the pitch.

A 5-0 win over host Campbell on Sept. 21 was a fair example of how Hopkinton began the season 7-0, outscoring foes 30-4 in the process.

Junior striker Travis Fuglestad scored three times in the first half; senior midfielder Ricardo Colonna tallied twice, once in each half.

Colonna brought chants of “Ricardo!” – accent on the “Oh!” – from his teammates and the Hopkinton faithful in attendance. His goal, following a 55-yard run in the 37th minute, put the locals safely ahead, 3-0.

Colonna began dribbling on the Hawks’ side of midfield, juked a pair of Campbell players, fed co-captain Wood, who dished immediately back to Colonna. Two more dazed defenders and a prone goalie later, Colonna celebrated, as did his teammates.

“Oh, my goodness gracious,” said fellow senior midfielder Matt Demers at halftime, patting Colonna on the head. “That was beautiful.” Zipke said Fuglestad, despite looking to pass to teammates more frequently, has 13 goals.

“Travis was first-team all-state last year. I can’t think of a time he’s missed on a scoring chance,” said Zipke. “He can certainly finish when necessary.” David Wood and Dan Forrester, added Zipke, alternate taking the offensive or defensive approach to their midfield spots.

Against Campbell, David Wood assisted on three scores. Meanwhile, the muscular Forrester routinely prevented the Cougars from gaining the Hopkinton end of the field.

When Campbell did advance, a leaping or diving Cousens denied each chance. “He’s going up in the air and catching ’em and coming out of there strong,” said Zipke, who praised his keeper’s offseason work on his hand strength.

“There were a couple of nice cross(ing passes) from Campbell, and he just made them quietly go away.”

• • •

Hopkinton remained unbeaten following a 1-0 win over previously undefeated Sanborn Regional on Tuesday, Sept. 25.