Pembroke News : sports

Pembroke 5K XC leaderboard includes plenty of locals

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:02:00 GMT

Several athletes with area ties were among the top finishers at the Pembroke 5K Cross Country Race in Pembroke on Aug. 22. The 3.1-mile event raised money for the Pembroke Academy cross country team.

Brian Anderson, 21, was the first entrant to cross the finish line, posting a time of 18 minutes, 51 seconds. Mark Thomas, 52, was next in 21:31. Steven Grohosky, 47, was third overall among the men in 23:25.

Eileen Slavin, 17, paced the female runners and took third overall, finishing in 22:13. Maureen McAuliffe, 19, was next in 23:05, with Zoe Frolking, 18, posting a time of 23:17.

Marina Slavin paced the 14- to 17-year-old female entrants; like Frolking, Slavin finished in 23:17.

Other female age-group winners included Amanda Novak in the 13-and-under division with a time of 41:17, Kelly Thomas in the 18- to 29-year-old division in 25:09, Amy Farnum in the 30- to 39-year-old division in 39:15 and Dawn Heinrich in the 40- to 49- year-old division in 24:38.

Steven Abbott Jr. was first among 13-and-under male competitors, posting a time of 27:15.

Zack Novak finished in 28:42 to lead the 14- to 17-year-olds, with Tim Plante pacing the 18- to 29- year-olds in 28:10. Ray Hamel was the top male among 30- to 39-year-olds with a time of 54:52.

Bill Boyd finished in 23:43 to lead the 40- to 49-year-olds, and Frank Davis was first among 60-and-over athletes with a time of 37:59.

Divisional shake-up heats up Neighborhood rivalries

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:55:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Division III football has a different look in 2008. While perennial beast Souhegan of Amherst remains the favorite, and always-solid Milford and Portsmouth are still around as well, Plymouth, winner of seven of the last 10 D-III titles, moves down a division.

“From year to year, the teams change so much it’s always hard to say who is going to compete, although there are some teams that are more consistent than others,” said second-year Pembroke coach Dave Tremblay. “I’ll tell you one thing: I’m not sad to see Plymouth leave.”

That opens the door for a handful of Neighborhood teams to step into the playoff picture.

While Tremblay’s upand- coming group continues to develop a feeder program and looks to improve on a four-win 2007, John Stark petitioned to remain in D-III despite having Division-IV enrollment.

Goffstown, meanwhile, heads back to D-III after two years in Division II. And then there’s Bedford, new to the varsity gridiron, but very much a future threat in the nine-team division.

Goffstown coach Rob Cathcart said his team, like every other in the division, aspires to compete with Souhegan each year. Equally important, however, are the natural rivalries created by the new alignment. Unlike D-II, where Goffstown traveled to the seacoast for at least half its games, Bedford and John Stark are within 15 miles. Souhegan, Con-Val and Milford aren’t much farther.

Aside from Portsmouth, in fact, all schools, including Pembroke, are within a onehour drive of one another.

Winning is another story.

Cathcart said he hopes to use the lessons learned in D-II to his squad’s advantage. Last season, Goffstown fell one win short of reaching the playoffs.

“Division II was very competitive, from top to bottom, and you really had to dedicate yourself to the sport and to the weight room,” said Cathcart, who noted Bedford’s new coach, Kurt Hines, was one of the reasons for the Grizzlies success in 2007.

Hines, a strength and conditioning guru, spent seven years at Souhegan before assisting at Goffstown last season.

He said he recognized that without a senior class, his Bulldogs are going to be outsized by everyone they meet, yet he promised his players are ready to compete.

“Those teams are going to be bigger than us, but if we can be better conditioned and in shape, we can stay in a lot of games,” said Hines. “As a coaching staff, the biggest challenge is really getting these kids to realize football is a collision sport. I know it’s easy to say, but once you get out there and start getting hit in a real game, it’s a different story.”

Hines said John Stark is another program ready to break out. “They have some real tough kids up there,” he said. “That’s a team just waiting to explode.” No time like the present, said the Generals’ new head coach, Bob Clarke, who spent 14 years as an assistant at Newport and the last seven years at Bow, an annual D-V contender.

“Even though I’ve coached at Bow, I teach at John Stark, so I do know some of the students, and there’s definitely some talented athletes here,” said Clarke.

Pembroke
Reaching and possibly eclipsing the .500 mark is a reasonable goal for the Spartans in 2008, though Tremblay said he’s keeping his expectations tempered.

“Right now, our main goal is basically getting the kids back into the program and keeping them around and working in the offseason,” said Tremblay. “We just want to … build off last year and get these younger kids involved in the program.”

Three-year starting quarterback John Natalizio leads the PA offense, and he’ll be complemented by senior running back Christopher Allen and left guard Bryan Morrisette.

Fullback Danny Kroll and tight end Vincent Verrechia step into larger roles this season. The team has only eight freshmen this season, so it is likely to rely heavily on its sophomores and juniors.

Tremblay said he anticipates roughly 30 new players in 2009.

Goffstown

The Grizzlies, who fell one point short of the Division II postseason in 2007, head back to D-III. They made the playoffs and lost to Souhegan in 2005.

“We lost a lot in terms of seniors, but I think we should be able to keep the same goal and maybe go a little further this year,” said Cathcart of his postseason expectations. Fullback and middle linebacker Tom Foote leads the team as a workout warrior and pure physical presence on the field.

Allen Finn, an offensive tackle and nose guard, is not far behind Foote in both departments, said Cathcart.

Jamie McGarry, a former halfback, takes over as the team’s starting quarterback this year.

James Waller, Dan Seasholtz and Connor Nolan also lead on both sides of the ball.

Senior speedster Matt Leathers starts at defensive back for the first time this year and enters the game when Goffstown wants to spread the offense and stretch the opposing defense.

Cathcart added his squad has a strong crop of promising sophomores that found success at the D-II freshman level last season. He said he hopes they can contribute this season and make a big impact as juniors and seniors.

John Stark
Taking over at the John Stark helm for former athletics director Bill Raycraft, who led the Generals to the playoffs two years ago, Clarke said he knows he faces a challenge.

Because there are only 18 upperclassmen on the team, the new head coach has the opportunity to instill his philosophy into a strong group of youngsters, which sets up the next couple years.

This year, however, the running game should be solid with a strong offensive line that includes Jeff Wuebbolt, Nick Heafield, Mike Pisapia and Geoffrey Hatchett. They’ll open holes for junior running back Daniel Simeone and senior David Wilson. Simeone and Wilson lead a staunch group of linebackers as well.

Newcomer Ian Kuck, a sophomore, is also expected to contribute on both sides of the ball. “He’s going to be a player,” said Clarke. “He likes to go out and hunt and cause mayhem. You love that in a football player.”

Bedford
The Bulldogs currently have 64 players in the program, which doesn’t give them much depth. In fact, Hines said he may have as many as six starting freshmen. That’s unheard of at the varsity football level.

Still, he said he’ll use every athlete at his disposal and rotate them in and out as much as he can to keep them fresh.

Those players, he said, have a lot of raw talent and are working hard to realize their potential. “A lot of teams with four grades can say if their first line goes down, they’re in trouble. Going in, we’re already a little short of that,” said Hines. “But the kids are believing in themselves, and they know they can win some games.”

Though his original goal was a .500 season, Hines said two or three wins is a more realistic expectation for the young squad.

“I told them at practice that everything we do this year, every time we step onto the field or in the weight room, we’re just putting money in the bank.”

Goffstown Gallop perennially draws community of fun-loving athletes

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:43:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Bow’s Margaret Burns and Pembroke’s Joanne Welch have been running mates for eight years.

They’re currently preparing for a half marathon in Quebec in August.

The 29th annual Goffstown Gallop provided them an opportunity to participate in a competitive run – without the headaches of a typical road race.

“It’s more of a community event,” said Burns of the event, which took place Saturday, June 28. “It’s kind of competitive, and if you want to go for a run, it’s better to do it with other people rather than by yourself.”

“It’s a good training run,” said Welch. “It’s a nice distance for a Saturday morning. It’s a good tempo run.”

Like Burns and Welch, dozens of runners traveled from all over New Hampshire and even other states to participate in the Gallop. “It’s a family event. A lot of people that come here come year after year after year,” said Dave French, the Goffstown Parks and Recreation director who organizes the Gallop each year. “That’s a testimony to the atmosphere of the race. It’s an old-fashioned race. We don’t do computer chips, we hand out tongue depressors (at the finish line). We’re one of the oldest races in New Hampshire ... More than anything else, it’s a tradition.”

Count Bedford’s Barth Getto as one participant happy to get away from modern competition for a day.

The 46-year-old regularly competes in triathlons, but he was convinced by friends to run the Gallop.

“(The Gallop) is kind of laid back. It’s not as crazy as some of the big races,” said Getto, who finished 55th among more than 170 runners. “It was definitely more fun. When you do these triathlons, people are crazy. You know, they come with $5,000 bikes and these pointed helmets. This is more of a social thing ... It’s all about heart.” No one traveled farther to participate than French’s daughter, Heather.

The 24-year-old, who served as the race’s starter from childhood through high school, returned from her home in Florida to run the race for the first time.

“My dad is getting close to retirement, and I just wanted to run it for him because who knows when his last Goffstown Gallop will be,” she said, adding that training in Florida is much different than running in New Hampshire. “I’m not used to running with all the hills, but it was a really gratifying feeling when I crossed the finish line.”

Another Floridian, Dean Riley, a former Goffstown and Bedford resident, also returned to run the race.

“He ran the race before, and knows it’s the same weekend every year,” said the elder French. “I really appreciate the runners coming back each year."

Athlete of the month: Pembroke Academy runner keeps striding for more

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:13:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR
Sponsored by Indian Head Athletics

Taking cover from the scorching sun over the University of New Hampshire’s outdoor track, Allison Brehm sipped some water and looked toward her coach.

“State champion,” she said with a smile, repeating the words to help the reality sink in. “I like the sound of that.”

Brehm had just finished tops in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.74 seconds at the Meet of Champions on June 7.

“It was so ridiculously hot, and it was so weird to watch this very gritty, hard-fought race out of her, and then you see this sweet kid sit back and appreciate what she had just accomplished,” said Lisa Witte, Brehm’s Pembroke Academy track and field coach.

In fact, the junior has accomplished much in three years.

Not only does she hold school records in the 100 and 200, but she also maintained the top long jump mark until teammate Kacie Paradie broke it this season.

And Brehm has already decided to add hurdles to her repertoire next season.

“You always want your fastest sprinters doing hurdles. I mean, when she gets to college any coach is going to want her to do that anyway,” said Witte. “I think the 300 hurdles intrigues her because it’s a very hard race, and she wants to see how she will do. I think you can get her to try anything and she’ll do well.”

Still, Brehm knows what she does best.

“She comes from a family of runners. Her mom was a sprinter. Her older brother is attending UNH and running on the track and field team. She’s just a natural. She’s darn fast and very strong, and she’s fun to watch,” said the thirdyear PA coach. “She respects her ability, too, and doesn’t take it for granted.”

In addition to winning the 100 and coming in fourth in the 200 at the Meet of Champions, Brehm placed in the top 10 among New Englanders in both races, said Witte, who added the junior missed qualifying for the 100 regional final by .04 seconds.

For her accomplishments, Brehm has been named the Indian Head Athletics Athlete of the Month.

“She’s gained a lot of confidence over the last couple years,” said Witte. “She’s not happy where she finished (at New Englands) even though she did very well. She’ll definitely continue to get better. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

The coach and pupil recently had a discussion about the upcoming offseason.

While Brehm has been relying a great deal on in-season practice and natural talent, she agreed to spend additional time training this summer, fall and winter.

That’s bad news for opponents like Milford’s Melanie Forte, who already know all too well the sight of Brehm’s back.

At the MOC, Forte won the preliminary, but fell to the PA standout when medals were on the line.

“If you do happen to place higher than her, it’s a pretty good indication you’ve had a great day,” said Forte, a fellow junior who has competed against Brehm for three years now. Next season, Brehm is hands down the sprinter to beat, she added.

“It’s always been, ‘Oh, I got third or fourth place, that’s pretty good. But Allison is always the one finishing ahead of you.”

Witte said while many high school females lose a step, Brehm continues to get better. “Sometimes it happens with young ladies, when they go through puberty, their bodies change, but I think genes play a big part in it, and Alli is very fortunate that she has that on her side,” said Witte, who noted that Brehm is the top 100-meter sprinter she’s mentored in her 10 to 15 years coaching high school.

Brehm is also near the top of her class academically. “She does not like to be defeated,” said Witte. “She’s got a great attitude when it comes to setting her mind on a race and what she has to do. There’s no one better.”

(Editor’s note: The Athlete of the Month receives a $50 gift certificate courtesy of Indian Head Athletics.)

Pembroke Academy scores at track and field meets

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:46:00 GMT

The Pembroke Academy track and field teams competed in Pelham on May 6 and Coe-Brown Academy in Northwood on May 10, finishing in the middle of the pack at each meet.

The boys were second behind Milford at the meet hosted by Pelham High, while the girls finished third among four teams.

Ryan Gilligan’s first-place discus throw of 112 feet, 9.5 inches led the boys.

Allison Brehm raced to first in the 100-meter dash, posting a time of 12.5 seconds. Also, the 4 x 400-meter relay team of Brehm, Kacie Paradie, Colleen Moore and Maeghan Lizotte finished in 4 minutes, 33.7 seconds to take first place.

At the sixth annual Black Bear Invitational, hosted by Coe- Brown, the girls finished 11th among 18 teams, and the boys took 13th.

Brehm was tops in the 100, and the junior also took first in the 200-meter dash. Paradie took sixth in both the high jump and long jump.

For the boys, Ben Gibbs tossed the javelin 149-1, good for first place. Dan Kinney was fifth in the 100, Dan Kroll took fifth in the shot put with a throw of 40-7.75, and Gilligan was fifth in discus. The 4 x 400 relay team of Matt DeAngelis, Jay LaRochelle, Ben Decato and Kroll took sixth place.

Pembroke voters increase school budget instead of cutting

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:22:00 GMT

BY JENN McDOWELL

Pembroke will not suffer any staff cuts or eliminate any sports programs after voters at the School District Meeting decided in a 95-71 vote to pass the School Board’s proposed operating budget.

“The meeting went exactly the way it should have gone,” said School Board Chairman Clint Hanson, adding there is no animosity with the Budget Committee. All warrant articles, including the hotly debated operating budget, were adopted after some changes.

Special education costs, which put the district about half a million in debt this school year and comprise almost two-thirds of the school budget increase, dominated the discussion at the meeting on Saturday, March 8.

The final approved 2008-09 operating budget for the school district is $22,447,206. The budget will result in a projected local school tax rate of $14.68 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Based on revenue projections, if the town’s proposed budget and warrant articles go through unscathed, the projected tax rate is $26.02 per $1,000 of assessed value, including state school and county taxes, $2.36 more than the current rate.For a home assessed at $250,000, this would be a $590 increase on the tax bill for a total bill of $6,505.

The Budget Committee recommended a budget $230,000 less than that, having asked both the School Board and Board of Selectmen to cut their respective budgets to reduce the combined 10 percent increase in taxes.

With the passing of both budgets and all articles, the Budget Committee’s number would be a slightly less drastic 6.7 percent increase.

For Pembroke schools, that meant cutting a staffed teaching position from each of the schools as well as the lacrosse and golf programs at Pembroke Academy, cuts many voters felt were unacceptable.

The final decision left members of the Board of Selectmen with some anxiety about the Town Meeting on Saturday, March 15.

“The town as well as the school had a very lean budget,” said the selectmen’s representative to the Budget Committee, Larry Preston. “I just hope that the voters don’t come in next week at the Town Meeting looking for extra cuts.”

The only thing left to cut on the town side is the roads budget, said Selectman Fred Kline. Voters meet at 10 a.m. at Pembroke Academy on March 15.

Pembroke voters selected their town and school district officials at the polls on Tuesday March 11. All races were uncontested, with Tina Courtemanche being written in for selectman and all open positions filled.

Playmakers – ‘Tackling and blocking’ lead PA to another win

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:10:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Two big plays were enough to extend Pembroke Academy football’s improbable run toward the Division III postseason.

Taking advantage of the hosts’ many mistakes, PA won its first road game, 14-10, at John Stark Regional High School on Saturday, Oct. 13.

PA improved to 4-3, good for fifth place in D-III. The top four teams in the division vie for the championship.

“We knew pretty much we would have to win out to have a (playoff) chance, so this was a big win for us today,” said head coach Dave Tremblay.

The Spartans set the tone on defense early, stalling an 80-yard Stark drive with four consecutive stops inside the PA 10-yard line, including twice at the goal.

One play later, however, Pembroke was down 2-0; the Generals stuffed a pitch to tailback Justin Muniz in the end zone.

“That’s what we do. We pitch the ball,” said Tremblay. “We’re running east and west as much as we’re running north and south. We try to get teams moving to the side. We want to get those linebackers moving because then we can counter them.”

That’s what they did one quarter later.

With just under six minutes remaining in the half, the locals recovered a Stark fumble at the Pembroke 7.

The next play, Muniz received another pitch, sliced sharply left, broke free and took off, jetting 92 yards. That touchdown, plus Patrick McCormack’s extra point, gave PA a 7-2 halftime edge.

Though John Stark produced a lengthy nine-play, 92-yard third-quarter drive resulting in a go-ahead touchdown, the Spartans were undeterred.

The ensuing drive, quarterback John Natalizio mishandled the snap but recovered, sidestepping left, slipping two defenders and rumbling 49 yards into the end zone.

Natalizio put the Spartans ahead for good.

The PA defense was stout throughout the contest, taking over twice on downs, pulling down an interception, and forcing three fumbles – one recovered.

Making tackles and blocking well, said Tremblay, have fueled Pembroke’s success.

“That’s it. It’s pretty basic stuff,” he said. “Every week it’s pretty much the same for us. You know, it seems we’re always outsized. Everyone’s got more speed than us. We’re too small, too slow to compete. But we’ve got a lot of heart on this team.”

The Spartans next host perennial D-III power Souhegan High School of Amherst on Saturday, Oct. 20.

“We haven’t lost at home yet, and I don’t expect to lose,” said Tremblay. “And neither do the kids.”

Playoff push – Pembroke reaches .500 with victory, faces John Stark next

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:13:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

The Spartans shoved. The Eagles pushed back. But when the hosts shoved harder still, the visitors teetered and were ultimately toppled in a 34-18 Pembroke Academy victory over Kennett on Saturday, Oct. 6.

A pair of first-half touchdowns – a short run from Douglas Merrill and a 42-yard trek by Christopher Allen, who followed a lead block from quarterback John Natalizio – gave PA a 12-0 edge.

Kennett responded in the second quarter, cutting the locals’ lead to 12-6 at halftime.

“I told them (at halftime) it was pretty important that we take control right away with a sustained drive of four or five minutes,” said Pembroke head coach Dave Tremblay. “And that’s pretty much what happened.”

Indeed, Justin Muniz capped the second-half’s opening drive with a 12-yard touchdown run, and PA’s lead swelled to 20-6 when Natalizio hit Merrill in the right corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion.

Roughly four minutes later, Natalizio’s 10-yard scamper and the point-after-touchdown off the foot of Patrick McCormack made the lead three TDs.

The team, specifically the defense, is built on individual responsibility, said Tremblay.

“If they don’t do the job, we lose as a defense. That’s what’s built confidence,” said the first-year coach.
“They know they’ve got to make the play.”

For the most part, the Spartans did. Facing two exceptional Kennett athletes, running back Alain Lanciaux and 6-foot-4 tight end Ian White, Pembroke contained most of the damage with good tackling and two forced fumbles.

Jon-Michael Gattuso and Dakota Arsenault each made seven stops, while Gattuso and Nathan Huntley caused fumbles that Brian Juranty and Muniz recovered.

Benjamin Mitchell and Allen added four tackles apiece, helping the Spartans improve to 3-3.

The three wins represent the biggest total in the history of the program, though Tremblay grinned at mention of the achievement.

“I’m hoping for more than that,” he said.

Three games remain, including a road trip to Weare for a match-up with 3-3 John Stark on Saturday, Oct.. 13, at 1:30 p.m.

The teams bring similar hard-hitting, aggressive styles to the game. The winner continues its fight for a postseason berth; the loser drops below .500.

The Spartans and their coach expect a rough contest, complete with lots of pushing and shoving at the line of scrimmage, though the Generals are nowhere near a pushover.

“Whoever is willing to accept four yards (a play) should do pretty well,” said Tremblay.

• • •

After Kennett cut the lead to 27-12, Mitchell’s 2-yard burst on fourth down ended the Eagles’ final hope to pull off a comeback.

Meeting a challenge – Inexperience, injuries pose obstacles to PA

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:34:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

Renee Paquette does not demand perfection. Her Pembroke Academy players do.

But with the final quarter of the regular season remaining and a playoff spot on the line, Paquette is teaching the field hockey team to play through some unexpected ups and downs.

“We lost that game to Portsmouth, and it just kind of spiraled into a bunch of losses we couldn’t come back from,” said Paquette. “The girls play really well together. They’re very close, and as much as you try to prepare for times when things won’t be perfect, they’re having a hard time adjusting.”

After opening the season with wins over Stevens and John Stark, the Spartans have lost seven games, interrupted only by a 3-2 win over visiting Bow on Sept. 18.

Against Class I club Portsmouth on Sept. 21, senior captain Katie Scofield was sidelined 10 minutes into the match with an injury.

Long before losing Scofield, right wing and senior captain Danielle Upham suffered a broken wrist during the preseason.

Despite returning a core of 10 players, now seniors, the team struggled with inexperience at times. Senior Rose Palmer, who stepped in for Upham, joined a group of upperclassman seeing their first varsity action.

“We graduated six seniors but still had a huge chunk coming back,” said Paquette. “The problem was a lot of them hadn’t been starters or were on the junior varsity team last year, so they were really getting used to playing on a varsity level each day.”

On Friday, Sept. 28, the Spartans lost to visiting Plymouth Regional, 2-0. Sophomore keeper Angelina Harwood, midfielder Jill Boucher and center Faye Lesniewski, a senior captain, each played well in the losing effort.

“After three straight losses, we sat down and asked ourselves if we wanted to just call it a year or come back and fight for the playoffs,” said Paquette. “That was really a low point for the team, but then we came out and really put up a fight against (now 7-2) Plymouth. I’m sure they thought they would just come here and walk over us, but hopefully we’re in the mindset … to hit the postseason.”

Make no mistake… If PA eliminates errors, playoffs are probable

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:46:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Though Pembroke entered the week at 3-2-1 and in prime position to advance to the postseason, consecutive losses to Bow and Portsmouth have put the Spartans’ playoff aspirations in peril.

Coach Pete Bisson said the team has the ability to bounce back.

“Now that we’ve built a very talented team, my expectation is to not repeat mistakes we’ve made already and, good or bad, use everything we do to further ourselves and hopefully put this team on the same page headed into the postseason,” said the first-year head coach. “To get there, we need to start winning and set ourselves up for that.”

Still, he said his squad was outplayed and outhustled in a 2-0 loss at Bow on Sept. 18.

“I think we allowed them to do the things they wanted to do and allowed them a lot of space and time to knock the ball around, while they closed our space and time,” said Bisson. “We weren’t able to get into any rhythm, and that’s what I’m trying to get them to understand – that we need to force teams to adapt to us rather than the other way around.”

Following the game, Bow coach George Pinkham recognized the superb play of sophomore Sam Hardy in net, saying his team easily could have put several other goals on the scoreboard.

Bisson agreed.

“Sam played very well. I think he had eight or nine saves and four or five of them, including a penalty kick, he came out of almost nowhere to stop the ball,” the Spartans’ coach said.

On Friday, Sept. 21, Pembroke lost at home, 2-1, to Portsmouth, despite controlling play for all but the last part of the game.

Junior Brandon Ricker tallied the Spartans’ lone score, continuing his strong offensive play. But Portsmouth netted both its goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation.

“We’re doing all the right things for part of the game, but not the entire game,” said Bisson. “I keep stressing they need to play 80 minutes and nothing less.”

Nearly every player on the 2007 Spartans, said Bisson, can plant the ball in the back of the net.

Fore-gone conclusions – Current season is bleak for PA; near future looks bright

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:57:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Six years ago Pembroke won the Class I golf title. By last season, the Spartans slipped to the point they forfeited several matches because they lacked a full team.

This year, coach Mike Desilets has a dozen players, and though his squad is young, with two seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen, he is enjoying watching the group develop on the course.

“At the very least, we are inexperienced, so my expectations are improvement more than anything else,” said Desilets. “And, for the most part, they’re doing it.

“The kids that aren’t experienced are getting it now,” he continued. “Maybe it’s not always at the right time, because sometimes I have to throw them into a match when they may not be ready, but I suppose it’s a good way for them to get to learn.”

Pembroke is 2-13 on the season and likely won’t make the Class I tournament.

But a unique blend of experience and youthful talent is what makes this season most interesting to watch, said Desilets.

While senior Josh Murray has been the team’s emotional leader and mentor, freshman Lucas Connor has been Pembroke’s top scorer.

Along with Murray and Connor, junior Tyler Clark and sophomore Jamison Syphers are the most consistent Spartans in 2007, providing the squad with a top golfer from every class.

After the top four, however, Desilets said the talent, and the scores, vary dramatically from match to match.

Completing this year’s Pembroke dozen are senior Alex Poggi, juniors John Andrews, Sean Gallant, and Neil Innarelli, sophomores Katelyn Labbay and Billy Bouchard, and freshmen Cam Beaton and Ethan Keeler.

‘Good blend’ – New coach likes PA’s mix, hopes to concoct a winner

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:55:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

Peter Bisson knows what makes a strong team. Now he has to convince his young players of it.

In his first season as head coach of Pembroke Academy’s boys soccer team, Bisson brings a new outlook to the Spartans program.

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, the Pembroke mentor watched as his squad dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting John Stark Regional High School of Weare.

“They haven’t had a lot of success in the past here, so they need to get out of that mindset,” said Bisson, a former assistant varsity and goalie coach for Central High School. “Success breeds success. Once they get that into their heads and get that first win, things will build off of each other from there.”

Against the Generals, Pembroke took an early lead when Tynan DeBold scored on an assist from Brandon Ricker. John Stark answered with its first goal two minutes into the second half, and the visitors took the lead for good 11 minutes later.

This year’s Spartans roster sports seven returning seniors, a large junior class, three sophomores and one freshman.

Juniors John Grenier and Doug Turnbull should lead the backfield attack, while junior Pat McCormick sets up the midfield offense for Pembroke.

“A lot of these kids are seeing some of the new ideas and drills I brought for the first time,” said Bisson.

“It’s one thing to do it in practice. It’s another to do it in games. And on top of that, they’re being asked to do it right. We’ve got a big group of older players and another of younger ones … a good blend.”

During preseason practices, Bisson transitioned the squad from an attack-based 4-3-3 formation to a possession-based 4-4-2 scheme. The Spartans new look allows for more ball movement and possession.

“I want them to be more patient, push the ball forward when they have an opening and make the defense defend us,” said Bisson. “We’re all getting used to each other. But when we do, hopefully … we can start turning things around.”

• • •

The Spartans tied Laconia, 1-1, on Friday, Sept. 7, and easily defeated Bedford, 5-1 on Monday, Sept. 10.

Pembroke Academy visits 1-3-0 Fall Mountain on Friday, Sept. 14, entering that match with a 1-2-1 record.

Late heroics earn PA a win

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:49:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Pembroke Academy stunned its fans and, more importantly, visiting Portsmouth with a late-game defensive stop and subsequent touchdown, beating the Clippers, 14-10, on Saturday, Sept. 8.

Portsmouth led the Spartans, 10-7, when it reached the PA 5-yard line in the fourth quarter. But four straight stops by the locals – three by Justin Muniz and the last by Ben Mitchell – turned the ball over to Pembroke.

Two plays later, with less than two minutes remaining on the clock, Muniz ran past the cornerback and behind the safety, hauling in a strike from scrambling quarterback John Natalizio near midfield and running for the 83-yard touchdown.

Pat McCormack kicked the second of his two extra points to account for the final score.

However, the game wasn’t secured until captain Doug Merrill intercepted a fourth-down pass to stop the visitors’ last-gasp drive.

Natalizio hooked up with Mitchell in the first quarter for a 73-yard touchdown, with Mitchell catching the ball 15 yards downfield and racing into the end zone.

Merrill rushed for 45 yards on eight carries, and Natalizio added 25 yards on the ground and 171 through the air.

Mitchell’s fourth-quarter, fourth-down stop, said PA head coach Dave Tremblay, was the direct result of outside linebacker Vince Verrechia’s stuffing Portsmouth’s lead blocker.

Muniz returned a kick 27 yards and recovered a fumble caused by Jon-Michael Gattuso on the 5-yard line.

Tremblay also credited Dakota Arsenault, Nathan Huntley, captain Brian Juranty, Nathan Langone, Mike Berthiume and Jose Alicia with solid defensive efforts.

The win moves the Spartans to 1-1 as they prepare for homecoming against 0-2 Kingswood on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 1:30 p.m.

“Everyone keeps saying how small we are, how young we are and how slow we are. Our kids don’t see it that way,” said Tremblay. “This is our homecoming week. The support from the students and faculty has been outstanding this season. Our boys will be ready for Saturday, I have no doubt.”

Seniority – PA girls stopped, but season’s outlook remains bright

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 20:18:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

With New England in general, and Pembroke Academy’s field hockey team in particular, even the sunniest forecast contains the chance for a passing shower.

Such was the case for the Spartans, who were doused, 4-0, by the Lebanon Red Raiders on a drizzly Friday, Aug. 31.

But Pembroke’s head coach, Rene Paquette-Paige said the lopsided loss was an aberration, and the immediate future looks bright indeed.

“Historically, when we’ve played teams like Lebanon, it’s hard for us,” she said. “The last two, three years, we’ve tried to turn that around. (The girls) have worked hard.”

Her team of 16, with 10 seniors, is good, just not good enough to handle a squad as strong as 2-0 Lebanon, a perennial Class I playoff team with a middle-school feeder system, something Pembroke lacks.

Paquette-Paige said setbacks like this – the Lady Spartans trailed, 3-0, at the break – have become the exception, even following a deceptively lowly two-win season in 2006. Last year, the team was competitive in most of its defeats, Paquette-Paige said. This year should be better.

If that prediction proves true, the team’s captains – Faye Lesniewski, Kaitie Schofield and Danielle Upham – deserve a large portion of the credit.

Lesniewski and Schofield, whom Paquette-Paige good-naturedly called “goofballs,” set the upbeat tone.

The team waits for Upham to return from an arm injury; the cast comes off in two weeks, and she could return in three weeks. In the meantime, you’ll find Upham crowding the sideline, itching to compete.

And though the hosts were thoroughly outplayed by their guests, PA provided some action. Two shots – one by Schofield in the first half and another by senior Hannah Poirier in the second – beat Lebanon’s goalie, though neither counted because no other Pembroke player touched the ball inside the scoring circle.

Still, Pembroke finds itself at 1-1 early in ’07 thanks to a 2-1 season-opening win vs. Stevens on Aug. 28. In that game, senior attacker Jill Boucher and midfielder Schofield tallied. Sophomore goalkeeper Angelica Harwood earned the victory.

Against Lebanon, Harwood arrived minutes before the game commenced. She watched from the sidelines as fellow sophomore Brianna Hughes took over in goal, was bombarded in the first half, then settled in and played well after the break.

Jen Darby and Meaghan Nunnally represent the junior class on the team, while Haley Raymond is PA’s other sophomore.

But the seniors – Holly Brasley, Katie Cotnoir, Heather Hill, Rose Palmer, Erin Parnell, Boucher, Poirier, Lesniewski, Schofield and Upham – are something else, said their coach.

“I’ve heard this from other coaches, other teachers: this is just an amazing group of kids athletically, academically and with their contributions to the community,” said Paquette-Paige. “To have a group of 10 seniors like this … There’s a bond there. And it’s infectious.”

Program able – Pieces are in place for on-field improvement

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 21:03:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Last year’s Pembroke Academy football team won once. The 2007 Spartans return nearly all of last year players and first-year head coach Dave Tremblay said that’s a good thing.

“We graduated only three kids from last year, so the entire team is back … from a team that was made up almost entirely of sophomores and juniors,” said Tremblay.

But if his team stays healthy, the coach said he can envision a scenario resulting in Pembroke’s first playoff appearance.

“I’m pretty excited about the possibility, but we haven’t really set that goal yet,” Tremblay said. “The attitude of the program is much better this year than last year. The kids kind of felt like they weren’t going to do anything (in 2006), and that’s exactly what happened. This year, they feel like they are going to do good things, and they’re buying into it, and you can see it in practice, and you can see it at the scrimmages.”

The Spartans feature 12 seniors, 11 who start, and 12 juniors, including at least six in the starting lineup.

Junior John Natalizio returns with a year of quarterbacking experience to lead the offense.

Senior captains this year include Brian Juranty a guard and inside linebacker; Doug Merrill, who starts at fullback and inside linebacker; Ben Mitchell, a running back and outside linebacker; and Justin Muniz, Pembroke’s starting strong safety and running back, who Tremblay said is one of his best players on both sides of the ball.

Tremblay and company also welcome two transfers who are expected to contribute immediately.

Dakota Arsenault is literally a huge presence on this year’s defense. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Oklahoma transfer, who started at inside linebacker, steps into the Pembroke defense as the biggest player on the team.

The other significant addition, junior Vincent Verrachia, transferred from Canada and is expected to start at outside linebacker and contribute at tight end as well.

“We’ve gotten some new kids into the program that are really going to be contributors in spots we were lacking,” said Tremblay.

Moreover, last year’s successful freshmen team is feeding several additional players into the varsity roster, a trend Tremblay hopes to see continue. This year’s ninth-grade squad currently has 24 players, many of whom won the state Pop Warner title as Midgets.