Salem Observer : Salem, Manchester

Salem boys lacross team shows flashes against Memorial, but team remains winless

Salem Editor — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:33:00 GMT

For roughly three minutes of game play, Salem boys lacrosse coach Chris Keleher was happy with the effort his team gave. The rest of the contest was a different story.

The Blue Devils lost a 6-2 halftime lead and fell in overtime to Memorial on Saturday, April 25, despite clawing back with two goals in the final minutes to force the extra frame. Mitchel Powers ended the contest with 2:27 remaining in overtime, sending Salem home with a 10-9 defeat.

Salem’s fourth quarter was quiet until Jake Matthews worked from the sideline to the middle of the field, scoring while falling down to pull his team within a goal at 9-8 with 3:09 left.

He nearly tied the score with little more than a minute remaining, but his shot ricocheted the post. Brett Miller capitalized on a pass from Steve Kalucki with 44 seconds remaining, firing a shot into the back of the net, but the Blue Devils couldn’t score in the extra session, dropping to 0-5.

“We played down a level,” said Keleher. “As I told the kids, we let them play with us, and they did. They outplayed us, and we played lackadaisically. Until they want to make a commitment to play four quarters of lacrosse, we’ll be dealing with those issues.”

Miller’s four-goal effort wasn’t enough for Salem, which played its closest game of the season after losing by at least six goals in four prior games.

Keleher said he is most frustrated by his team’s approach to games, not the results on the scoreboard.

“We had kids who forgot game uniforms and things like that,” said Keleher. “That points to where the head is. If your head’s not in the game, then we’re going to be in trouble.”

Keleher said his squad can bounce back and take a lesson from its setback at Memorial.

“The last two and a half minutes of the game, that’s the kind of effort we need the whole game,” he said. “You have to play like that the whole game, not the final two minutes when you know you’re in trouble.”

Salem battles, betters host West with last-inning rally

Salem Editor — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:54:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The third time wasn’t a charm, it was a relief. After apparently tying the game twice, only to have the runs wiped off the board, Salem completed a 6-4 comeback victory against West to open the baseball season on April 15, at Gill Stadium.

Trailing in the top of the sixth inning, 4-3, Shaun Yelle smacked a single to open the frame and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Josh Treff.

Sam Fazioli appeared to tie the game with an RBI double, but as the next Blue Devil hitter dug into the box, the home plate umpire ruled Yelle had stepped over home plate, and he was the second out of the inning, which ended a batter later.

Then in the top of the seventh, pesky Matt Gioia came around from first base to knot the score on an errant throw, but he was sent back to third after umpires decided the ball had left the field of play.

This time Salem bounced back with consecutive clutch hits to take the lead for good. Josh Heil’s RBI single evened things up, and Darren Brown put his team on top with a two-RBI base hit.

“We really didn’t hit until the seventh inning,” said head coach Dan Keleher. “We couldn’t get in a situation to bunt and make things happen. We needed a walk to get things going, and then a clutch hit.”

This season, Keleher is relying on the small ball approach – bunting, stealing – after 13 seniors graduated from the slugging 2008 team that narrowly lost in the state title game.

Treff, who caught some last year, and Heil are the only players with varsity experience. Heil played shortstop in ’08 before converting to third base this season.

“Last year we hit all the way through the lineup,” said Keleher. “I think these guys will scratch a few more runs out. Last year there wasn’t a lot of sacrifice bunting. You’ll see more of that from this team.”

Gioia, hitting ninth in the order, was 0-for-1 on the day, but sparked both run-scoring innings for the Blue Devils.

In addition to scoring the game-tying run after walking in the seventh, the second baseman led off the third with a walk, stole second and later scored the first of three Salem runs in the frame.

Keleher said it was a boost for his inexperienced team to come from behind in its first game of the year.

“I followed these guys all the way up. It’s basically the JV team from last year,” the coach said. “That’s the type of kids they are. They’re never going to be out of a game. It is a confidence boost, but I had a lot of confidence in them to begin with.”

Field day – PP&K athletes show their stuff at Merchantsauto.com Stadium

Salem Editor — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:27:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

With many competitors wearing their favorite jerseys, old rivals reunited in the outfield at Merchantsauto.com Stadium for this year’s annual NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition.

Area athletes competed in the local portion of the national event sponsored by the National Football League, hosted by Neighborhood News and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Tuesday, Aug. 7.

Participants were split into four divisions for both girls and boys. Groups were 8- and 9-year-olds, 10- and 11-year-olds, 12- and 13-year-olds and 14- and 15-year-olds. Winners from each age group move on to the sectional competition in the fall.

The team championship, which takes place at an NFL stadium, and the national competition, held during an NFL playoff game, follow the sectional competition.

Competitors were allowed one punt, one pass and one kick; the distance of each was added for an overall score.

Salem’s Matt Carney took third in the boys 8- and 9-year-old division, kicking 65 feet, 2 inches, passing 34 feet, 9 inches, punting 32 feet, 9 inches and finishing with a score of 132 feet, 8 inches.

Salem natives Kyle Nagri and Brad Ratay each competed in the 10- and 11-year-old division.

Nagri’s performance included a punt of 50 feet, 1 inch, a 67-foot pass and a kick of 30 feet, 10 inches, combining for a final score of 147 feet, 11 inches. Ratay recorded a 44-foot, 5-inch kick, a pass of 42 feet, 8 inches and a punt of 23 feet, 11 inches for his total distance of 111 feet.

Making her first appearance at PP&K was 8-year-old Eva Liptak, who took first in her age division with a total of 56 feet, 1 inch. Jamie Nesbitt placed first in the girls 10- and 11-year-old division, finishing with a final distance of 150 feet, 10 inches.

All of the top performers were announced during the Fisher Cats’ game that evening, and their names appeared on the scoreboard.

Stepping up – Senior runner finds others share his love of sport

Salem Editor — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:12:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

Six years ago Ken Folsum was a frustrated runner. He was 75 years old and thought his racing days were over.

So he made sure they weren’t.

The Salem native and five friends formed the New England 60-plus Runners Club, drawing those looking to stay competitive at a later age. Today, the group includes more than 600 members.

On Sunday, Aug. 5, the 81-year-old competed in this year’s annual Granite State Senior Games; he completed the 5K course in 31 minutes, 39 seconds.

“There weren’t a lot of places that offered 70- or 80-plus events,” said Folsum. “But I wanted to keep running and so did my friends, so we decided to form our own group. It’s grown so much. We had no idea so many senior runners would take to it. But maybe more people felt like we did.”

Mingling with runners and cheering on those still running, Folsum was joined by Salem’s Fred Bertelson at the road race on Industrial Park Drive in Manchester.

In addition to running each day, Folsum keeps in shape by playing tennis five mornings a week and skiing during the winter.

Folsum began running when he was 54, after listening to former co-workers’ advice to try the sport.

“The guys at work kept coming every Monday morning and telling me how good a time they had racing over the weekend,” said Folsum with a laugh. “So I finally tried it and signed up for my first race … After a quarter of a mile, I thought I was done. I didn’t think I’d make it, and then I thought I needed to be in better shape, so I really got into it.”

Folsum is also scheduled to compete at the Senior Games’ track and field meet, with Salem natives Ed Brooks and Len Rosen, on Sunday, Aug. 12.

Another Salem competitor from the GSSG’s first weekend was John Cahalane, who competed in the cycling event.

Third time’s the charm – 14U squad avenges district losses at state tourney

Salem Editor — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:56:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

After losing twice to Manchester during its district tournament, the boys of Salem Babe Ruth baseball finally earned their revenge.

And this time, the stakes were higher.

Taking the field at Gill Stadium in Manchester for a match-up against Manchester on Saturday, July 21, Salem’s 14U squad walked away with a 10-9 win, sending the hosts to the losers bracket of this year’s New Hampshire state tournament.

“It really helped them build up the confidence needed for this kind of a tournament,” said Salem manager Kurt Meisner.

“Manchester was sort of the big, bad wolf in the district tournament, and they kept it close in this game, too, so to come out and beat them was much needed.”

Starter Nick Poore earned the win after working six full innings; he left with a 10-6 Salem advantage.

Manchester’s pesky lineup battled reliever Brad Letendre, causing the hurler to walk the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

Jeremy Junget took over, hitting the first batter he faced to walk in a run and cut Salem’s lead to 10-7. Manchester added another run on a passed ball. Junget induced a pop up for the first out, but Manchester tallied again, closing to 10-9, on a groundout to Zach Meisner.

Salem’s alert catcher, Jeff Tress, preserved the win, tagging out a Manchester runner at home on a throw from Letendre.

“That was great because Brad was pitching before in that inning, and he was the one to help throw out the tying run at the plate to end it,” said Kurt Meisner. “It was nice for him to put it away himself.”

Scott Gaffney, who went 3-for-4, drove in four runs and powered Salem’s offense, while Junget notched two hits and three RBI.

Salem then beat Rochester, coming off a first-round bye, 7-5, on Sunday, July 22. Junget started, giving up four runs in five innings, before Zach Meisner entered to earn the win. Letendre recorded the final out with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

Poore provided two hits, two walks and scored three runs. Treff drove in four runs on three hits.

Salem lost to Goffstown, 9-2, on Tuesday, July 24, at Gill Stadium, which moved the squad to a losers-bracket match-up on Wednesday, July 25. A win on Wednesday would pit Salem against Goffstown again in the tournament championship on Thursday, July 26.

“These guys keep it loose. They play relatively relaxed baseball,” said Kurt Meisner. “Everyone knows the little jokes to keep their teammates smiling so they can slow down and stay in the game. If one guy gets uptight, his friends are there to make him laugh again and loosen up.”

Salem’s roster also includes Joe DiPalma, Matt Logoduice, Jimmy McCarty, Matt Perry, Justin O’ Brien, Nate Hahn and Steve Day.