Weare News : high school sports

Stark edges Pembroke before losing to Bedford

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:06:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Heather Doucette isn’t one to show her emotions. A group of 10 players changed that. The John Stark girls soccer mentor stood at midfield following her team’s 4-1 loss to Bedford in the Class I quarterfinals, embracing 10 seniors before they walked off the field one final time on Saturday, Oct. 31.

“It was really hard. We grew up together and figured out what kind of squad we were going to be,” said Doucette. “I try to be cool most of the time, but it broke my heart seeing it end for them.”

On Thursday, Oct. 29, Lauren Macklin gave her team a 1- 0 victory over Pembroke Academy in the preliminary round of the tournament when she scored with 11:24 remaining to break a scoreless tie.

Macklin waited patiently before stepping around two PA defenders and firing into the corner of the net to propel her team to the win.

The Generals were overmatched by No. 2 Bedford in the next round, falling behind 3-0 in the first half of play. Macklin cracked the scoreboard with 14:17 remaining when she pounded home a loose ball in front of the net, but the Bulldogs responded little more than a minute later to quash any hopes of a comeback. Stark had a prime scoring opportunity in the first 10 minutes of play when Macklin came streaking into the goalie box looking to put a shot on net.

Bedford goalie Aubrey Ouellet had other ideas, attacking the ball and kicking it out of harm’s way before Macklin could pull the trigger.

“They came out on fire and were tackling very tough,” said Bedford’s head coach, Michelle Winning, whose team advanced to a second consecutive semifinal game.

“They don’t give up, and they are a very physical team.”

John Stark loses seniors Macklin, Kayla Hubbard, Emily Pineault, Mia Fournier, Jessica Constant, Sydney Getzin, Megan Gosselin, Angela Beaulieu, Sadie MacLean and Molly Dussault.

Doucette admitted there are a lot of holes to fill next season, though she said with a strong offseason commitment the team can continue its recent tradition of postseason success.

“I felt like we were going against a giant, but we were going to take them on,” said Doucette of her team’s game against Bedford. “We had two more games in our heads. We weren’t ready to say goodbye to our seniors quite yet.”

Generals tough in loss, rough on selves

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:06:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

John Stark football’s head coach, Bob Clarke, tried to tell his athletes they’d played well in a 12-6 loss to host Pembroke Academy on Saturday, Sept. 12.

They disagreed.

For proof, Clarke could point to the mud-covered uniforms – and faces – of his Generals, or his quarterback’s wrapped thumb, which sidelined him for a spell but ultimately couldn’t keep the signal-caller from the huddle.

The players, on the other hand, could argue turnovers and other mistakes cost them a good chance at victory following a loss to Division-III powerhouse Portsmouth a week earlier.

Both Clarke and his charges were correct.

David Wilson, who ran well throughout the game, roared into the end zone to give Stark a first-quarter lead; quarterback and fellow senior Sean Barnes threw well in terrible conditions, then shook off a dislocated thumb to return late in the fourth quarter; and junior linebacker Ian Kuck delivered some jarring hits on defense. But fumbles and a devastating fourth-and-1 penalty late in the final stanza were too much to overcome.

“They put in a fantastic effort,” said Clarke after addressing his frustrated team. “But obviously the execution needs to improve.”

After the head coach’s talk, some of the players vocally urged a renewed commitment from their mates during weekday practices, as well as a reminder the entire team is responsible for each game’s outcome – win or lose.

Stark has a low number of varsity athletes – 28 were listed for the PA game – and Clarke said just 15 play regularly. That means stamina is going to be a concern as every game proceeds.

“We’ve got to try to pick them up and encourage them as much as possible,” said Clarke.

A semifinalist last year, Stark sets sights higher in 2009

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:58:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

For the time being, the John Stark girls soccer team is undefeated, but Heather Doucette still sees plenty of room for improvement.

The Lady Generals knocked off Kearsarge, 3-2 in overtime, to kick off the Class I regular season on Friday, Aug. 28, but the team’s mentor wasn’t satisfied.

“We’ve got a lot to work on,” said Doucette. “They have the potential of being a very strong and competitive squad, but you just never know.”

Following a semifinalround playoff setback last year, the 2009 Generals field a combination of veteran leadership and young talent.

Two freshmen in particular, Rachel Russell and Becca Titcomb, have impressed Doucette during the weeks of preseason training.

Doucette said Russell brings versatility and quickness to the midfield and front line, while Titcomb is also waiting in the wings ready to break into the starting lineup during her first season.

Molly Dussault, a senior, is a first-year starter at goalie, and she has transitioned well into the role after years of pushing older teammates as a backup.

Seniors Emily Pineault and Laura Macklin return as offensive threats on the front line, while senior Allison Harris has stepped seamlessly into the role of center-midfielder.

Kayla Hubbard remains a familiar face in the defensive backfield, returning for her third year as a starter. Doucette said her team has confidence on offense knowing Hubbard is behind them at sweeper, brushing aside potential mistakes.

The on-field chemistry pleased Doucette during the season opener, though that should continue to develop, too.

“We have some very exciting players who aren’t used to playing our style of play,” she said. “We weren’t as composed as we should have been, and a lot of that has to do with getting to know each other.”

Stark played in a Seacoast tournament recently, and Doucette said the girls handled the ball with more maturity and composure than in past seasons.

Historically, the Generals have snuck up on teams while making deep runs in the tournament, so it is strange for the squad to be viewed as a division favorite.

Yet after nearly playing in last year’s title game, Doucette said her team is not satisfied with another close call.

“They saw that they needed to change some of the style of play, so they want to make sure we’re definitely doing this as a unit,” said Doucett. “They want to get back, and they’re on a mission to do that.”

Stark seeks repeat of ’08 regular season, improvement when ’09 playoffs arrive

Goffstown Editor — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:30:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

For openers, not much can match a pair of aces.

Entering the season, John Stark softball head coach Zach Medlock is relying on two returning starting pitchers who helped propel the team to the Class I quarterfinals last year, soothing memories of several years of subpar play.

Seniors Emily Sweeney and Alexe Proctor are the main arms for the Generals. Each fired a no-hitter during the Generals’ 17-4 campaign in 2008.

In total, Medlock returns 10 players with varsity experience, and the coach is pleased with his squad’s response to its first winning season in years.

“That was a huge confidence builder,” said Medlock. “But when you have a season like that, you worry that you’ll get complacent and wonder if you can do that again. Instead of complacency, I’ve seen urgency.”

The team plans a different approach at the plate during certain situations, utilizing its speed and bunting more than in the past.

Standout shortstop Kelsey Francher, who topped 20 RBI and runs scored in ’08, again anchors the infield, which is filled with familiar faces. Third baseman Olivia Cray, second baseman Becca Morin and first baseman Molly Dussault all reyou have a season like that, you worry that you’ll get complacent and wonder if you can do that again. Instead of complacency, I’ve seen urgency.”

The team plans a different approach at the plate during certain situations, utilizing its speed and bunting more than in the past.

Catching, once again, is senior Taylor Buxton, who Medlock said is instrumental both at the plate and behind it.

“The girls aren’t afraid to throw any of their pitches,” said Medlock. “They know Taylor’s going to get it. She also limits the baserunners really well. She gives them a safety blanket back there where she can take care of a lot of mistakes herself.”

During the 2008 regular season, the Generals scored often, but in the quarterfinals against Milford, the offense generated just one run.

Medlock said he believes postseason inexperience partially accounts for that outcome, but for this seasoned group a deeper tournament run is likely in the cards.

“For years we were without a true ace,” said Medlock. “Now we have two of them.”

John Stark’s Jones puts up fight at Meet of Champions

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:09:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Greg Jones won his first match of the day at the Meet of Champions, representing John Stark at this year’s competition.

Jones dropped his next two matches and was eliminated from the meet on Saturday, Feb. 28, where he took part in the 119-pound weight class.

“I put up a fight, I just couldn’t get off my back,” Jones said of his first loss to Timberlane’s Matt Morris. “As long as you battle as hard as you can, even if you lose, you feel good knowing you did your best.”

Morris was the eventual champion of the weight class for Timberlane, which had 11 individuals qualify for New England regionals with top-three finishes. Jones said being the sole John Stark team member at the Meet of Champions gave him a tremendous amount of pride. Wrestling isn’t Jones’ only sport; he runs on the school’s cross country team in the fall. Therefore, Jones said he has no problems when the wrestling team is forced to run during practice.

“That’s easy,” he said. “It’s a different type of stamina. It helps, but it’s going from a cardio workout to a muscle workout.”

Jones said there are times during the season when he looks forward to a break, but now that the campaign is over, he isn’t ready for its completion.

“You miss it,” he said. “When the season is going on and you’re cutting weight and stuff you hate it, but then you don’t really want it to end either.”

Low numbers, lots of inconsistency large part of Stark’s struggles

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:59:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Two years ago, the John Stark wrestling team finished third in Division II and sent seven grapplers to the Meet of Champions.

And last season, which some believe featured the strongest overall crop of D-II talent in more than a decade, the Generals placed fifth as a team and garnered six MOC nods and one regional invite.

This year? Following a 63-12 setback at Souhegan on Jan. 20, JS head coach Bill Walton stood, arms crossed, and struggled to pinpoint one reason for his team’s general lack of success this season.

“It’s definitely been a tough year. We’re really young, we’ve lost four or five kids to eligibility, and we just haven’t been able to bounce back, so I’ve been plugging the lineup with first-year wrestlers,” said Walton. “I was hoping to have 25 guys in my room this year, and I only have 12 or 13. The numbers just aren’t there, and I don’t know what it is, but it seems like it’s throughout the state this year.

“I think it’s just emblematic right now,” he continued. “Kids are afraid to wrestle. You know, it takes a ton of commitment, and the kids just aren’t willing to dedicate themselves.”

Walton is currently without a 103-pounder. His 112-pounder, Ryan Dahl, is hurt, and his 189- pounder recently quit the team. To make matters worse, he has only one freshman – 135-pounder Zachary Foote.

“We have 200 freshmen walking the halls, and one wants to wrestle? I think it says something about the class – it’s just a lazy class,” said Walton.

It’s not all bad, though. Keith Morrell pinned his Souhegan opponent 2 minutes, 30 seconds into his 140-pound match, but the host Sabers wiped the mat with the Generals from that point forward.

Stark lost eight consecutive contests, then salvaged a hint of pride when Souhegan’s coach scratched 119-pound Dylan Shultz from his match against fellow standout Greg Jones, providing the locals with a hollow-feeling forfeit victory.

“It should have been a great match tonight, but they ducked (Jones) to protect Dylan’s seed,” said Walton. “That’s what’s disappointing, because Dylan is ranked No. 2 and Greg is fifth right now, and they’re similar-type wrestlers, so it would have been a really fun match to watch. It’s unfortunate, because Greg really wanted a chance to fight him.”

Jones, a junior, may be Stark’s lone representative at this year’s Meet of Champions, said his coach, though Morrell certainly has a shot if he wards off the pain of a lingering shoulder injury.

Jones’ co-captain, 171-pound senior Derek Burns, has the ability to place at states, but must avoid costly mistakes, said Walton, adding Cody Wilkins, at 145 pounds, also has the necessary talent, but currently lacks the confidence to win the big match.

At 160 pounds, Paul Jamikowski can beat anyone in the state, but can just as easily fall to anyone, said the JS mentor.

That across-the-board inconsistency is dooming the Generals.

“Right now, we’re just trying to get through it without getting anyone injured,” said the coach. “We’re just trying to build them up and keep them encouraged. We want to make sure they come back.”

Others wrestling for John Stark this season include 125-pounder Paul Flaherty, 130-pounder Brandon Hunt, 152-pounder Bobby Beaulieu, 171-pounder Matt Horne, 215-pounder David Wilson and heavyweight Ben O’Donal.

Stark just can’t keep pace with Pelham, which leaves Weare with win

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Justin Hojlo and Kevin LeBlond were in a shootout, but in the end it was Hojlo with more ammunition.

The two senior guards dueled during a Class I contest on Tuesday, Jan. 13, with Hojlo’s Pelham Pythons pulling away from LeBlond and the John Stark Generals, 88-71.

Hojlo poured in 35 points to help fight off LeBlond and his 27 points, as the Pythons improved to 5-1 in Class I play.

“They’re a very talented team,” said John Stark’s head coach, Michael Smith. “From what I’ve seen, they are one of the best, if not the best, team in Class I.”

Pelham opened up a 41-23 lead and appeared to have distanced itself from the home team. Moments later, LeBlond answered with back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to 10, and John Stark trailed by 12 at the half.

LeBlond, John Stark’s only returning starter from last season, scored six consecutive points to cut the lead to 66-61, but that was the closest approach for the 1-5 Generals.

According to Pelham’s mentor, Todd Kress, his crew’s response to Stark’s comeback was not surprising.

“It’s a matter of continuing the up-tempo style of play,” said Kress. “We want to make it so they may make a single run, but they aren’t able to sustain it. I think our team depth wore on them a little.”

Four players scored in double figures for Pelham, including Steve Spirou with 26 points. In the loss, John Stark’s Travis Matteuzzi notched his first double-double, scoring 16 points and adding 11 rebounds.

The game was fast-paced throughout, with both teams constantly running up and down the floor.

Kress said the way John Stark played while they were managing a second-half comeback looked familiar.

“They freed up their shooters and were basically beating us at our own game,” said Kress. “We had to keep pushing and hope to be the team standing at the end.”

Smith agreed the pace of the game was the key to his team’s comeback – and its prior and subsequent stumble.

“We got caught up a little in the speed of the game at the beginning,” said Smith. “We like to force the tempo, and did that for a while, but they are a little better at it than we are.”

Hojlo hit four three-pointers and was also successful on the interior.

“He has the ability at any time to get where he wants to be on the floor,” said Kress. “He’s included his teammates a lot more of late, especially early in the game. They can’t just key in on him. Then later in the game he is able to get out there and just do what he wants.”

Though Smith was happy with his team’s effort in cutting into a big lead, he said in the second half the Pythons left his group in the dust.

“Most teams like to play at about 50 mph,” said Smith. “We want to play at 70, and Pelham got to about 90.”

Stark looks to team leaders, varied bench to lead them to success

Goffstown Editor — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:44:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Due to snow and ice, the departure has been delayed, but Mike Smith is looking forward to seeing who’s in their seats when this vehicle leaves the station.

Weather has forced the John Stark boys basketball team to hold practices sporadically, but upon returning to the hardwood, the Generals’ head coach has been impressed with his team’s performance.

“You’re getting in here, getting in there. I’ve been very surprised when we pick up again after a break that they seem to be picking it up, and we don’t have to go back and review,” said Smith. “Guys understand that the bus is moving with or without them, and they want to make sure they are on the bus, and the seniors want to make sure they’re driving it.”

Last season, John Stark ended the season at 15-3, losing by a basket in the Class I semifinals.

Smith said his current group would like a chance at redemption, but it may be a difficult task after graduating four of his five starters from last year.

“I think what helps is that we’ve developed a tradition within the last few years of an expectation to get to UNH,” said Smith. “That’s been the goal. It’ll be a little more complicated this year, because only four teams get to go there instead of eight.”

A rules change means Lundholm Gymnasium is host site for the semifinals and finals. In years past, the quarterfinals were also played at UNH.

Despite missing those four starters from last year, Smith returns seven players with varsity experience; many step into new roles.

Because the practices have been few and far between, it’s been difficult for the Generals to gel.

“With the weather the way it is, scheduling has been very difficult. We could go through Christmas without playing a game,” said Smith. “It’ll be nice that we have some depth, because it’ll be tested as we play a lot of three-game weeks down the road. Everybody is in the same boat, and everyone wants to start playing.”

Kevin LeBlond and Nick Campono look to increase the pace of the John Stark offense, and they’ll press opponents on defense. Forward Danny Serard is coming off injuries, but Smith said he believes Serard, now healthy, can impress.

John Stark also has a bit of size with 6-foot-6 Travis Matteuzzi, who the coach said has been gaining confidence with each practice, and 6-4 forward Ethan O’Neill. Tom Vickers and Dyllin Moulton are two seniors who bring experience to the court.

Smith plans on using a rotation of 10 to 11 players per game, and that’s a big change.

“I think we have guys who can score, but we don’t have that 30- point scorer, all-state guy, which is why we’ve been overlooked a little,” said Smith. “I think we’ll make up for that with our depth and leadership.”

One unlikely source of inspiration for the coach has been Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots head coach, who stresses the importance of competition within the team for every position. “It’s no secret that in the Patriots’ model under Belichick, competition brings out the best in players,” said Smith. “We’re lucky to have that, whether for the first five, first eight or first 11. That’s forcing guys to improve. They can’t take breaks or take a rest, because there’s someone looking for those minutes.”

John Stark’s untested group requires captains’ guidance

Goffstown Editor — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:23:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Unlike the military, the captains must lead the Generals at John Stark High School.

Last season, the John Stark girls basketball team was knocked out of the playoffs by Souhegan in the quarterfinal round, and now head coach Wayne Thomson turns to Brittany Purington and Olivia Cray, his two seniors, to fill leadership roles.

“They’re going to have to step up,” said Thomson, the long-time mentor. “They aren’t in a supporting role. They are going to have to take charge. They’ll have to play like captains and play like seniors.”

Stark opened the 2008-09 season with a 52-40 win on the road vs. Milford on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and next play at Lebanon on Friday, Dec. 5.

Still, the chemistry of Thomson’s team – four juniors and six sophomores in addition to the two seniors – will require time to capture.

“Sometimes it takes a while,” he said. “We lost our center and our point guard. We lost one of our best bench players. We have to fill in the scoring, fill in the defense with whatever we can.”

Stepping in at center is junior Megan Titcomb, while Thomson said sophomore point guard Erica Vaillancourt may be asked to run the offense. “Megan has really improved on the offensive side of the ball, and she’ll have to anchor us in the middle,” said Thomson. “It’s always nice not to lose a ton of seniors, but it’s nice to have some.

“It’s a fine line,” he added. “If you’re looking for the future, it’s definitely nice to have the younger kids in there.” Besides, he’s happy with the depth of his squad. “They’ve come along pretty quick,” said Thomson. “My top seven or eight players are pretty interchangeable.”

With the preseason wrapped up, Thomson said he’s excited to see his young team on the floor when it counts. “We want to keep working and peak right around tournament time,” he said. “We’ve been going hard for two weeks, so it’ll be nice to get out and do it for real.”

Stark’s playoff run includes pair of upset road wins

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:28:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

It’s funny, said John Stark girls soccer coach Heather Doucette. Each season of the mentor’s six-year tenure, the Lady Generals have reached the postseason, and each year the competition inevitably looks past them.

Big mistake.

“It seems a phenomenon to me in that every year we work hard and make it to the tournament, and every year we still seem to surprise other teams,” said Doucette. “John Stark is moving in a different direction, and yet we still don’t have the same respect that teams like Hanover, St. Thomas and Hollis-Brookline get.”

This year’s victims included 11-3-2 St. Thomas, the same foe the Lady Generals took to double overtime before falling in the Class I finale two years ago. The locals went on the road to beat this year’s No. 7 seed in overtime, 3-2, to open the tournament. Next they traveled up I-89 to the Vermont border, where they knocked off No. 2 Lebanon, 1-0, also in overtime.

But that run ended in the semifinals, when Stark gave third-seeded Hanover everything it could handle before falling, 1-0, at Nashua’s Stellos Stadium on Nov. 4.

Though she credited a tough regular-season schedule with providing her players the mental edge necessary to piece together their fine playoff run, Doucette said that didn’t make the finalfour loss any easier.

Still, two days after the finish, the coach said she caught some of her players already talking about next year.

If this season is any indication, 2009 should carry plenty of excitement.

After all, the Lady Generals suffered a handful of setbacks that could have deflated their lofty goals, yet they managed to bounce back and play their best when it counted most.

Why should their latest heartbreak be any different? JS loses seniors Brittany Purington, Rachel Quimby, Marissa Johnson and Joan Hamel, who departs after scoring the gamewinner against St. Thomas and assisting on Stark’s other three tourney goals.

But junior Lauren Macklin, who notched two of those tallies, including her own game-winner against Lebanon, returns.

“Joan Hamel is an outstanding leader, both on and off the field, and she’s unbeatable when she’s on and attacking the goal,” said Doucette. “But Lauren has great vision of field, great touch and distributes well. If you leave her alone, she’s going to score a goal.”

Macklin isn’t flashy, which may hurt her chances for Class I Player of the Year honors, but Doucette said opposing coaches have gone out of their way to recognize the junior’s contributions.

Among a solid lot of talented youngsters expected back are junior Alyssa Charest, among the top defenders in the state, and sophomore Melissa Purington, who anchors the midfield.

Also likely to return are Allison Harris, Kayla Hubbard, Katie Cullerot, Emily Whitmore, Megan Goslin, Abigail Peirgross, Emily Pineault and Megan Keim.

“My expectation is they’re going to come in and work hard and set some pretty decent goals for themselves,” said Doucette. “We have talent, but to win in the tournament you need talent and leadership, and if you do that, you’re always dangerous.”

Good John Stark, Bow teams use OT to verify there’s room to improve

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:33:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow’s and John Stark’s girls soccer teams couldn’t muster any serious offensive threats through 80 minutes of play.

But it took John Stark forward Joan Hamel only 1 minute, 4 seconds to break through the afternoon shadows that consumed the Bow High School field and a host of Falcon defenders. Her goal gave the Lady Generals a 1-0 overtime win. The Friday, Oct. 10, contest was a battle of Class I postseason contenders; both teams entered the game with eight wins.

Coming off a difficult 2-1 loss to Kearsarge, John Stark’s head coach, Heather Doucette, preached to her team about the importance of a road win against Bow prior to the game.

“(Bow) was obviously fired up for us, and we came out and really needed to utilize our speed,” said Doucette. “They did a good job of keeping us off of our game. This was big for us after a disappointing loss, so I think it gave us some confidence to finish strong.”

During regulation, the majority of play took place near midfield, with neither goalie tested regularly.

Early in overtime, Hamel picked up a loose ball near midfield and carved through multiple Bow defenders, blasting down the sideline and powering a shot into the upper-right corner of the net. “In a tight game, it just takes a mistake or someone to step up,” said Bow’s head coach, Jay Vogt. “It happened so quickly. I’m still not really sure what happened. Obviously it’s frustrating.” Including the loss to the Generals, Bow has been shut out in two of its last three games, a problem Vogt said his squad needs to correct.

“At times we moved the ball, and we did everything until we got to the final third (of the field),” said Vogt. “That’s it. We have to find a way to finish. We just need to create some opportunities and get some shots on net.”

Midfielder Caitlin Heindl and defender Caitlin Pratt played well for the Falcons, while John Stark midfielders Alyssa Charest and Allison Harris were in the middle of the action throughout the contest. The win improved the Generals to 9-4-0 on the season, while Bow dropped to 8-4-0 with the loss.

Despite the win, Doucette said she knows her team, which has scored one or fewer goals five times this season, has to improve offensively.

“Being able to beat a team like this can boost us, but we need to be able to get more creative up front,” said Doucette. “There’s a lot to be done.”

This time, Stark’s strong finish produces a positive outcome

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:36:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The John Stark boys soccer team had been there. They just hadn’t done that.

After losing a 1-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining and falling to Hollis-Brookline earlier in the week, the Generals held off Milford for a 1-0 victory on Friday, Sept. 19.

Joe Dodson notched the lone goal of the game in the first half, and keeper Matt Bartolotti made Dodson’s strike hold up, making several diving saves throughout the contest.

Milford’s best chance to tie came with 14:34 remaining, when the Spartans sent a shot toward the left post. Bartolotti was up to the task; his full-extension dive knocked the shot wide.

John Stark’s head coach, Mark Bograd, said Bartolotti and Josh Levandowski have split time based on how they’ve looked in practice, among other factors.

“Matt was on today,” Bograd said. “His angles were perfect. One of his biggest difficulties before today had been making a decision. Even if it was the wrong decision, I told him he just needed to make one.”

The coach also said he often chooses based on his gut feeling. “It worked out today,” he said. With the win, the Generals improved to 3-2-1 in Class I. One of the losses was a 2-1 defeat at the hands of 6-0-1 Hollis-Brookline. The Generals have struggled to find a consistent offense, producing seven goals through their six matches.

Bograd said the effort was important for his team’s confidence after the tough loss.

“I told them before the game we were either going to leave the field over .500 or under .500, it was just a matter of which side they’d end up on,” he said. “This was so huge because they were in this exact situation Tuesday.” The Generals tallied with 23 minutes remaining in the half after Steve Johnstone was taken down inside the box, giving John Stark a penalty shot.

Dodson cashed in, easily knocking the ball past Milford’s diving goalie.

Jason Savage delivered a solid defensive game; he broke up a Spartan shot on goal with roughly five minutes remaining to help preserve the win.

Matt Gelinas played well for John Stark after replacing Nick Campono, who injured his head in the first half. Bograd said Campono was taken to the hospital for tests.

The Generals also won their game against visiting Con-Val on Monday, Sept. 22. The hosts shut out the Cougars, 2-0.

Lady Generals battle inexperience

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:18:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The John Stark girls field hockey team has no feeder program at the middle school level, and prior to this season, the Lady Generals won once in the program’s first seven years.

Yet Nicole Richardson is maintaining a positive attitude as she enters her fifth season as the varsity team’s head coach. After all, she knows her team won’t compete for titles in the foreseeable future, but participation is up. For the first time in the program’s history, there are enough athletes to warrant a junior varsity squad.

Also, the girls on the field have fun, and they’re developing as players.

“More girls are coming out, which is a step forward, and the attitudes are excellent. They want to stay with the team and win some games,” said Richardson. “The problem is our seniors have less experience than most freshmen at other schools who have been playing since fourth or fifth grade. All we can do is keep building and hopefully in the next couple years get a feeder program.”

In the meantime, senior Candace Hubner-Raley and Danielle Dupois lead a young unit that looks to win a couple contests and gain confidence going forward. The two captains rotate between center midfield and center back, said Richardson.

Another senior, Bridget Franciscovich, is a constant threat to put the ball in the net. She’s already done so once this year.

Sophomore Jacqueline Boisvert, the team’s other regular scorer, has already notched two goals this season.

Seniors Megan McCosh and Megan Kehr are also expected to play significant roles this season, as are three newcomers, junior Kelsey Therrien and freshmen Bryce Beliveau and Meredith Capuco.

Others seeing time on the varsity playing field are Katie Bighinatti, Paige Brochu, Brandi Connary, Taylor Frarie, Morgan Rice, Nicole Soucy and Bryanna Thibeault.

John Stark passes first test with one-goal victory at home

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:03:00 GMT

BY GREGOR R-BAUGH

The John Stark girls soccer team won its season opener on Friday, Aug. 29, beating ConVal, 3-2. The team is led by four seniors, but the bulk of players are juniors and sophomores, and head coach Heather Doucette needs those players to continue to perform like they did against ConVal.

Two rapid-fire goals in the first half and a second- half tally – all from juniors and sophomores – kept the Lady Generals in front. Stark worked for an 18-11 shot advantage. “We’re a young team,” said Doucette. “We’ve got some veteran seniors leading, but we also have freshmen who are stepping up.”

Junior Lauren Macklin gave JS the lead with an outside kick three minutes into the first half. Three minutes later sophomore Allison Harris lobbed a shot over the goalkeeper’s head for the second score of the game, putting the Lady Generals ahead, 2-0.

Though ConVal’s senior captain, Ashley Reis, cut Stark’s lead in half before halftime, junior Emily Pineault led off the second half with a goal as JS regained a two-goal cushion.

“Pineault’s been stepping up this year. Her maturity and game speed have increased. She’s a huge asset,” said Doucette. Reis slipped a header past John Stark’s winning keeper, senior Brittany Purington, to cap the scoring.

“It’s always a tough game against (ConVal). They’re a physical team,” said Doucette. “I think we could have dominated out there, but we have room to mature.”

No. 4 John Stark falls in quarterfinals to No. 5 Milford

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:19:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

When the John Stark softball team traveled to play Milford High School in April, the Generals crushed the Spartans, 12-0. Milford returned the unwelcome favor at the worst possible time.

The fourth-seeded Generals were ousted from the Class I quarterfinals on Saturday, June 7, following a 7-1 loss to the fifthranked Spartans at Memorial Field in Concord.

The biggest difference came in the circle, where Milford’s ace pitcher, Lindsay Lozeau, shut down the Stark bats.

“It was her, 100 percent,” said John Stark’s head coach, Zack Medlock. “We didn’t see her the first time. It wasn’t like they threw the ball around that game, we just hit the ball. Today we pressed a little too much.”

Milford scored two runs in the first frame and followed with three in the second inning, putting John Stark in a big hole.

In the home half of the second, John Stark tried to climb back into the contest thanks to a leadoff triple by cleanup hitter Kelsey Francher.

After a strikeout, Lozeau allowed Francher to score on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning, with Francher again on third, Molly Dussault flew to right field, but Francher was thrown out trying to score thanks to a perfect throw from Milford outfielder Beth Solan.

John Stark was unable to muster any hits in the final three innings, putting runners on courtesy of a walk and a Milford error.

“We left some balls up in the (strike) zone, and they hit them. Their pitcher really controlled the game out there,” said Medlock. “We had some anxiousness. We were aggressive, and we always are, but it hurt us today.”

The Generals fielded a team that was inexperienced in the postseason and unfamiliar with playing from behind.

“It’s not only that it was unfamiliar, but then you let up a few fluky plays and it gets uncomfortable. You get a little panicked and don’t know how to shed that, “ said Medlock. “We’re not used to being down. We usually score in bunches.”

Despite the early exit, the Generals finished with a 17-4 record, which impressed Medlock. “Considering we were 5-10 last year without a glimpse of the playoffs, we had a fantastic season,” he said. “We exceeded expectations all over. We’re not happy with the end, but we are with the season.”