The halfway point in a season is a perfect time for a team to start turning the corner, and the Concord boys’ lacrosse team could be doing just that.
After suffering some tough losses to some of Division I’s top programs, the Tide defeated previously undefeated Derryfield of Division II, 5-4, leveling Concord’s record at 4-4 heading into the second half of the season.
“The kids worked really hard,” Tide Coach Jeff Smith said. “I’m just proud of them. They rose to the occasion.”
It was a back-and-forth game, with the Cougars (5-1) taking a 1-0 lead in the first quarter, but goals from Drew Livingston, Brad Hicks and Spencer Burgess gave the Tide a 3-2 halftime lead.
Chris Cummings, Sam Galvin and Brendan Pearl added assists.
The Cougars scored the first two goals of the third quarter to take a 4-3 lead, but Concord’s defense buckled down and goalie Ethan Donlon (17 saves) got a lot of support from defenders Dan Kelleher, J.D. Osborne, Liam Connolly, Matt O’Brien and Josh Larner, holding the normally high-scoring Derryfield offense in check. The Cougars hadn’t scored fewer than 13 goals entering Saturday’s game.
“The defensive players did a great job, they held (Derryfield) off. (Allowing) four goals against Derryfield is a great job. They deserve to be mentioned for their effort,” Smith said. “The defense helped Ethan a lot. We took the middle of the field away and took away high-percentage shots, we forced a lot of outside shots. (The defense) made sure he had a fighting chance on every shot.”
Hicks tallied his second goal in the third quarter to tie the game, 4-4, and later assisted on Livingston’s game-winning tally in the fourth.
“It was back and forth, it was a great game overall,” Smith said. “They’ve done well, they’ve played some very good teams tough, it’s fun to see all their hard work paid off,” Smith added, referring to losses against Bishop Guertin (9-0), Exeter (7-2), Bedford (7-1) and Hanover (3-3).
“Going into the second half of the season, hopefully (this win) gives them some confidence and they’ll continue to grow in what they’re doing.”
From coaches’ reports
Black Bear Invitational
Key players: Kearsarge – Zach Astle (1st shot put at 53-11, 1st discus at 141-9, 3rd javelin), Troy Davis (1st high jump at 6-6, 1st long jump at 20-4, 3rd triple jump), Ian Bready (4th 300 hurdles); Coe-Brown – Zach Richards (3rd 800, 4th 1,600), Jake Scarponi (3rd 3,200), Evan Tanguay (4th 3,200), Davio DeLuca (5th 3,200), Jacob Snow (2nd high jump, 6th 800), Orion Clachar (6th 110 hurdles), 4×800 (1st in 8:27, Zach Richards, Tanner Richards, Jared Nelson, Scarponi), 4×400 (6th, Richards, Snow, Ethan Barbeau, Chris Pratt); Merrimack Valley – Brandon Wood (3rd 110 hurdles, 3rd 300 hurdles), Joey Baylus (4th 110 hurdles, 5th 300 hurdles), 4×800 (6th, Isaiah Shedd, Walker John, Dylan Guinard, Herman Nixon); Belmont – Eli Allman (5th 110 hurdles), Kyle Gelinas (5th 1,600), 4×800 (4th, Gelinas, Nick Randos, Zach Ennis, Ian Remenar)
Highlights/key moments: Astle and Davis each won a pair of events and added a third-place finish to lead the D-III Cougars to a second-place finish at the 30-team Black Bear Invitational. D-I Timberlane (59) edged Kearsarge (56) thanks to a victory in the 4×400, the final event of the day. Souhegan (47.75), Coe-Brown (43), Bedford (40.75), Winnacunnet (38.25), Portsmouth (37) and Kennett (30) rounded out a tight group for third through eighth place. MV (19) finished in 13th and Belmont (8) tied for 17th. Bishop Brady, Bow, Concord Christian and Pembroke competed, but did not score.
Black Bear Invitational
Key players: Coe-Brown – Brooke Laskowsky (1st 800 in 2:19, 3rd 1,600), Elisabeth Danis (1st 3,200 in 11:00, 4th 1,600), Christen Gallant (1st pole vault at 9-6), Kathleen Collins (2nd discus), Alli Pratt (4th 3,200, 6th 1,600), 4×800 (1st in 10:01, Summer Barnes, Julia Cormier, Danis, Laskowsky), 4×400 (6th, Meg Scannell, Pratt, Laskowsky, Eleanor McDonough); Merrimack Valley – Kristie Schoffield (1st 400 in 58.72, 2nd 3,200), Kaitlyn Covell (4th 300 hurdles, 5th 100 hurdles), Asia Grace Hanson (3rd javelin)
Highlights/key moments: Coe-Brown had victories from Danis, Laskowsky, Gallant and the 4×800 relay to finish second in the 30-team Black Bear Invitational on Coe-Brown’s home track. D-I Bedford won the meet with 74 points, but Coe-Brown (64) bested D-II rivals Oyster River (55) and Milford (43). Londonderry (41), Nashua South (40) and Merrimack (36) rounded out the top seven teams. Merrimack Valley (30) finished 10th. Belmont, Bishop Brady, Bow, Concord Christian, Kearsarge and Pembroke competed, but did not score.