TILTON – The two programs have more in common than just playing in the same division.
The Hopkinton field hockey team used the offseason to reset, reload and returned this fall with plenty of fresh faces and a brand new coach in Kate Hohenberger, who made her way up the ranks from JV to assistant to now head coach.
Winnisquam has all the young talent to match the Hawks, and also entered this season with a rookie roaming the sidelines in first-year coach Samantha Magoon, a former player and 2010 Winnisquam High graduate who spent three seasons at the middle school level before landing the job for the Bears.
Up against each other on Friday afternoon in Tilton, Hohenberger and the Hawks won the battle. Senior captain Katie Meserve scored twice – once in each half – and Hopkinton held off a late surge to defeat Winnisquam, 2-1.
“I started to really get to know this group (as an assistant) and this year they’ve just got such a good relationship,” said Hohenberger, whose Hawks are off and running at 4-0. “I keep trying to push empowerment, raising each others’ morale, pushing each other to be better and never cutting anybody down on the team. That’s played a big role in this and our ability to play together.”
After notching her first career head coaching win with Hopkinton in the opener on Sept. 4, Hohenberger and the Hawks were forced to scramble late in order to avoid her first loss.
Hopkinton took a 2-0 lead with 26:50 to play in the second half when Meserve got her stick on a ball during a scrum in front of the cage, but the rest of the contest would prove to be a true test of the Hawks’ defense.
Hannah Max helped the Bears (1-2) finally break through on the scoreboard with a goal in the later stages of the second half – a play that appeared to spark the team’s attack as Winnisquam kept the ball in Hopkinton’s end for the majority of the final 15 minutes.
In those final minutes, the Bears generated corner after corner, eight straight in total as they pushed for the equalizer. But each time, Hopkinton’s defense was up to the challenge.
“I think I can speak for the whole team when I say we were all having mini heart attacks during that,” Meserve said of the hectic final minutes. “We were all very nervous, but also very confident in our defense and new goalie.”
That new goalie was first-year starter Izzy Holmes, who came up with five saves to help Hopkinton maintain its advantage despite heavy traffic in front of the cage and what seemed like a nonstop carousel of corners for the Bears.
Winnisquam held a 12-4 edge in corners for the game but could only muster seven shots on goal to Hopkinton’s 10.
“I think they tire themselves out so by the time they get the chance, they can’t execute because they’re exhausted,” Winnisquam’s Magoon said of her team’s chances late. “We had plenty of great opportunities today and just didn’t use them. Hopkinton earned it. They have a strong team and worked really hard today. They deserved it.”
Part of the challenge for a first-year coach is getting to know the players quickly. Magoon doesn’t have that issue, having coached many of the current Bears when they were part of the Winnisquam Middle School field hockey team.
But that doesn’t mean the Bears have it all figured out. There’s still a few kinks to work out for the young group.
“It really is just knowing where they need to be and working together,” Magoon said. “Communicating is huge and sometimes they just don’t use it because they’re so focused. But if they just used that communication, they would go where they’re supposed to be and execute.”
The hot start for the Hawks, who also received standout performances from Julia Baer (assist), Madeleine Maughan (assist), Avery Barrett, Caroline Barrett and Fiona Beane, has been a bit of surprise, even for some of the veteran leaders.
“We actually lost eight seniors last year, most of them being starters. So coming into this season I wasn’t expecting much,” captain Avery Barrett said. “Honestly, I thought it was going to be a rebuilding season, but I’m really surprised with how everyone is doing and we’re off to a really good start.”
(Jay McAree can be reached at 369-3371, jmcaree@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JayMcAree.)
Field Hockey
Concord 3, Salem 2, OT
Key players: Concord – Jordan Cromwell (2G), Alice Rosenberg (G, 2A), Kaitlyn McKinnon (forward), Ella Doherty (midfield), Maria Armaganian (midfield)
Highlights: Cromwell scored her first two varsity goals in regulation and Rosenberg scored the game-winner in overtime to extend the Tide’s perfect streak to four games. Salem’s Alison Beauchesne tied the game with seven minutes to go, forcing the game to overtime.
Records: Concord 4-0; Salem 1-3
Hanover 6, Pembroke 0
Key players: Pembroke – Sophia Brasley (18 saves)
Highlights: The undefeated Marauders tallied three goals in each half, despite a great effort from Spartan goalie Brasley. Hanover has outscored opponents, 24-0, through four games.
Records: Hanover 4-0; Pembroke 0-4
Bishop Brady 7, White Mountains 1
Key players: Bishop Brady – Halle Laramie (G, 2A), Libbey Hicks (G, 2A), Ashlyn Toupin (2G), Margaret Sheehan (2G), Becca Murphy (G), Lausen Holdsworth (A), Julie Blais (8 saves), Raelyn Roberts, Riley Marsh, Kathryn Weed
Highlights: The Giants took a 3-0 halftime lead and didn’t look back in a decisive victory.
Coach’s quote: “All-around team play by the girls today from start to finish.” – Bishop Brady’s Kelly Owen
Records: Bishop Brady 4-0; White Mtns. 1-2
Exeter 1, Concord 0
Key players: Concord – Abbas Abdulrahman (5 saves), Brandon Comire (defense), Alejo Caceres (midfield)
Highlights: The Blue Hawks scored in the 48th minute and the Tide couldn’t find the equalizer.
Records: Exeter 1-2; Concord 1-3
Bishop Brady 3, Winnisquam 1
Key players: Bishop Brady – Jack Lyons (G), Jon Scrivens (G), Sal Aubin (G), Connor Raposo (defense)
Highlights: The Giants had three different goal scorers and defender Jackson Bemis saved a ball on the line in the second half.
Coach’s quote: “After playing a little flat the first half, the boys played with a little more intensity and purpose in the second half and were able to come away with a win.” – Bishop Brady’s Mike Ling
Records: Bishop Brady 1-2; Winnisquam 0-3
Sanborn 4, Hillsboro-Deering 3
Key players: H-D – Ben Ketterer (2G), Julian Howell (G), Gunner Hagstrom (A)
Highlights: Ketterer scored a header off a Hagstrom assist in a strong first half, but it wasn’t enough to top the Indians.
Coach’s quote: “Great first half. Defense played solid.” – H-D’s Glenn Winters
Records: Sanborn 2-1; H-D 1-3
Hopkinton 3, Prospect Mtn. 1
Key players: Hopkinton – Derek West (2G), Benny Madden (G), Shea Dickson (A), Steven Newton-Delgado (A), Aidan Burns (5 saves)
Highlights: Madden scored from the defensive midfield position in the second minute with a calm finish and West struck the back of the net in the 46th minute off a free kick and tucked away a hard shot in the 77th.
Coach’s quote: “Good solid win today against a skilled and hard-charging Prospect side. The opening early goal let us set into a good rhythm but it may have also made us a bit complacent. The entire game was a series of runs. One team would seem to be on the verge of breaking it wide open and then the other team would have a good few minutes. Aidan Burns also made a couple superb saves to preserve the lead in the second half.” – Hopkinton’s Scott Zipke
Records: Hopkinton 3-1; Prospect Mtn. 1-3
Bow 2, Kearsarge 1
Key players: Bow – Emma Wilke (goalie), Anna Lafreniere (G), Lyndsey LaPerle (G), Kristina Pizzi (A), Addie Trefethen (A); Kearsarge – Jordan Busch (A), Thea Spanos (G), Mary Meagher (16 saves)
Highlights: LaPerle scored the game-winning goal and Wilke made a huge, fully-extended save on a breakaway from Kearsarge’s Busch to knock the ball wide. Lafreniere scored the game-tying goal one minute after the Cougars took a 1-0 lead on the goal from Spanos, her first varsity tally, which came off a corner kick by Busch. Maddie Green, Lindsey Burnham, Maddie Roberge and Pizzi played well in the midfield for the Falcons, making great runs. Bow’s Taylor Burnham, Stephanie Gosselin and Chloe Binder played well defensively.
Coach’s quote: “The girls came to play today with a lot of energy. We moved the ball very well and created many very good scoring chances. It was absolutely a complete team effort. I was also very happy to see our team come back so quickly after going down 1-0 on a nice goal off a corner by Kearsarge.” – Bow’s Jay Vogt
Records: Bow 5-0; Kearsarge 1-3
John Stark 8, Sanborn 1
Key players: John Stark – Bella Roy (4G), Meghan Mefford (2A), Chelsea Woodsum (2G, A), Liz Downing (G), Madison Porth (G)
Highlights: Roy scored half of John Stark’s goals in a decisive victory.
Coach’s quote: “We are still working on ironing out some kinks but it is coming together. We are playing with five freshmen actively involved in the offense, another two in defense at the moment and rotating three sophomores on the field. This a young team learning a lot from older players who have switched positions, but are sharing their skill and experience.” – John Stark’s Chris Pike
Records: John Stark 3-1; Sanborn 0-4
Bishop Brady 2, Campbell 1
Key players: Bishop Brady – Sheridan Brummett (2G), Emily Senko (4 saves), Adrienne Brummett (midfield), Lauren Beitler (midfield)
Highlights: The Giants took the lead in the first 20 minutes of the match and held on the rest of the way against a top-four D-III program.
Coach’s quote: “It was good for our girls to play the way they did today against a very good Campbell team. Our girls played hard throughout the game and earned a tough victory. This game was a good test for us early in the season and it was good to see a positive result.” – Bishop Brady’s Andrew Mattarazzo
Records: Bishop Brady 4-0; Campbell 4-1
Hopkinton 7, Prospect Mtn. 1
Key players: Hopkinton – Emily Metzger (2G), Lilia Klingler (G), Loren Charron (2G, A), Lillie Presti (G, A), Madison Carmichael (G, A), Annie Higginbotham (A), Kally Murdough (A)
Highlights: The Hawks scored five goals in the first half to cruise to a victory.
Coach’s quote: “Good win against a well-coached Prospect team by Doug Cheney, old soccer friend of coach Zahn. We could not get our possession game going at all this game but at least the counter attack was working well. Still trying players in different spots with the injuries we have at the moment is difficult, but it’s good to score the goals today and almost keep the clean sheet for goalkeeper Emily Fleegle.” – Hopkinton’s Mike Zahn
Records: Hopkinton 3-1; Prospect Mountain 1-3
Inter-Lakes 3, Franklin 0
Highlights: The Lakers topped the Tornadoes, 25-10, 25-7, 25-19.
Records: Inter-Lakes 3-0; Franklin 1-1