“That’s all folks!”
A tip of the cap to Porky Pig for that phrase as the fall sports season has signed off, and what a ride it’s been. Questions loomed all the way back in August as teams were preparing for this season. What would the season look like compared to a year ago? What protocols would be in place? Will there be any COVID issues?
Luckily, for a large majority of teams in the capital area, fall 2021 was an all-around success in the mere fact that teams got to play full schedules against their respective divisional opponents. Rivalries resumed, champions crowned and all the tidings that come in sports happened as they should.
With that, the Monitor will close out the fall with one final Capital Class. Included in the rankings will be next two and honorable mentions.
For one last time this fall, take a look at the top of the class:
1. Hopkinton girls’ XC: The Hawks girls’ cross country runners were long overdue to be at the top of the list. Hopkinton never lost a single race against Division III opponents and along the way won the Division III championship. It now will run one last time this season in the New Englands meet this Saturday in Thetford, Vermont.
2. Hopkinton girls’ soccer (19-0): The history books were rewritten by Hopkinton girls soccer this year. The Hawks won their fourth consecutive championship this past Sunday beating St. Thomas 2-1 and capped off a perfect season at 19-0. That 2-1 final was the smallest margin of victory all season long for the Hawks.
3. Hopkinton field hockey (17-0): Much like their peers on the pitch, the Hawks field hockey team capped off an undefeated season in dramatic fashion in a 3-2 championship victory over Bishop Brady. Hopkinton’s title win was its first in 29 years.
T-4. Bow girls’ soccer (18-1): The Falcons capped off the fall by avenging their only loss of the season in the championship game, beating Pembroke 2-1 in overtime. Bow was led by players up-and-down the field, including a deep bench. What’s critical is that the Falcons return the LaPerle twins, Juliette Tarsa and a cast of others next season.
T-4. Pembroke girls’ soccer (18-1): Pembroke finished its season as the Division II runner-up after a flawless 18-0 run. The Spartans and its trio of captains in seniors Adrienne Dorr and twin sisters Britney and Cierra Hill dominated their opponents all season long, outscoring opponents in the regular season 76-6.
6. Coe-Brown volleyball (17-2): The Bears finished a historic season winning their first championship championship since 2013 as they beat No. 4 Milford 3-0. Coe-Brown closed out the regular season on a six-match win streak and in the playoffs swept all three of its matches.
7. Coe-Brown boys’ XC: Led by Aiden Cox, the Bears saw great success in the postseason by winning their fourth consecutive Division II state championship. Coe-Brown finished in second at the Meet of Champions, but saw Cox finish as a champion both at states and the Meet of Champions.
8. Bow golf: The Falcons won their eighth team title in 10 years and capped off another strong season in the program’s history. They entered the tournament as the undoubted No. 1 team after finishing the regular season with the best record.
9. Concord boys’ XC: The reigning state champions from a year ago unfortunately weren’t able to replicate that result this season. However, a second place finish in the finals and a third place spot in the Meet of Champions allowed Concord to qualify for New Englands this weekend.
10. Concord girls’ XC: Much like the boys team, a tough finish in the state finals dampened an otherwise successful season for the Tide. They placed fourth in the Meet of Champions and qualified for New Englands.
As for the next two:
11. Bishop Brady field hockey (14-5): The Giants pushed Hopkinton as far as they could in the championship game, but the reigning champs lost their crown. Even so, Brady had an impressive playoff run as the sixth seed were led by senior Libbey Hicks to a runner-up finish.
12. Kearsarge bass fishing: The Cougars finished as the state runners-up behind champion Keene during the title event back in early October.
And the honorable mentions:
Boys’ soccer: Bishop Brady (semi-final loss as a tenth seed).
Girls’ soccer: Merrimack Valley (1-0 loss in quarterfinals as a tenth seed, won first round game in PKs).
Field hockey: John Stark (2-1 loss in overtime during quarterfinals, finished one of the better years in program history).
Volleyball: Concord (upset seventh-seeded Portsmouth 3-2 in opening round).
Football: Kearsarge and Gilford-Belmont (both teams made playoffs after a combined 11-5 record).