The Kearsarge Cougars remained undefeated with a draw against Hopinton, but both team captains wanted more — they wanted to win.
On Tuesday afternoon, Hopkinton hosted the Cougars in a showdown of Division III’s top teams that ended in a 0-0 draw. The Hawks (7-2-2), in search of defending their state title, did not play the same team they defeated by a 2-1 score in the playoffs last year.
The much-improved Cougars (8-0-3) came out of the gate looking to strike. Within the first five minutes, they fired three shots on target, but Hopkinton senior goalie Hunter Eckner-Taylor denied every opportunity.
“If we see them again, and I hope we do, they’re a great team, they’ll continue to win, we’ll continue to win, but we’ll be better then,” junior defender and team captain Cooper Russell said.
Russell and Kearsarge coach Couper Gunn both said that their undefeated season is not a topic of conversation. Their record is not affecting their mental state and they both were confident they’ll continue winning if they trust in their talent.
As the game progressed, Hopkinton settled into its possession-based style and pressed the attack. Hopkinton junior midfielder and captain Fin Murphy was frustrated with the goalless draw and thought his team could have done better to win.
Murphy said the team played well and was cohesive throughout, but could have found another gear to score.
“We know that coming in as defending champs that every team is going to give us their best,” he said. “So just keeping our level a bit higher than everybody else, always putting in one-hundred percent.”
Hawks coach Scott Zipke said he thought it was the team’s most complete game of the season. The draw against one of their biggest divisional rivals was not a negative, he said, and he remained confident they’ll get back to winning.
Kearsarge sophomore goalkeeper Grady Burch had a spectacular performance, with nine saves on the day, many of which were acrobatic dives on well-placed shots. Similarly, Hopkinton’s Eckner-Taylor finished with five saves in the goalkeeper duel.
Gunn, a defensive-minded coach, was proud of how Russell and senior Jacob Messer Jr. commanded the back line to hold the clean sheet.
He said his team strayed too far from its style in the second half, and they will have to focus on ball movement and staying consistent on attack.
Kearsarge will move on to face the only other undefeated team in D-III, St. Thomas (10-0-1), away from home on Friday at 6 p.m.
Hopkinton will play away at Mascoma (3-5-2) on Thursday at 4 p.m.