Kearsarge’s Cooper Russell is a typical soccer center back: barking instructions while wearing the captain’s armband, tall and strong in the air, playing out wide or over the top from the back ranks.
Based on his serious demeanor and a yellow card for arguing with the referee, it’s hard to see that he’s having fun. But he is.
Kearsarge found plenty of enjoyment out of its visit to rival Hopkinton on Tuesday afternoon as goals by sophomore Aden Sasi and junior Bryce Selby set the table for a 2-0 victory.
Cougar junior goalkeeper Grady Burch made seven saves, including a crucial diving free-kick denial to his right on a shot by Hopkinton senior Rowan Boyle, to earn his clean sheet.
Russell wouldn’t want any other goalie behind him.
“We’re really coming together, and this game was a culmination of that,” Russell said. “We’re all laughing and having fun after this.”
Cougar junior goalie Grady Burch (1) made seven saves against Hopkinton to earn his fifth clean sheet of the year on Oct. 6, 2026. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor 
Sophomore Aden Sasi put Kearsarge up early with a left footed looping shot in the first half of a 2-0 win over Hopkinton. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor
That fun is by design. Kearsarge coach Couper Gunn said that after last year’s run to the Division III final, where the Cougars fell to St. Thomas, he doesn’t want his players to put pressure on themselves to be that same team. Gunn has always emphasized giving his players freedom on the pitch.
Gunn is even looking ahead at his October slate of games with excitement, facing Stevens (10-0-1) twice as well as single dates with Fall Mountain (6-2-2) and Derryfield (5-4-1).
“I think having those tests now will serve us super well,” he said.
Selby’s goal was the case in point. Late in the game, he combined on a one-two back-and-forth with senior striker Quinn Cusick to find space in the box and finish in the bottom right corner. That moment came from practice, freedom to move and confidence, Gunn said.
“Hoping to keep scoring. I want us to keep playing like we did today, play hard, aggressive and keep passing,” Selby said.
The first meeting between the two was a fairly inoffensive 1-1 draw on opening night in North Sutton, but now — halfway through the season — the stakes were much higher for the Hawks.
The Hawks (4-5-1) lost some firepower on offense with the departure of key players like Fin Murphy and Nolan Linstad, as well as some back-line experience with six defensive players graduating. Hopkinton was already on a three-game losing skid entering Tuesday’s contest.
Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor 
Hopkinton goalie Riley Riendeau and Kearsarge defender Cooper Russell go up for a looping cross in the first half. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor 
Hopkinton senior Will Lee earned a yellow card for a tackle on Kearsarge’s Bryce Selby in front of the Hawks’ bench on Oct. 6, 2026. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor
Hopkinton coach Scott Zipke was unnerved on the sidelines after the loss to Kearsarge (7-1-2). Despite the recent run of form, he thinks the Hawks have played some of their best soccer yet.
Besides Burch’s first-half save, Hopkinton also hit the post and missed on a tricky back-post corner header. It was unlucky the game didn’t go the Hawks’ way, in Zipke’s view.
“It’s tough to tell the guys, repeatedly, ‘You guys played great,’ but our games have been against some of the top teams in the state,” Zipke said.
Hopkinton will play at Sanborn at 4 p.m. on Thursday and look to break its misfortunes.
Kearsarge’s next game is its away fixture at Stevens on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Cougars will have to stay sharp and solid in the back to get a result against the unbeaten Cardinals.