Published: 7/17/2021 9:49:23 PM
Modified: 7/17/2021 9:49:24 PM
HANOVER — Graduated senior soccer players from high schools across Vermont and New Hampshire fought through rain Saturday to compete in the 46th Lions Cup high school soccer all-star games at Hanover High.
Vermont swept the contests — the girls game finished 3-2, while the boys game ended 5-1. New Hampshire still leads the all-time series on both sides.
This was the first edition of the Lions Cup games since 2019. The games were canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Six players from Upper Valley high schools participated in the games.
On the girls side, forwards Charlotte Johnson and Sage McGinley-Smith represented Hanover High, and goalkeeper Sally Rainey represented Lebanon High for New Hampshire. Hanover head coach Doug Kennedy and Lebanon head coach Breck Taber were both also on the sideline.
New Hampshire had three goalkeepers who split the game into relatively equal segments; Rainey played the first segment. McGinley-Smith and Johnson played most of the game while rotating on and off with the other forwards.
Rainey, who will join the soccer team at the University of New Hampshire in the fall, said the game was fast-paced. She said the teams made a point of keeping the ball in play.
“It was super-fun,” Rainey said. “I think everyone was really excited to be here, and so that made it enjoyable for both teams.”
Rainey added that while the game didn’t go New Hampshire’s way, it was nice to play with so many people she’s competed with and against over the last several years.
She said this experience gave her some closure on her high school soccer career.
“To play with Charlotte and Sage and a couple of the other local people that I’ve been playing against for the past few years, that was a good experience to kind of wrap everything up,” Rainey said.
Hanover defender Dylan Kotlowitz and Lebanon midfielder Tyler St. Martin played for New Hampshire’s boys team, while White River Valley School forward Carder Stratton suited up for Vermont. Lebanon head coach Rob Johnstone and Hanover head coach Rob Grabill served as coaches for the New Hampshire team.
While the boys score appeared lopsided, it wasn’t that way for a majority of the game. Vermont netted two goals in two minutes at two separate points in the second half to pull away.
Kotlowitz was frustrated with the result but enjoyed the chance to play on the field at Hanover one last time.
“It was definitely an honor, something I wanted to do for a while,” Kotlowitz said. “It’s tough that we lost, but it’s for a good cause.”
St. Martin, however, was not as fixated on the final score. Though he would’ve liked to win, he relished the experience more.
“I had a blast,” St. Martin said. “I thought it was fun. The first half especially, because I felt like we controlled the game a lot. Everyone here is good. Good people, good players.”
Stratton, the lone Upper Valley participant to leave Hanover victorious, enjoyed playing in a high-caliber game like this. He couldn’t find the words to fully describe his thoughts about the day, but he noted how different it was than Vermont Principals Association Division IV matches.
He found it a little odd to play with so many peers he competed against throughout his high school career. But he said it was a memorable event.
“Definitely something I’m going to remember forever,” Stratton said. “In one day, I got to know these kids pretty well. Now I’m going to stay connected with them forever, just because we all play soccer. It’s just an amazing feeling knowing that you get to play with the best players in the state.”
Seth Tow can be contacted at stow@vnews.com.