HANOVER — Senior Alice Piper scored off an assist from junior Madison Willey three minutes into overtime as the Hartford High field hockey team came back from an early deficit to defeat Hanover, 2-1, on Saturday at Merriman-Branch Field for the first time in the last six meetings between the two teams.
“I am thrilled at the way my girls played, coming from behind,” Hartford coach Heather Scudder said.
After a scoreless first half, Hanover sophomore Maggie Higgins sent a corner to her sister, senior Sadie Higgins, who blasted the ball into the corner of cage.
Hartford tied things up 30 seconds into the fourth quarter when Hurricane sophomore Madi Barwood redirected a crossing pass from Willey.
The fast-paced contest continued in overtime with opportunities on both sides before Piper’s heroics.
“It was a great Upper Valley battle between two 3-0 teams,” Hanover coach Jean Essex said. “Both teams played hard, fast and with a lot of skill. My players just ran out of steam at the end, playing their second game in less than 24 hours. I am proud of them, and it was a really fun game to coach, play and watch.”
Hartford (4-0-0) and will play at St. Johnsbury on Wednesday. Hanover (3-1-0) welcomes Goffstown on Monday.
WEST CANAAN — First-year Royals head coach John Daley wants his players to be meaner.
“They love to play and practice,” Daley said after Saturday’s game. “Now we just need a little bit of violence.”
The Toppers (2-0), the defending NHIAA Division IV state champions, drove Mascoma (0-2-0) all over the field, taking advantage of the hosts deploying a front five comprised of a senior, a junior, a sophomore and two freshmen. The Royals, who lost, 42-0, last week at Newport, have one lineman out with COVID-19 and another playing through an injured ankle, Daley said.
Mascoma has size but not experience in the trenches, and that contributed to its achieving only one first down during the first half.
Somersworth led, 36-0, at intermission and began substituting liberally during the second quarter. By game’s end, the Hilltoppers had numerous freshmen on the field. The entire second half was played with a running clock.
“Our guys work hard and they’re squared away in school and I love working with them,” said Daley, himself a low-key individual but one who played line for the Royals with an edge and helped them reach the 2012 NHIAA Division VI title game. “However, we’re a very mild-mannered team, and we need to get a little more aggression.”
Mascoma trailed, 49-0, after three quarters. The Royals got onto the scoreboard when workhorse running back Damian Nestle ran two yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Brody Goulette ran for the 2-point conversion.
The hosts closed the day’s scoring with a minute to play, Nestle running for a 15-yard touchdown. The Royals are at Bishop Brady (1-1) next week.
TILTON, N.H. — It was another dominating win by the Tigers, who have outscored their two opponents this year by a combined score of 84-19.
Newport (2-0) is home against Newfound on Saturday.
SWANTON, Vt. — The Olympians kept it close through the first half and went to the break tied, 1-1, on a goal by freshman Abby Peavey with an assist by senior Meredith Young.
Senior Makenna Simmons had 13 saves for Oxbow.
The O’s host Craftsbury on Tuesday.
THETFORD — Thetford played the Rangers even for nearly the entire game before a goal with less than a minute left in regulation.
Heidi Hewes had 13 saves for the Panthers.
“Girls played hard and well right to the end, and we continue to improve,” Thetford coach Dave Williams said. “I was proud of their effort today.”
Thetford (0-5-0) is at Woodstock on Wednesday.
NASHUA, N.H. — Hanover had the early lead on a goal by junior Maeve Lee, but the Purple Panthers got the equalizer before halftime.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in the second half before Nashua South scored five minutes into overtime.
The Bears slip to 3-4-0 and are home to Alvirne on Tuesday.
WINDHAM, N.H. — The Jaguars scored first on a penalty kick then added another before the half.
“With the Bears pressing to equalize, Windham capitalized on several counterattacks and scored three times in the late going,” Hanover coach Rob Grabill said.
Hanover (3-4-0) is at Alvirne on Tuesday. The Bears defeated the Broncos in overtime in the first round of the playoffs last year.
NORTHWOOD, N.H. — An anticipated matchup between Lebanon’s Birhanu Harriman and Aidan Cox of Coe-Brown, the top cross country runner in the state, failed to materialize when Harriman rolled his ankle early in the 3.1-mile race.
Lebanon coach Kevin Lozeau said Harriman “played it safe the rest of the way,” and the injury does not appear to be serious. “He should be back in no time,” Lozeau said.
The boys, who finished fourth out of six teams, were led by two soccer standouts in Tommy Wolfe (fifth, 17:20) and Angus Hall (18th, 18:35), with senior captain Carson Jones right behind (19th, 18:39). Also running for the Raiders was another soccer dual-sporter, Nick Engert (24th, 19:21 in in his first cross country race), sophomore Augustin Ramos-Glew (42nd, 20:30) and seniors Isaac Ager (62nd, 22:23) and Nick Lamontagne (63rd, 22:24).
The Lebanon girls were able to compete with a full scoring team of five, finishing fifth out of six teams. They were led by senior Isabella Hastings (13th, 22:52), who was followed by freshman Sarah Smith (19th, 23:20), senior Ella Gessner (23rd, 23:55), freshman Annalise Brown (48th, 28:07), and senior Vickie Ni (50th, 28:31).
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. — Junior Jack Fournier-Stephens led the Hartford boys to a seventh-place finish among 16 teams at the U-32 Invitational on Saturday.
Fournier-Stephens was 26th among 119 runners, crossing the line in 19:38.27. Next for Hartford was senior Gavin Farnsworth (29th, 19:50.83), followed by Bennett Moreno (45th, 20:39.26), Hugh Wendling (53rd, 20:57.29), Conner Beland (86th, 23:23.02) and Arlo Philip (98th, 24:43.40).
John Viens of Richford won the race in 17:14.05.
The Hartford girls had four runners in their 3.1-mile race, not enough for a team score.
Leading the Hurricanes among 95 runners was Meg MacLaury (38th, 24:27.16), followed by Rylee Burnham (40th, 24:42.24), Cecilia Wendling (84th, 32:07.46) and Barrette Ouelette (89th, 33:26,81).
The girls race was won by Amy Felice of U-32 in 20:27.45.
Boys team scores: U-32 30, Middlebury 66, BFA-St. Albans 70, Stowe 109, Harwood Union 111, Montpelier 200, Hartford 205.
Girls team scores: Harwoad 67, U-32 67, Middlebury 74, South Burlington 109, BFA-St. Albans 111.