NEWPORT — The Newport High football team earned a measure of revenge Saturday, beating NHIAA Division IV rival Somersworth, 13-12. The Hilltoppers beat the Tigers during last season’s state title game in Laconia.
Newport took a 6-0 lead during the first quarter when Kyle Ashley ran 16 yards for a touchdown. The senior swept left, stiff-armed an opponent to the ground, powered through a pair of attemped tackles and dove across the goal line. The point-after kick was low and wide.
The Tigers scored again 27 seconds before halftime. Ashley, now nursing an ankle injury and visibly limping, took a handoff and moved right. However, he quickly pulled up threw a beautiful, arcing pass down the middle to sprinting end Aidan Couitt, who raced 51 yards for a touchdown. A successful extra point put the hosts, up, 13-0, heading into halftime.
“Kyle gritted it out and Couitt is becoming a force,” said Newport coach John Proper of two Tigers who also played in the band during halftime. In addition, Couitt sang the pregame national anthem. “That (passing) play is called ‘Newport Special’ and we’ve practiced it since middle school. I always want to have our foot on the gas.”
Somersworth (2-1) pulled within 13-6 after a 45-yard touchdown run by Seth Worell. An attempted two-point running play failed with 9 minutes, 45 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The Hilltoppers used a 26-yard run by Kayden Bickford to close within 13-12 early in the fourth quarter. Somersworth lined up to attempt the extra point but a bad snap resulted in an unsuccessful point-after attempt and the Tigers’ defense held the rest of the way. Notably absent for the visitors was tackle Cam Dubois, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound senior standout.
“We were a little undisciplined with penalties during the first half but we were amazing in the second half,” Proper said. “I want to be the team everyone is coming after, because I like that pressure and I think our kids can handle it. We’ll see (Somersworth) again and I can’t wait.”
Newport (4-0) is tied with Raymond (4-0) atop the Division IV standings. The Tigers visit Bishop Brady next and close the regular season Oct. 28 at Raymond.
— Tris Wykes
Stevens 36,
Epping-Newmarket 0
EPPING, N.H. — Tyler “Tank” Christian scored four touchdowns and quarterback Karson Thyne threw a 40-yard pass to his brother, Karter, for another score as the Cardinals won their second consecutive game.
Stevens took a 14-0 lead against the Blue Devils (1-4) in the first quarter with two Christian scores and added the Thyne touchdown for a 20-0 halftime lead. Christian’s other two touchdowns came on third-quarter runs.
“We controlled the ball on the ground and threw pretty well,” said Stevens coach Josh Duford. “We also controlled the line of scrimmage and had a wonderful defensive plan. This was a pretty good win.”
Stevens (2-3) hosts Fall Mountain (4-1) on Friday.
Raymond 52, Mascoma 36
RAYMOND, N.H. — The Royals entered the game having scored eight points in three games, but couldn’t stay with the Rams (4-0). Mascoma (1-3) is at Franklin on Saturday.
BOYS SOCCER White River Valley 4,
Bellows Falls 1
BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. — Brayden Russ and Jacob Benoit had two goals each against the Terriers (0-5) and Donavan Craven had two assists.
“The boys practiced well all week and it showed,” said White River coach Alex Montano. “We need to be less wasteful in front of the goal, however.”
White River (5-3) hosts Springfield on Tuesday.
Woodstock 3, Fair Haven 0
WOODSTOCK — The Wasps scored early in the first half and added two quick goals early in the second half to beat the Slaters (4-3).
Reid Allegretti drove home a loose ball out front to make it 1-0. Early in the second half, Bode Wood sent a through ball to Ezra Lockhart, who booted it home. Wood then floated a free kick into perfect position for a 12-yard header by Django Farinas.
Woodstock (3-4) hosts Brattleboro on Monday.
Mascoma 2, Raymond 1 (OT)
RAYMOND, N.H. — Aidan Smith slotted a Brayden Pierce pass four minutes into overtime to down the Rams (2-6).
Reuben Densmore popped home a shot into the upper right corner for his first goal of the season, the assist awarded to Logan Isham. The goal forged a 1-1 tie entering halftime.
Matt Favreau made six saves for Mascoma (7-3), which hosts Belmont (5-6) on Tuesday.
Lebanon 1, Kennett 0
LEBANON — Titus Billings’ unassisted goal during the 32nd minute pushed the Raiders to 11-0. Kennett is 3-8.
Billings came from his left back position, dribbled around the defense and drilled a shot inside the near post. Zach Aldrich had one save for Lebanon, which visits Trinity (1-8) on Monday.
Brattleboro 2, Hartford 1
BRATTLEBORO — The Bears (5-1-1) scored the winner with seven minutes remaining in the second half. Hartford had led, 1-0, early on a Gabe Guillette goal off a Bryce Soboleski pass.
The Hurricanes (4-3-2) host Fair Haven on Thursday.
GIRLS SOCCER White River Valley 6,
Springfield 4
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — Amara Calhum Flowers scored five goals, lifting the Wildcats to 5-2 and dropping the Cosmos to 2-5.
Sarah Rule had two assists for WRV, which led, 5-1, at halftime and hosts Rivendell on Thursday.
Stevens 3, Newport 0
NEWPORT — Kiley Bundy scored twice and Faith Norton scored once for the Cardinals, who improved to 9-2-1.
Maddy Minckler and Payton Ferland had assists and Audrina Pelton earned her ninth win and sixth shutout for Stevens, which hosts Fall Mountain on Monday. Newport (0-8-2) visits Somersworth (0-9) on Monday.
Montpelier 9, Thetford 0
MONTPELIER — The Panthers, missing three starters, fell to 2-6 while the Solons improved to 3-3-1. Thetford hosts Stowe (5-4) on Tuesday.
Lebanon 1, Souhegan 0
LEBANON — Phoebe Ballard’s goal during the 66th minute allowed the Raiders to improve to 5-4-1 while dropping the Sabers to 0-8.
Lebanon held a 28-2 shot advantage. Sophie Longacre assisted Ballard’s goal for the Raiders, who host Merrimack Valley on Monday.
Raymond 9, Mascoma 1
RAYMOND — In matchup of two 6-4 teams, Raymond was dominant, dropping the Royals to 6-5. Mascoma, which received its goal from Emily Seiler, visits Belmont on Tuesday.
FIELD HOCKEY Mascoma 2, Kearsarge 0
NORTH SUTTON, N.H. — Ann Buffington assisted on a Bryanna Thurston goal and scored the second for the Royals, who led, 2-0, at intermission.
Goaltender Gabby Pierce stopped a late penalty stroke for Mascoma, which improved to 7-3 while dropping the Cougars to 6-3. The Royals host Lebanon (4-6) on Tuesday.
Goffstown 2, Lebanon 1 (OT)
LEBANON — Meg Cheevers made 18 saves and Sophia Salo scored off a Norah Burns assist but the Raiders fell to 4-6 whle the Grizzlies improved to 7-3-1.
“We finally put together all the pieces,” said Lebanon coach Amanda Valliere, whose team visits Mascoma on Tuesday. “I am bummed for the kids that it didn’t result in a win, but I am so proud of this team for how well they played today.”
CROSS COUNTRY Hanover girls 2nd and
boys 3rd at Black Bear
Invitational
NORTHWOOD, N.H. — Hanover sophomore Lea Perreard won the 5K Black Bear Invitational cross country race in 18:53, leading the Bears to a second-place finish among 18 teams at Coe-Brown Academy.
Hanover’s Lucien Gleiser finished sixth (16:34) in the field of 168 runners and the boys were third out of 21 teams.
Hanover’s Lila Muirhead was sixth (19:26) in the field of 131. Also scoring for the Hanover girls were Lily Terry (13th, 20:10), Alice Bell (17th, 20:29) and Millie Larrick (29th, 21:37). Scoring for the Hanover boys behind Gleiser were Ryan Faris (14th, 17:14), Andrew Valentino (21st, 17:26), Ben Groves (25th, 17:35) and Will Parker (29th, 17:45).
Hanover coach Eric Picconi said Larrick led the first mile in the girls’ race as a strategy that led to Perreard’s win and Muirhead’s top-ten finish.
“They edged Vermont’s best team and were a few places behind New Hampshire’s best team,” Picconi said. “They ran against teams they will see again later in the season.”
Top 10 Results: Girls – Oyster River 55, Hanover 66, Champlain Valley 86, Phillips Exeter 96, Phillips Andover 135, Dover 151, Nashua North 174, Hopkinton 249, Gilford 270, Hollis-Brookline 336.
Boys – Phillips Andover 61, Phillips Exeter 63, Hanover 95, Champlain Valley 103, Coe-Brown 108, Oyster River 202, Alvirne 284, Winnacunnet 302, Portsmouth Christian 309, Bow 324.
Mascoma boys win at Kearsarge
NORTH SUTTON, N.H. — Mascoma defeated Prospect Mountain, 15-44, in a cross country meet with the Royals’ Gunner Currier finishing third in 17:19.
Mascoma’s Brody Albanese was fourth (19:02) followed by teammates Carl Russell (5th, 19:04), Karson Rogers (6th, 19:46) and Trevor Maheu (7th, 19:47).
BASS FISHING SPOFFORD, N.H. — The Royals caught the maximum eight fish to win the state tournament with a total weight of 22.24 pounds.
Milford was a distant second among eight teams with a total weight of 13.65 pounds. The Mascoma team caught seven small mouth bass and one large mouth.