Woodsville
Sprite forward Antonio Houde tallied a hat trick against Profile on senior day Tuesday, including the winner 37 seconds into overtime, as Woodsville knocked off the Patriots, 4-3.
Houde has 44 goals to go with 13 assists this season, leading the Upper Valley in points and giving the Engineers (12-3-0) their best offensive weapon since Dimitri Kaptotis’ 56-goal season in 2006. (Kapotis finished with 136 career goals, according to Valley News records.)
Houde was like a cattle prod to the rib cage of the rest of NHIAA Division IV early in the season, tallying 16 goals and seven assists through five games as Woodsville outscored opponents, 42-12. That included Houde’s six-goal performance in a win against Lin-Wood on Sept. 6.
Things didn’t change much once word got out that the only way to beat Woodsville was to mark Houde well — in fact, he got more productive later in the year. Houde had 17 goals in a four-game stretch in late September, part of a six-game winning streak as the Engineers positioned themselves well for a top-four seed in the upcoming state tournament.
“Antonio is a finisher, that’s the best way to put it,” said Ackerman, who doubles as Woodsville’s athletic director. “When he gets near the goal, he’s always a step ahead of the defenders and the goalie. Some guys just send shots in the general direction of the goal and hope for the best. Antonio is looking to put it in at the far post or the upper corner. He has the finisher’s instinct, like Dimitri did.”
Houde demonstrated that on all three of his goals Tuesday. In the 12th minute, after a pass from Garrett Olsen (two assists), Houde dribbled swiftly while lining up a zinger off the left post and behind Profile keeper Jordan Brusseau, giving Woodsville a 1-0 lead.
Houde went to the left again for his second goal in the 60th minute, but not before a stutter-step hesitation move that sent two befuddled defenders away from the play.
He showed stout awareness again to set up the overtime winner, recognizing a gap in front of him to help orchestrate a give-and-go with Olsen.
“I just think anticipation is the name of the game to set up goals,” said Houde. “You have to have strong fundamentals, and that’s something I’ve been working on since I was a little kid in the backyard. Even before I knew what soccer really was, you could give me a ball in a field and I’d be working on touches.”
Houde turned down high school soccer as a junior last season in favor of the Atkinson, N.H.-based Timberwolves club team. Prior to that, he suited up two seasons for Division I Londonderry High.
The change of pace from D-I and southern New Hampshire club ball to a D-IV school and schedule has been a welcome one for Houde — and not only because it’s helped him land so many scoring opportunities.
“My aunt, uncle and cousins moved up this way a couple years ago, and I’ve always loved it up here,” said Houde, who lives with his mother, Mary, in Haverhill’s Mountain Lakes neighborhood. “If there’s been any adjustment (culturally), it’s been for the better, because I think I just do well in the surroundings here with my teammates. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
Houde has melded seamlessly with Engineers players, and he doesn’t appear to be taking points away from any of their top returning scorers. Fellow front liners Adam Cataldo (16 goals, 24 assists) and Alex Enderson (17 goals, nine assists) have both exceeded their production from a year ago, when since-graduated Jaret Bemis led the team with 19 goals.
The numbers are also up for midfielder and co-captain Sam Pushee, a senior who has 11 goals and seven assists after notching five points a year ago.
“The chemistry with Antonio has been great, really since the beginning of the season,” Pushee said. “Myself, Adam and Alex got to meet him over the summer, and it’s really been good since then. Before we met him, of course, we were a little skeptical, like, ‘Who’s this guy coming up from Londonderry?’ but as soon as we met him it was obvious he’s great to have around. We all get along with him in class, outside class, on the field, off the field.”
As for playoff ambitions, Houde isn’t shy about what he wants to help the team accomplish. Woodsville hasn’t won a title since 2005 and was beaten by lower-seeded Epping at home in the quarterfinals a year ago.
“I think the goal is to win a championship and do whatever I can to make that happen,” he said. “We’ve got a great team, and we don’t want to let this opportunity go to waste.”
Free Kicks: Houde has eight goals in two games this season against Profile (6-6-3). … Cataldo had a goal and an assist Tuesday, scoring off of Woodsville’s first corner kick of the game, sent in by Olsen. … Enderson left the game with a leg injury midway through the first half and did not return. … Aaron LaFlame, Rylan Gumard and Sam Green scored for the Patriots, the last a penalty kick that tied the game, 3-3, with 19:12 left in regulation. … Woodsville held a 19-9 edge in shots. Engineers keeper Cooper Davidson and Profile’s Jordan Brusseu both made seven saves. … Woodsville held a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks. … The Engineers finish the regular season at Gorham on Friday, the teams’ first meeting this season.
Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.