The Lightning Soccer Club U15 Chargers celebrate their New England Premiership title, won last weekend in a pair of matches decided by penalty-kick shootouts.
The Lightning Soccer Club U15 Chargers celebrate their New England Premiership title, won last weekend in a pair of matches decided by penalty-kick shootouts. Credit: Courtesy photograph

New London — The Hanover Country Club duo of Betsy Knights and Amy Peters claimed the New Hampshire Women’s Golf Assocation’s President’s Cup tournament on Tuesday at Lake Sunapee Country Club, taking the title in a playoff against two other pairs.

The one-day tourney featured two-player teams conducting alternate-shot play. Knights and Peters tied for the lead in the low-gross division at 10-over-par 83 with two other tandems, Cindy Perkins of Souhegan Woods and Lori Brooks of Green Meadow along with Canterbury Woods’ Beth Hamilton and Lisa Cummings.

The playoff began on Lake Sunapee’s par-4 18th hole, with Hamilton and Cummings dropping out. That left the other two teams to play through pars on the first and second holes, both par-4s, before Knights and Peters carded par on the third hole against a bogey from Perkins and Brooks to win the title.

Knights-Peters shot 76 to tie for seventh in the tournament’s low-net standings. A total of 54 teams took part in the tournament.

On the Pitch

Chargers Win NEP Title

Marlborough, Mass. — The Lightning Soccer Club’s U15 Chargers girls won their New England Premiership playoff last weekend by taking a pair of games decided by penalty-kick shootouts.

The Chargers got past GPS of southern Massachusetts in Saturday’s semifinals, winning the tiebreaker following a 2-2 draw. Despite 93-degree heat, the Chargers drew first blood early on when Casey MacVeagh one-timed a low drive on a pss from Gracie Gamache.

GPS held sway through the middle of the match, tying the contest before halftime on a 25-yard drive that skimmed in off the crossbar. GPS took the lead in the second half on a corner kick, and the Massachusetts club kept up the pressure on the Chargers and goalkeeper Emma Berard.

LSC finally leveled the match with four minutes left, Abbie Koff converting a penalty kid after MacVeagh was tackled in the GPS penalty area to force the PK decider. Sally Rainey, the Chargers’ backup goalkeeper, lived up to her reputation as a penalty saver in the tiebreaker, making four saves — including on GPS’ final two attempts — to give the Chargers the win in the seventh round.

LSC met the NEFC Breakers in Sunday’s NEP title match. NEFC broke through the Chargers’ defense for a pair of early goals, but Rainey — getting the start in goal — and defenders Berard, Ellie Stannard and Evelyn Paige tightened up. MacVeagh tapped home a bounding ball following a corner kick to give LSC some hope entering halftime.

MacVeagh nodded home a Charlotte Johnson free kick with 10 minutes left to complete the first of two last-gasp comebacks. NEFC took a 3-2 lead shortly after MacVeagh’s equalizer only to surrender the lead two minutes later on an Arwen Clayton drive.

Both teams converted three of their first four attempts in the title-deciding PK shootout. Pepper Joseph converted in the fifth round for LSC and Rainey lunged to her left for the save to clinch the championship.

To the Hoop

NBA Shooting Guru Visiting

Woodstock — Detroit Pistons shooting coach Dave Hopla will make a stop on the final day of the Woodstock Basketball Camp, scheduled for June 26-30 at Woodstock Union High School.

Hopla just completed his second season with the Pistons after past stints with Toronto, Washington and New York. A New Jersey native who now resides in Maine, Hopla has conducted basketball camps around the world and also works as a motivational speaker at schools assemblies and corporate events.

The camp, run by Cody TanCreti, includes a morning session for grades 4-7 and an afternoon session for grades 8-12, at a cost of $100 for the week. Contact TanCreti at ctancreti@wcsu.net for more information.

Rivendell Camp

Orford — Longtime area high school and AAU basketball coach Hank Tenney will hold his second co-ed basketball camp the week of June 19-22 at Rivendell Academy.

The camp goes from 4-6 p.m. each day and is open to grades K-9.

Email hank.tenney@valley.net for more information.

On the Ice

Hanover Seeking Coaches

Hanover — The Hanover Hockey Association is seeking adults interested in serving as head coaches or assistant coaches for its girls programs next winter.

HHA is a volunteer organization that depends on parent and non-parent volunteers to coach. The association plans to field five travel teams next season, one at the 10U level and two each at 12U and 14U. The top 12U and 14U teams will participate in USA Hockey Tier II with plans to compete regionally throughout New England. The remaining three teams will compete closer to home. HHA also plans a developmental girls team for next season.

Contact HHA girls committee president Michael Cimis at mikecimis@gmail.com or 603-359-3018 by June 20 if interested.

On Two Wheels

Father’s Day Ranger Ride

Tunbridge — Riders will take to the roads on Sunday for The Ranger, an all-gravel bike event and community festival centered at the Tunbridge World’s Fairgrounds.

The Ranger begins at 11 a.m. and features two routes, covering 16 and 32 miles, along Vermont scenic Class IV roads. A family-friendly festival is also planned for 1 p.m. to include local craft beers, music, wood-fired pizza, ice cream and activities for the kids. The day is a fundraider for the Alliance for Vermont Communities.

Visit www.therangervt.com to register, volunteer or for more information.

On the Run

Skip’s Run Coming

Lebanon — The 14th Skip Matthews Memorial Run returns on Sunday in its annual effort to benefit the Norris Cotton Cancer Center’s brain tumor research fund.

This year’s run carries extra significance. The race is being dedicated to the late Doug MacGregor, a longtime Lebanon Junior High School science teacher and avid running enthusiast.

The four-mile road race starts at 10 a.m. at Colburn Park in downtown Lebanon, following an out-and-back route along the Northern Rail Trail and Bank Street Extension. The race is preceded by a one-mile fun run for youngsters at 9 a.m. Awards and a post-race barbecue follow.

The cost to participate is $25 for adults and $20 for youths ages 18 and under. The fun run is free. Online registration and further information is available at www.skipsrun.org.

Rainbow Run Next Month

Brownsville — Ascutney Trails and The Climb Fitness Center will get together to host the second Rainbow Run on July 2.

The event gives runners, walkers and hikers of all ages a chance to sample of the Ascutney Trails network while getting showered (as an option) in a variety of colored powders. The Rainbow Run is geared to be a fun event, open to all ages and fitness levels.

The pre-registration cost is $12, increasing to $15 on race day. Contact The Climb at 802-484-3511 or team@theclimbfitness.com for more information.