Bedford, n.h.
Rival Newfound completed a perfect 17-0 season with a 2-0 win over Mascoma at Bedford High, the top-seeded Bears’ pair of first-half goals enough to withstand the grit and pluck of the Royals (11-7).
Newfound senior forward Kylee MacDonald chopped one out of mid-air and past Mascoma goalie Abby Duhaime 8:32 into the first half, then assisted on classmate Julianne Marchand’s goal 2:45 before halftime.
The teams managed just one shot on goal each in the second half as the Bears captured their fourth title since 2006.
“I didn’t think we were aggressive enough today, but we got the job done,” said 14th-year Newfound coach Karri Peterson, who played for the Bears in the 1980s on teams that never got past the semis. “We were kind of caught playing a defensive game, but part of that was Mascoma. They were a challenge.”
Newfound was only the latest to learn how challenging a foe Mascoma became late in the season. Just 4-6 after a 2-1 loss at Hanover at the end of September, the Royals reeled off seven straight wins — culminating with upsets over No. 7 Stevens, second-ranked Pelham and No. 3 Monadnock on the way to Sunday’s title game.
“I’m so proud of this talented group of girls,” said Mascoma coach Jenn Hammond. “They had an amazing season, and everyone on the team contributed to our success. I told the girls they have no reason to hang their head. They are now part of Mascoma field hockey history, and that’s pretty special.”
In front of a boisterous group of traveling supporters, Mascoma largely neutralized sisters Julianne and Caroline Marchand, who’ve done much of the damage this season for a Newfound team that outscored opponents 75-5.
The Royals struggled to parlay their otherwise sturdy play into scoring opportunities.
“I thought we were a little slow out of the gate, didn’t make enough quick cuts with the ball,” said Hammond, whose team fell to Newfound, 3-0, in their season opener. “We knew we couldn’t give up long passes because (the Bears are) a super fast team. We excelled at that but never really got going the other way.”
Mascoma’s best opportunity in the first half came when Elizabeth Jones set up Morgan Prentiss for a partial breakaway against Newfound keeper Montana Bassett with 8:31 to play, but Prentiss’ shot went just wide.
A Royals penalty corner three minutes later featured a crisp pass from Michaela Dowd to defender Bella Kondi, but the Bears closed in to thwart a scoring chance.
On the other end, Duhaime (three saves) turned away a bid by Julianne Marchand to keep it 2-0 at halftime.
Neither team generated much offense in the second half until the 5:02 mark, when it appeared Mascoma cut the lead in half with a long shot by Kondi that deflected past Bassett. The apparent goal was waved off by officials, who ruled the ball had deflected off of a defender. Aany ball inserted from outside the circle may only deflect off an attacking player for a goal.
“I’ve never heard that rule; I always thought that as long as it was touched (in the circle by anyone) that it was a goal,” Hammond said. “That was tough.”
Hammond called a timeout in both halves, including one with 42 seconds left prior to a final charge to the net.
“I just kept telling them that they deserved to be here and to keep playing their hardest,” the coach said. “That’s they way they played.”
Stick Checks: There were only six shots on goal for the game, five by Newfound. … It was the Bears’ ninth straight win over Mascoma dating back to the 2012 season, and the teams’ first playoff meeting since a 2011 quarterfinal Newfound, also won by the Bears, 2-0. … The Royals had shut out five of six opponents heading into Sunday and had given up fewer than two goals during five straight games. … Hammond is a former youth level, junior high and junior varsity coach in the Mascoma region. … The Royals’ lone title came in 1983.
Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.