LEBANON — Decisions, decisions. How can the Lebanon High field hockey team choose which win means more?
Saturday’s defeat of Kearsarge was expected, but then the Raiders punched above their division to upset archrival Hanover on Monday. Thursday, however, may have been the topper: Sydney Gonyea captured the rebound of her own shot and deposited it with 6:30 left in overtime to give Lebanon a 2-1 win over Newfound, handing the NHIAA Division III-leading Bears their first loss of the season.
And leaving Raider coach Amanda Valliere to contemplate.
“Beating Hanover was pretty great, but I think — mostly for our own satisfaction — beating Newfound is obviously huge because it’s within our division,” Valliere said. “That’s a really big point-gainer for us.”
Lebanon (7-3-0), winners of three straight and four of five, had to play comeback hockey most of the afternoon.
Tiffany Doan put the Bears (9-1-0) on top just eight minutes into the contest, fronting a Newfound first half that kept the pressure up on Lebanon goaltender Autumn Crowell (11 saves). The Raiders leveled with 6:41 left in regulation, Gonyea finishing a Molly Smith pass.
Overtime went back and forth until Gonyea ended it with her 12th goal of the season and her seventh in five games. Following a penalty corner feed, Gonyea forced a save from the Newfound netminder, then captured her own rebound for a far-side finish from a sharp angle.
“It’s huge,” Valliere said. “Everybody is kind of vying for the playoffs, but if you can get a home-field spot, everybody wants to play on their own turf.”
Lebanon bumped ahead of Stevens into fourth place in D-III on point rating with the victory, although the Cardinals (6-2-0) have two games in hand.
The Raiders host Newport on Tuesday.
MANCHESTER — Eli Stack’s goal from midfield supplemented Charlie Adams’ 14th strike of the season as the Marauders (9-1-0) won their seventh straight, beating Manchester Memorial.
Adams pursued a Dylan Kotlowitz pass and beat a defender before lining a drive inside the left post at 26:25. Stack capitalized on a goalkeeper giveaway in the 75th minute, intercepting a clearance and lobbing a shot into the vacated net from just inside the midfield stripe. Joey Perras made one stop for his second straight shutout and third of the campaign.
Hanover hosts Timberlane on Tuesday for a Grassroots Soccer benefit, seeking donations for the Upper Valley-based nonprofit that uses soccer to help in AIDS education in Africa. Grassroots founder and former Hanover and Dartmouth standout Tommy Clark will be honored at the game.
WOODSTOCK — The Wasps (5-4-1) avenged an earlier loss to the Cosmos by riding airtight defense until Audrey Eggum’s deciding goal in double overtime.
Woodstock concentrated its defensive plans through backs Kelly Jackson and Celia Barrington. Between that and Emma Tarleton’s 10-save goalkeeping, the Wasps put themselves in position for victory.
The win came with 3:45 left in the second extra session when Eggum knocked home her second game of the year. Hannah Reed, Faye Stevens and Abi Mascillo all had strong games on attack for the Wasps, who host Otter Valley on Wednesday.
SHARON — The Phoenix (4-6-0) won its second straight match by way of shutout.
Although lackluster at times, Sharon scored late in each half to take the victory. Brandy Lewis and Isabella Amadeo notched the goals, Alix Livingston and Savanna Bragg both had assists and goalkeeper Rory Livingston “made some routine stops but was never truly tested,” coach Andy Ruddell said.
Sharon hosts Black River on Wednesday.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Brooke Shambo sent the Hurricane faithful home happy by posting the game-winning goal with 4:18 to play to cap a Hartford comeback.
Fair Haven opened a 2-0 lead before Carolyn North and Abbie Koff drew the Canes (5-5-0) level within two minutes in the first half. The Slaters retook the lead before halftiem only to have Hartford’s Reilly Slusser tie the match with 11 minutes left, setting up Shambo’s heroics.
Koff and Nora Knudsen finished with assists, and goalie Kaylyn Bills made nine saves. The Canes visit Green Mountain Valley on Tuesday.
GRANTHAM — Needing a sweep to keep their hopes of making the NHIAA Division III state tournament alive, the Raiders (14-16) did just that on Eastman Golf Links’ par-36 front nine.
Roy Shapard (16 points), Nathan Stark (15), Ben Begin (14) and Stephan Krueger (14) produced the scores than enabled Lebanon to edge Fall Mountain for team honors, with Laconia and John Stark trailing. The Raiders went into the afternoon in 13th place in D-III; the top 10 teams and ties based on divisional win-loss records make states.
Laconia’s Evan Rollins and Fall Mountain’s Mitchell Cormier shared the medal at 23 points. The D-III state team tourney is Oct. 15 at the Mount Washington Resort.
Team scores: Lebanon 59, Fall Mountain 56, Laconia 46, John Stark 36.
CANTERBURY, N.H. — Despite winning only one match out of a possible three, the Cardinals (23-7) capped their best season for fifth-year coach Ryan Seaver by locking down a top-four spot in the upcoming NHIAA D-III state tournament.
Competing at Canterbury Woods Country Club, Stevens picked up scoring rounds from Finn Allen (19 points), Dylan Adamovich (16), Reeve Wilkinson (13) and C.J. Naugler (11) to top Conant and finish behind Bow and Plymouth. The Falcons won with four rounds of 22.
The Cardinals went 6-18 last year and missed states.
Team scores: Bow 88, Plymouth 66, Stevens 59, Conant 53.