HANOVER — Kate Blaisdell didn’t lose a step in her high school field hockey career when she moved to Hanover High from Windham last year. In fact, it appears she’s only accelerating.
The Northeastern University commit scored her 75th career high school goal and 100th point as part of a two-goal afternoon in the Marauders’ 8-3 win over Kearsarge on Saturday at Merriman-Branch Field. Hanover (3-0-0) kept up its high-scoring ways, with Natalie Feyrer’s hat trick and a two-goal effort from Olivia Trummel boosting the Marauders’ output to 21 goals in just three contests.
Blaisdell netted 15 goals in her debut campaign for Hanover last fall. The final one came in the Marauders’ 3-0 win over Souhegan for the NHIAA Division II state title.
Celia Groves also scored for Hanover, which received three assists from Jessie Lichtenstein, two helpers from Trummel and one from Mia Edmonds. Olivia Evans made five saves in goal.
The contest was played seven-on-seven, the format normally employed for overtime.
“The team is playing well and coming together nicely,” Hanover coach Jean Essex said. “Playing a full game of seven-vs.-seven requires a lot of stamina, so it was a great opportunity for everyone to play.”
The Marauders travel to Stevens on Tuesday.
LEBANON — Senior goaltender Autumn Crowell denied a fourth-quarter Stevens penalty stroke to enable the Raiders (3-0-0) to hold off the Cardinals and stay unbeaten on the young season.
Sydney Gonyea and Kaeley Skakalski scored Lebanon’s goals, countering a strike from the Cards’ Bri Frisbee. On senior day, Crowell used the stop of the stroke to cap a 12-save afternoon. Gonyea and Molly Smith both had assists for Lebanon. Stevens netminder Summer Barrette finished with three saves.
Lebanon coach Amanda Valliere credited Amelia Hickey’s play in the middle of the field and Mikayla Thornton’s efforts on the right side, moving up from defense, as playing significant roles in the victory.
The Raiders have a date at Newport on Wednesday.
NEWPORT — Natalie Poitras potted the second of her two goals in overtime to give the Royals (2-2-0) their second straight victory.
Poitras had a three-point day for Mascoma, assisting on Kylie Rogers’ goal, a varsity first for the freshman. Chloe Crate also had an assist and produced a strong game on defense, according to coach Jenn Hammond, who also praised Paige Jette’s two-say play.
“We played a very strong game today,” Hammond said. “Unfortunately, we got caught back on our heels defensively when Newport came back to tie the game. Going into (seven vs. seven) in overtime can be tough, but we were able to offensively push the ball, and Natalie found an open shot.”
The Royals visit Kearsarge on Monday.
BRADFORD, Vt. — Emma DeGoosh kicked her senior season into gear in a big way, completing a three-goal hat trick with the game-winner in double overtime for the Olympians (1-0).
DeGoosh gave Oxbow the match’s first lead by scoring with 36 seconds left in the opening half. Richford struck twice in a five-minute span early in the second half to reverse course, but DeGoosh forced overtime by finishing a Leia White pass with 3:50 to go in regulation time.
Aspen Longmoore earned the assist on DeGoosh’s sudden-death winner at 3:05 of the second overtime. Oxbow coach Dan Thomas said he moved DeGoosh forward from her usual wing defense position to give the O’s more offensive pressure.
It worked.
“Emma is a senior this year, and one of her goals was to get a goal since she has only played defense her entire soccer career,” Thomas said. “Getting hat trick in her first game achieved that goal and some, which is fantastic.”
Longmoore excelled in a midfield role and helped Oxbow stay in Richford’s end of the field for long stretches. The O’s will attempt more of the same when they take on Missisquoi on Tuesday.
LEBANON — The Raiders (2-1-0) scored twice in the opening 14 minutes en route to a defeat of the Cardinals.
Alyssa Graber got Lebanon started by converting on passes from Sydney and Delaney Deshane in the match’s fourth minute. Courtney Brown doubled the advantage 10 minutes later on a Mary Rainey feed. The score stayed 2-0 until Paige Susco popped home a Rainey pass for an insurance marker in the final 30 seconds of the contest.
Sally Rainey and Maddie Newton combined on Lebanon’s second shutout of the young season, with Newton making five saves in the second half. The Raiders and Cardinals stage a rematch at Monadnock Park in Claremont on Thursday.
WEST CANAAN — The Bears (1-2-1) topped the Royals (0-4-0) in a matchup of first-year NHIAA Division III girls soccer programs.
Madisun LaCasse provided Mascoma’s only goal. Elsa and Bibi McConologue both hit the net for Newfound, which also picked up a goal from freshman Izzy Braley and two assists from sophomore Emma Carlson.
The Royals visit Fall Mountain on Tuesday.
SHARON — The Golden Horde blanked the Phoenix (0-1-0) to kick off the VPA Division IV season.
Sharon struggled after losing one its top players, Isabella Amadeo, to an apparent ankle injury.
The Phoenix will give it another shot with Tuesday’s trip to Long Trail.
SHARON — Riley Eastman accounted for half of the Phoenix’s goals in a season-opening cruise past the Yellowjackets (0-1-0).
Eastman had four goals and set up a fifth, and teammate Daniel Henderson contributed four assists to go with a pair of goals. Sharon also received markers from Ian Robertson and Ever Tofel. Robertson also had an assist, as did Jack Lloyd, and goalie Ben Rodis recorded a two-save shutout.
The Phoenix visits Proctor on Tuesday.
WESTMINSTER, Vt. — Derek Vogelien scored one goal and drew fouls that led to a pair of penalty kicks as the Raptors (1-0-0) rolled in their season debut.
Chris Pierce converted one of the spot kicks to join goals scored by Kyle Carter (directly on a corner kick), Josiah Welch (on a 30-yard bomb) and Vogelien, who converted an over-the-defense feed from A.J. DeBois. Rivendell fired 27 shots at the BF net and piled up nine corners.
“The highlight of the day was just being able to play,” Raptors coach Kevin Brooker said. “The two schools working together to make sure we all followed the protocols was great for the Vermont high school sports community. The fans were also very supportive of both teams.”
Owen Mansur earned a three-save shutout. The Raptors host Twin Valley on Thursday.
CHESTER, Vt. — The Wasps (1-0-0) made Rob Stainton’s return to the sidelines a successful one in a shutout of the Chieftains.
Alec Smail proved Woodstock’s goal in unassisted fashion. Goalkeeper Tom Bissaillon backed it up with a four-save shutout.
“A battling performance from Woodstock, who came under a lot of pressure before becoming more composed with the ball,” said Stainton, who coached the Sharon boys for 13 years before stepping away from the varsity sidelines the past two autumns. “Every player chipped in with a contribution to start the season with a win.”
Leland & Gray visits the Wasps on Tuesday.
BRATTLEBORO, VT. — Nick Martin scored the Hurricanes’ lone goal in the 23rd minute of an eventual season-opening loss to the Colonels.
Dylan Morse produced the pass that set up Martin’s tally. Brattleboro popped home the winner six minutes into the extra session.
“A very competitive, hard-fought game,” Hartford coach Kevin Guilbault noted. “Brattleboro just made one more play in OT.”
The Canes host Green Mountain under the lights for senior recognition night on Wednesday.
WEST CANAAN — The Tigers (1-0) made a victorious return to NHIAA Division IV with a comprehensive defeat of the Royals (0-1).
Mascoma quarterback Mike Evans threw for 55 yards, connecting with Roman Farnsworth for the home team’s only touchdown. Brian Lowell caught the two-point conversion pass from Evans for the Royals, who added a safety to complete their scoring.
Mascoma visits Fall Mountain on Friday.
THETFORD — The Woodstock boys and Thetford girls swept to team wins in their season opener on TA’s Woods Trail on Saturday.
The Wasps dominated the boys race, taking the top five positions for a perfect team score. Riley Shepherd won in 18 minutes, 39 seconds, followed by teammates Zed McNaughton (21:07) and Quinn Giordano (21:09). Ben Acker led Thetford in sixth (21:50), followed by Jack Hastings (22:04) and Ben Mattern (22:21).
“Riley Shepherd is off to another strong start, and his teammates fell in place in a clump of four behing him,” Thetford co-coach Joe Deffner said.
With visiting Bellows Falls short a fifth finisher, the Terriers and Panthers counted four toward team totals. TA won by three points, led by a 3-4-5 finish from Madelyn Durkee (23:09), Annie Hessier (24:49) and Layla Hannisian (25:28). BF’s Abby Broadley won in 20:26.
Boys team scores: Woodstock 15, Thetford 40.
Girls team scores: Thetford 18, Bellows Falls 21.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The White River Valley boys and Hartford girls kicked off their cross country campaigns with team wins on the Hurricanes’ Maynard-Hagen Loop.
Ryan Smith, Danny Smith and Kaziu Young ran in a close pack, finishing within a 90-second space of time to get the Wildcats the victory. Hartford’s five runners followed as a group, led by Jack Fournier (22:01). Mid Vermont Christian’s Joel Roberts won the race in 19:50.
WRV’s Anita Miller won the girls division in 22:56, but Hartford depth lead to a team victory. Meg Maclaury (25:48), Kayla Burnham (26:53) and Rylee Burnham (27:12) finished 2-3-4 for the Canes.
“Numbers may have been low, but every single runner came out strong,” Hartford coach Mike Finley noted. “It just goes to show that regardless of what the season looks like, these athletes are going to give us their best.”
Boys team scores: White River Valley 9, Hartford 18, Rivendell 46; Leland & Gray and MVCS, no score.
Girls team scores: Hartford 9, Leland & Gray 21; WRV, no score.