×
×
homepage logo
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE

Broncos look like a different boys soccer team this fall

By Tom King - Staff Writer | Sep 10, 2019

Telegraph photo by TOM KING It's all for one and one for all for the Alvirne High School boys soccer team, which is off to an early 2-0 start after struggling all last season.

They showed flashes of what they might be capable of during the 2018 season, but the Alvirne High School boys soccer team couldn’t get the results.

So far on this young season they have, and it will be interesting to see how the Broncos handle the challenges that are ahead. They visit Londonderry today, but at 2-0 they hope to continue the play that had them looking so impressive in shutting out Nashua North 3-0 late last week.

“Good coaching, quality team,” Titans coach Josh Downing said.

What is the difference this year? It appears it’s a total buy-in of the players with what second year coaches Marcos Vieira Filho (head) and Michael Ottman (assistant) are preaching.

And it’s an all-for-one, one-for-all mentality.

“This year, I think our team has so much chemistry,” said Broncos sophomore goalie Mason Brooks, who is growing up in a hurry. “We have so much to fight for. Last year’s seniors fought well, but not as well as we (are now).

“It was a disappointing season last year, and we feel we have almost nothing to lose, and I think that’s why we’re putting everything in.”

“We’ve got a group of competitors now,” Vieira-Filho said. “I can tell, especially last year, there were a lot of young guys who weren’t fully out of their shell yet. Definitely this year there are a lot of guys stepping into that position. Kind of stepping up, and as they’re getting older, maturing and filling in some big holes from the seniors that (graduated) last year. … That’s our goal for the year, just keep fighting and keep working.”

This was a commitment not only from the players but from the coaches as well, as they were working with this group earlier in the summer, as the rules allow.

The mission: Get the Broncos to gallop more than jog.

“We just kept pushing them,” Ottman said. “We gave them a good set of workouts, told them to get fit because we weren’t fit last year. We started playing halfway through the season, but this year we’re off to a good start.”

Brooks said the off-season was a key.

“We worked one of the highest work rates of any other team,” Brooks said. “We put in so much work, and it’s showing in these first two games.

Indeed, there seems to be a difference this year in the Broncos tenacity. Forwards Nathan Day, Charles Thomas, and several others have been relentless, and defenders Evan Beals, Ryan Johnson, etc. have been a big help in front of Brooks, who is big on communication with his defenders.

But the pace they are playing at is obviously quicker.

“That’s something that’s hard to teach, “Vieira Filho said. “That comes with time, and comes with changing the culture, which is what we’re trying to do here.”

Some of the players, like Johnson, were on the JV last year. But it’s a different season, and life is good thus far on the varsity.

XXXXXX

Work continues for the revival of the Nashua Athletics Hall of Fame, and nominations keep coming in. Those who are interested in nominating anyone for the Hall of Fame, be they are from the unified Nashua High School, or Nashua North or South, should go to the North or South athletics web site.

The induction date is set for May 9, and the deadline for nominations, originally set at Oct. 1, is being extended until Monday, Oct. 7, right after the annual North-South Battle of the Bridge weekend.

Nominees can include not only student athletes but managers, coaches, athletic trainers, teams and special contributors.

XXXXXXX

Many fans are familiar with the Nashua Education Channel’s (ETV) broadcasts of local high school sports.Well, Milford football will now be on the air in that town, via the Milford boosters and Granite Town Media. In addition to the tape-delayed game broadcasts – a schedule is still being worked on – there will be a “Coaches Corner” and “Spartan Spotlight” airings as well.

Kevin St. Onge s providing the play by play with longtime local youth coaches Dennis Shepard, Mike Hannon and Dan Betty alternating on color.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Milford Booster Club presidetn Shepard said in a press release, “but with the rich tradition of football in this town dating to the 1970s, combined with the anticipation of another competitive season this year, combined with the commitment GTM is making to our community, we just felt it was a great opportunity to showcase our-student athletes and our town.”

Here’s a treat for those who embrace Milford’s football past. GTM plans to air archived games, including the 1984 Division II semifinals overtime win over Pinkerton and finals win over Laconia. The Pinkerton game especially was a classic.

XXXXXX

It’s quite a few months away, but there will be expanded high school team tennis tournaments in the spring ow 2020. The tennis committee is recommending, with the NHIAA Council Support, expanding things from the usual eight teams to as many as 13 in Boys Division I and 11 in Boys Division II and III each, and 14 in girls Division I and 11 in the other two divisions. There are definitely, especially in Divison I, local teams that would have made the tournament last year under this expanded format. And in case you’re wondering, those extra playoff teams still fall under the 70 percent rule.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Interests
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *