Telegraph photo by TOM KING Nashua South standout Manny Alvarez, shown here in Saturday's win over Merrimack, had an assist on the Panthers lone goal outisde of penalty kicks and saw his Panther career end on Wednesday in a tough 2-1 PK loss at Winnacunnet in the Division I semis.

HAMPTON — A historic Nashua High School South boys soccer season ended in the most torturous of ways Wednesday evening here in the Division 1 state semifinals.

The Panthers and host Winnacunnet High School played 100 minutes to a sizzling 1-1 stalemate, sending the contest to the cruelest of cruel endings — penalty kicks.

It took an uncanny 12 rounds of kicks, only to be settled when Warrior keeper Tanyon Ziolkowski speared a Ryan Hadouche laser headed to the right corner to claim victory and a trip to Saturday’s title game against Windham.

“The same thing happened last year a round earlier,” said South coach Tom Bellen. “You practice them. We did well with the PKs. They got one more on us.

“It’s always disappointing to lose that way, but you’ve got to settle it somehow.”

The defeat was as painful as it was epic.

South had its chance in round 4 when keeper Leo Kopico sprawled to make a stop. But Ziolowski was equal to the task in round 5, extending the marathon into extra kicks with a huge save.

In all, South, shooting second, potted 10 goals. But Winnacunnet was one better with Chris Lepere delivering what proved to be the game-winner.

Playing on the road, on grass, in Winnacunnet’s tight quarters, South still found the way to a 1-0 first half lead.

Just 18 minutes into the game, the Panthers struck first.

Emanuel Orozco Alvarez laced a missile directly off the post and the rebound ricocheted out into the penalty area where teammate Sebastian Coelho pounced, depositing the ball into the opposite corner, past a diving Ziolkowski.

The advantage carried into intermission, but it could have been more.

“I thought the first half we had control of the game. We had a lot of shots, lot of opportunities, three or four balls just missing by less than six inches. We really could have padded the lead. One from Josue (Ramirez Martinez), one from Jesi (Hantula).”

The teams battled into the second half and South held its own.

But in the 55th minute, the hosts netted the equalizer with captain James O’Hara volleying home a pretty cross from Hayes Waddell.

“In the second half, they know this field, they came out more aggressive,” said Bellen. ” There were ebbs and flows throughout that whole second half. We had our chances, and we defended well, but we can’t score and you see what happens.”

The quaint home field certainly played to Winnacunnet’s game.

“I knew they were big and physical and strong. I know their history,” said Bellen. “We’d rather play on a bigger field. It would suit us a little better. We were still controlling the ball.”

The deadlock carried through the 80th and final minute of regulation and a pair of 10-minute overtime sessions, setting up the heart-breaking end.

“It’s the first time for us to reach the semifinals since the (Nashua High) split,” said Bellen. “We did what we needed to do all year to get to this point and prove we were worthy of going to the finals.

“They’ve bought into the system. We’ve been at it two years, and I’ve shown them discipline. There’s been some ups and downs, but they buy into it. They like each other, we have a good relationship. They were disciplined today on the field, and that’s all I’ve asked of them all year.”

Bellen now must find a way to replace one of the great senior groups in school boys soccer history.

“We lose a lot, 11 seniors,” the coach said.

“Manny (Orozco Alvarez) is huge, We lose Jesi, Sebastian Coelho, Jose Ochoa, Josue Martinez.

“We lose a bunch of guys, but we have a lot of guys. I thought we had the best 22 in the state.

“Before I switched over from the girls, I knew there was a crop of kids coming up. I had coached a lot of them when they were little. I knew this was a special group of kids here, and we have a bright future ahead of us as well.”

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