Nashua South's Ethan Emata, left, tries to move against Nashua North's Cam Rodrigues during the epic Division I semifinal this past Monday night at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – It’s the day after, and there’s still a buzz around after the Nashua North-South Division I boys soccer semifinal in front of a large crowd at Stellos Stadium.

It was a night that truly should boost the game of soccer from the high school level all the way down to the youth programs.

And will be much needed.

“I agree,” South coach Tom Bellen said. “We’re struggling a little bit at the youth level right now, so hopefully this will build some interest.”

Bellen said the Panthers were working with youth organizations like the NYSL for clinics, “because the little kids just love playing with the older boys.

“If I can get them out here one day and just mess around with a clinic…”

Bellen says it’s just important to boost soccer.

“If you’re successful, both North and South – for me, I just look at this as Nashua,” he said. “Wherever they end up going, wherever I am I want us to win, but if we play in the semis and finals every year, great for us. That’s the plan.”

It certainly couldn’t have hurt interest, and now the Panthers are in Friday’s Finals, also at Stellos, against No. 3 Hanover.

Meanwhile, the down side of Monday’s game had to be the tough loss for North, which Bellen said he expects to see reach next year’s finals. Remember, the Titans were 7-9 during the regular season and lose nine seniors.

“I felt like were one of the best teams in the state the whole time,” North coach Josh Downing said. “Regardless of record. We left a lot of games out there where we had a lot of one-goal losses (six) when we outplayed teams and just couldn’t finish. Then it started to click a little more when we were hitting the back of the net.”

Getting senior back Dan Guzman returning from injury with two games left in the regular season helped the Titans make their run, Downing said.

“This,” he said of Monday night’s epic event, “was meant to happen, I guess.”

BG GIRLS’ TURN TONIGHT

Now the local soccer focus, until Friday’s finals at Stellos – and in Laconia, with the Campbell boys taking on Trinity – shifts to Exeter’s Bill Ball Stadium and two local girls teams.

Tonight at 6:15 p.m. the No. 1, 15-1-1 Bishop Guertin Cardinals will take on No.5 Pinkerton Academy in the Division I semifinals.

The game has a little bit of a twist as the Astros (14-2-2) are the only team to have beaten BG, 1-0 just three weeks ago. Guertin dominated the first half, and Pinkerton dominated the second, with one difference – the Astros scored.

Pinkerton also comes in as perhaps the state’s hottest team, winners of 11 straight. While Guertin cruised past Alvirne, 6-0 in the quarters, Pinkerton escaped Dover, 2-1.

“I’m sure Pinkerton is still in tournament mode and they had a good game against us last time,” Cards coach Winston Haughton said. “We’re motivated against anyone, we need to keep going in the tournament.

“The fact it’s against Pinkerton I don’t think will add extra motivation; it will be motivation enough to get through to the finals. I think that’s the key thing.”

The other semi is at 4 p.m., No. 2 Portsmouth vs. No. 3 Bedford. Portsmouth (16-1-1) is the lone team to have beaten the 15-1-2 Bulldogs this season, 3-2 in Bedford back on Oct. 12.

MILFORD VOLLEYBALL IN SEMIS TONIGHT

Also tonight, the Milford Spartans, fourth seed in Division II volleyball, will take on No. 1 Gilford at 7 p.m. at Pinkerton Academy.

The Spartans, led by kill machines Izzy Unsworth and Ali Fortin, red hot. They lost to Gilford, 3-1, back on Sept. 25 – and haven’t lost since. That’s a streak of 11 matches in a row, all by 3-0 counts except the first win, 3-2 over local rival Campbell.

The winner takes on the winner of the 5 p.m. semi between No. 2 Coe-Brown and No. 3 Oyster River.