Nashua South's Alex Sennik, left, consoles teammate Nico Frioni after the Panthers fell 2-0 to Pinkerton in the Division I prelims in Derry, ending their season. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

DERRY – The script that had plagued the Nashua High School boys soccer team didn’t change much when the Panthers absolutely needed it to on Wednesday.

They just couldn’t score, and at times just weren’t able to match the opponent’s attack mode. That combination led to a 2-0 season-ending defeat at the hands of No. 8 Pinkerton Academy in the Division I prelims.

“We couldn’t keep the ball,” South coach Tom Bellen said as the No. 9 Panthers finished at 6-6-5, two years removed from back-to-back titles. “Energy has been tough, and the season has been just – we got where we deserved to be (ninth). We could’ve been a top four seed if we were disciplined but we were just not disciplined enough this year to get to that point where we got in the past…Between lack of discipline and tons of injuries, it was too much to overcome.”

Pinkerton took advantage but just barely as Miles Shea converted a perfect feed from Ethan Bellows about 22 minutes into the first half for the only goal the Astros would need.

“When we played the first time, I was telling Tom, it was by far the most boring game (a 1-1 tie) I’ve seen,” Astros coach Kerry Boles said, his 9-4-4 team headed to face top seed, unbeaten Bedford in Saturday’s quarterfinals. “I was hoping we’d come out with a little different energy, and we did. But then for the first 15 minutes of the second half Nashua was taking it to us.”

Yes the Panthers had three free kicks and got a great header from freshman Kevin Araujo that just went over crossbar and PA keeper Rolton Ladd (three saves). But they simply couldn’t convert.

Pinkerton keeper Rolston Ladd reaches up to snare the ball off a corner kick surrounded by Nashua’s Revin Olsen (5) and Leo Lopez (1) during Wednesday’s Division I prelim in Derry. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Pinkerton keeper Rolston Ladd reaches up to snare the ball off a corner kick surrounded by Nashua’s Revin Olsen (5) and Leo Lopez (1) during Wednesday’s Division I prelim in Derry. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

“We decided to go offensively,” Bellen said. “I said 1-0, 8-0, who cares. We’ve got to put pressure on them. But even that took us a while to get going because we kept dropping back. But I said I wanted us to be high. Let’s let the defenders get the ball, if we get scored on, so be it.”

And they did, as the Astros got the clincher in the 67th minute, a blast from the left side by senior Denver Sherwood. South freshman keeper Antonio Pancine (four saves), pressed into duty recently due to an injury to junior Ethan Long, had no chance. That made it a 2-0 game and the clincher.

“That’s the risk you take,” Bellen said. “You’re going to try to score a goal, you’re going to give up a shot. They took advantage, I think that was their first shot in the second half. I’ll live and die with that stuff. … If we would’ve gotten one before it changes the game.”

But the game never changed, and the Astros are moving on.

“I’m happy with what these guys have done,” Boles said.

Unfortunately, the Panthers and their coach couldn’t feel the same way.