Alan Greenwood

There remains a healthy rivalry between Nashua and Manchester, but it isn’t close to the ill-will that punctuated it back in its heyday, staying at the boiling point for decades.

Consider, for instance, the front page of The Nashua Telegraph on Oct. 28, 1946. The lead headline, covering six columns and two decks, says it all:

“Nashua fans protest raw deal received on grid game seating.”

As reported by Telegraph sports editor Frank Stawasz, the hosts kept the Athletic Field gate used by Nashua fans closed until most of the seats assigned to the visitors were taken by Manchester fans.

Stawasz remained angry on the Tuesday after Nashua’s 7-0 win.

OCT 29, 1946 – “To say Manchester authorities pushed Nashuans around is using pretty strong language, but then the facts do not contradict this. All during the week it was said that all gates intoA Athletic Field would be opened by 1 p.m. When 1 o’clock finally ticked around Sunday, all gates bu the Nashua gate were opened.

“… For Central’s new athletic board we have nothing but disgust and a suggestion. As silly as the suggestion may sound, it would probably clear up much of the misunderstanding between out two cities. ‘Give the game back to the kids.’ ”

OCT. 30, 1961 – “Lucky Leconte’s Crusaders bounced back into the win column at the expense of the Wakefield Colts, 13-6, yesterday afternoon at Holman Stadium in a thrilling Boston Suburban Pop Warner League engagement.

“After a scoreless first half, Nashua was first to break the scoring ice when Mark Fraser tallied from the Wakfield 14. Wakefield bounced back to tie the game 6-6 in the same frame. In the fourth period a Blais-to-Kilbane pass to the Wakefield 3 set the stage for the winning touchdown. Fraser hit the line for his second TD.”

OCT. 31, 1986 – “Welcome to the 8-minute, 17-second soccer game, as provided by the Milford AREA Senior High school girls against Exeter High School on Thursday afternoon in the preliminary round of the state tournament.

“Did you get there a few minutes late? Then you must have missed Jen Holder’s score less than a minute into the game.

“… Were you there for Sheri Kurz’s score about 8 minutes later? That’s the one Exeter will remember as the steel-toed, reinforced Army boot in the butt, its farewell from the tournament.”

The long-winded scribe covering this game eventually got around to confirming the final score of Milford 2, Exeter 1.

NOV. 1, 2006 – “Tuesday’s finale was an all too familiar scene for Merrimack High School girls soccer coach Jobee Sinclair and some of her players. But with a twist.

“A year ago, a late handball call went against the ‘Hawks in a tough quarterfinal loss to Bishop Guertin, but this time the frustration was felt by Londonderry.

“A handball call in the box at 8:36 of the first sudden-death overtime produced grins, not chagrin, for the second-seeded Tomahawks in a 1-0 semifinal triumph that lands them in their first Class L title game since their championship in 1998.

“Freshmen were involved on both sides: the call was on Lancer Dana Boyle, and Merrimack’s Kailey Blain buried the penalty kick to start the Tomahawks’ celebration at Stellos Stadium.”

NOV. 2, 2011 – “As Campbell coach Steve Levine said, ‘We scored in each of our first 17 games. In the last game we didn’t.’

“Thus, the hopes of the Cougars advancing to the Division III boys finals Tuesday night went down as Raymond triumphed in the semifinals, 1-0, on a goal by Cam West-Coates with just 4:05 left in regulation time.

“Cougars goal keeper Jacob Morgan made nine saves one of them on a point-blank breakaway.”

NOV. 3, 2016 – “Hollis Brookline is heading back to the championship. The fourth-seeded defending champion Cavaliers led for nearly the entire match and ousted eighth-seeded Exeter 3-0 by set scores of 25-21, 25-17 and 25-23 in the Division I semifinals on Wednesday at Pinkerton Academy.

“Senior setter Hannah Balfour dictated the offense with 33 assists and chipped in defensively with 15 digs, while sophomore Maddie Norris delivered a match-high 19 kills.”

NOV. 4, 1966 – “The Hollis High School Cavaliers cross country team ended its season with an 8-4 record under coach Lou Korcoulis and is mapping plans for the State Meet tomorrow at the University of New Hampshire.

“The following will represent Hollis: Tim Spence, Bob Cole, Dan Landry, Bob Landry, Kenny Clark, Tom Hardy, Graham Watson, Don Marvell and Alan Lorden.”