Merrimack's Dylan Sadowski celebrates a stunning 27-26 comeback first round playoff win over Nashua South.

Yes, with high school state tournaments cut short last winter due to the pandemic and the spring sports season eliminated entirely, the Tourney Trail went from an abrupt stop to disappearing altogether.

But thanks to the resumption of high school athletics this fall, we bring it to you once again, one local scribe’s experiences going from tournament game to tournament game. And this fall’s trail has a lot of twist, turns and stops due to the unique tournament formats the NHIAA used to better deal with virus concerns.

So get your sneakers/hiking shoes on, grab a jacket and here we go because the stops are many:

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Martha Lord's overtime goal sent the Bishop Guertin girls soccer team into celebration mode at Alvirne in the Division I quarterfinals. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING).

MONDAY, OCT. 19

STELLOS STADIUM, NASHUA

Welcome to Stellos Stadium, the site of a first-ever “play-in” game that are being used in all sports. In this one, Merrimack which only had three regular season games to due virus concerns-restrictions, played a solid game in halting the offense-challenged Nashua South Panthers, 3-0 thanks to two Paige Rivet goals. When’s the last time you heard a coach like Ann MacLean say after a tourney game “It was good to get out here?” The Tomahawks hadn’t playd a game since Oct. 8. Amazing. Meanwhile, South, which got nine games in and finished 3-5-1, was missing its big offensive force in Kaitlyn West. She had a family member test positive and had to quarantine.

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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21

It was a tough end for Lindsay Hult (17) and the rest of the Bishop Guertin field hockey team with a loss to Windham in the Division I semis (Telegraph photo by TOM KING).

STELLOS STADIUM

Back to Stellos for the Division I field hockey prelims, as the Tomahawks return on a suddenly warm fall afternoon. Bishop Guertin, down 1-0, displayed a stunning offensive attack, three goals in 7:24, led by a pair by Stephanie Coloumbe.

“It was like a switch,” said a shell-shocked MacLean said of the outburst. “I’ve never seen that.”

It was good to see former Cards hockey-lacrosse star Cam Hult, who is student teaching-coaching at the school while pursuing a Masters degree at a school in Florida and certainly has the aura of a coach if he wants to pursue it.

The BG assistant coach under Erica Chareth said he and Chareth challenged the players at halftime. “You have 30 minutes left,” they told the players. “Do you want it to be your last half?” Hire this guy.

Souhegan's Alex Lin ponders a tough 3-2 Division II boys soccer semifinal loss at Bow. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING).

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THURSDAY, OCT. 22

HOLLIS BROOKLINE HS

It’s Field Hockey Week, and the team that really looked like a title contender all fall was Souhegan, which thanks to a blind draw had to play on the road all tourney, starting with a 4-1 win over Hollis Brookline at HB’s brand new turf field which you have to check out in the spring. The Sabers were led by Nicole O’Rourke’s two second period goals, and as Souhegan coach Kelli Braley said, “We have it all on paper.” The only problem, that paper led them up to Conway for the finals on a grass field in which they lost to Kennett 10 days later.

HB was impacted by the virus, as JV coach Emma Maxwell coached the team through much of the season as head coach Allie Buschmann was in quarantine. “This,” Maxwell said, “was the best game we played together as a team all season.”

Hollis Brookline's Emily Dreyer (22) and Cheyenne Colbert go up for a block vs. Bedford in the Division I title match. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

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MONDAY, OCT. 26

STELLOS STADIUM

Welcome to the first game of the Division I boys soccer tournament, a Nashua North-South play-in game with the two rivals meeting in the post season for the second year in a row.

The heavily favored 9-1 Panthers survived a 1-0 game on Rory Olsen’s goal in the 73rd minute. The story was the nine save performance of Simon Costa, who borrowed a teammate Anhuar Ramos-Garcia’s (mainly a JV player) jersey and thus was misidentified by all of us on the live stream. What happened?

One writer's Tourney Trail ended with championship smiles by Nashua North football players Kobey Marshall, left, Curtis Harris-Lopez, center, and Jordyn Raisanen-Andino. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

“My jersey in the wash came out another color,” he said with a grin. “It was like white.”

He almost made the Panthers turn pale as well.

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TUESDAY, OCT. 27

MHS STUDENT MEMORIAL FIELD

Just like the Panther boys, the Bishop Guertin girls soccer team, thanks to the blind draw, had to play a play-in road game despite an unbeaten record. And upstart 1-7 Merrimack gave the Cards a tough first half fight in a scoreless game, thanks to that age-old soccer strategy: the off-sides trap.

But BG, thanks to a pair of goals by Brooke Paquette, prevailed. “We spoke about what we needed to do at halftime,” BG coach Winston Haughton said, “and the girls followed those instructions well.”

This was just Stop One on a doubleheader day. Next:

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BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL’S BULLDOG STADIUM

The hero of the fall tourney season was Bedford AD Corey Parker, who offered his facility at a couple of times for late round games so fans of both teams could attend if there were restrictions for visiting fans. So when the Bishop Guertin field hockey team was to host Windham in the Division I semis, the game was moved to Bedford so Windham fans could be there as well.

Hop skip and a jump from Merrimack, so sometimes these things work out beautifully. It didn’t work out so well for the Cards, losing to what’s been a mini-dynasty in the Jaguars, 3-0. Since 2012 there’s been only one season in which Windham didn’t make the finals in Division I or II.

The highlight: Some great New York Giants halftime talk between yours truly and BG athletic directory Ryan Brown, a fellow devout Big Blue fan. It certainly bored BG principal Jason Strniste.

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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28

STELLOS STADIUM

Another dreary, soggy weather day at Stellos as the most blah month of the year, November, draws closer. And another tough game for the Panthers, this time against a BG team they had dominated in games the previous week. The best thing, though, about this new regional cohort setup is that these games are all local. BG goalie Aiden Laurendeau had a hockey type game – 18 saves. Rare for a soccer goaltender, and there was no mistaking him or his lime florescent green uniform.

“I was just trying to keep it close,” a humble Laurendeau said, while his coach , Valdemir Roque said, “I’m glad I’m going to have him for next year.”

The Panthers, meanwhile, were just glad to move on to the quarters – the difference being an own goal.

“No easy game,” South coach Tom Bellen said. “Everybody’s here for a reason at this point.”

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THURSDAY, OCT. 29

STELLOS STADIUM

Back to our second home, Stellos, for the Division I girls soccer prelims with Guertin taking on a tough Nashua North team. The Titans put up a tough fight against the 11-0 Cards, but three BG goals in the last 20 minutes of the first half (thanks to two assists by Maddie Neily) had the Cards advancing to the quarterfinals.

But what was tough was seeing the end of the high school careers of two really good Titans, Emilee Deleo and Ari Dumaine. “I’m very proud of them,” North coach Jacqueline Thompson said. “I will miss a lot of them (the seniors).”

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NASHUA NORTH GYM

Yes, another doubleheader day, but as the weather worsens, this next stop is indoors – Titans Gym for the Nashua North-Hollis Brookline Division I girls volleyball prelim.

The Titans took the first set, 25-20, but HB stormed back to take the next three, 25-18, 25-21, 25-18, ending North’s season.

But the highlight for yours truly? Working on the Nashua ETV broadcast with color commentators BG assistant coach/manager Peter Bogosian and Cards senior Madison Keating. Listening to them was a crash course in volleyball strategy, absolutely enlightning. You think you know everything, and you know nothing.

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FRIDAY, OCT. 30

STELLOS STADIUM

Make that icy Stellos. Yes, snow, before Halloween, as we all woke up that morning to January in October. Ridiculous. But the field was cleared – Park-Rec’s Bob Guidabone at his best again – and Nashua North took care of Bishop Guertin 35-6 in a Division I first round football playoff game thanks to Curtis Harris-Lopez’s three TD passes.

It felt more like the Turkey Eve Bowl than a Halloween weekend playoff game, and yours truly did the ETV color commentary outside but with no wind, well, not bad. The snow would melt in a couple of days and warmer times were ahead – just not the next day. Read on:

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SATURDAY, OCT. 31

HOLLIS BROOKLINE HS

More playoff football, this time a Division II first round game that saw the host and defending champion Cavaliers just take it to rival Milford 33-14, despite five – yes, five – turnovers. It was the last time yours truly would be able to see the area’s second best back behind Harris-Lopez in HB’s Marc Andre-Thermitus. He rushed for over 300 yards the first time these two teams met in an HB loss; this time he had 163 yards on the ground and two long TD runs. “He’s gifted,” HB coach Chris Lones said.

You felt bad for the Spartans, whose only win came in their opener. They got robbed when a halfback option TD pass was ruled illegal (two forward passes). “I want to see the film,” Milford coach Keith Jones said. “I still think it was a touchdown.

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GPS FIELD, BEDFORD

Doubleheader Day Three, and the coldest of all, as the South-Merrimack Divison I quarterfinal was moved out of what would have been a much warmer Student Memorial Field matinee to a 7 p.m. game in freezing temps. Even school athleitc officials Lisa Gingras, Mike Soucy and Nate Mazerolle looked cold. The prospect of overtime loomed as the game was scoreless until South’s Rory Olsen scored with just over five minutes left in regulation.. We don’t play favorites, but with the weather the way it was, whoever scored a goal was going to be the hero of many. “I hoped for the best,” the sophomore Olsen said of his shot that just beat Tomahawks goalie Aiden Laporte, who was outstanding in his own right. “I feel I do better under pressure.”

With the bitter temps falling, the pressure was on, kid.

Unfortunately the Panthers didn’t get any heroics four days later, losing to Winnacunnet in the semis.

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SUNDAY, NOV. 1

MHS STUDENT MEMORIAL FIELD

Ah, warmth. In fact, we overdressed as the temps were in the 50s, almost 60, insteade of below freezing. But it was a dark day for the Nashua South football team, which blew a 20-0 first quarter lead to fall 27-26 to Merrimack in the Division I first round. It ruined a potential North-South quarterfinal which during the game Gingras said either way would be a Friday night game.

The result was stunning, as Merrimack quarterback Kyle Crampton threw for 289 yard and two TDs, including the winner to Shea Goodwin with 7:33 left. Quote of the post season was by Merrimack coach Kip Jackson: “We’re down 20 in 2020.”

The stunned look on the face of South coach Scott Knight was telling: “I didn’t see this one coming,” he said.

Tough to see a super player in South’s Jason Compoh end his high school career. But off to Hudson.

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ALVIRNE HIGH SCHOOL

Yes, Doubleheader Day Four, just in time to catch the most important half of a second half of a fantastic Bishop Guertin-Alvirne Division I girls soccer quarterfinal. But with Strniste there to help one catch up – he attends several of the BG sporting events – who needs to watch from start to finish? After a scoreless half, the teams went to sudden death OT tied 2-2 but it didn’t last long with BG’s Martha Lord scoring1:21 into the extra frame. “She’s been a game-changer all year,” Haughton said.

Alvirne coach Jerry Ruigrok, who did a fantastic job as the Broncos finished 6-3-1, must think this scribe is bad luck: 0-4-1 in Alvirne games covered his two seasons.

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WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4

BOW HIGH SCHOOL

Fantastic Division II boys soccer semifinal that ended with Bow outlasting Souhegan 3-2.

But there were a couple of interesting things away from the playing field. First, we walked right in at the gate, no ticket taker, no temperature, no wellness assessment.

Second, the Bow fans were on the opposite side of the field in small bleachers you’d think normally would be set up for visiting fans in the cold shade. Souhegan fans were basking in the sun in the bigger stands just below the press box. “They can’t see over there,” one Bow fan explained. “The sun is in their eyes.”

The sun shone on the 7-0-3 Falcons with the game-winner with just over 20 minutes left but you could tell why the Sabers believed as the pressued Bow keeper Kyle Martin relentlessly the rest of the way.

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HOLLIS BROOKLINE HS

Doubleheader Day Five, and the the last two-stop day on the Trail as the Cavaliers top Londonderry, 3-1, in the Division I semis, thanks to Sarah Dreyer’s 16 kills. The Cavs were back in the finals after missing them last year. HB coach Becky Balfour was wondering how the Bedford-Spaulding semi was going but that ended up being postponed and moved to Thursday at Oyster River as the Red Raiders wouldn’t travel. Another day in Pandemia.

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THURSDAY, NOV. 5

EXETER’S BILL BALL

STADIUM

Another tough 1-0 Division I girls soccer semi for Bishop Guertin, thanks to a tough sequence. The sun was right in Exeter goalie Kailey Hall for a BG corner kick 12 minutes in, but instead of booting it toward the goal the Cards ran a ground play. The Blue Hawks stole the ball, started a break that led to the game’s only goal as BG’s season would end 12-1 (amazing that many games).

One strange thing: The Exeter football team, which would normally be practicing on fields nearby,weren’t around at all. Odd, as they had a playoff game scheduled for the weekend vs. rival Winnacunnet. Later that night it was learned the Blue Hawks had to forfeit due virus issues. Luckily, the Exeter girls soccer team was not impacted, so no exposure/quarantine needed for yours truly. Whew.

It wasn’t the only major virus story, as you can read on:

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FRIDAY, NOV. 6

STELLOS STADIUM

The North High School football team avenged two earlier quarterfinal losses to Merrimack with a 42-12 thumping with four Harris-Lopez TDs.

But the most interest thing of the night came from a rumor Ch. 9’s Jamie Staton relayed: That Merrimack Valley may be forfeiting its scheduled Sunday girls soccer title game with Milford. Sure enough, after the game a text from Spartans coach Russ Matthews confirmed the rumors, and his team was now the Division II champion. “It’s a little bittersweet,” he said.

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SATURDAY, NOV. 7

BEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL

Welcome to the Division I girls volleyball finals, and a tough 3-0 loss for Hollis Brookline. The Cavs had leads late in the first two sets but lost both times, and unbeaten Bedford owned three wins this fall over the former dynasty.

“You can’t do that (lose leads) against this team,” Balfour said. “This was the closest team I’ve ever had.”

Striking thing about the event: It wasn’t jammed, but there was a decent masked crowd on hand. At least a title match wasn’t played in an empty gym.

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SUNDAY, NOV. 8

CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL, LITCHFIELD

The Cougars had the rare opportunity to host the Division III girls soccer title game, but Hopkinton, after trailing 1-0 early (Campbell goal by Josephine Oberto) was clearly the more talented group en route to a 4-1 threepeat.

Note to Cougars: Don’t have fans on the side of the benches for a title game. Tensions are high, and there was some brief back and forth between the Campbell bench and some Hopkinton fans on the small hill above the field.

Both teams seemed to feel fortunate they made it to the finish line. “They had their heads right all season,” Cougars coach Kevin Brassard said of his team.

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SATURDAY, NOV. 14

STELLOS STADIUM

The final trip to Stellos until the spring as North survived a rough start to upend Salem 33-28 in a fantastic Division I football semi. The Titans trailed 7-0, 7-6, 14-6, and the game was tied at 21 in the second half. As North coach Dante Laurendi said, “Oh boy.” Laurendi warned of the dangers of Salem’s Wing-T offense and he was right.

But Salem didn’t have a Harris-Lopez, who ran for 202 yards and four TDs, or a Jayden Espinal, whose interception didn’t let North breathe until there was 2:27 left. On to the finals and farwell Stellos, see you in the spring, we all hope.

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SATURDAY, NOV. 21

Well, this has already been well documented, a 49-21 North win over Goffstown thanks to a spectacular second quarter. North’s first football title ever as history is made.

Leaving Bulldog Stadium in Bedford – offered as a neutral site by Parker – was an interesting site. While the players packed everything up, two people on the warm day with a bat and ball came from nowwhere in shorts and sweats, taking grounders on the turf.

A warm end to an otherwise damp and chilly 2020 Fall Tourney Trail.

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