MS Soccer games rescheduled

The MS Soccer games that were postponed on September the 12th have been rescheduled for Saturday, October 11th at 12:30 on Community field.

jv boys soccer show well vs. Thetford

The JV Boys Soccer team travelled to Thetford on Monday and played an intense, evenly matched game vs. the Panthers for eighty minutes. Dressing only twelve players, the Raptors held their own by playing tough, disciplined defense and challenging the opponents defensive third of the field throughout the match. The game was scoreless until the seventy seventh minute when Thetford scored the game winner on a nicely placed shot from the top right elbow of the penalty area.

Eric Perry played very strongly in net, turning away several difficult shots. The defensive unit kept Thetford at bay while the transition game produced a number of quick strike opportunities at the Thetford end as Kyle Huntington just missed on a couple of occasions. It was a terrific game to watch. The team travels to Twinfield on Wednesday.

Team photos

Team pictures will be taken by LIFE TIME PHOTOS on Thursday, October 9th. Middle School and High School Coaches will be distributing picture forms to their athletes within the next week. LIFE TOUCH will be taking school pictures on that day as well. Please remember that if your child(ren) play a sport, there will be two picture forms to fill out. The athletic form needs to be returned to the players coach.

Varsity boys thump Blue Mountain

The Varsity Boys Soccer team travelled to Blue Mountain on Thursday seeking to gain restitution for an earlier season loss. Taking a chance and opting to play into the wind, the boys broke out into an early lead in the 6th minute of play when Aaron Hibbard took a nice feed from Jesse Oakes and finished the play for a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later Tyler Wood deposited a through pass from Hibby to push the lead to 2-0. That lead held up as the boys played hard the remainder of the half. Mark Frazee made some terrific reads on some dangerous balls and kept Blue Mountain out of the net.

The second half was a reflection of the first in that Tyler and Aaron each scored with Aaron getting the assist on Tyler's goal and Dillon Miller( 1st varsity point) setting up a well placed serve from a free kick for Aaron's second finish of the day. Shane Kilduff played another strong game in the midfield as did the backfield combination of Mike Langley, Josh LeBlanc, Cody Kendall, and Dylan Pelletier. Mark Frazee recorded his 3rd shut out of the season. It was a boost to have Jesse back on the field after having missed the Thetford game due to injury. The game was very physical, and heated at times, as the BMU side accumulated two yellow cards for rough play. The boys did well to maintain their focus and composure. The next varsity game is next Friday (10.3) at home vs. Thetford.

MS Boys prevail over South Royalton

The MS Boys soccer team travelled with the girls to South Royalton and on the strength of a 5-0 result came home with their second win of the season . Ryan Farnham, Luke Bell, Jack Steketee, Nathaniel Eastman, and Andrew stimson recorded goals during the contest. Coach Hibbard was pleased by the balanced play and the ball distribution throughout the contest. The boys record now stands at 2 wins and 3 losses. Their next game is also next Wednesday vs. Haverhill.

MS Girls PK their way past South Royalton

The MS Girls soccer team travelled to South Royalton on Wednesday and took on the Lady Royals. The RA girls took the lead early in the first half when Addie Lyndes took a pass from Molly Pierson and buried the shot. The Royals tied the game with only a few minutes left in the half. Midway through the 2nd half Megan Perkins scored on a penalty kick to put the Raptors back on top 2-1. Playing strong controlled defense the remainder of the game allowed the RA side to maintain that lead and to run off the field with the win.

The close score doesn't reflect how well the girls played throughout the contest. They limited the Royals to three shots on goal and played ball control throughout much of the match. Since adopting the two sweeper format that the varsity plays they have controlled the flow of their games, except for the first half of the Haverhill game and the first fifteen minutes of the Thetford match. Coach Pierson credits the team for learning the new system so quickly and for playing so well together. The win against the Royals brings their record to 2-1-2. Their next game is at home Wednesday, October 1st at 4:30 vs. Haverhill.

MS soccer games vs. Oxbow changed

The MS Soccer games that were scheduled for Thursday, September 25th have been moved to Monday, October 20th at 4:00pm

Varsity boys fall at Thetford

The Varsity boys soccer team lost their game at Thetford 4-1 on Tuesday. The first half of play saw Thetford's Shawn Thurston score two goals and assist on two others as he and Joel Harris created many opportunities and were dangerous during the first :40 minutes of play. Evan Madden broke into the scoring column as he finished a nice pass from Tyler Farnham in the :28th minute of play and brought the deficit to within one goal.

The second half of play was scoreless as the boys worked hard and covered their marks much more effectively than in the first :40 minutes. Cody Kendall played perhaps his best varsity game as he continually snuffed out Thetford opportunities with tough, physical defense. The result of the game was disappointing but it did provide an opportunity for us to experience what teams like the 8-0 Panthers bring to the table. We need to be pleased with the manner in which we played in the second half. The team as a whole competed until the final horn. Next game is Thursday at Blue Mountain. Game time is 4:30.

Varsity girls come home victorious over Thetford

The Varsity girls soccer team ran their record to 5 wins and 2 losses with their 2-1 victory over Thetford on Tuesday. The team had juggled up their line with the hopes of improving it scoring opportunities. Jess Steketee scored the first goal of the afternoon by netting a penalty kick opportunity. Amber and Autumn Brooks,having been moved to the front line as part of the the restructuring process, accounted for the second goal of the day as they were both involved in crashing the goal after Jessica's shot rebounded off the post. Both girls had a chance on the rebound and had touches on the ball but Amber was credited with the game winner.
Thetford made it interesting with three minutes remaining as a defensive clear rebounded off a Thetford player and found the net.

Coach Tenney is pleased with the terrific defensive play that the team has demonstrated and is optimistic with the potential that the shuffling of players will have on the offensive potency on the other end of the field. As the teams moves into the second half of the season, the coaching staff is fine tuning the combinations at both the offensive and defensive ends of the field. The staff is very pleased with the effort and determination of their team.

Varsity boys slip by Twinfield

The varsity boys soccer team played host to a determined Twinfield club on Saturday and prevailed 4-3 in the :93 minute ( 2nd overtime ) on the strength of Evan Madden's second goal, assisted by Aaron Hibbard, of the day. The Hibbard / Madden combination opened the scoring in the 6th minute of the game. Twinfield tied it up in the 33rd minute but once again was on the short end of the score a minute later as Jesse Oakes sent Aaron a through ball which he deposited in the back of the net. Shane Kilduff stretched the lead to 3-1 two minutes into the second half but Twinfield struck in the 61st and 73rd minutes to knot the score at 3-3. After the teams exchanged challenges in the first 10 minute overtime the game was sealed in the 3rd minute of the 2nd overtime. The win closes out the first half of the season with the boys sporting a record of 6 wins and 1 loss. The boys and girls play at Thetford on Tuesday.

Good luck Bert-o

Robert Valenti is undergoing a surgical procedure today and is expected to miss a number of days of soccer participation as a result. His coaches and team members wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to his return.

Good luck Kristina

Kristina Otis is scheduled to have surgery on her damaged ACL this morning. She was named an honorary Captain by Coach Tenney last week as he has been impressed by her spirit and willingness to remain an active teammate even after realizing that her season as a player was over. The members of the boys and girls team wish her good luck and a speedy recovery. She is very much looking forward to playing softball in the spring.

varsity girls stumble in South Royalton

The Varsity girls travelled to South Royalton and suffered a 3-1 loss to the undefeated (7-0) Royals. After trailing 2-0 at the half, Jess Steketee scored on penalty shot in the :55th minute but the play of the Royals Shanna Duffy ( 3 goals ) proved to be too much. The girls did pick up their intensity in the second half and played even ball with thier opponents. They know that they can compete with this team and the talk on the bus ride home was very positive as they look forward to the rematch on the last game of the regular season on Saturday, the 18th of October. NOTE: The starting time for the games on the 18th of October have been moved to 1pm as a result of PSATS being administerd in the morning.

Varsity boys sting South Royalton

The varsity boys soccer team traveled to South Royalton on Thursday and came home with a
4-1 victory. Both teams played very well in the first half playing scoreless ball until the :37th minute when Tyler Wood broke the ice with a nice shot from the right elbow of the 18 after receiving a pass from Shane Kilduff. Our boys took command of the game early in the second half as Cody Thurston collected his first varsity goal with a header off a pass from Tyler Wood in the :44th minute and Evan Madden buried a shot ( assist to Shane Kilduff) in the :47th minute. Aaron Hibbard closed out the scoring, assisted by Jesse Oakes in the :53rd. The team played a solid balanced game, distributed the ball well, and gave up but a few offensive opportunities to SoRo. Tyler Wood came home with a great deal of satisfaction having played very well on the same field where his season ended last year as a result of a broken leg. Defensively the back four combination of Sam Sanborn, Josh LeBlanc, Marshall Ivey, and Michael Langley teamed up and held SoRo to 9 shots on goal. Mark Frazee was brilliant in the goal when he needed to be. The boys host Twinfield on Saturday at 10:00am.

varsity girls drop 1st game at Chelsea

The Varsity girls soccer team travelled to Chelsea on Tuesday and suffered their first loss of the season 3-0. Coach Tenney described the Chelsea side as aggressive and attributed the outcome of the game to being out hustled, particularly in the first half. The team has had a tremendous start this season. After notching four consecutive shutouts,Chelsea was the first team to have scored on them. The girls travel to South Royalton today. Game time is 4:30pm.

varsity soccer boys outlast Cabot

On Saturday the 13th the varsity soccer boys hosted Cabot and came away with a hard fought 4-3 win. A wild first half sent the boys into intermission nursing a 3-2 lead. Evan Madden and Jesse Oakes staked the team to an early 2-0 lead only to have Cabot respond with a goal of their own. Evan quickly answered that with his second strike of the day but Cabot again scored to draw within one. Cabot tied the contest in the :48 minute. Aaron Hibbard scored the game winner in the :54 minute as the team held on the remainder of the game to come away with the win. Assisting on the goals were Cody Thurston, Evan Madden, Aaron Hibbard, and Shane Kilduff. The boys play next at South Royalton next Thursday, the 18th.

Varsity boys stumble vs. BMU

The Varsity boys soccer team fell 2-0 vs. a very competitive Blue Mountain side and as a result suffered their first loss of the season. The first forty minutes of play was dominated by BMU as they outstepped the Raptors and won most of the 50-50 balls that were up for grabs. After the intermission the boys showed a bit more spunk but were unable to finish on a number of good offfensive opportunities. While disappointed by the outcome, the boys were very much aware that they were outplayed and look forward to the rematch later in the season.

The boys play again Saturday at 10:00am vs. Cabot.

Varsity girls soccer continues to roll

The varsity girls soccer team is riding high after their 7-0 win over Blue Mountain on Thursday. The team has not given up a goal while streaking out to a perfect 4-0 record. The Raptors provided a lot of offensive pop as Melanie Emerson, Alexis Pratt, Autumn Brooks, and Deva Steketee tallied goals while Jess Steketee recorder her fourth consecutive hat trick. Assisting in the scoring were Jess, Alexis (2), Kye Ameden, and Hope Amanatidis.

Coach Tenney was pleased with the balanced attack but was quick to praise the defensive effort as Shelby Brooks completely shut down BMU's leading scorer Katie Thompson. Hope Amanatidis started her first varsity game and was essential to the success of the team by playing stellar defense and contributing with an assist on Deva's goal. Spirits are high and the confidence is building as the team is off to their best start ever. The girls play again Tuesday at Chelsea. Game time is 4:30pm

Reminder: Bridge Closing

If you are planning on attending the MS soccer games on Friday at 4:30pm or the boys varsity soccer game at 10:30am on Saturday remember that the Fairlee/Orford bridge is going to be closed from 4:00pm on Friday through 7:00am Monday.

MS soccer teams open the season at Haverhill

RA's Middle School soccer teams opened thier season at Haverhill on Thursday the 10th. Both teams played very well as the girls lost 2-0 and the boys 1-0. Although the results of the games were disappointing, both teams exhibited a great deal of hustle, team work and sportsmanship. Both teams host Thetford on Friday at 4:30pm.

XC @ Thetford; Ariel Pratt places 5th

Our XC girls, Christina Fulford, Ariel Pratt, and Lindsey Carter ran very well at their meet at Thetford on Tuesday the 9th. Chrisitina is the only returning runner from last year. RA can't compete as a team at these meets due to not having the minimum number of five runners, however they are able to represent RA as individual competitors. Ariel, running in her first event ever, placed fifth overall completing the 3.1 mile course in 24:16. It was a terrific showing. Christina placed twenty second with Lindsey close behind at twenty fifth. The girls continue to train rigorously daily under the guidance of Coach Barber. They compete again on the 16th of September at Windsor.

RA Varsity teams double up on Craftsbury

The varsity boys and girls soccer teams played host to Craftsbury on Tuesday, September 9th and came away with 6-0 and 7-0 victories respectively.

In the girl's game, Jess Steketee ( 3 goals, 2 assists) lead the scoring with her third consecutive hat trick followed by her sister Deva ( 2 goals and 2 assists), and Alexis Pratt (2 goals and 1 assist. Tori Hebb contributed to the scoring spree by assisting on two of the goals. Coach Tenney was quick to credit the defensive play of Brooke Maddock and Shelby Brooks along with keeper Erica Preston who made one difficult save that preserved her third shut out of the season.

The boys began the game very aggressively which resulted in early strikes by Evan Madden (4th minute) and Jesse Oakes (7th minute). Jesse scored his second goal in the 36th minute of play. Learning from their flat start in the 2nd half of the Danville game, two quick strikes in the 41st and 42nd minutes by Tyler Woods and Jesse Oakes (1st career hat trick)put the Craftsbury side in a deep 5-0 deficit. Aaron Hibbard completed the scoring in the 58th minute. Assisting the goals were Cody Thurston (2), Aaron Hibbard (2), and Evan Madden. The strong defensive play of Josh LeBlanc, Will Tifft, Shane Kilduff, and Cody Kendall helped keeper Mark Frazee record his second shut out of the season.

Both teams host Blue Mountain on Thursday at 4:30pm.

Road trip to Danville

The Varsity Boys and Girls soccer teams traveled to Danville on Wednesday the 3rd of September for their second games of the season. It was a great bus ride home as both teams notched their second consecutive win. The boys game was a 6-2 result with the girls coming out on top 3-0.

The girls team was lead offensively by Jess Steketee's 3 goal performance ( her second hat trick of the season.) She was assisted twice by her sister Deva and once by Melanie Emerson. Coach Tenney was very pleased by the defensive effort in general ( two shut outs in two games) and particularly with his five defensive backs, Amber and Autumn Brooks, Shelby Brooks, Kathleen McCarty, and Brooke Maddock. The girls have a JV game vs. Sunapee on Friday and are preparing for their next varsity match vs. Craftsbury on Tuesday, September 9th at 4:30pm.

The boys opened the game very quickly scoring three times in the first twelve minutes. Danville created some anxious moments as they scored two minutes into the second half, but the kids regrouped and took back control by scoring three more times to put the game away. Goals were scored by Jesse Oaks (2), Tyler Wood, Shane Kilduff, Tyler Farnham, and Aaron Hibbard. Assists were awarded to Cody Thurston (2), Tyler Farnham, Aaron Hibbard, and Josh LeBlanc.
Defensively the fellows played very well once again with Keeper Mark Frazee being the backstay and Will Tifft giving terrific directions from his central back position. Shane Kilduff was a workhorse playing out of the back and wing midfield positions. The team is preparing for their next encounter on Tuesday the 9th also at home vs. Craftsbury. The JV team plays at Lisbon on Moday the 8th.