After hitting the emotional heights with a 2-0 Mack Plaque win over the Pinkerton Academy Astros on Sept. 24, the Londonderry High boys’ soccer squad fell into something of a skid that continued into last week to a significant extent.
After dropping four consecutive decisions in the direct wake of the Mack success, veteran coach Todd Ellis’ now 6-7-1 Lancers managed to rediscover the winning path by edging a winless Dover High crew by a 3-2 tally on the seacoast on the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 11.
After the two teams played a scoreless first half, Dover tallied a 2-0 lead by scoring consecutive goals in minutes 44 and 48 of the contest.
But the Lancers answered in fine comeback fashion with a marker from Jayden West (assist to Nalen Iarribino) in the 61st minute of play, the tying goal from Luca Amarena 16 minutes later, and the game-winner off the foot of Luke Cava in the 80th minute on a penalty kick.
“Dover played well and scored two quick goals to start the second half. I’m glad we managed to fight our way back,” said Ellis.
But the final result wasn’t as good for the locals in a 1-0 loss to a scuffling Keene High contingent on the road on Friday, Oct. 14. Keene’s record moved to a weak 2-11-1 with its home success.
All of regulation time was scoreless in that contest, with Keene potting the lone goal in the first overtime stanza. Londonderry pelted the Blackbirds’ goalie with 15 shots but were unable to get one past him.
That left the Londonderry High crew stepping into this, the final week of the Division I regular season looking for tide-turning wins against strong Manchester Memorial (8-5-1) on Tuesday, Oct. 18, after Londonderry Times press time, and then on Friday, Oct. 21 against scuffling Nashua North (3-9-2) in the Gate City.
Josh Ryan and the LHS boys’ soccer squad aimed to turn their fortunes around this week as the Division I tourney approached. Photo by Chris Paul