Fall Sports Notebook: Brochu off and running for Bow cross country
Maya Brochu isn’t wasting any time checking to-do items off her list.
Bow High School’s junior cross country captain has already accomplished one of her season-long goals just two meets into the 2021 cross country season. If she keeps this pace up, the rest of her objectives shouldn’t be too far off in the distance.
Two races down, and Brochu has a pair of individual wins – the first on Sept. 1 in the season-opening Merrimack Valley meet in Penacook; and the second coming Sept. 4 at the 10-team Coach Korcoulis Memorial Invitational in Hollis – as the Falcons prepare to host their home opening quad meet Thursday.
It’s not that Brochu won a five-team race at Merrimack Valley to open the season, but how she did it and who she edged for the victory. Brochu finished the MV meet in 20 minutes, 4 seconds, beating Merrimack Valley senior Sophia Reynolds – the 2018 Division II individual champ and New England runner-up – by 39 seconds.
“I was kind of just keeping up with Sophia most of the race before giving it my final push,” Brochu said. “Sophia is somebody I’ve always looked up to and used as an example of where I want to be out there as a runner and competitor. So yeah, winning that race and being able to keep pace with her was really cool, but I don’t want it to go to my head. I need to stay focused and just keep working toward shaving more seconds off my time as I work toward states and Meet of Champions.”
In the Coach K race, Brochu led from the start and never looked back, winning the girls individual title in 20:10.3. She beat runner-up Mackenize Cook of Oyster River by 17.9 seconds.
The fact that Brochu is off and running so well to start this season has Bow girls cross country coach Alli DeStefano excited for what’s to come this fall.
“I can’t wait to see where Maya is at when we reach states,” DeStefano said. “She is a dedicated and tough competitor. She’s always trying to push herself, push her boundaries of what’s comfortable. Every year she just comes back in better shape and it shows. Her endurance is improving. She’ll finish a long hard run and be asking if she can do more. She’s pouring her heart and soul into this season, and her performance over the first two meets is a great indicator of how the rest of this season should go.”
Last fall’s shortened season ended well for Brochu. Bow only completed half of the regular season schedule due to COVID-19 cancellations by other schools. Brochu didn’t let the lack of regular-season meets hold her back from training, and she was ready for the state meet, where she finished 17th overall in 20:48, and a personal best 19:57 for 23rd at Meet of Champions.
“Consistent. That’s one of the first words that comes to mind when I think about Maya and how dedicated she is to improving herself,” DeStefano said. “She’s consistently putting in the effort, running and training and bettering herself. The work she puts in doesn’t go unnoticed by coaches or her teammates. The freshman look up to her and are learning from her example every day. She’s a great mentor for them on and off the course.”
Brochu has a chance to pull off another big win in Thursday’s first home meet of the season, which includes a rematch with Reynolds and her Merrimack Valley Pride teammates, as well as Kearsarge and John Stark.
“I’m pretty happy right now,” Brochu said, “but I’m always striving to be better and improve my times. There’s a lot of great competition in girls cross country, my goal is to just keep working hard to be one of those top runners and if I give it my all I think I’ll be ready for the championship meets.”
Girls Soccer
Pinkerton snaps Exeter’s 36-game win streak
Pinkerton Academy’s Kayla Silveira scored in the first half and again early in the second half of its Labor Day morning home match, and then held off two-time defending Division I girls soccer champion Exeter for a 2–1 win. It was a victory that ended a 36-game win streak for the Blue Hawks dating back to their 2019 season opener. Exeter’s last loss prior to Monday was to Manchester Central in the 2018 Division I semifinals.
Exeter went 19-0 in 2019, beating Manchester Memorial 2-0 in the DI championship game. In 2020, the Blue Hawks went 14-0 and repeated as champs with a 5-0 win over Windham in the final.
Astros keeper Libby Williams made seven saves to secure the win. The only goal allowed came off the foot of Exeter midfielder Maggie Hall with 25 minutes to play.
Bolduc on point for Portsmouth in overtime
Portsmouth’s Stella Bolduc knocked home the game-winning goal off a Mia Smith corner kick with less than one minute to play in overtime in a 1-0 Sept. 2 win over Londonderry at home. The win put the Clippers at 3-0 heading into Labor Day week action.
Boys Soccer
Brothers Moulton leading Mascoma on the pitch
Mascoma Valley Regional is off to a strong start to the fall, thanks in large part to a trio of brothers.
Ian, Cole and Tanner have the Royals off to a 2-1 start heading into Friday’s match at Kearsarge in North Sutton.
The trio stood out in their most recent win, 4-1 over Fall Mountain, with Tanner and Cole connecting on a corner kick for what was the eventual game-winning goal, while tri-captain Ian along with Garrett Giovagnoli, Aidan Smith and Allan Hammond stood tall defensively in front of keeper Isaiah Hogan (five saves).
George Scione writes for NH-HighSchoolSports.com and has covered high school sports in New Hampshire since 1995. To report standout performances or offer ideas for the high school notebook send an email to scioneg@gmail.com.
