Tag Archives: Amesbury High School

September 27, 2011 · 9:03 pm

North Andover Defeats Amesbury 3-1 in Girls Soccer

Liv Boudreau (#3) defended by Erin Leary (#13) in the first half.

(Amesbury) Sometimes a soccer game turns on a goal, other times it turns on a save.

North Andover goalkeeper Megan Collins denied a great scoring opportunity by Amesbury’s Hannah Zannini early (three minutes) in the second half and the Lady Knights (4-2-1) followed with three unanswered goals to defeat the Indians (3-1-1), 3-1, at Cashman Elementary School in Amesbury.

Hannah Zannini gets off a 2nd half shot as her teammates watch from the sidelines.

If Hannah’s hard shot doesn’t deflect off Megan’s hands AND the goal post, the Indians go up 2-0 and the outcome might have been different.

But the shot stayed out and five minutes later Amesbury goalie Sarah Abraham gave up a rebound in front to Pam Coufos and she tied the score, 1-1.

The visitors took the lead for good ten minutes later when a Alex Medlock cross from the right side found Jess Carney with an open look on the left side for the go-ahead, and what turned out to be, game winner.

North Andover’s final goal was set up on a pass from Tori Sullivan into the middle where Caroline Kirby had time and a clear view of the AHS goal.

Pam Coufos (#2) scored the Lady Knights first goal.

The lone Amesbury goal was by Hannah Zannini at the 28-minute mark of the first half.  Erin Leary sent Hannah on a long run down the middle of the field. Hannah got off a strong right-footed shot that beat the NA goalie in the upper right corner of the goal.

Whitney Whitlow (CAL All-League) hurt an ankle in the first half and played sparingly thereafter.  She had twelve goals and six assists in 2010.

Megan Cullen (CAL All-League) damaged her knee in the summer and is out for the season.  She had thirteen goals and nine assists in 2010.

Let’s just say that Amesbury had some weapons missing on offense.

But the Amesbury defense was together and they were tested by the quickness and persistence of CAL All-Leaguers Liv Boudreau and Pam Coufos among others.  NA ended up with eleven shots by my calculations. Amesbury had only allowed one goal through their first four games.

The two best players on the field may well have been NA defenders Rachel Barnes (CAL All-League) and Taylor Tagliente (CAL All-Star).  Rachel kept Indian threats out of the middle.  Taylor went down heavily early on but shook it off and covered a lot of ground for the Indians.  Taylor played every minute of every Amesbury game last year.

Audrey Samuelman (#9) and Rachel Barnes (back turned) defend in front of the North Andover net.

Amesbury’s next game is against Hamilton-Wenham on Thursday at home.

North Andover’s next game is home versus Pentucket.

The field was in fine condition.  The only problem was that the sun was a real factor down one end.  As luck would have it, I chose to stay at the other end and naturally all four goals were scored down the sunny end.

(I take my own pictures and collect my own stats.  My goal is to be accurate and fair.)

The pictures assume normal size if you click on them.

Elly Theriault (#19), Taylor Tagliente (10) and Emily Martin (16)

Whitney Whitlow

Taylor Tagliente

Leah Chittick (#20) with Taylor Tagliente (#10) and Amanda Martin (#12)

Hannah Zannini defended by Deidre Martyn

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May 25, 2011 · 10:09 pm

Newburyport Defeats Amesbury 7-4 and Gets Share of Cape Ann League D2 Title

Newburyport celebrates winning at least a share of the Cape Ann League D2 title.

(Amesbury) This game will not be fondly remembered by AHS Coach Chris Perry and his Amesbury Indian softball team.

Why?  With a chance to win the Cape Ann League Division 2 title, Amesbury played poorly and lost to Newburyport, 7-4, on Wednesday afternoon.

The Newburyport win means that the Clippers (who won the CAL D2 title last year) have earned at least a tie for the title.  The pressure is now on Amesbury because they have a game (Thursday) at home with Triton that they must win to also share the title.

Newburyport (15-3) has now won twelve of their last thirteen games and with this win they avenge an early-season 10-9 loss at Newburyport.

The Clippers built up a 4-0 lead after 4 ½ innings and then gave all four runs back  in the bottom of the fifth.  The Indians gave up three more runs in the top of the sixth and never recovered.

Hits were plentiful (20) and Amesbury lost despite having at least one hit in every inning.  Amesbury loaded the bases twice and didn’t score either time.  The toughest was the 4th when they loaded the bases with no outs.

Let’s just say that there was plenty of offense!  It was the defenses that surprised me – “subpar,” would put it kindly because Amesbury had three errors and Newburyport five.  The “good” news for the Clippers was that theirs all happened during the Indians four-run fifth.

The Indians spread their mistakes out.  There wasn’t a single Newburyport run that couldn’t be considered some sort of gift.

Taylor Summit holds the ball high after tagging Janine Fatal for the game’s final out.

Amesbury also had, by my estimation, five costly mental mistakes.  Catchable popups dropped in between Ali French and Janine Fatal and later Erin Leary and Cassie Schultz and both runners scored.  Third baseman Anna Kate Webber fielded a grounder in the sixth and instead of getting the out at first tried to catch the runner off third unsuccessfully.  On a relatively deep fly ball to left, Ashley Valme (on third base) didn’t tag up and score.  The most grievous was the fifth one.  The Indians had a two-out rally started with a single by Janine Fatal and then another single, this time by Amanda Schell.  However, on Amanda’s hit Janine rounded second too far and Lea Tomasz’s throw to second baseman Taylor Summit nailed her for the final out of the game.

I apologize for beating on the Amesbury team with this summary but it was all so uncharacteristic of a very good team.  You certainly don’t get to be 17-2 the way they played in this one.

Maddy Stanton had a “memorable” fifth inning but recovered to score a run in the sixth and cleanly handle a grounder in the seventh.

Newburyport won this one but if all you saw of this game was them in the field in the fifth inning you would have wondered how.  After two outs things got real ugly.  Over the next six batter third baseman Maddy Stanton had three errors.  Normally sure-handed it was shocking to see grounders go off her glove as well as under her glove.  It is an unwritten rule that if someone is having trouble in the field the ball will always find them.  It sure happened to Maddy.  Pitcher Molly Rowe bobbled a grounder and there was also a throwing error to home (by shortstop Kendra Dow?).

But other than the fifth inning, Newburyport was solid in the field.  As for Amesbury, they hit very well but were out of character in the other aspects of the game.

In the Newburyport first, Lea Tomasz singled up the middle and later scored on Ashley Casellini’s sacrifice fly to center.

In the Newburyport second, Taylor Summit walked and eventually scored on Rachel Webster’s sacrifice fly to right.

In the Newburyport fifth, Eleni Kacher and Lea Tomasz  reached second and third and Kendra Dow drove in both of them with a single to right.

In the Amesbury fifth, the Indians had one hit (Erin Leary single) but benefited from the five Clipper errors.  Scorers were; Ali French, Erin Leary, Ashley Valme, and Alexis Boswell.

In the Newburyport sixth, the Clippers loaded the bases and Rachel Webster scored on Lea Tomasz’ fielder’s choice.  Eleni Kacher scored on catcher Laura Kaminski’s throwing error and Maddy Stanton reached home on Cassie Davis’ sacrifice fly to center.

AHS coach Chris Perry had a lengthy, and heated, discussion with the umpiring crew.

Another memory from this game was the extended delay in Amesbury’s 4-run fifth when AHS Coach Chris Perry argued for the longest time on a ruling that gave his Indians two runs.  That the umpires didn’t end the discussion and resume play had me believing that they weren’t sure that they had it right.

The weather was shocking.  Who expects a game played under sunny skies with temperatures in the 70’s in April/May in these parts??

Both Lea Tomasz and Eleni Kacher had two hits and scored two runs.  Kendra Dow had two RBI.

Laura Kaminski, Erin Leary, Ashley Valme, and Janine Fatal all had two hits for Amesbury.

Prior to this game with Newburyport, Amesbury had allowed less than two runs per game over the last ten games.

Both teams have qualified for the state tournament.

(I keep track of things myself and take my own pictures.  Mistakes are not uncommon.)

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May 20, 2011 · 8:52 pm

D’Agostino and Fecteau Lead Triton Past Amesbury 7-1

Rich Fecteau rounds third during a 3-run homer in the sixth inning as Matt Enaire watches .

Cam D’Agostino – complete game three hitter

(Rowley) Cam D’Agostino’s complete game 3-hitter and Rich Fecteau’s three-run homer led Triton past Amesbury, 7-1, on Friday afternoon at Eiras Park in Cape Ann League baseball action.

Cam held the Indians hitless over the last 5 2/3 innings as the tourney-bound Vikings recorded their eleventh win of the season.

Rich Fecteau’s blast over the right field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning gave Cam a nice six-run cushion going into the final inning.  That “cushion” was just three runs going into that inning and Tim Cashman did warm up but wasn’t needed in the seventh.

Plenty of accolades for Cam and Rich but anyone on hand was marveling at two outfield plays by right fielder Asa Knowles.  JC Collette was on the wrong end of both catches.  In the fifth, it was a running catch toward the fence that could well have been a triple for JC if it had gone over Ace’s outstretched glove.  In the seventh, Asa ended the game by making a diving catch on a blooper into short right.

Asa also singled in a run in the fourth.  Someone in the Triton dugout opined afterward, “Did he just have the game of his life??”

Asa Knowles makes a diving catch to end the game.

Amesbury (7-8) scored its lone run in the first as JC Collette’s double to left delivered Tyler Lay.  The Indians loaded the bases in both the second and fourth with two outs but each time Cam D’Agostino retired Tyler Lay.  The first time on a fly to center and the second time on a grounder to short.

Triton picked up two runs in the first on Blaise Whitman’s double to right.  Tim Cashman and Rich Fecteau scored the runs.  Tim fell down rounding second on his hit to right center and then fell down rounding third on Rich’s hit.  Later he was getting his wrist taped.

Tim drove in Jarrod Mullen with the first run in the sixth on a grounder to left.  Rich Fecteau followed with the 3-run blast over the fence in right.

Cam D’Agostino struck out seven and gave up six walks.

Tyler Lay scores Amesbury’s only run in the first.

Sean Ward went the distance for Amesbury.  He had five strikeouts but gave up eleven hits including a 3-run homer.

Rich Fecteau had three hits, three rbi, scored two runs, and had two errors.  Nice job of filling the stat sheet!

It was indeed a remarkable weather day.  There was no rain and no wind.

Eiras Park has bleachers on both sides and convenient parking.  It also has the police station handy in case fans get rowdy!

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures.  I make an occasional mistake.  Bear with me.)

JC Collette waits at home to tag out Dmitri Hunt.

Asa Knowles

Rich Fecteau

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May 3, 2011 · 9:15 pm

Alex Ministeri Pitches Pentucket Past Amesbury 9-3

Alex Ministeri leaves the mound at game’s end after a 3-hit, 12-strikeout performance.

Alex struck out the side in three innings including the 7th.

(Amesbury) Way too much Alex Ministeri for Amesbury (5-4) as the Pentucket junior K’d twelve and scattered three hits in the Sachems, 9-3, win at AHS on Tuesday afternoon.

Pentucket defeated Amesbury, 6-2, in their first meeting at Pentucket on April 19th.

Alex Ministeri’s only struggles were in the second inning when he issued a couple of walks and then a hit to Noah Cligerman to load the bases with two outs.  Next came a grounder to third by John Fournier that bad-bounced past Corey McNamara to drive in two.  John tried to steal and a bad throw from catcher Mike Doud gave the Indians a third run.

The 3-0 lead didn’t last long as Pentucket (5-3) answered with six runs in the top of the third.  That 6-3 advantage was more than enough for the Sachems as Alex dominated Amesbury over the final five innings.

How dominating was he?  He retired the side in order in four of the five innings.  He struck out the side in the 3rd, 5th, and 7th.  He gave up just one hit.

Amesbury starter Mac Short sailed through the first two innings before getting into big trouble in the third facing ten batters.  Walks (5) and hits (3) were the deadly combo that produced six runs.  Both Josh Creamer and Zack Brut had two RBI for Pentucket during the explosion.

Chris Eiserman (#34) scored two runs and drove in two as well.

Pentucket added to their lead in the fifth off reliever Tim Williams with three more runs.  Chris Eiserman drove in a pair with a liner to center and Turner Newton sent Chris home with a infield hit.

I was impressed with Amesbury’s field.  Also, the hillside seating provided a great view of the field of play.

Third baseman Corey McNamara was victimized by a bad-hop grounder that led to Amesbury runs in the second and then it was shortstop Tyler Lay’s turn for the same fate on a similar grounder in Pentucket’s six-run third.

Alex picked Tyler Lay off first in the second inning.

(I collect my own stats and draw my own conclusions.  Mistakes are unintentional.)

Tyler Smith (#16) scores one of Amesbury’s three second inning runs.

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January 28, 2011 · 10:49 pm

Matt Talbot (22 points) and Tyler Lay (20 points) Shoot Amesbury to a Win Over Ipswich 53-46

Tyler Lay (#20) and Matt Talbot (#5) shot Amesbury to their first win.

Amesbury team celebrates first win.

(Amesbury) Matt Talbot (22 points) and Tyler Lay (20 points) carried the Amesbury Indians (1-12) to their first win of the 2010-11 season against winless Ipswich (0-10) on Friday night by the score of 53-46.

This battle for Win #1 was tight through three quarters with eight lead changes.

Ipswich took the lead for the last time (35-34) on a pair of Dan O’Flynn (7 points) free throws with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Indians followed with a run of nine unanswered points that elevated them to a 43-35 advantage with five minutes left and put them in control the rest of the way.

Tyler tries to deny Doug Shaughnessy a pass.

Both Matt and Tyler were big in the winning surge.  Matt (5-10) scored on a Rajon Rondo looking runner in the lane over 6-6 Doug Shaughnessy. Next he assisted on Sean Ward’s jumper.  Tyler started the consecutive offense with an old-fashioned 3-point play to end the third quarter.  Later he stripped Doug (they were matched up throughout the game) and went the length of the court for a two-handed jam.  That dunk really fired up the Amesbury crowd as well as his teammates.

Thereafter, the Tigers cut the lead a couple of times to five points on the shooting of Brenden Gallagher (19 points) but could never get to the point of taking a shot that would tie the game.

Ipswich did themselves no favors in the final quarter by committing nine turnovers.  Bad passes seemed to be the primary culprit. They had only eight turnovers over the previous three quarters.

Tyler did an excellent job in the middle of the Amesbury defense denying Doug (9 points) the ball and making every shot by the normally high scoring Ipswich captain a heavily contested one.

Brenden Gallagher (#10), here with Stephan Deas, led Ipswich with nineteen points.

Ipswich was an excellent 6-for-11 long range but made only one in the second half.

Both Matt and Brenden connected on four 3-point shots.

The shot-blocking interior of the Ipswich defense kept 5-4 Stephan Deas’ darts to the basket to a minimum.

Active Dan O’Flynn had numerous deflections in the first half.

Both teams missed eight free throws.  My theory is that high school players practice more 3-point shots away from coach-directed practices than they do free throws.  A stationary shot is different from all of the other shots attempted.

Amesbury   16     8   13   16  =  53
Ipswich        13   12   10   11  =  46

(I collect my own stats, take my own pictures, and draw my own conclusions.  Errors are unintentional and unavoidable.)

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December 14, 2010 · 10:35 pm

Newburyport Boys Survive Slow Start Defeating Amesbury 52-44 In Season Opener

Amesbury coach Thom Connors and Newburyport coach Tom L’Italien chat before the season opener.

Clipper Chris Jayne tallied 13 points and did a nice job defending dangerous Stephan Deas of Amesbury.

(Amesbury) The Newburyport Clippers (1-0) survived a terrible start and defeated the Amesbury Indians (0-1), 52-44, in the season opener for both teams on Tuesday night at Amesbury.

The Clippers missed all seventeen shots they took from the field in the first quarter while the Indians missed all fourteen shots they took in the second quarter.  First game jitters?  Did that breeze from the outside escape into the gym?

The difference in the game?  While Newburyport was shooting poorly in the first quarter, Amesbury could only put seven points on the board because the Indians had nine turnovers.  On the other hand, when Amesbury turned cold in the second quarter the Clippers put together a 9-1 run to get the lead (11-8) and later nine straight to start to pull away, 22-12.

In that crucial second quarter Newburyport showed long range accuracy (Matt Leavitt/Zach Fenton/Chris Jayne) and inside strength with rebound conversions by Ian Michaels and Eric Meyer.

Matt Leavitt was covered closely (here by Stephan Deas) but his consecutive 3’s early in the second half gave Newburyport a 15-point lead.

Matt Leavitt put two 3’s together in the first minute of the 3rd quarter and Newburyport was away 30-15.  In the 4th quarter it was Chris Jayne’s turn to put a couple of 3’s together and his twosome gave the Clippers a 49-30 spread with 4:40 left.

This was more than enough despite a late seven-point unanswered rush by Amesbury in the last 2:46 of the game.

The Clippers showed plenty of offensive weapons after the slow start.  They also took very good care of the ball with just 13 turnovers – 3 of them came in the last frantic two minutes of the game.

The Clippers also have some outside shooters.  Their top scorers (Matt Leavitt and Chris Jayne) each registered thirteen points.

I kept no rebound stats but you should know that Newburyport had 21 more shots than Amesbury.  There were thirteen times that the Clippers had an extra shot at the basket.  Amesbury had just five.

Matt Talbot led Amesbury’s scorers with 18 points.  He didn’t create his own offense but could make an open shot including four 3’s in this one.

Stephan Deas ended up with fourteen points but an excellent defensive job by Chris Jayne was evident.  Newburyport also employed a zone that gave Stephan few good looks.  The speedy junior deserves the special attention.

A good crowd turned out for the season opener.  It looked as if one Amesbury student got the gate while a Newburyport 26-0 sign didn’t last the entire game.  The enthusiasm in both sections was evident.

(I keep my own stats, take my own pictures, and interview no one.  Therefore, everything in this blog entry is unofficial statistically.  Inaccuracies are unintentional.)

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