NEWMARKET, N.H. - Woodsville boys soccer’s title defense ended Tuesday afternoon against the best team in the bracket. Top-seeded Newmarket beat the 16th-seeded Engineers 4-0 in the first round of the tournament.
A year ago it was Woodsville celebrating. The fifth-seeded Engineers rallied past Epping 2-1 in the final on goals from Ryan Walker and Shawn Walker in the last 15 minutes, the program’s first title since 2005 and its fourth trip to the final in five years. Coach Matt Taylor said that night that “our culture at Woodsville is that it’s never over.”
This fall was a tougher road. Woodsville finishes 4-11-2, with wins over Blue Mountain, Groveton, Pittsburg-Canaan and Colebrook, and it played Profile to a 2-2 draw in the final week of the regular season.
Newmarket was a tall order. The Mules came in having allowed just four goals all season, and they beat Woodsville 2-0 when the teams met on Sept. 3. Newmarket is 15-0-2 and hosts eighth-seeded Moultonborough in the quarterfinals on Friday. Last fall the Mules’ run ended in the semifinals.
Other relevant play on Tuesday, October 27:
Hinsdale 1 at Moultonborough 2 Moultonborough, which tied Woodsville 1-1 on Sept. 1, moves on to face Newmarket.
Wilton-Lyndeborough 0 at Gorham 8 Gorham, which beat Woodsville twice this fall, rolled at home.
Holy Family 1 at Littleton 2 Littleton, which beat Woodsville twice this fall, edged Holy Family.
Sunapee 2 at Lisbon 6 Lisbon, which beat Woodsville 3-0 on Oct. 7, cruised at home.
Profile 2 at Portsmouth Christian 1 Profile, which played Woodsville to a 2-2 draw on Oct. 21, won on the road.
That wraps up the day for Woodsville High School sports. We’ll see you next time!