Whether you call it Husky spirit or Husky pride, one thing was certain when the date for Powder Keg inched closer—our Huskies were hungry to continue what has been a long stretch of victories for New Hampton. Since the games resumed in 2007, it has not always been this way. In fact, in those first 5 years, New Hampton and Tilton traded victories on and off. Through tough match-ups in the years that followed, with some victories scraping by with a point or two, New Hampton has retained the Keg for an impressive nine wins. Throughout spirit week, the pep rally, and all that followed, the Huskies completed their mission of keeping the Powder Keg for one more year.
Powder Keg
While the rivalry started as a football game classic in 1895, New Hampton and Tilton currently compete in a slate of games—a single game win or loss can change the competition’s fate. The scoring for Powder Keg offers one to two points per victory. New Hampton School earned three points before the weekend as the mountain biking, cross country, and men’s junior varsity soccer teams scored one point each, offering an optimistic air to spirit week and the games ahead.
In a fast and furious battle, Saturday afternoon’s games were played simultaneously—women’s varsity field hockey at Burch Field and both varsity soccer squads at Sargent Fields. The Huskies got down to business as the fans rallied on the sidelines, with spring-like 70-degree weather conditions following a rainy morning across the region. Soon enough, the field hockey team struck hard with a 5-0 victory, and women’s soccer settled the score at 4-0, while men’s soccer tied the Rams 3-3 in an exciting match on the pitch. The Powder Keg trophy presentation was left to Tilton’s gracious Coach Tara Brisson, who returned the keg once more to Husky Nation.
Huskies Celebrate Spirit and Post-Season Athletics
Powder Keg helps highlight our community and athletic tradition in a way that has transcended generations of Huskies. While we recognize that the origin of the competition came from football, which ended with Tilton’s discontinuation of the program this past spring, this does not diminish the spirit of competition between our other teams.
Our football team, in their own turn, earned a 32-22 victory on the road against Kingswood-Oxford in Connecticut. With support from several notable offensive and defensive player performances, their battle to victory saw Frank Daniley score 3 touchdowns, Van Buhrman running in 1 touchdown, a field goal by Nicolo Anastay (the only Husky points in the second-half), and Khalil Harden stopping the Wyvern’s drive with a key end zone interception late in the game. This game set the Huskies record at an impressive 6-2 for the season. They will compete in the Ken Hollingsworth Bowl on Saturday, November 19 versus Proctor Academy—the first and only match up of the Huskies and the Hornets this season.
The women’s soccer and field hockey teams scored big, advancing from the NEPSAC quarterfinals to the semi-final rounds which will also take place on Saturday. Women’s soccer celebrated it’s first post-season showing in 23 years, marking a major upset against Berwick Academy with scores by Adriana Hernandez and Kaelin Fitzpatrick. These Huskies are eager to play against Marianapolis Prep at home on Kennedy Field. Our field hockey team dominated the Frederick Gunn School squad on Wednesday, showing their grit with a 5-0 victory (3 goals by Ava Golash, 2 by Julia Loughlin) which leads them to play against Newton Country Day tomorrow on neutral grounds. Go Huskies!
Saturday, November 19
Ken Hollingsworth Bowl
Varsity Football vs. Proctor Academy
Away @ Proctor Academy
1:00 pm
Stream on Proctor Broadcasting Network
NEPSAC Semi-Finals
Varsity Field Hockey vs. Newton County Day
Away @ Dana Hall School
2:00 pm
Stream on Dana Hall’s Playsight
NEPSAC Semi-Finals
Women’s Varsity Soccer vs. Marianapolis Prep
Home on Kennedy Field
2:00 pm
Stream on NHS Live
Fall Athletics Ceremony and Winter Athletics Ahead
Once our Huskies return from Thanksgiving break, it is time to celebrate their commitment to sportsmanship, the rising leaders of the teams, and improvements in skill and athleticism. The Fall Athletics Ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 1 at 6:00 pm. Families and friends may stream the event on NHS Live; photos from the ceremony will be shared following the event on Flickr.
The wait for winter sports fans is over with our basketball and hockey teams debuting on the courts and ice this November with some early scrimmages and tournaments, and many regular season games commencing in early December. We look forward to seeing you on campus for a game soon! The athletic calendar is available online.
