High School Predictions

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10 players back from 2017 championship team. Avenged their only two losses with a combined score of 10-0. It should have been expected. Wonder if they play the no respect card a lot over there.

Also, hats off to Bedford boys. They counter attacked beautifully in that game. Great game plan.

I wasn't clear, I meant a 5-0 thrashing of the top seed. Them winning? I wouldn't call that unexpected, just the result.

[Unregistered]

I think Londonderry Girls and Central Boys are 1 year out from taking it all.

[Unregistered]

I think Londonderry Girls and Central Boys are 1 year out from taking it all.

Londonderry girls should be a lock for next. Very good this year and 2 seniors. Same situation as Central girls that won as Juniors. However, D1 soccer will be down fairly dramatically next year. The senior class across the state was big and solid.

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Londonderry girls should be a lock for next. Very good this year and 2 seniors. Same situation as Central girls that won as Juniors. However, D1 soccer will be down fairly dramatically next year. The senior class across the state was big and solid.

While I agree Londonderry should be the favorite, they also need to bone up a bit. They were frankly lucky to get past Bedford and were exposed by Central.

Talent only takes you so far. At some point, you have to have the fortitude to win.

[Unregistered]

While I agree Londonderry should be the favorite, they also need to bone up a bit. They were frankly lucky to get past Bedford and were exposed by Central.

Talent only takes you so far. At some point, you have to have the fortitude to win.

That is why my pick would be Exeter. They are young, talented, and very, very tough. Plus I agree with other poster that the Londonderry girls soccer field is a huge detriment to their growth as a team.
And don't sleep on Central. Yes they graduated a lot but they will have the best player the state next year.

[Unregistered]

That is why my pick would be Exeter. They are young, talented, and very, very tough. Plus I agree with other poster that the Londonderry girls soccer field is a huge detriment to their growth as a team.
And don't sleep on Central. Yes they graduated a lot but they will have the best player the state next year.

Who would that be?

[Unregistered]

That is why my pick would be Exeter. They are young, talented, and very, very tough. Plus I agree with other poster that the Londonderry girls soccer field is a huge detriment to their growth as a team.
And don't sleep on Central. Yes they graduated a lot but they will have the best player the state next year.

Saw Exeter play Central in Semi's. They played them tough and are young. In the end it will probably be the usual suspects. Pinkerton, Bedford, Exeter, Central and Londonderry. D1 boys offers a little more variety.

[Unregistered]

That is why my pick would be Exeter. They are young, talented, and very, very tough. Plus I agree with other poster that the Londonderry girls soccer field is a huge detriment to their growth as a team.
And don't sleep on Central. Yes they graduated a lot but they will have the best player the state next year.

Really? Who would that be? Oh a girl playing at GPS NH I’m guessing. Okay Dad. She can’t begin to keep up with the Southern NH girls playing down at Stars in MA.

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Really? Who would that be? Oh a girl playing at GPS NH I’m guessing. Okay Dad. She can’t begin to keep up with the Southern NH girls playing down at Stars in MA.

OK Mom....

[Unregistered]

OK Mom....

The problem is no one can judge the “best player in the state” based on high school teams. Some players are on excellent teams with lots of good players which makes them look good. But put them on a team with only one or two other decent players and they wouldn’t be able to carry the team. It’s much easier to show your skills while playing with other skilled players. I would be interested to see where some of the best players in NH play their club soccer and how those players do on those teams. That might be a better judge of who is best in the state and we also probably have a best forward, midfielder, defender and goalie. Sometimes it is hard to compare players in different positions.

[Unregistered]

The problem is no one can judge the “best player in the state” based on high school teams. Some players are on excellent teams with lots of good players which makes them look good. But put them on a team with only one or two other decent players and they wouldn’t be able to carry the team. It’s much easier to show your skills while playing with other skilled players. I would be interested to see where some of the best players in NH play their club soccer and how those players do on those teams. That might be a better judge of who is best in the state and we also probably have a best forward, midfielder, defender and goalie. Sometimes it is hard to compare players in different positions.

It's an opinion. Once you start playing the club card, you get exposed as a cheerleader.

Have to say, the Stars kool-aid drinkers are getting more and more crazy by the day.

[Unregistered]

The problem is no one can judge the “best player in the state” based on high school teams. Some players are on excellent teams with lots of good players which makes them look good. But put them on a team with only one or two other decent players and they wouldn’t be able to carry the team. It’s much easier to show your skills while playing with other skilled players. I would be interested to see where some of the best players in NH play their club soccer and how those players do on those teams. That might be a better judge of who is best in the state and we also probably have a best forward, midfielder, defender and goalie. Sometimes it is hard to compare players in different positions.

I think another fair way to look at it is how many of these high level club players are on the top High School teams. I would argue that almost all top high school teams have full rosters playing high level club. Also, club is an age appropriate bubble. Having gone through this twice already with my kids I can tell you playing age appropriate soccer does not always prepare you for playing in college. While club soccer might look technically superior the goal in High School and College is to win. The game is much different because of that. It's not constant showcase of individual talent. And club doesn't get your player ready to play potentially bigger as well as faster athletes. Your age appropriate club player might not ever see a player that has 3-5 inches and 10-20 lbs advantage on them unless they play high school. Sure the skill is most likely there but when you get beat and bumped from a ball then it doesn't matter. Watch a college game and see how much that comes into play.

Those Girls/Boys that show they can play at a high level in High School as Freshman or Sophomores have a better trajectory in my opinion. But they need a strong mix of club training to be a complete player.

[Unregistered]

It's an opinion. Once you start playing the club card, you get exposed as a cheerleader.

Have to say, the Stars kool-aid drinkers are getting more and more crazy by the day.

It is impossible for anyone to see every player in the state play even one game (and I wouldn’t base an opinion on one game) so I think using club information is helpful to compare players. I am not interested in naming players on TS, just trying to point out that the person that said Central will have the best player in the state next year, has no real basis for that opinion.

[Unregistered]

It is impossible for anyone to see every player in the state play even one game (and I wouldn’t base an opinion on one game) so I think using club information is helpful to compare players. I am not interested in naming players on TS, just trying to point out that the person that said Central will have the best player in the state next year, has no real basis for that opinion.

That's the case with everything, no?

What are we supposed to do, every time we offer an opinion we attach our resumes?

[Unregistered]

I think another fair way to look at it is how many of these high level club players are on the top High School teams. I would argue that almost all top high school teams have full rosters playing high level club. Also, club is an age appropriate bubble. Having gone through this twice already with my kids I can tell you playing age appropriate soccer does not always prepare you for playing in college. While club soccer might look technically superior the goal in High School and College is to win. The game is much different because of that. It's not constant showcase of individual talent. And club doesn't get your player ready to play potentially bigger as well as faster athletes. Your age appropriate club player might not ever see a player that has 3-5 inches and 10-20 lbs advantage on them unless they play high school. Sure the skill is most likely there but when you get beat and bumped from a ball then it doesn't matter. Watch a college game and see how much that comes into play.

Those Girls/Boys that show they can play at a high level in High School as Freshman or Sophomores have a better trajectory in my opinion. But they need a strong mix of club training to be a complete player.

You are correct. The majority of the top teams (especially in girls soccer in NH) are loaded with club players... established club players with programs like GPS, Seacoast, Revolution, etc... not the "my dad runs a club".

I have seen top club talent struggle in college because the size and speed of the players is just that much different than in club. Any college sport you see a difference in size and speed. Skills are pretty standard across the board between DIII - to DI its just the speed and pace at which players can execute them.

For example - most high schools have taller players in goal. Club (like SUSC) play skilled girls in goal who might sacrifice height. College rosters are LOADED with girls 5"9" or taller playing goalie. Skilled goalies that are 5'6" wont get it done in college. Size and speed matter at any position in college and 9 times out of 10 the faster, bigger player with comparable skills wins.