Bedford boys lacrosse takes Round 1 against Goffstown

GOFFSTOWN - The Bedford High School boys lacrosse team took this battle, but Goffstown coach Josh Lewis knows his team will have one more chance - and if everything goes the Grizzlies way, two.

Playing its first game of the season Monday, Goffstown struggled with its transition and clearing game, but Lewis still saw plenty of things he liked in the 12-4 loss to the Bulldogs.

"Last year, the closest we came to even running with them was an 11-goal difference," Lewis said. "This was eight. We had never had a lead on them ever, and even though it was brief, it was a step in the right direction. We have to rise to that next level. We see them again at the end of the season, and hopefully again in the championship."

While the Grizzlies weren't at their best, neither were the Bulldogs, who were playing their fourth game of the season, and also third in four days.

"We did not do so well offensively," Bedford coach Matt Guerard said. "Coming off Saturday (against Exeter), when we did possess the ball very well and ran the offense well, (Monday) was a slight step back. We haven't practiced since Thursday. We've got to get back to practice and fine tune some things."

One place where the Bulldogs were solid was in goal, as Matt Howe made 16 saves, including 12 in the second half.

"He's a tremendous goalie," Guerard said. "He sees the ball very well. If you give him 12 or 13 yards to see the ball, there's a good chance he's going to gobble it up."

Goffstown knew that, but despite trying to get close shots, couldn't break through Bedford's defense often enough.

"Get some bounce shots in there and things like that, but Matt Howe is a solid goalie and he’s got a good line of defense there in front of him," Lewis said. "They were only giving us outside shots, so we took them and did our best with what we got. Next time, we'll work on getting closer and get some more one-on-one."

The win was the 44th in a row for Bedford, something that Guerard has never heard his players mention.

"I really haven't heard any talk about it at all from any of the guys," he said. "The only people who talk about it are the media guys who as where the number is at. These kids have worked hard to get where they are with that streak. I think having it in the back of their mind and not the front during a game really helps with concentration."

Goffstown plays against Thursday at Merrimack, while Bedford will host Hanover on Saturday. The two will meet again at Bedford to end the regular season on May 28.