On The Verge of No Season, a Championship

In late March of 2022, Conval’s boys’ lacrosse team came within days of having their season cancelled because they had no coach. But Alan Shipman, father of senior attacker and team MVP Taylor Shipman, answered the call…and the rest is incredible history.

With knowledgeable lacrosse input from assistant coaches Geoff Coburn and Peterborough police officer Mike Folini, the Cougars cruised into the state Division 3 tournament with just one loss, where they rolled over Hollis-Brookline in the quarter-finals, 17-1.

The game winner against Portsmouth.

But the game of the year was in the semi-finals against Portsmouth. Conval fell behind early by six goals in the opening period, but fought back to tie the game in the final period. Finally, with mere minutes on the clock, senior Adam Homan ripped in the game winner, giving the Cougars a pulsating 10-9 win.

“We’re a high-intensity team,” Coburn told the Peterborough Transcript afterwards. “We play good fundamental lacrosse, and I told the guys [those] goals was nothing to come back from.” Coburn said Conval’s strategy was to create fast-break situations, and “that’s where we score our goals. We shut down their offense in the second period.”

In the finals, Conval fans roared their approval.

Cougars hoist the D3 championship trophy.

Against fourth-ranked Milford in the finals, it was a tight contest at halftime, with the Cougars on top 3-2 on two goals by sophomore attacker Wes Chisholm and one by Taylor Shipman. But in the second half, Conval exploded with goals by Shipman, Sean Creeley and Max Powell to lead 6-3 heading into the final period.

In the last stanza, the Cougars broke it open on Chisholm’s third goal of the night and a score by sophomore Jesse Liebenson-Morse.

Chisholm, just a sophomore, was named tournament MVP.

With the support of many fans cheering and ringing cowbells at Stellos Stadium in Nashua, the Cougar boys’ lacrosse team - just days before their season would be canceled in April - were unbelievably escorted over Temple Mountain by the police and fire department for a loud processional through Peterborough and back to the high school.

But it wasn’t the end of the season. Even after school ended for another year, members of the team helped fuel the program for years to come by holding lacrosse camps through Peterborough Recreation for grades 5-9 in July and August.

A great story that goes on…

Above, Taylor Shipman receives post-game congrats from Portsmouth in the semi... Middle, Wes Chisholm (14) and Sean Crowley (10) in mid-season game with Kearsarge....Botton, the state champion Cougars.

[PHOTOS FROM PETERBOROUGH TRANSCRIPT, Dara Vernier]