Buy This PhotoRyan O鱈eary photo Exeter High School senior Lexi Grott (left) runs with a soccer ball as teammate Olivia Lineham reacts during Wednesday痴 practice for the Division I field hockey quarterfinals. Exeter hosts Timberlane today at 3:30 p.m.
EXETER — The inspiration for "Black Hawk Down" had a different objective Wednesday: picking the Blue Hawks back up.
The Exeter High School field hockey team spent the afternoon with retired Col. Danny McKnight. The U.S. Army veteran — famous for his role in Mogadishu, Somalia, and the author of the 1999 book "Black Hawk Down" — led the players on a 3-mile run through Pease Tradeport in Portsmouth before addressing them prior to Wednesday's practice.
"He talked to them for about 5 minutes," said Exeter coach Deb Grott, who met McKnight last spring during a gala for New Hampshire's Veteran's Count program, "talking about war, because that's his background, but how he played football, baseball, basketball in high school and how it all related to life. I think it meant something to them. They seemed to to enjoy it a lot."
The Blue Hawks returned to the practice field all smiles — playing loose and free during a goofy communication drill that involved no sticks, no gear and one soccer ball. Their goal's to keep that positive energy honed in for the Division I quarterfinals, where the fourth-seeds host No. 5 Timberlane today at 3:30 p.m.
"It's very anxious," Exeter senior Erin McKenna said of the buildup. "I think we're all excited going into postseason. It's also a little sad because we don't want it to end. But we want to end it on a good note. I think that's what's driving us."
The Hawks (10-3-1) were in the hunt for a top-two seed after their 9-1 start to the season but struggled down the stretch. They settled for a scoreless tie at Pinkerton before coming home for back-to-back losses to Salem and defending champion Pinkerton.
The Salem game was the low point. Exeter surrendered four goals in the second half and lost its spirit as the game got out of hand. It led to a stern, team-only meeting and a more inspired effort against Pinkerton a day later.
"All I wanted them to do was go out there and show themselves that they could play with the best of them," Grott said. "And they did. We just couldn't get the ball in the goal."
That was the case when Exeter and Timberlane met in Plaistow back on Oct. 9. The game was played on Timberlane's thick grass and the teams went scoreless through overtime. The Blue Hawks racked up 13 penalty corners but couldn't finish one.
Scoring has been an issue ever since. Exeter scored 48 goals over its first 10 games but just five over its last four.
"Part of our problem is that we're not really moving in the circle and keeping our sticks down," said Exeter senior Lexi Grott, a captain alongside McKenna. "We can get the ball in really well. We have strong hits that go in. We just need to focus on moving around our defender and keeping our sticks on the ground. All we need is a defection."
The Hawks expect to create chances. Their long-hitting, spread-it-out style is geared for this fast playing surface. The Owls are more used to clumping together on the grass and muscling the ball up the field.
Exeter hopes to impose its style. It's not looking for a 1-0 game, the kind Timberlane used to dispatch No. 12 Concord in Tuesday's first round.
"Speed is always a good thing to have in a game, just to knock them on their heels," McKenna said. "But we also just need to settle the score, because I don't think any of us were happy with the tie in overtime. We have a lot of unfinished business and I think it will be important to get that out of the way."
With a win, Exeter would face the winner of No. 1 Winnacunnet and No. 9 Bishop Guertin on Tuesday at Eustis Field, which is hosting both semifinal games. The championship game is being hosted by Bedford High School on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Today's other quarterfinal games include No. 7 Bedford at No. 2 Pinkerton, and No. 6 Merrimack at No. 3 Salem.
"I think our last two losses made us know that we don't want to lose again," Lexi Grott said. "It's just pushing us to keep winning and fight until the end."
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