The 1981 Men's Soccer Team

Just the second Keene State College men’s soccer team to post a 20-win season (20-2-5), the 1981 team becomes the third Ron Butcher coached team to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

A veteran team, the 1981 Owl booters were on a mission to return to the NAIA National Tournament, and bring back to Keene, the College’s first national Championship. How close did they get to that Championship? Only an amazing goal by Dennis Hutchinson of Alderson-Broaddus (WV) with a 2:13 to play in a third overtime of the semifinals separated the Owls from their destiny and a berth in the finals.

“When you have a chance to win it all, a loss like that was a really tough pill to swallow,” said Butcher, remembering the game like it was played yesterday.  “Who knows what could have happened if we’ve gotten to the finals?”

According to Butcher, the 1981 Owls had it all.  The veteran leadership of defender Ian Wilson and goalie-extraordinaire Kyle Dietrich, the speed of Bert Poirier at midfield, the scoring of John McCully, and the intangibles from players like supersub Mike Burdick and the hard-working Steve Farnham. Just to name a few. It’s not surprising that four were selected All-America and several went to professional careers.

“We had such a bond between the players and I think we played off of that a lot,” said Dietrich.  “Everyone worked together as a team driven for success. That was the whole key.”

Playing a schedule that included the top team from the area, regardless of Division, the Owls improved as the season progressed.   Recording 10 shutouts during the season, KSC advanced to the NAIA New England Tournament where they posted overtime 1-0 shutout wins over Franklin Pierce and Castleton State and a 3-2 victory against Thomas College on a overtime goal by Farnham.

Next stop for the Owls: Springfield, Ill., the site of the NAIA National Tournament.

Seeded seventh in the Tournament, Keene State overwhelmed Rutgers-Camden 5-2 in its opener, and under windy conditions, tied Rokhurst College 1-1 to advance to the “final four.”

Strong up the middle, the talent-rich Alderson-Broaddus team posed a good deal of problems for Keene State.  However, the underdog Owls made a game out of it. “They were the better team,” Wilson admitted.  But we hung in there with them. Kyle had the game of his life in goal and kept us in the game.”

“The winning goal was absolutely beautiful, “ said Dietrich, who was named the Tournament’s MVP.  “If you’re going to get beat…that’s the way you want to get beat.  We couldn’t hold our heads down because we played so well.  But the opportunity was there, unfortunately it just didn’t go our way.”

After defeating Alabama-Huntsville for third place in the Tournament, an emotional Butcher had these words to say about his team.  “This was the finest group of gentleman I’ve ever worked with.  This team has nothing to be ashamed of. We gave it everything we had.  I love everyone of them.”