Lyman Morgan died too early, an unexpected death at age 57 in 2011.
Lyman Morgan was born too early. His Proctor High School graduation in 1972 meant that he came along three years too soon for being able to play in the Lions Twin State Soccer Games.
That event did not come along until 1975.
He would have been showcased in that event. He was as good as anyone who ever pulled on the Proctor High maroon and white uniform.
He was selected for All-American status at Proctor and then went on to star at Keene State when the Owls were a national power under coach Ron Butcher.
His Keene State teammate was sweeper Rick Scott.
Scott would remark how fun its was to play just behind Morgan on the field. He said that he had never seen a quicker or faster guy than Morgan. He added that nobody ever played harder than Morgan.
When Morgan died, Butcher and Scott drove up from Keene to Franklin’s, the popular restaurant in Proctor, where there was a huge turnout that night in 2011 to honor Morgan.
So Morgan was born too early to play in the Lions event, the annual all-star soccer game between top recent high school graduates of Vermont against their counterparts from New Hampshire.
But younger brother Dave Morgan was not born too early. He just made it, playing in the second game of the Lions series in 1976. And what a game he had.
Dave Morgan had two goals and an assist that day as Vermont defeated New Hampshire 8-4.
Now, it somehow just seems perfect that David’s game that year was played at Keene.
THEN, GIRLS
It will be the golden anniversary of the boys soccer game of the Lions Twin State Soccer Games when the event rolls around on July 26 at Hanover High School.
It will not be the 50th anniversary of the girls game that has been a part of the annual event only since 1983.
One of the movers and shakers in getting the girls in on the Lions act was Hank Tenney.
Tenney is known by many as the architect of a long dynasty in girls soccer at Hanover High School.
But Tenney also coached in Vermont and, in fact, his Rivendell girls soccer team won the state championship in 2010.
That championship game was played at Proctor High’s Taranovich Field between Rivendell and Arlington. It has to be one of the most bizarre soccer games ever played.
The Raptors and Arlington battled through regulation play and the overtimes to a 1-1 tie.
That brought on the penalty kick tiebreaker format where each team designates five players to kick the PKs.
No kicker converted in the first round. The format went to another round.
There were 20 PKs taken and only one made. The Raptors converted the lone PK to become state champions.
There have been a lot of incredible postseason soccer games played on Taranovich Field.
There was the boys game in 2002 when No. 16 Blue Mountain shocked No. 1 Proctor, 1-0.
Or how about the 2016 girls game when a freshman named Allie Almond got the winning penalty kick in the tiebreaker to beat Mount St. Joseph.
There have been so many others, but maybe the most unusual postseason game on the Taranovich surface did not even include a Proctor team but rather Arlington and Rivendell.