Month: March 2023

Herons advance to YSCC championship

By Mike Whaley

AUBURN, Maine – The No. 6 Great Bay Community College men’s basketball advanced to the championship game of the Yankee Small College Conference playoffs with a 95-67 win over No. 7 Paul Smith’s College on Saturday at Central Maine CC. They will meet the Central Maine CC/Southern Maine CC winner in Sunday’s championship for the right to play in the USCAA Division II national championship tournament later this month in Richmond, Virginia.

The Herons (20-7) were paced by five players in double figures as they raced out to a 44-22 lead at the half and were never challenged. Theo Wolfe led the attack with 20 points and seven boards, followed by Kingsley Breen (Dover) with 16 points and six rebounds, Alex Tavares (Portsmouth) with 16 points, seven boards and four assists, Bryce Gibson with 12 points and Cam O’Brien (Dover) with 10 points. The Herons have won six straight games and 13 of their last 15.

In the first round last week, GBCC upset No. 3 UMaine-Augusta, 86-78, behind 22 points from Tavares, 18 from Wolfe, 12 from Breen and 10 from Gibson.

Bedford eases to semifinals with win over Memorial

Third-seeded Bedford cruised to a 67-37 win over #14 Manchester Memorial on Friday night in quarterfinal action of the Division I girls state tournament.

The Bulldogs advance to the semifinals where they will take on #2 Portsmouth on Tuesday at 5:30 pm.

Lana McCarthy led all scorers with a game-high 19 points for Bedford, while Kate Allard (17) and Sydney Grogan (10) chipped in with double figures as well.

Madison Pepra-Omani paced the Crusaders with 13 points.

Check out the full gallery by John-Scott Sherburne…

Pelham powers past West, advances to semis

Fifth-seeded Pelham went on the road and knocked off #4 Manchester West in convincing fashion, 77-57, on Friday night in quarterfinal action of the Division II state tournament.

The Pythons advance to the semifinals where they will take on #1 Laconia on Tuesday at Sanborn Regional High School at 7:30 pm.

Pelham started and finished extremely strong as they used a 19-6 first quarter and a 36-12 fourth quarter to cruise to the 20-point victory.

Zach James (27 points) and Dom Herrling (24) combined for 51 points to pace the Pythons in the win.

Aiden Scott-Beaulac led West with 15 points, while Tevin Edmunds (12) and Angel Castro (11) both netted double figures as well.

Check out the highlights by our Tim Lee…

Division III Girls All-State teams released

The 2022-23 New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Organization announced the Division III girls All-State teams along with annual award winners on Thursday. Conant’s Brynn Rautiola was named Player of the Year, while Hopkinton head coach Patrick Roye was named Varsity Coach of the Year to headline the awards.

Joining Rautiola on the first team is teammate Emma Tenters, Winnisquam’s Lauren MacDonald, Newfound’s Malina Bohlmann and Stevens’ Alyssa Paquette & Kiley Bundy. Check out the full awards below…

Pelham plows past Plymouth, advances to quarters

Third-seeded Pelham cruised to a 69-17 victory over #14 Plymouth in Division II first round action on Wednesday night. 

The Pythons advance to take on #6 Milford on Saturday at 7:00 pm.

Jazmine Becotte poured in a game-high 28 points for Pelham, while nine other Pythons scored in the game as well. 

Check out the full gallery of the action by John-Scott Sherburne…

Nashua North cruises past Londonderry, rolls to quarterfinals

Third-seeded Nashua North cruised past #14 Londonderry, 83-46, in Division I first round action on Wednesday night.

The Titans advance to the quarterfinals where they will play host to #6 Exeter on Saturday at 7:00 pm.

Jack Sullivan pumped in a game-high 16 points for North, while other Titans also reached double-digits: Jack Peters (15 points), Robinson Rodriguez (15) and Jayden Montgomery (11).

The Lancers were led by 11 points from Kevin Rourke and 10 from Mason Paquette.

Check out the full gallery by Dave Beliveau…

Concord closes out Dover, moves to quarterfinals

Ninth-seeded Concord used an 18-point fourth-quarter to come-from-behind and close out #8 Dover, 46-42, on Wednesday night.

The Green Wave led 31-28 entering the final frame, but the Crimson Tide outscored Dover 18-11 to come away with the four-point win and advance to the quarterfinals. The Crimson Tide will now take on top-seeded Bishop Guertin on Friday at 7:00 pm.

Concord was led by a balanced scoring attacked as it featured three players in double figures: Aidah Smalley (14 points), Delaney Duford (13) and Whitney Valliant (10). Dover was paced by a game-high 21 points from Abi Kozlowski and 10 from Lily Nosiff.

Check out the full photo gallery by Heidi Green of Heidi Green Photography…

Coe-Brown downs Bow, advances to quarters

Sixth-seeded Coe-Brown dispatched #11 Bow, 70-50, in Division II first round action in Northwood on Wednesday night.

CBNA advances to the quarterfinal round where they will host rival #14 Oyster River on Friday at 7:00 pm.

The Bears were led by a game-high 24 points from Hugh Hamilton and three other double-figure scorers: Brady Kouchokos (13), Connor Bagnell (11) and Nate Ford (10).

The Falcons also featured four players in double-digits: Brendan O’Keefe (12), Marc Folsom (10), Caleb Gazaway (10) and Jake Reardon (10).

[Coe-Brown coverage is brought to you by Tropical Smoothie Cafe]

Check out the full photo gallery by our Jill Stevens…

Merrimack Valley beats the buzzer and Lebanon

Tied at 34-34, Merrimack Valley’s Buddy Eddy drove the lane and connected on the game-winning lay-up to lift the eighth-seeded Pride to a 36-34 win over #9 Lebanon on Wednesday night in Penacook.

MV advances to take on top-seeded Laconia on Friday at 7:00 pm.

The Pride was held to just 10 first-half points and trailed 20-10 at the break, but poured in 17 points in the third quarter to cut the Raiders lead to three, 30-27, heading to the final stanza.

Merrimack Valley put the clamps on the Raiders in the fourth, holding Lebanon to just four points.

Eddy led all scorers with a game-high 21 points, while Dawson Bates led Lebanon with 12 points.

Check out the full highlights by our Tim Lee…