Author: KJ Cardinal

Back-to-back! Pelham captures 2nd-straight crown

By Nathaniel Ford

DURHAM – The Pelham Pythons took down the Hanover Bears 51-41 to win back-back Division II championships. 

After defeating Pembroke in the final last season, they finished as the one seed with a 17-1 record this season. Their history on the big stage proved to be vital in their run this season.

Pelham was hot right out of the gate. The defending champions were poised and in control, scoring 6 quick unanswered points. 

However, Hanover’s youth did not prove to be an issue. They stayed calm and responded with a 9-0 run of their own, taking the lead right back.

Defense was a huge part of their first quarter, holding Pelham to just 2 points after their fast start. Hanover forced steals, deflected passes, and allowed nothing easy from the Pythons. This carried them to an 11-8 lead entering the second quarter.

The Bears picked up right where they left off entering the second. Sophomore Ryan McLaughlin got a basket early, and following that hit a triple from way beyond the arc, helping Hanover extend their lead to 7 points. 

Pelham responded when they needed to the most, ending the quarter on a 13-2 run through the latter part of it. A big part of this was foul trouble on the Bears’ side.

Hanover attempted just three on the half, and they converted on none. Pelham, on the other hand, shot 12-18 from the line, a result of 12 team fouls on the Bears.

A majority of the Pythons’ scoring output came from these free-throws, which is what helped them take their first lead since early in the first quarter. Going into the half, they led 24-20.

McLaughlin took over in the third quarter, grabbing rebounds, making defensive plays, and being a key offensive contributor. He had two huge baskets going to the hoop and dumped off a phenomenal pass to Jaysel Oriol for an easy layup. 

Hanover closed the third quarter on a 9-0 run to retake the lead 34-32 entering the fourth. Pelham was held scoreless for minutes behind superb defense, highlighted by a huge block from Roy Lucas. 

Despite their exceptional play, Hanover was only able to enter with a four point lead going into the final frame. Pelham hung around and made some big baskets early in the quarter to keep the game close. 

In the fourth quarter, experience prevailed for the Pythons. They put the clamps down on Hanover, holding them to zero field goals until 2 seconds remained in the game.

The Pythons entered the final frame trailing, but they made big plays when they needed to the most. They play nearly all seniors, all of whom played at UNH last year in the championship.

Point guard Dom Herrling came up absolutely huge when it mattered the most. He scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, including an and-one finish with under two minutes to play to extend the Pelham lead to 6. 

Connor Travis showed how big a part of this team he is. While he does not average double figures, he makes winning plays that don’t show up in the box score. In the fourth, he took two charges with less than three minutes left, and a total of four on the game.

Peter Hemmerdinger, who was the lead contributor in overtime against Coe-Brown in the semifinals, had two huge layups in the fourth quarter. 

Zach James, a 20 ppg scorer, struggled from the field, but he made a huge impact and freed up his teammates despite scoring single figures.

When it was all said and done, Pelham held Hanover to just 7 points in the fourth quarter and were able to come away with a 51-41 victory to repeat as Division II champions. 

Senior Jakub Fredette encapsulated the feelings in Pelham best. He subbed in late in the game, and he was smiling the whole time he was out there. The final buzzer sounded, and he was as excited as anyone on the team.

Pelham was led by Dom Herrling, who put together an incredible statline of 15 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. 

Their scoring output was very balanced as a team. Adrian Villanueva and Peter Hemmerdinger each recorded 8 points, while Logan Dumont and Zach James each scored 7 of their own.

Hanover was led by sophomore standout Ryan McLaughlin, who scored a game-high 17 points. Jaysen Oriol chipped in with 8 points and Roy Lucas with 7. 

While they fell short today, the Bears had an incredible year under coach Ben Davis. Just last season, they started the year 0-12 before winning five of their last six games. 

This year, they completely flipped the script, finishing 17-1 and earning the number two seed in the division and were able to do this with an extremely young team. They graduate just three seniors, and four starters return.

Pelham, on the other hand, had immense experience on their squad. They graduate seven seniors, all of whom played in today’s game. With eight players returning and one of the best JV teams in the state, they will look to retool and compete for a third championship next year. 

More to come! Refresh this page for the latest.

Check out the full photo gallery by Jill Stevens…


Three-Peat! Concord Christian wins third-straight title

By Nathaniel Ford

DURHAM – The Concord Christian Kingsmen defeated the Pembroke Spartans 65-53 in the Division II Girls Championship at UNH.

The school of just 106 students won the Division IV title in 2022, the Division III title in 2023, and has now taken home the Division II title as well.

Lilli Carlisle, a junior for the Kingsmen, had a historic game. She finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds, both of which were game highs. She broke the individual scoring record in a Division II girls final, breaking the prior mark of 27 points set by Lebanon’s Jane Daigle in 1982. 

Concord Christian started off hot, jumping to an early 8-2 run behind 6 points from Carlisle. It looked like the Kingsmen could run away early, but Pembroke did not roll over. 

Kaitlin Arenella made a huge three to bring the game to three points. After some back-and-forth play, Pembroke ended the quarter on a 6-0 run. Behind a coast-to-coast layup from freshman Anne Phillips, the Spartans entered the second quarter leading 13-12.

The second quarter was a battle as well. Pembroke opened the quarter on a 7-2 run, which was driven by Arenella, who knocked down a deep three and got a finish inside. This extended the Spartan lead to six. 

The Kingsmen did not roll over, and they responded quickly with a huge run of their own. Sophomore Emma Smith powered this. She connected from beyond the arc and had an and-one finish inside. 

They quickly overcame the 6-point deficit, and in the blink of an eye, the Kingsmen were back in the lead. This game was shaping up to be a battle, and going into the second half, Concord Christian led 29-26.

Pembroke shot 0/7 from the free-throw line in the first half, which was a big contribution to their 3 point deficit entering the second half. 

Carlisle and Smith were carrying the Kingsmen offensively, scoring 27 of their 29 first half points. The team was dominated on the glass, out-rebounding Pembroke 21-12. 

The third quarter was nothing short of unbelievable. The game was absolutely blown open in favor of the Kingsmen. They opened on a quick 9-0 run to extend the lead to 12 points, and they never looked back.

Everyone on the team was contributing. Kayden Rioux knocked down a three, Taylor Rioux got a layup in transition, Kate Smith had a pair of baskets, and Emma Smith and Lilli Carlisle piled on points of their own.

They dominated the quarter and started to run away with it. Capitalizing on 7 turnovers from the Spartans, they won the period by 15 points and entered the fourth quarter with a 51-33 lead.  

Pembroke needed a historic comeback, and it was not in the cards today. They did not roll over, but the deficit was too large, with the Kingsmen leading by as many as 22 points in the final frame.

They made big three pointers late and got the lead to single digits, but Concord Christian stayed composed and knocked down free throws when they needed them. They closed out the game with a 65-53 victory. 

Fast break points and baskets in the paint were two of the biggest turning points in their win. They outscored Pembroke 18-4 in transition, and scored a whopping 48 points in the paint, as well as 14 second chance points. 

Another huge reason for their victory was the defense played on Pembroke’s Annelise Dexter, the leading scorer in the division. She averaged 24.9 points a game in the regular season, and she was held to just 4 points tonight. 

Concord Christian was led by two players, Emma Smith and Lilli Carlile, combining for 52 points. Smith had an extremely efficient 23 points on 9/13 shooting, and she added 9 rebounds as well. 

Carlile had 29 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, putting together one of the most impressive individual performances in a Division II final. 

Pembroke was led by a trio of double digit scorers. Kaitlin Arenella led the way with 14 points and connected on 4 three pointers. Anne Phillips and Kate Stephens both added 12 points of their own. 

While they came up short in the championship, Pembroke had a stellar season this year. They went 15-3 on the season, finishing as the third seed and upsetting Laconia to make it to the title game, which was their first appearance since the 1995 season.

Winning the title caps off the Kingsmen’s dominant 17-1 regular season. Their roster of only eight girls is looking to move up to Division I next season. With only one senior on the squad, another championship may be on the horizon in 2025.


More to come! Refresh this page for the latest.

Check out the full photo gallery by Jeff Criss of Perfect Photos


Check out the full photo gallery by Jill Stevens…


SNHU captures NE10 crown,earns automatic NCAA bid

MANCHESTER – For just the third time in program history, Southern New Hampshire has been crowned Northeast-10 Conference champions as the No. 5 Penmen defeated No. 6 Southern Connecticut State, 75-60, on Saturday afternoon at the Stan Spirou Field House.

With the win, SNHU earns the league’s automatic bid to the Division II NCAA tournament. The Penmen will learn their seed and match-up at the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday at 11:00 pm.

SNHU used a 15-4 run in the first half and 15-4 run to start the second half to propel the Penmen to the victory.

Preston Santos paced the Penmen with 20 points, while Kurtis Henderson (16), Matt Becht (15) and Derrick Grant Jr. (13) also netted double-digits.

Becht was named the 2024 NE10 Championship Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the NE10 All-Championship Team by Santos.

Check out the full photo gallery by Cindy Lavigne of Lavigne’s Live Shots…

UNH advances to semis with win over Binghamton

DURHAM – The No. 4 UNH Wildcats defeated No. 5 Binghamton, 77-64, in quarterfinal round action of the America East Playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium. The Wildcats advance to the semifinal round and will hit the road to take on No. 1 Vermont on Tuesday at 5:00 PM.

UNH trailed the Bearcats by two at the half, 34-32, but the Wildcats used a 12-2 run near the beginning of the second half to to take a 46-40 lead and never look back.

America East Player of the Year Clarence Daniels led all scorers with a game-high 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Wildcats. Trey Woodyard (17 points), Ahmad Robinson (12), Naim Miller (11) and Jaxson Baker (10) all netted double-digits as well for first-year head coach Nate Davis’ squad.

Check out photos of the action by KJ Cardinal…

UNH hosts Binghamton in America East quarterfinals

No. 4 UNH hosts No. 5 Binghamton today at 3:00 pm in the quarterfinal round of the America East men’s basketball playoffs at Lundholm Gymnasium.

The Wildcats and Bearcats boast identical 15-14 records, while both going 7-9 in league play. The two split their regular-season meetings with the home team winning each affair. UNH down Binghamton 64-58 back on Jan. 20 in Durham and the Bearcats bested the Wildcats, 87-74 on March 2 in Vestal, N.Y.

UNH is led by America East Player of the Year Clarence Daniels. The senior forward becomes the second player in UNH basketball history to garner the accolade. Daniels leads the league in scoring (19.6 PPG) and is third in rebound (9.3 RPG).

The winner of today’s quarterfinal will advance to the semifinals to take on the winner of the No. 8 Albany at No. 1 Vermont game.

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Keene State men, RIC women ousted from NCAA tourney

By Mike Whaley

It was Black Friday for the Keene State College men and the Rhode Island College women in their respective Sweet 16 rounds of the NCAA Division III basketball tournament.

No. 5 KSC fell apart in the second half to lose at No. 7 Guilford, 84-60, while the No. 3 RIC saw its undefeated season come to an end with an unusually bad shooting night to Washington & Lee, 61-55.

Keene led 29-24 in the first half, but an uncharacteristic season-high 21 turnovers led to a six-point halftime deficit (40-34). The Owls were outscored in the second half, 42-26. They end their season with a 26-3 record.

Octavio Brito and Jeff Hunter led KSC with 12 points apiece, Mason Jean Baptiste added 11 points.

The RIC women (29-1) played from behind most of the night against Washington & Lee, making just 28 percent of their shots, which included 3 of 23 from 3-point land. The Anchorwomen made only 4 of their 16 foul shots.

RIC trailed 45-33 after three quarters and was down 56-48 with 53 seconds to play, but was able to cut the lead to three (58-55) and had a chance to tie it in the waning seconds, but a 3-pointer was off the mark. Hinsdale junior Angelina Nardolillo was one of the few bright spots for the Anchorwomen. She led the team in scoring with 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting.

Washington & Lee (29-2) was led by sophomore forward Mary Schleusner, who scored a game-high 34 points and pulled down a tournament record 33 rebounds, breaking her own record of 29 set earlier in the tournament.

Third quarter propels Pinkerton to title game

Top-seeded Pinkerton used a 26 point third-quarter to defeat No. 5 Trinity, 82-71, in semifinal round action of the NHIAA Division I Boys Basketball State Tournament on Wednesday night at Exeter High School.

The Astros advance to the title game and will face No. 3 Nashua North on Sunday at UNH. The game time is still to be determined.

Pinkerton’s Jackson Marshall was held to 13 points in the first half, but unloaded with 26 in the second half to lead all scorers with 39 points. Andrew Brander (22 points) and Charles Ludden (15) both netted double-digits for the Astros as well.

The Pioneers were paced by 22 points from Shawn O’Neil and 17 from Devohn Ellis.

Check out the full photo gallery by Jeff Criss of Perfect Photos…

Pembroke upsets Laconia, moves on to title game

No. 3 Pembroke held No. 2 Laconia to just 10 first-half points en route to a 44-35 victory in semifinal round action of the NHIAA Division II Girls Basketball State Tournament on Wednesday night at Salem High School

The Spartans advance to the title game where they will take on top-seeded Concord Christian on Sunday at UNH. The game time is still to be determined.

Pembroke poured in 18 points in the opening quarter to take a commanding 18-6 lead and the Spartans never looked back.

Annelise Dexter (14 points) and Anne Phillips (11) led Pembroke, while Laconia was paced by a game-high 27 points from Macy Swormstedt. The Sachems were without Mekhia Burton.

Check out the full photo gallery by Jill Stevens…

North knocks off Bedford, advances to title game

Third-seeded Nashua North upset No. 2 Bedford, 84-68, in the semifinal round of the NHIAA Division I Boys Basketball State Tournament on Wednesday night at Exeter High School.

With the win, the Titans advance to the title game where they will take on No. 1 Pinkerton on Sunday at UNH. The game time is still to be determined.

North jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead in a fast-paced first quarter before Bedford rallied to take a one-point lead, 21-20, after one. The Titans kept the pedal to the metal in the 2nd quarter with 20 points again, while holding the Bulldogs to 12 points. North led 40-33 at the break.

The second-half was once again a frantic pace. The Titans balanced offense outscored Bedford, 25-20 in the quarter. North closed things out in the 4th to come away with the convincing 16-point win.

A quartet of Titans netted double-digits: Robinson Rodriguez (26 points), Parth Miglani (24), Jaden Pena (18) and Luke Peters (10).

The Bulldogs struggled to put the ball in the basket all night, but were led by 14 points apiece from Niko Badoian and Austin Kasyjanski. Leading scorer Luke Soden (26 PPG) managed just 13 points for Bedford.

Check out the full photo gallery by Jeff Criss of Perfect Photos…

CCA tops John Stark, headed back to title game

Top-seeded Concord Christian Academy is headed back to the state championship game for the third-straight season as the Kingsmen defeated No. 4 John Stark, 68-50, in semifinal action of the NHIAA Division II Girls Basketball State Tournament on Wednesday night at Salem High School.

CCA will take on No. 3 Pembroke in the title game on Sunday at UNH. The game time is still to be determined.

Emma Smith poured in 21 first-half points to propel the Kingsmen to a commanding 17-point halftime lead, 43-26.

For the game, Smith led all scorers with 27 points, while Lilli Carlile added 19 for CCA. The Generals were led by 11 points from Avery Geaumont.

Last season, Concord Christian won the D-III title and the season before the D-IV crown. The Kingsmen will be looking for their third-straight championship on Sunday, this. time in Division II.

Check out the full photo gallery by Betsy Hansen…