Tag: Conant

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023

D-III Boys First Round Preview

By: KJ Cardinal

The 2023 NHIAA Boys Basketball Division III State Tournament gets underway tonight with a six-pack of first round games around the state. Let’s take a look at all six match-ups as we get ready for the action…

#9 Belmont at #8 Conant

The ninth-seeded Belmont Red Raiders hit the road to take on #8 Conant at 6:00 pm. The Orioles defeated the Red Raiders, 48-32, back on January 24th in the only meeting between the two this season.

Conant’s Jared Nagle leads the way for Eric Saucier’s squad with 12.8 ppg. The Red Raiders, under first-year head coach Tony Martinez, are paced by Keegan Martinez’s 15.7 ppg.

Belmont’s looking to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2021, while Conant last made a trip to the quarters in 2020.

#13 Inter-Lakes at #4 Hopkinton

Inter-Lakes and Hopkinton will meet for the first time this season tonight as the #13 Lakers hit the road to take on the #4 Hawks at 7:00 pm.

Hopkinton, the 2021 Division III runner-up, started off the season with eight straight wins, but has dropped three of their final four games and enter the tournament with a 12-4 mark. The Hawks are paced by Marek Joppa (14.8 ppg) and Will Tanuvasa (12.8).

The Lakers come into the tourney with a 6-10 mark and are led Owen Brown’s 14.1 ppg.

#12 Newport at #5 Campbell

The 12th-ranked Tigers make the trip to Litchfield to take on #5 Campbell tonight at 6:30 pm in the first meeting between the two this season.

The Cougars enter the tourney with a 12-4 mark and are riding a six-game win streak. With wins over #4 Hopkinton and at #8 Conant during that stretch, head coach Justin DiBenedetto’s squad appears to be playing their best basketball at the right time.

With seven wins on the season, Newport has equaled their win total from the previous five seasons combined. Do-it-all senior Kayden LaClair is the straw that stirs the drink for Rob Clark’s squad as he averages 19.8 ppg and can change the game on the defensive end of the floor.

#10 Monadnock at #7 Winnisquam

The seventh-ranked Winnisquam Bears welcome #10 Monadnock to Tilton tonight at 7:00 pm. The two have not met yet this season.

The Bears, led by the divisions top scorer Anthony Boomer (21.5 ppg), dropped their season finale at Stevens, but have won 10 of their last 13 games and enter the tourney with an 11-5 mark.

The Huskies are riding a season-long, four-game win streak as they enter the tourney with a 8-10 record. Evan Dumaine leads the way for Monadnock with 19.6 ppg.

#14 Berlin at #3 Mascoma

While the scheduling snafu that disqualified White Mountains from tournament play was unfortunate, it made way for #14 Berlin to sneak into the tourney’s final spot and will head to third-ranked Mascoma Valley at 7:00 pm.

The Royals are currently on a nine-game win streak with big wins during that stretch over #4 Hopkinton and #6 Stevens. Silas Ayres’ squad is led by Zach Thompson (18.6 ppg) and looks to get the quarterfinal round for the fourth-straight season. Just five days ago, the Royals cruised to a 68-35 win at Berlin.

The Mountaineers (5-12) started the season with two victories and ended the season with a win over #11 Somersworth, but in between they were just 2-12. Jeremiah Dow (15.2) and Haden Poulin (11.7) both average double digits for head coach Jesse Arsenault’s team.

#11 Somersworth at #6 Stevens

Sixth-ranked Stevens plays host to #11 Somersworth tonight at 7:00 pm.

The Cardinals enter the tourney with a 12-4 record and have won six of their last seven, including three straight. Hunter LaRocque paces Stevens with 14.3 ppg.

The Hilltoppers are currently on a four-game skid and have dropped seven of their last nine. But, head coach Leon Shaw’s squad has some weapons in the backcourt with Aiden Heffron (15.7 ppg) and Dominic Starr (13.0).

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023

CCA snaps Conant’s 15-game win streak

In a battle between the top two teams in Division III, host Concord Christian avenged their only loss of the season by handing Conant their first loss of the year, 56-40, on Monday night.

The Kingsmen were led by a trio of double-figure scorers: Emma Smith (game high 21 points), Lilli Carlile (19) and Sara Muir (13). Conant was paced by 18 points from Emma Tenters and 10 points from Brynn Rautiola.

Both squads are now knotted atop the D-III standings with identical 15-1 marks.

Check out the highlights by Tim Lee…

January 25, 2023January 25, 2023

Flying high – again: Orioles right where they want to be

By Mike Whaley

That the Conant High School girls basketball team is at the top of the NHIAA Division III standings is no surprise. The Orioles expect to be there.

Having now ventured into the second half of the D-III season, Conant is the last undefeated team left in the division with an 11-0 record and one of five in the state. Led by seniors Brynn Rautiola and Emma Tenters, both four-year varsity players, the Orioles have something to prove this season.

Small wonder.

Last winter, the Orioles flew into the D-III championship riding the wave of two straight state championships and 58 consecutive wins (66 if you count holiday tournament wins). Monadnock pulled off the upset, stinging Conant with a 50-31 loss.

The 2022-23 Conant HS girls basketball team includes, from left, Adrienne Kennedy, Brynn Rautiola, Irelynd Aucoin, Lola Hayes, Amy Lucier, Emma Tenters, Graecen Kirby, Maicee Peard, Hannah Manley, Bella Hart and Violet Bennett. [Courtesy photo]

“I think there was a lot of pressure in that game,” said Tenters, who scored 23 points including her 1,000th career point on Saturday in a 54-33 win over Gilford. “A lot of people were nervous. We just kind of played out of character. Everyone was like ‘three-peat, 50-something game win streak.’ All the pressure. All the talk. I think it just kind of got into our heads.”

Rautiola said it was heartbreaking, but the loss fueled Conant in the offseason. “We worked hard with a chip on our shoulders. Obviously it sucked losing,” she said. “We learned more from losing that game. Throughout the offseason we looked back at that game. It makes you mature in a way that you look at it as the best thing to happen. … It’s motivation to keep working with your foot on the gas to practice every day and give 100 percent.”

“You tip your hat to Monadnock last season,” said coach Brian Troy. “They earned that victory. I think maybe we felt the weight of expectations a little too much. That may have played a role in it.”

There are few New Hampshire communities that take their basketball as seriously as Conant – both boys and girls. Since the mid 1980s, the two Oriole programs have combined to win 21 state titles – all in Division III/Class M. No other D-III program comes close.

The girls teams have always been solid, but they really took off in the 21st century. Since 2004, the Orioles have appeared in 11 state championship games and won seven.

A native of nearby Keene, Troy played basketball at Keene High (2009 grad) and then Rivier University in Nashua. He was a co-head coach for the Keene HS boys for a year and then an assistant at Keene State University with the women’s team.

He had no master plan to get into coaching, other than wanting to somehow be involved with basketball. He certainly never thought he’d be coaching girls.

Conant won the state title in 2015. A year later the position opened up. “I felt pretty confident and wanted to be a head coach and run my own program,” Troy said. “Conant was always a storied program. I saw the opportunity and really wanted it. It’s been great ever since.”

This is Troy’s seventh year. In that time, the Orioles have been to five championship games with three wins.

“There were definitely high expectations from the beginning,” he said, although his first year there was a universal feeling that a down year was in store. Conant overachieved, making it to the 2017 final, losing by eight points to Monadnock.

“After that it just kind of took off,” Troy said.

The Orioles won the title in 2018, lost in the 2019 semis and then won back-to-back crowns in 2020 and 2021. Last year was another trip to the finals, albeit a heartbreaking loss.

“No. 1 is the culture we have in the whole community and the basketball programs, both boys and girls, they really just wear their hearts on their sleeves,” Troy said. “Basketball is the biggest thing around the community.”

After last year’s championship loss, one thing Troy wanted to do was to try to put the Orioles in a position to play in tighter games. With few exceptions, the previous three years had been a series of blowouts.

One thing he did is enter the team in the Manchester Central HS holiday tournament against bigger schools. The Orioles made it to the final with wins over D-I Central and Merrimack, losing to Bow (8-0 in Division II) by three points. “We wanted everything hard for this group,” the coach said.

Their regular season has been more competitive. They opened the season with three tough games vs. Stevens, Monadnock and Hopkinton, which they won by 13, 12 and 11 points, respectively.

On Jan. 5, the Orioles had an early-season showdown with Concord Christian, a team that had moved up to D-III after dominating D-IV last year en route to an undefeated state championship.

The Orioles led by as many as 15 points, but then had to hold on to win, 59-58.

“We knew going in how talented they were,” said Troy, a physical education teacher at Marlborough School (preschool through Grade 8). “That was a great game, even though it got too close at the end. We had a 15-point lead and almost blew it. … It was good to get a feel for that game and see and feel who they are as a team.”

Rautiola said, “We kind of lost our composure a little bit in that game. We have experience on our side. We kind of know what it takes to win.”

“That was another situational thing that was nice to have as an experience,” Tenters said. “We had to really focus and make shots at the end. We ended up holding them off and winning the game.”

The Orioles have some tough games ahead, including several difficult tests on the road at Stevens on Saturday and Concord Christian on Feb. 6.

Rautiola and Tenters are the heart and soul of the Orioles – Rautiola as the point guard and Tenters as the 5-foot-11 force inside with the ability to hit outside shots. Last year she was the D-III player of the year.

Both girls plan to play ball at the next level – Rautiola at Keene State and Tenters at Emmanuel College in Boston.

“She’s been great,” said Troy about Tenters. “Her outside shooting has come a long way, which has added a huge strength to our team. Her overall leadership has been phenomenal. … It’s huge to have a player like her. It makes things a little easier when things are tight.”

Troys believes Rautiola is one of the best guards in the state. “Just in terms of her being able to manage the flow of the game and dictate the tempo,” he said. The 5-foot-7 Rautiola has been called on to score more this year, a role she has embraced along with her point-guard duties.

“Those two are at the head of everything we do,” Troy said. “We’re riding their leadership. They’ve been phenomenal since the season started.”

The Conant girls basketball team is pictured last season at Keene State College where they advanced to the D-III state final, losing to Monadnock. [Courtesy photo]

The rest of the rotation includes another senior, guard Adrienne Kennedy. “She brings a lot of intensity and all-out hustle and scrappiness and toughness that this team needs,” Troy said. A bit undersized, Kennedy is a good shooter who helps the Orioles with her overall energy.

Junior guard Bella Hart “brings a great basketball IQ and skill set to the team” Troy said. She is a very good passer with great court vision. An adept ball handler, she can relieve Rautiola at the point when needed.

Rounding out the starting five is sophomore guard Hannah Manley, the team’s third-leading scorer (5.9 ppg). “Her overall intensity and energy level and shooting ability is a perfect fit for this team because we’re able to get into the paint and be more of a shooting team that maybe we weren’t last year,” Troy said.

The key reserves are junior forward Amy Lucier, the first inside player off the bench, and junior Ireyland Aucoin, the first guard to come in, bringing intensity, toughness and athleticism.

Offensively, the Orioles like to space the floor, dribble drive and kick. Troy feels they may shoot better than last year. “I think it’s been a huge weapon for us,” he said. “We’ve put a huge emphasis on it.”

Whereas past teams may have been more run and gun, this year’s edition of the Orioles will still do that, but they’re comfort level is in their halfcourt sets – strengthened by their shooting.

Conant primarily uses half court man-to-man on defense. “Conant basketball starts and finishes on the defensive end of the floor,” Troy said. “Just being able to shut down teams if we’re not scoring as much as we can. … We like to get in your face. We’re aggressive. It’s kind of what we’ve been ever since I got here from day one.”

The Orioles follow the lead of their two senior stars. Tenters (19.4 ppg) and Rautiola (18.3 ppg) pace the team in scoring, accounting for two-thirds of Conant’s offense. They’re as good a 1-2 scoring punch as there is in the state. Since they were freshmen, Conant has gone 79-2 overall, including holiday tournaments.

“She’s my point guard,” said Tenters of Rautiola. “Whether she’s making plays, sticking 3s or locking someone up on defense, she always is making an impact on the floor.”

Rautiola appreciates her teammate’s court presence. “She makes the game a lot easier for everyone,” Rautiola said. “A lot of teams have to put a lot of focus into her. Once they do that, I feel like the game opens up a lot for everyone else.”

When Tenters hit 1,000 points on Saturday, she joined a pretty select Conant group of girls on the banner in the high school gym; names like Stenberg, Hunt, Bellette, Oswalt, Neyens, Springfield and Gonyea.

While the milestone was a goal for Tenters, it was not an obsession. “I’m focused more on the game than the points,” she said. When Elizabeth Gonyea hit 1,000 during Tenters’ sophomore year, the senior made a point of telling her younger teammate, “I want to see your name up there next.”

Tenters laughs. “That kind of motivated me to actually get there.”

Of course, Tenters embraces the bigger picture as do all of the Orioles. “At the same time it’s more about winning games,” she said. “Not necessarily how many points I’m going to get.”

Conant forges ahead, eyeing the rest of its regular season and the playoffs beyond. The goal doesn’t change. Like past Oriole teams, they expect to be playing on the last day of the Division III season, which in this case is the state championship on Feb. 25, 5 p.m., at Keene State College.

“We just need to make sure we take every game seriously,” Tenters said. “We know that everybody is coming for us because we have that history of winning.”

January 22, 2023January 22, 2023

Four unbeatens remain

By KJ Cardinal

We’re past the midway point of the 2022-23 season in all four divisions of NHIAA basketball and there are just four undefeated boys teams remaining around the state.

Let’s take a glimpse at this quartet of flawless teams…

Anthony Chinn directs the offense against Portsmouth back on Jan. 10.

PINKERTON BOYS (9-0)
It should come as no surprise that head coach Dave Chase’s Astros are sitting atop the Division I standings with a perfect 9-0 mark to start the season. Pinkerton made it to the state semifinals last year and with their big three of Jackson Marshall and the Chinn brothers (Anthony and Tyrone) clicking on all cylinders, the Astros are rolling through the division.

Pinkerton is holding teams to just over 44 points per game (PPG) and winning by an average of 20 PPG. The only single-digit victory that the Astros have earned was at Keene, 48-40, back on Jan. 13. Looking at Pinkerton’s remaining slate, it’s hard not to circle the Feb. 10 tilt at Bedford (8-1) as the biggest test that remains in the Astros quest for perfection.

Jalen Reese goes up for two against Somersworth on Dec. 13.

GILFORD BOYS (9-0)
The three-time defending champion Golden Eagles are a perfect 9-0 and sit perched atop the D-III standings. Another pair of brothers, Jalen and Isaiah Reese, are both averaging nearly 20 PPG to lead the way for Gilford.

While head coach Rick Acquilano’s squad has yet to lose, they have been tested in three tough battles of late and came out on top in each one. The Golden Eagles started the new year with a four-point win at St. Thomas on Jan. 3. A week later, Gilford staved off a hungry Belmont squad, 61-58. And, just yesterday the Golden Eagles survived an overtime scare at Conant, 52-48.

Kayden Hoskins and the Crusaders held on for a big win at Woodsville back on Dec. 21.

LITTLETON BOYS (12-0)
Trevor Howard’s Littleton Crusaders are a state-best 12-0 and are coming off perhaps the game of the year in D-IV on Friday night, a thrilling 86-81 victory at Profile. Littleton’s front-man Kayden Hoskins is pumping in over 21 PPG, but the Crusaders boast a line-up loaded with potential double-digit scorers and their balanced attack is very potent.

The Crusaders have proven they can win on the road as they earned hard-fought victories at Portsmouth Christian, at Woodsville, at Lin-Wood, at Colebrook, at D-III White Mountains and most recently at Profile. With five of their remaining six games at home, if Littleton can take care of business on its turf, the Crusaders may be sitting atop the D-IV heap when the dust settles.

Brode Frink with the unorthodox finish at PCA on Jan. 9.

CONCORD CHRISTIAN BOYS (9-0)
The Concord Christian Kingsmen are rolling through their D-IV slate. With big road wins at Derryfield, at Portsmouth Christian and at Holy Family, the Kingsmen look poised to make another deep run in the playoffs.

Sophomore sensation Brode Frink is the straw that stirs the drink for head coach Eric Heizer’s squad. Frink is averaging over 25 PPG and can score in anyway imaginable. The Kingsmen have some obstacles on their schedule as they host Derryfield (7-2), Farmington (10-1) and head to D-III Conant.

January 9, 2023January 9, 2023

Campbell earns come-from-behind win over Conant

The 5-2 Campbell Cougars and the 5-2 Conant Orioles met up on Monday night and the Cougars earned a come-from-behind 44-35 victory over the visiting Orioles.

It was somewhat of a slugfest in Litchfield as both teams combined for just 10 first quarter points and Campbell took a 21-18 lead at the half. Conant later took a one-point lead to the fourth quarter, 30-29, but the final stanza belonged to the host Orioles as they came back to secure the victory.

J Breton pumped in eight points, including two threes, to close out the win for Conant as they held Campbell to just six fourth-quarter points.

The Cougars were paced by a trio of double-figure scorers in Jack Breton (14), Austin McHugh (10) and Jayshawn Hawkins (10), while the Orioles were led by Jared Nagle’s 10 points.

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

January 5, 2023January 5, 2023

Conant downs Raymond on the road

The Conant boys went on the road and defeated Raymond, 42-31, on Thursday night.

The Orioles were paced by a game-high 16 points from Ben Sawyer, while Jared Nagle chipped in with 13. The Rams were led by Drezell Dufaut’s 13 points.

Conant improves to 4-2 on the season, while Raymond drops to 1-5.

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

December 23, 2022December 23, 2022

Orioles soar past Saints

The Conant Orioles soared past host St. Thomas on Thursday night, 70-44, to improve to 4-0 on the season. The loss drops the Saints to 0-2. Check out photos of the action by Dave O’Brien of Your Athletes in Action Photography…

November 19, 2022November 19, 2023

603 in the NCAA

Let’s celebrate the best of the best from the NHIAA that have continued their careers into the NCAA. Below is a list of NHIAA ballers that are currently playing at the collegiate level.

Help us grow this list. If you have additions, please email kj@ball603.com. Thanks for the assist!

NAME	HIGH SCHOOL	COLLEGE	YEAR
Michael Pitman	Pembroke Academy / Tilton	Assumption	Freshman
Jacob Gibbons	Exeter / Tilton	Assumption	Sophomore
Sean Peterson	Holy Family	Colby-Sawyer	Freshman
Catherine Chick	Kennett	Colby-Sawyer	Freshman
Bree Lawrence	Monadnock	Colby-Sawyer	Freshman
Megan Molettieri	Pelham	Colby-Sawyer	Junior
Lauren McKee	Littleton	Colby-Sawyer	Sophomore
Eliza Mitchell	Keene	Colby-Sawyer	Freshman
Kaylee Manzella	Littleton	Colby-Sawyer	Sophomore
Lia Raynowska	Exeter	Colby-Sawyer	Senior
Ashlyn Smith	Keene	Endicott	Freshman
Sarah Dempsey	Windham	Endicott	Junior
Ty Vitko	Dover	Endicott	Senior
Drew Brown	Pelham	Endicott	Senior
Joey DaSilva	Windham	Endicott	Junior
Andrew Politi	Trinity	Franklin Pierce	Sophomore
Isaac Jarvis	Concord Christian ’22	Gordon	Sophomore
Isabella Rivera	Bishop Brady ’21	Gordon	Junior
Ami Rivera	Bishop Brady ’21	Gordon	Junior
Cassidy Dillon	Londonderry ‘23	Gordon	Freshman
Aryanna Murray	Nashua South	Keene State	Junior
Brynn Rautiola	Conant ‘23	Keene State	Freshman
Abbie Kozlowski	Dover ‘23	Keene State	Freshman
Kaitlyn Stowell	Monadnock ‘23	Keene State	Freshman
Avery Stewart	Fall Mountain ‘23	Keene State	Freshman
Liam Johnston	Keene	Keene State	Sophomore
Sera Hodgson	Conant	Maine	Junior
Gwen Merrifield	Plymouth	Manhattanville	Junior
Matt McCool	Souhegan	Marist	Sophomore
Johnny McBride	Souhegan ’22	Messiah	Sophomore
Mike Strazerri	Pembroke ‘23	New England College	Freshman
Justin Dunne	Pinkerton	New England College	Junior
Macy Gordon	Merrimack Valley	New England College	Sophomore
Maizie Barker	Nashua South ’23	New England College	Freshman
Mackenzie McDonald	Merrimack Valley	New England College	Sophomore
Jon Willeman	Lebanon ’20	New Hampshire	Senior
Alex Tavares	Portsmouth / Great Bay CC	New Hampshire	Junior
Silas Bernier	Conant	Norwich	Senior
Caden Brown	Bedford ‘23	Plymouth State	Freshman
Riley Marsh	Gilford ’22	Plymouth State	Sophomore
Elijah Swanson	Inter-Lakes	Plymouth State	Junior
Ryan Canabano	Concord	Plymouth State	Senior
Matthew Santosuosso	Bishop Guertin ‘23	Plymouth State	Freshman
Jared Khalil	Sanborn ‘23	Plymouth State	Freshman
Jack St. Hilaire	Windham ’23	Plymouth State	Freshman
Maxwell Galbraith	Hanover	Plymouth State	Sophomore
Kevin Newton-Delgado	Hopkinton	Plymouth State	Junior
Jayden Montgomery	Nashua North ‘23	Plymouth State	Freshman
Christian Barr	John Stark	Plymouth State	Senior
Sophie George	Laconia	Plymouth State	Sophomore
Natalie Harris	Coe-Brown	Plymouth State	Senior
Ashley Stephens	Pembroke Academy / Tilton	Plymouth State	Freshman
Alli Ingalls	Pinkerton	Plymouth State	Junior
Bri Wilcox	Bishop Guertin	Plymouth State	Junior
Marissa Kenison	Groveton ‘23	Plymouth State	Freshman
Lea Crompton	Bow	Plymouth State	Senior
Isabella Abruzese	Windham	Plymouth State	Freshman
Angelina Nardolillo	Hinsdale	Rhode Island College	Junior
Elli Cox	Concord	Rhode Island College	Sophomore
Rob Baguidy	Goffstown ’22	Rivier	Sophomore
Adam Razzaboni	Hollis-Brookline	Rivier	Junior
Anna Stawasz	Bishop Guertin	Rivier	Junior
Hannah Muchemore	Bishop Guertin	Rivier	Senior
Nodia Davenport	Groveton	Rivier	Junior
Anna Stenger	John Stark	Rivier	Senior
Jessica Carrier	Manchester Memorial	Rivier	Junior
Lyric Grumblatt	Manchester Memorial	Rivier	Senior
Alyssa Scharn	Alvirne ‘23	Rivier	Freshman
Tommy Fraser	Bishop Brady	Saint Anselm	Senior
Brogan Shannon	Kingswood	Saint Anselm	Sophomore
Trevor Labrecque	Nashua North ‘23	Saint Anselm	Freshman
Ava Winterburn	Goffstown ‘23	SNHU	Freshman
Brandon Choate	Nashua North	SNHU	Junior
Royce Williams	Trinity	SNHU	Sophomore
Liz Cote	Kennett	Southern Maine	Senior
Hope Elias	Kennett ‘23	Southern Maine	Freshman
Tamrah Gould	Manchester Memorial	Southern Maine	Senior
Megan Roberts	Hinsdale	Southern Maine	Junior
Max Stapelfeld	Hollis-Brookline	St. Joseph’s (ME)	Senior
Ben Seiler	Mascoma Valley	St. Joseph’s (ME)	Sophomore
Cadence Gilbert	Keene	St. Joseph’s (ME)	Freshman
Elisabeth Stapelfeld	Hollis-Brookline	St. Joseph’s (ME)	Junior
Jordyn Franzen	Salem	U. of New England	Senior
Ella Karavanic	Nashua South ’23	U. of New England	Freshman
Makenna Grillone	Fall Mountain	U. of New England	Sophomore
Chad Martin	John Stark	VTSU Lyndon	Sophomore
Sage Smith	Colebrook	VTSU Lyndon	Junior
Leia Brunt	Plymouth ‘22	William Smith	Sophomore
Brett Marelli	Winnacunnet	WPI	Junior

February 28, 2022January 4, 2023

Monadnock shocks D-III world, wins title

Sixth-seeded Monadnock pulled off one of the great upsets in NHIAA tourney history on Sunday as the Huskies cruised to a 51-30 victory over #1 Conant, snapping the Orioles 58-game win streak, en route to the Division III Girls Basketball Championship.

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022

Undefeated Conant cruises to D-III girls title game

Undefeated Conant showed absolutely no signs of slowing down in the semifinals as the top-seeded Orioles cruised to a 60-23 victory over #4 Newfound on Wednesday night to advance to the finals of the NHIAA Division III Girls Basketball State Tournament.

Conant was led by a game-high 23 points from Emma Tenters, while the Bears were paced by Malina Bohlmann’s 9 points.

The Orioles will take on #6 Monadnock on Sunday at 1:00 pm at Keene State College.

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