Tag: Concord Christian

The Bash: Day 3 Recap

By: KJ Cardinal

Following day three of the 45th Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash, the semifinal match-ups are set for Sunday. 


The big surprise of the day was the Profile boys knocking off Raymond, 61-57. The Rams were coming off their hard-fought win over Concord Christian in the quarterfinals, but the defending champion Patriots proved to be a tough out yet again. Profile connected on 10 threes to come away with the big victory. 


The boys AND girls squads from Coe-Brown and Portsmouth Christian Academy are both still alive. Combine those fan bases that traditionally travel well for The Bash with the host team Farmington girls still in the mix and Sunday should be a well-attended affair. 


The Belmont boys won a tough contest against Sanborn, but the Red Raiders may be without big man Anakin Underhill on Sunday. The Bash MVP from two years ago, Underhill was sidelined with a right elbow injury and his status is currently unknown. 


On the boys side, Profile and Coe-Brown will meet at 4:30 pm with Belmont and Portsmouth Christian squaring off at 7:30 pm. For the girls, it’s PCA and Franklin at 3:00 pm and Farmington and Coe-Brown tipping off at 6:00 pm. 


SCHEDULING NOTE: Sunday’s schedule gets underway with a girls consolation game at noon between Nute and Kennett, but then there is a break until the semifinals start at 3:00 pm. 


USEFUL LINKS: Updated Schedule | Updated Bracket | Photo Galleries | Day 3 Video Archives


DAY THREE RECAP
BOYS: Portsmouth Christian 81, Farmington 72
PCA: Cai Summers 31, Zealand Marquis 23
Farmington: Demery Hadges 22, Noah Elwell 19, Lucas Watson 10


BOYS: Belmont 75, Sanborn 62
Belmont: Keegan Martinez 30, Treyshawn Ray 26
Sanborn: Chase Frizzell 27, Dylan Rego 10, Dillon Simes 10


BOYS: Coe-Brown 73, Hinsdale 52
CBNA: Grant Hayes 16, Jack Matson 12, Bruce LaPierre 10
Hinsdale: Connor Dixon 21, John Winter 14


BOYS: Profile 61, Raymond 57
Profile: Cayden Wakeham 25, Jackson Clough 14, Daryion Faustin 12
Raymond: Drezell Duffaut 27, Aidan York 12


GIRLS: PCA 53, Kennett 37
PCA: Ava Buchanan 32
Kennett: Abigail Hynes 14


BOYS: Derryfield 64, Inter-Lakes 32
Derryfield: Sam Fazelat 15, Nate Boudreau 13, Liam Caesar 12
Inter-Lakes: Riley Maher 13


BOYS: Nute 46, Franklin 33
Nute: Silas Picard 14, Adrian Huff 10
Franklin: Harrison Kaplan 16


BOYS: Concord Christian 61, Kennett 49
CCA: Jaden Young 16, Isaac Kirby 15, Logan Duffy 12
Kennett: Daven Bailey 16, Jayden Jackson 12


GIRLS: Sanborn 45, Nute 25
Sanborn: Maya Thompson 17
Nute: Hannah Cartier 7


GIRLS: Belmont 60, Raymond 30
Belmont: Bailey Perkins 19, Maddie Carrier 10
Raymond: Avery Dean 10

The Bash: Day 2 Recap

By: KJ Cardinal

Day two of the 45th Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash has concluded and of the 11 games played on the day, only two were decided by less than 27 points. While it was a day of routs, fans were also treated to the best game of the tournament so far as the Raymond boys outlasted Concord Christian, 75-69, in a very entertaining back-and-forth affair.

One rout that was somewhat surprising was Belmont’s dominant 36-point victory over the Kennett boys. The Red Raiders look to be the team beat on the boys side and have a big time quarterfinal match-up with Sanborn tomorrow at 6:00 pm.

Check out tomorrow’s slate and how the brackets are shaping up at the links below and a recap of day two as well.

USEFUL LINKS: Updated Schedule | Updated Bracket | Photo Galleries | Day 2 Video Archives

DAY TWO RECAP
BOYS: Farmington 68, Inter-Lakes 41
Farmington: Demery Hadges 14, Keltin Moulton 14, Lucas Watson 11
Inter-Lakes: Jake Ambrose 8

GIRLS: Farmington 80, Raymond 19
Farmington: Shaylee DiPrizio 21, Zoey Johnson 16, Anna Cardinal 14, Madi Ricker 11, Makayla King 10
Raymond: Meadow-Miah Mitchell 12

BOYS: Raymond 75, Concord Christian 69
Raymond: Drezell Duffaut 32, Aidan York 17
CCA: Isaac Kirby 22, Jaden Young 17, Luke Farland 10

BOYS: Coe-Brown 68, Epping 28
Coe-Brown: Jack Matson 20, Ryan Kouchoukos 13
Epping: Henry Hodgkins 6

GIRLS: Coe-Brown 62, Belmont 28
Coe-Brown: Eilah Crawn 15, Hannah Meehan 10, Emma LaPierre 11
Belmont: Bailey Perkins 12, Maddie Carrier 11

BOYS: Belmont 67, Kennett 31
Belmont: Keegan Martinez 22, Anakin Underhill 13, Treshawn Ray 13
Kennett: Bo Noung Jr. 17

BOYS: Hinsdale 66, Nute 38
Hinsdale: Connor Dixon 17, Chris Colon 14, John Winter 12, Jack Clark 10
Nute: Silas Picard 13

BOYS: Sanborn 83, Franklin 32
Sanborn: Dylan Rego 18, Brian Nadeau 14, Brandon Sarette 13, Chase Frizzell 11
Franklin: Nthan Holmes 9

GIRLS: Franklin 43, Sanborn 34
Franklin: Kourtney Kaplan 25
Sanborn: Maya Thompson 12

BOYS: Portsmouth Christian 66, Derryfield 33
PCA: Cai Summers 27, Zealand Marquis 18, Hoaming Zhu 12
Derryfield: Blake Moskov 10

GIRLS: Portsmouth Christian 52, Nute 7
PCA: Ava Buchanan 13, Emma Anderson 12, Jaela Stockbower 10
Nute: Bella Colby 3

The Bash: Day 1 recap

By: KJ Cardinal

Day one of the 45th Annual Mike Lee Holiday Basketball Bash is in the books and it was one of the most competitive opening days in recent memory. Five of the 11 games were decided by 10 points or less, with Hinsdale’s 48-45 win over Inter-Lakes being the closest contest of the day.

The close games ended up pushing game times back and the final contest of the night, which was originally scheduled to tip off at 8:15 pm, didn’t tip off until 9:47 pm. All told, day one featured nearly 14 hours of hoops and day two tips off on Friday at 8:00 am.

USEFUL LINKS: PHOTO GALLERIES | VIDEO ARCHIVES

The day one recap and the day two slate are posted below…

DAY ONE RECAP
BOYS: Farmington 57, Profile 50
Farmington: Noah Elwell 15, Demery Hadges 14, Lucas Watson 13
Profile: Cayden Wakeham 18, Everrett Locke 14, Jackson Clough 10

GIRLS: Farmington 58, Sanborn 31
Farmington: Zoey Johnson 28, Shaylee DiPrizio 12
Sanborn: Ashlyn Gallant 8, Ashton DiRienzo 8

BOYS: Sanborn 63, Concord Christian 47
Sanborn: Chase Frizzell 36, Dylan Rego 15
Concord Christian: TJ Charbono 12

BOYS: Portsmouth Christian 89, Wilton-Lyndeborough 41
Portsmouth Christian: Cai Summers 28, Zealand Marquis 12, Jackson Malone 12, Zech Beal 10
Wilton-Lyndeborough: Ben Jacob 20, Harry Krug 15

BOYS: Hinsdale 48, Inter-Lakes 45
Hinsdale: Connor Dixon 14, Chris Colon 11, Grady Jutras 10
Inter-Lakes: Alec Adorno 15, Jackson Downs 13

BOYS: Belmont 76, Raymond 40
Belmont: Anakin Underhill 21, Wyatt Carroll 17, Treyshawn Ray 16, Keegan Martinez 11
Raymond: Drezell Duffaut 11, Jacobi Cumberbatch 10

GIRLS: Coe-Brown 50, Kennett 22
Coe-Brown: Eilah Crawn 14
Kennett: Abigail Haynes 10, Marlie Liebenow

BOYS: Kennett 60, Coe-Brown 56
Kennett: Daven Bailey 15, Tristyn Jones 13
Coe-Brown: Matthew Flanagan 15, Bruce LaPierre 11, Jack Matson

BOYS: Epping 67, Nute 57
Epping: Blake Snyder 20, Cameron Kavanaugh 16, Henry Hodgkins 14, Grayson Davis 13
Nute: Brady Barbin 14, Jackson Lafogg 11, Silas Picard 10

BOYS: Derryfield 54, Franklin 44
Derryfield: Nate Boudreau 10, Sam Fazelat 10
Franklin: Matt Nason 12

GIRLS: Franklin 48, Nute 11
Franklin: Kourtney Kaplan 28
Nute: Azlyn Picard 8

DAY TWO SLATE
Girls: PCA vs. Nute, 8:00 am
Boys: Derryfield vs. PCA, 9:15 am
Girls: Sanborn vs. Franklin, 10:30 am
Boys: Frankin vs. Sanborn, 11:45 am
Boys: Nute vs. Hinsdale, 1:00 pm
Boys: Kennett vs. Belmont, 2:15 pm
Girls: Belmont vs. Coe-Brown, 3:30 pm
Boys: Epping vs. Coe-Brown, 4:45 pm
Boys: CCA vs. Raymond, 6:00 pm
Girls: Raymond vs. Farmington, 7:15 pm
Boys: Inter-Lakes vs. Farmington, 8:30 pm

Bishop Guertin hangs on to down Concord Christian Academy

CONCORD, NH – Bishop Guertin was held to just three fourth-quarter points, but held on for a 38-36 win at Concord Christian Academy in the season opener for both squads on Friday night.

Maddi Long led BG with 11 points, while Emma Smith paced CCA with a game-high 15 points.

Check out the full photo gallery by Michael Griffin…

Bishop Guertin Girls at Concord Christian (12.13.24) - Michael Griffin
Bishop Guertin Girls at Concord Christian (12.13.24) – Michael Griffin
26 photos

NHIAA preseason heats up

By: KJ Cardinal

Just like the unseasonably warm weather, the 2024-25 NHIAA season is beginning to heat up as well.

Yesterday marked the first practice date for Division IV squads with many holding tryouts around the state. D-III follows suit next week (Nov. 25) with D-I & D-II just seven days later as well (Dec. 2).

The D-IV season official tips off with 2024-25 opening night being held on Friday, Dec. 6, while Divisions I, II & III throw it up on Dec. 13.

Before we get to the regular-season slate, however, there are six official NHIAA sanctioned preseason jamborees on the docket. Check out the events below as this will be your first chance to see these squads in action…

DATEGENDEREVENTHOSTPARTICIPANTS
December 1GirlsPreseason Basketball JamboreeLin-WoodHoly Family, Concord Christian, Franklin, Lin-Wood
December 3BoysNewfound InvitationalNewfoundInter-Lakes, Winnisquam, Laconia, Plymouth, White Mountains, Newfound
December 7BoysBelmont Boys Basketball Preseason JamboreeBelmontMascoma, Monadnock, Newport, Belmont
December 7BoysPinkerton Basketball JamboreePinkertonCentral Catholic, Malden Catholic, Salem, Greater Lawrence Tech, Pinkerton
December 7GirlsPreseason JamboreeKennettWhite Mountains, Inter-Lakes, Berlin, Fryeburg, Kingswood, Plymouth, Gilford, Laconia, Prospect Mountain, Moultonborough, Littleton, Kennett
December 7BoysNH Sports Page Basketball JamboreeLondonderryNashua South, Kearsarge, Pelham, St. Thomas, Pinkerton, Windham, Trinity, Bow, Portsmouth, Pembroke, Londonderry

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…

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…

Holy Family survives versus Concord Christian

Fifth-seeded Holy Family poured in 28 points in the 4th quarter to erase a 3-point deficit and earn a 67-61 win over #12 Concord Christian on Monday night in first round action of the NHIAA Division IV Boys Basketball State Tournament in Manchester.

The Griffins advance to the quarterfinals where they will take on #4 Farmington on Thursday.

Holy Family took a 6-point lead to the break, 33-27, but the Kingsmen outscored the Griffins 19-6 in the 3rd to take a 3-point lead to the final quarter.

Leading the way for Holy Family was four double-digit scorers: Gabe Lacasse (19), Jeremiah Guererro (15), Patrick Gillis (13) and Enzo Yonkeu (10). CCA was paced by a game-high 21 points from Isaac Bowers, while TJ Charbono (13), Jaden Young (12) and Isaac Kirby (10) all netted double figures as well.

Check out photos of the action by Todd Grzywacz of Stonewall Photography…

Quick start leads Concord Christian over Milford

Concord Christian wasted no time getting the ball rolling at Milford on Friday night as the Kingsmen opened the game on a 19-4 run and rolled to a 50-32 victory.

The Kingsmen were led by a game-high 23 points from Emma Smith, while Lili Carlile added 14. Pacing the Spartans was Ellianna Nassy with 10 points.

With the win, CCA remains perfect and pushed its record to 13-0 on the season. Milford falls to 7-8.

Check out the full photo gallery by Betsy Hansen…

6 Unbeatens Remain

By: KJ Cardinal & Jayda Davis

It’s crunch time in NHIAA basketball with state tournament play looming right around the corner. While some teams are vying to just make the playoffs or perhaps secure a coveted home game, there are six well-oiled machines around the Granite State that are still in search of perfection.

Let’s take a look at the six remaining unbeatens…

Division I Boys: Bedford

Bedford’s Luke Soden leads the Bulldogs with 26.5 PPG. [📸 Todd Grzywacz]

Frank Moreno’s Bulldogs have their sights set on back-to-back state titles and with a perfect 14-0 mark, it’s hard not to think they’ll get there. Bedford’s high-octane offense is averaging a scorching 81.1 points per game and winning by nearly 24 points per contest.

Luke Soden has been nothing short of amazing this season, pouring in 26.5 PPG, while Brady O’Connell (15.5 PPG) and Austin Kasyjanski (13.7 PPG) are the mainstays for the Bulldog fire power.

Bedford has only played in three games this season that were decided by single digits, with a three-point win over Manchester Memorial being the biggest test thus far for the Bulldogs. However, that may all change tonight as Bedford heads to Derry to take on 13-1 Pinkerton in a rematch of last year’s championship game. You can watch that game live here (PPV).

Division I Girls: Bedford & Pinkerton

Pinkerton’s Elizabeth Lavoie leads the Astros with 20.0 PPG. [📸 Jill Stevens]

In what could be a preview of the 2024 title game, it’s a battle of the unbeatens tonight in Bedford when the Bulldogs (14-0) host Pinkerton (14-0). You can watch that game live here (FREE).

These two squads have been absolutely steam-rolling the rest of the division. Bedford is winning by an average margin of 42.9 PPG. The Bulldogs six-point victory, 56-50, at Portsmouth back on Jan. 23 is their only win this season coming by less than 30 points. Let that sink in for a second.

Pinkerton is also winning by a 31.6-point clip with their closest game being a 17-point victory at Dover on Jan. 26. Lani Buskey’s Astros are led by the top scorer in the division Elizabeth Lavoie (20.0 PPG) and two other double-digit scorers: Sydney Gerossie (15.5) and Brooke Benz (10.2).

Bedford’s Lana McCarthy leads the Bulldogs with 13.9 PPG. [📸 Cindy Lavigne]

Kevin Gibbs’ Bulldogs boast the most dominant player in the state with Lana McCarthy. The McDonald’s All-American Game nominee is averaging 13.9 PPG in often limited minutes due to Bedford’s 40+ point victories. The Purdue commit is paired with Kate Allard (13.4 PPG) to form an extremely tough duo.

Division IV Boys: Profile
The 16-0 little town of Bethlehem Profile Patriots could be the most fun team to watch in the state. This group of perennial north-country underdogs is not only the divisions top dog this season, but one of the top teams in the state, regardless of division. Period.

Profile’s Josh Robie leads the Patriots with 26.4 PPG. [📸 KJ Cardinal]

We’ve witnessed first-hand the Patriots defeat opponents from all four Divisions and Mitchell Roy’s squad would most definitely compete with any foe put in front of them. The biggest reasons for this: seniors Josh Robie and Alex Leslie.

While his shot may look unorthodox, Robie (26.4 PPG) is an absolute sniper from deep and his improved mid-range game and playmaking abilities are the driving force behind Profile’s perfect start. Leslie (19.8 PPG) is one of the most athletic bigs in the division and his ability to get downhill and finish on opponents can be deadly at times.

Seemingly always in the way for Profile has been Woodsville and Littleton. The Patriots have knocked off Woodsville once this season and twice defeated the Crusaders, including a five-point win, 62-57, on Jan. 31. Profile heads to Woodsville tonight in the final big regular-season test remaining for the Patriots.

Division II Girls: Concord Christian

CCA’s Emma Smith leads the Kingsmen with 19.2 PPG. [📸 KJ Cardinal]

When we said “well-oiled machines”, the first team that comes to mind is Concord Christian. After winning the Division IV crown two years ago and the D-III title last season, the 12-0 Kingsmen seem poised to earn the D-II championship this March.

Rebecca Carlile’s squad simply wears teams down. There isn’t a more conditioned team in the state and CCA’s uptempo style, defensive prowess and the ability to take care of the rock is a brand of basketball that is impressive to watch.

Leading the way for the Kingsmen is Emma Smith (19.2 PPG) and Lilli Carlile (18.6). CCA has already taken care of business twice this season versus the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams with wins over Laconia and Pembroke. The Kingsmen head to Laconia on Feb. 15 for the biggest remaining challenge on the regular-season slate.

Division IV Girls: Littleton

Littleton’s Addison Hadlock is averaging 10.1 PPG for the Crusaders.[📸 KJ Cardinal]

If defense wins championships, then we could certainly see Littleton cutting down the nets at Colby-Sawyer College on March 2nd.

The Crusaders are holding teams to a minuscule 30.7 PPG and winning by an average margin of 27.3 PPG. Only three teams have been able to reach the 40-point plateau versus Littleton all season long.

Dale Prior’s balanced offense is led by a trio of double-digit scorers: Lauryn Corrigan (10.8 PPG), Addison Pilgrim (10.2) and Addison Hadlock (10.1).

The last tough test for the Crusaders this regular season will come tonight as Littleton hosts 15-1 Groveton. The Crusaders escaped Groveton with a narrow five-point win, 39-34, in a defensive battle back on Jan. 5.