Tag: Holy Family

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

Farmington advances to first semifinal in 23 years

For the first time since 2001, Farmington is headed back to the semifinals of the NHIAA state tournament. The #4 Tigers defeated #5 Holy Family, 61-53, in the quarterfinal round on Thursday night in Farmington.

The Tigers advance to the semifinals and will take on undefeated top-seed Profile on Monday night at Bedford High School at 7:30 pm.

Farmington came out firing as the Tigers poured in 20 1st-quarter points and held a seven-point lead after one. Holy Family battled back to cut the lead to three at the half, 32-29.

It was a tightly contested 3rd quarter and Farmington took a four-point lead to the final frame. In the 4th, the Tigers pumped in 19 points to come away with the eight-point victory.

FHS was led by a balanced offensive attack. Demery Hadges (16 points), Cody Brazee (11) and Preston Berko (10) all had double-digits, while Shawn Murphy and Aiden Place added 9. Dylan Zappala rounded out the scoring with 6. The Griffins were led by 23 points apiece from Gabe Lacasse and Enzo Yonkeu.

Check out the full photo gallery by KJ Cardinal…

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…

Oh Henry! Hodgkins lifts Epping to dramatic win

Epping’s Henry Hodgkins tipped in his own miss with 50 seconds on the clock and then secured a steal with two ticks left in the game to help propel the Blue Devils to a thrilling come-from-behind win over visiting Holy Family in the season opener for both teams on Saturday night.

After an 8-8 first quarter, Holy Family opened up a six-point lead at the half and later led by three heading into the final stanza.

Epping was paced by Blake Snyder’s 16 points, while Hodgkins tallied 13. The Griffins were led by Enzo Yonkeu’s game-high 18 points.

Holy Family was playing without senior do-it-all guard Gabe Lacasse who was out with a groin injury. Lacasse entered the game just 27 points shy of his 1,000th.

Check out the full photo gallery of the action by KJ Cardinal…

Woodsville completes three-peat

It’s a three-peat for the Woodsville Engineers as they defeated Holy Family, 57-49, to capture their third straight NHIAA Division IV Boys Basketball State Championship on Sunday evening at Colby-Sawyer College in New London. 

Following the game, Cam Davidson and Landon Kingsbury caught up with Andy Romike in the latest Romike Report…

Check out the full photo gallery by our KJ Cardinal…

Check out the full photo gallery by Shirley Nickles…

Holy Family wins epic two overtime semifinal

PENACOOK – In one of the most thrilling games in NHIAA tournament history, Holy Family’s Yves Mugiraneza hung in the air and connected on a last-second bucket to give the sixth-seeded Griffins an upset double-overtime victory, 86-84, over second-seeded Concord Christian on Monday night at Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook.

The Griffins advance to Saturday’s Division IV championship game and will take on fourth-seeded Woodsville at Colby Sawyer College in New London at 3:00 pm.

Mugiraneza was Mr. Clutch all night for the Griffins as he buried a three-pointer at the end of the regulation to force overtime and connected on a runner to force the second overtime, all before burying the game-winner. [WATCH ALL THREE BUCKETS]

Holy Family was led by 31 points from Sean Sullivan, while Mugiraneza (22) and Gabe LaCasse (20) also poured in 20+ points.

Brode Frink put the Kingsmen on his back as the sophomore pumped in an impressive 48 points to lead all scorers in the tough loss for Concord Christian. Austin Spurr chipped in with 17 of his own.

Watch the full highlights by Tim Lee…

Check out the huge photo gallery by our very own KJ Cardinal…

Holy Family advances to semis with dramatic overtime win

By: KJ Cardinal

FARMINGTON – It was a rumble in The Jungle as sixth-seeded Holy Family went into a raucous environment and knocked off #3 Farmington, 69-67, in overtime on Friday night to advance to the semifinals of the NHIAA Division IV Boys Basketball State Tournament. [WATCH FULL ARCHIVE]

The Griffins got off to a slow start as they trailed 18-12 after one quarter of play, but they responded with a 20-9 second quarter to take a 32-27 lead to the break.

The Tigers came out for the second half firing and turned a five-point deficit into a two-point bulge heading to the fourth, 46-44. The two would battle down the stretch and came away tied at 60 at the end of regulation.

The overtime stanza was back and forth with the Griffins coming out on top as a Sean Sullivan layup with 16 seconds left gave Holy Family the final two-point margin.

Farmington’s Jordan Berko had an open look for three from the top of the key to win the game, but it was just off the mark.

Holy Family was led by a game-high 24 points from Yves Mugiraneza and 21 points from Gabe Lacasse, while Sean Peterson added 11.

Farmington was paced by Berko’s 23 points and 18 from Brian Boisvert, 15 coming in the second half. Shawn Murphy also added 13. 

The Griffins advance to the semifinals where it will be a rematch of last year’s semis as they take on Concord Christian. 

Watch the 4K highlights by our KJ Cardinal…

Check out the full photo gallery by Jill Stevens…

Division IV Boys Bracket Set

The field is set for the 2023 NHIAA Boys Basketball Division IV State Tournament.

The 17-team tourney gets underway on Friday as #17 Franklin heads to #16 Gorham for a play-in game at 7:00 pm. The winner of that game will face top-seeded Littleton in first-round action, which takes place on Monday.

Check out the bracket…

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.