Tag: Monadnock

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

Defense propels Monadnock past Stevens

Tenth-seeded Monadnock held #7 Stevens to just 29 points to come away with a 44-29 win in the first round of the NHIAA Division III Girls Basketball State Tournament on Wednesday night.

Monadnock advances to the quarterfinal round where they will take on #2 Hopkinton on Saturday.

The Huskies were led by a trio of double-digit scorers: Shaylee Branon (11), Marlee Carroll-Clough (11) and Reagan Kidney (10). Bella Bovell paced the Cardinals with a game-high 12 points.

Check out the full photo gallery of the action by Chris Laclair of Chris Clicks Photography…

Fall Mountain defeats Monadnock

Fall Mountain closed out the regular-season with a 60-43 win at Monadnock on Friday night.

Owen Riendeau and Pat Connors netted 13 points apiece to pace the Wildcats, while the Huskies were led by 11 points from Ben Dean and 10 from Gavin Gomario.

With the win, Fall Mountain improves to 9-9 on the season, while Monadnock falls to 6-11.

Check out photos of the action by Jill Stevens…

Monadnock topples Fall Mountain

Playing each other the second time in three days, Monadnock allowed just seven 1st-quarter points as the Huskies completed the season sweep of Fall Mountain, 45-31, on Friday night in Swanzey.

Cainen Avery led all scorers with a game-high 16 points for Monadnock, while Shaylee Branon added 10.

With the win, the Huskies improve to 9-6 on the season, while the Wildcats fall to 6-9.

Check out the full photo gallery by Jill Stevens…

#10 Monadnock knocks off #7 Saints

Tenth-seeded Monadnock went on the road and upset #7 St. Thomas, 57-47, in first round action of the NHIAA Girls Basketball Division III State Tournament on Wednesday night in Dover. 

The Huskies trailed by four entering the fourth quarter, 41-37, and outscored the Saints 20-6 in the final stanza to come away with the victory. 

Bailee Soucia pumped in a game-high 20 points to lead Monadnock to the quarterfinal round, while Breanne Lawrence (12) and Regan Kidney (10) also scored in double-figures.  

The Saints were led by 10 points apiece from Emma Torriello and Emilie Vonder Linden.

Monadnock advances to the quarterfinal round where they will take on #2 Concord Christian on Saturday. 

Check out the full gallery of the action by Dave O’Brien of Your Athletes in Action…

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Big second half leads Winnisquam over Monadnock

Forty-one second-half points propelled #7 Winnisquam to a 69-41 win over #10 Monadnock in first round action of the NHIAA Boys Basketball Division III State Tournament on Tuesday night. 

Anthony Boomer led all scorers with 22 points, while Alex Nichols and Caleb Robdau added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Bears. 

Ben Dean and Evan Dumaine scored 13 points apiece for the Huskies who end their season at 8-11. 

Winnisquam moved to 12-5 and will face #2 St. Thomas in quarterfinal play on Friday.

Check out the full gallery by our Jill Stevens…

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).

Post-season run continues to the D-III final for #6 Monadnock

The sixth-seeded Monadnock Huskies kept their post-season run alive on Wednesday night as they defeated #2 Fall Mountain, 49-34, in semifinal round action to advance to the title game of the NHIAA Division III Girls Basketball State Tournament. Monadnock was led by Breann Lawrence’s game-high 11 points, while the Wildcats were paced by a team-high 8 points from Nora Dunigan.

Monadnock will take on #1 Conant in the final on Sunday at 1:00 pm at Keene State College.