Tag: Winnisquam

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

MacDonald nets 35, leads Winnisquam past Belmont

Lauren MacDonald poured in a game-high 35 points to lead third-seeded Winnisquam to a convincing 64-32 win over #14 Belmont on Wednesday night in Tilton.

Winnisquam advances to the quarterfinals where they will take on #11 Mascoma Valley on Saturday.

The Red Raiders were led by 16 points from Mady Carrier and 10 from Madelyn Besegai. Bella Sargent also added 11 points for the Bears.

Check out the full photo gallery by John Scott Sherburne…

Second-half surge lifts Raymond past Winnisquam

Raymond doubled up visiting Winnisquam in the second half, 38-19, to come away with a 60-35 victory on Friday night.

The Rams were led by a game-high 20 points from Dre Duffaut and 15 from Aidan York, while the Bears were led by 8 points apiece from Alex Nichols and Caleb Robdau.

With the win, Raymond improves to 5-4, while Winnisquam falls to 3-6.

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

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).

Gilford soars to 17-0

Gilford improved to 17-0 on the season with a convincing 62-39 victory over Winnisquam on Tuesday night.

Jalen Reese led all scorers with 22 points for Gilford, while Isaiah Reese added 16 points. Anthony Boomer paced Winnisquam with 16 points.

The Golden Eagle victory was their 32nd straight win, dating back to Dec. 22, 2021. The loss snapped the Bears (10-4) four-game win streak.

Next up for Gilford is a trip to Belmont on Friday in the regular-season finale for both squads. The Golden Eagles had their toughest test of the season at home versus the Red Raiders back on Jan. 10 as they narrowly won, 61-58.

Check out the highlights of the action by our very own Tim Lee…

Saints claw Bears, move to 3-0

St. Thomas used a balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures to earn a 62-40 win over Winnisquam in Dover on Monday night. Reece Rogers (14 points), Brady Rogers (13), AJ Reinertson (12) and Will Mollica (12) all reached the double-digit plateau for the Saints, while the Bears were paced by a game-high 28 points from Anthony Boomer.

The Saints improve to 3-0 on the season, while Winnisquam falls to 1-2.

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

Mascoma Valley survives late Winnisquam rally

Mascoma Valley went on the road and held off a late rally from Winnisquam to escape Tilton with a 60-53 victory over the Bears on Tuesday night. The Royals have won seven straight and improve to 8-2 on the season, while Winnisquam has dropped three of its last four to fall to 6-5 overall.

Mascoma was paced by a game-high 32 points from Ben Seiler and 15 from Zach Thompson. Winnisquam had a trio of players notch double figures as the Bears were led by Caleb Bushway (18 points), Anthony Boomer (17) and Anthony Robbins (16).

Check out a full 98-image gallery…