Bow News : Concord

Bow woman loses $1,000 to scam artist

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:23:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

According to local business owner Ted Severance, desperate times have led some to very desperate – and illegal – measures.

Severance, owner of Coastal Forest Products lumber yards in Bow and Bedford, recently said that a scam artist successfully tricked an unsuspecting woman out of a $1,000 money order by pretending to rent her a property that Severance’s company owns.

The house, located on Dunklee Road in Bow, is currently without a tenant and sits adjacent to the lumber yard on property that Severance owns.

On March 5, he received a call from an unidentified woman who said she had recently placed a down payment to rent the property. The woman, who did not have a key to the 1,500- square-foot house, was inquiring how she might gain access to it. But by that afternoon, she was too late.

“He told this poor woman that she could rent it if she could give him that $1,000 down payment. Then, she gave him the money order,” Severance recalled. “He said he had just bought it out of foreclosure. He certainly lured her. She thought she was going to move in.”

Severance explained that the residence is usually occupied by one of the lumber yard employees. In fact, a new employee is preparing to move in shortly, he said.

“When she called this afternoon, she said ‘Hey, do you know anything about that house?’ and we said ‘Yeah, we own it. One of our guys are about to move in.’ Then she felt really bad because she realized she just lost $1,000.”

Concord police began investigating this case after Bow police determined the reported transaction had happened in Concord.

Bow woman finds retirement a rewarding, wild ride

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:21:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Georgette Daugherty may be retired, but she’s as busy as ever.

Whether painting, running a food pantry in Concord or helping out at Baker Free Library, the Bow resident has found plenty of activities to fill her schedule.

“You’re busier than you were when you were working,” said Daugherty. “I was a college professor and I always knew what I was going to do and when. When you’re retired, your time is never neat. It’s pretty wild.”

Daugherty moved to Bow 17 years ago after living in Miami, Fla., where she taught sociology classes at Miami-Dade Community College and was in charge of the social work department for 25 years.

Beginning in 1993, she became head of the Bow Recycling Committee, a position she would hold for 12 years. Working closely with the volunteers in town is what Daugherty liked most about her experience.

“I remember the wonderful people I worked with,” she said. “The people you work with make your job. Even if you’re a volunteer, it’s still a matter of the people you work with. Our group was fun, and we had a good time together.”

According to Daugherty, during her time with the committee she saw positive attitudes toward recycling in town, though it can be hard to get residents to commit the time.

“It isn’t that people feel it isn’t a good idea, it comes down to how easy you make it for people. It’s just that it’s one more thing to worry about,” she said. “Fighting for that little bit of time is hard, because there’s a lot of people fighting for it and these families are human.”

One of the activities Daugherty has taken up in recent years is painting, a hobby she started after she wasn’t able to do another artistic venture she enjoys.

“I was a singer and my voice reached the time when it wasn’t public,” she said. “I like the colors, the bright colors and I like the feeling that I can do something. The painting I don’t do well, but I am a lot better than when I started, so that is satisfying.”

Bow, Hopkinton and Concord students place at Poetry Out Loud competition

Bow Editor — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:07:00 GMT

BY LEWELLYN HALLETT

Bow High School freshman Reed Van Dyck took the stage, not to sing, dance or act as she often does, but to recite poetry.

Reed represented her school as a semifinalist in the Poetry Out Loud State Championship and was selected as one of the eight finalists. The alternate champion from Bow was junior Ethan Nappan.

Champions from 15 schools across the state came together on Saturday, March 22, for a verbal showdown at the Redfern Art Center at Keene State College.

New Hampshire’s representative was chosen for the Poetry Out Loud 2008 National Finals on April 29 in Washington, D.C. For the second year in a row, Laura Messner of Exeter High School won first place with her intense recitations, including “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Runner-up was Cote Laramie of Concord High School, and tied for third were Sarah Cotton of Salem High School and Molly McCahan of Plymouth Regional High School. The other four finalists were Bow’s Van Dyck, Minta Carlson of Newmarket Junior/Senior High School, Kai Fukunaga of Dover High School, and Hanna Skelton of Cocheco Arts and Technology Academy.

Memorized, understood and presented aloud, poems come off the page and resonated with a whole range of real-life experience and emotion, spanning generations and cultures and backgrounds.

That’s what students and audiences discovered through the Poetry Out Loud program, in which more than 4,400 students participated statewide this year.

Shakespeare, Robert Browning, Sylvia Plath, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Lewis Carroll – sounded out on the lips of a new generation as competitors stepped in front of the microphone.

Though each presenter’s connection with the poem was evident and many seemed to be speaking words of their own, the poems were chosen from the Poetry Out Loud catalog of about 1,000 classic and modern works. Expert judges scored on presentation, dramatization, accuracy and difficulty.

This year, Van Dyck said, competitors were required to include one pre-20th century work in their three selected poems. She chose “We Wear the Mask,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, and it proved her biggest challenge.

“It was originally written by a black man about slavery,” said Van Dyck. “I discussed with my family what the poem could mean today. In high school, people wear masks and don’t express how they really feel. I incorporated that experience into my recitation.”

Van Dyck said she was really nervous but then it was fun.

“I was surprised how much I enjoyed it,” she said. “When I got to the finals, it was a huge shock for me. I was pleased with my performance and that’s all that mattered to me, especially with the performance of ‘We Wear the Mask.’ The whole day was satisfying, especially watching everyone else. They were all amazing, a really good group and really talented.”

Rodger Martin, director of New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud, was also enthusiastic about the presentations. “What impresses me this year is the quantum leap in quality. The recitations gave me chills,” he said at the end of the competition.

Laramie has been interested in poetry since elementary school, but this was his first competition.

“I was speechless to be in the final eight,” he said. “I went so much further than I thought I would and I’m so glad I got to represent my school. This competition encourages kids that it’s OK to be into poetry.”

Laramie presented a moving recitation of Walt Whiteman’s “Oh Captain, My Captain” during the final round.

As state champion, Messner received a check for $200 from The Poetry Foundation and a check for $500 will go to the Exeter High School library for the purchase of poetry books.

The National Endowment for the Arts will provide an all-expenses paid trip for Messner and a parent or chaperone to the nation’s Capitol, where she will compete against other state champions for the national title and opportunities to win almost $50,000 in scholarships.

All semifinalists received certificates and gifts from the event sponsors and each finalist was awarded a $2,500 scholarship to New England College.

In 2006, Reed Van Dyck’s sister, Teal, then a senior at Bow High School, represented New Hampshire at the national competition and finished second, winning a $10,000 scholarship. Teal was on break from Hampshire College and sat in the audience on March 22 to support Reed.

“She’s my best friend,” said Reed. “She didn’t give me a lot of advice because what worked for her wouldn’t work for me, but it meant a lot to me that she could be there. Attending Nationals that year with Teal and hearing so many people do poems, I got a grasp of how individual it is. You need to pick the poem that’s right for you. Also, it’s hard work and you really have to understand your poem. If you’ve never read a poem and you can listen to someone recite it and you think, ‘I get that,’ and you really understand it, they’ve done a great job.”

Other semi-finalists included Annalise Pennell of Hopkinton Middle High School, Benjamin Mueser of John Stark Regional High School, Amanda Kruczinski of Pembroke Academy, Sven Wiberg of Oyster River High School, Alexandra Young of Pittsfield Middle High School, Laurel Weatherby of Winnacunnet High School and Alexis Taffe of Timberlane Regional High School.

The competition is sponsored by the New Hampshire State Council of the Arts, and nationally by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. Poetry Out Loud encourages young people to learn about poetry through memorization and performance, while developing public-speaking skills, self-confidence and knowledge of their literary heritage.

New Hampshire partners for Poetry Out Loud include the N.H. Writers’ Project, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Keene State College, the Arts Alliance of Northern N.H., The Poetry Society of New Hampshire, the Frost Place in Franconia and Toadstool Bookstores of Peterborough and Milford.

Ordway remembered for service to Bow

Bow Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Many things have changed in Bow over the past 60 years, but one of the town’s constants was the man who worked on a dairy farm, was chief of the Fire Department and who would do anything for his family.

Longtime Bow resident Roger S. Ordway Sr., died unexpectedly on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Concord Hospital at age 75.

Born Nov. 25, 1931, in Concord, Ordway attended Concord’s school system and graduated from Concord High School in 1949.

During his high school years, Ordway discovered a new love.

“Firefighting was always such a big passion of his,” said his wife of 55 years, Priscilla Ordway. “Ever since he was 16 years old, he just loved it.”

In 1947, he joined the Bow Fire Department and dedicated his service to the town for the next 53 years, climbing to the rank of fire chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1990.

Current Fire Chief Dana Abbott has been a member of the Bow Fire Department since 1967, and worked side by side with Ordway for many years.

“He is really hard to describe,” said Abbott. “He was a good chief who worked hard to make sure he kept up to date with the times. He always did a great job. The memories that most stand out to me are just many of the fires we worked on together.”

Ordway was involved in many activities in Bow, including the Heritage Committee, Bow Mills United Methodist Church and New Hampshire Fire Warden Association, among many others.

Priscilla Ordway described her husband as a man with many outstanding qualities.

“He was very outgoing and caring,” she said. “Roger was so interested in the town and all of the people in it, which is why he was involved in so many things in Bow.”

Ordway was a father of a daughter, Jayne Cantara, and son, Roger Ordway II, both of whom he was extremely close.

“He was a tremendous husband and such a great father to his two children,” said Priscilla Ordway. “He would do different things with each of them, and with each of his (four) grandchildren.”

Working for his grandparents on a small dairy farm on Route 3A, Roger Ordway often milked cows and learned a passion for working with his hands on small farm equipment, something that would come in handy as he opened his own small repair shop after retirement.

He was always changing with technology, though.

“Roger really enjoyed fixing things and learning to use new things. He learned to work on computers and loved to work on building things as well,” said Priscilla Ordway. “He loved to work with the kids, and he was always there for them no matter what.”

Roger Ordway will be missed, said Abbott.

“He was active in so many of the town’s activities,” said Abbott. “It is a very big loss for the town of Bow.”

Bow out – Local nine eliminated by next-door neighbor, 4-1

Bow Editor — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:51:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

Rain postponed the Fourth of July Fireworks show in the Capital City to July 5, forcing the District 1 11- and 12-year-old Little League all-star tournament game between Concord National and Bow to change venues.

In Bow, however, there were no fireworks for the last-minute hosts.

Though Jack Yvars continued his mound dominance, pitching his third consecutive complete game, along with four strikeouts, he failed to throw a third straight shutout.

Yvars held National to five hits, but two were home runs, and his team was unable to overcome a similarly dominant performance from Concord’s ace, Cam Alosa.

Bow lost, 4-1, and was eliminated from the District 1 tournament.

“They didn’t beat us to badly. We held in there, but our bats just went quiet on us,” said Bow’s manager, Gary Clifford.

“That pitcher just kept us off balance, moved his pitches around, and mixed in that slow breaking ball. He didn’t overpower us. He outpitched us.”

Bow’s lone run came in the top of the third inning when Tim Panella led off with a double. Two batters later, Yvars singled. He attempted to steal second, and during the rundown, Panella scored from third base.

Outside of the third inning, Bow’s offense was quiet with the exception of the sixth inning, when, after two consecutive strikeouts, Alosa was pulled because of a high pitch count in favor of Cody Barnhart.

The new pitcher walked Mike Penny and Conner Rossignol, bringing the game-tying run to the plate in the form of Josh LaCasse.

Though LaCasse made solid contact, he grounded the ball right to end the game.

In addition to his pitching, Yvars contributed three singles in three trips to the plate, and Panella added two hits, including the third-inning double.

Jonathan Patch and LaCasse each earned a second-inning walk.

Following the game, Clifford reflected on Bow’s post-season run, which included a 12-0 tournament-opening win over Newton, a hard-fought 9-8 loss to Nashua that spanned two nights, a 5-0 shutout of Pelham and a 10-9 come-from-behind victory over Suncook.

“Last year, we were two-and-out. We wanted to make things more competitive during the regular season, so the kids
would be more competitive in the tournaments,” said Clifford, who noted Bow Little League changed the ratio of minor league to major league teams to 2-to-1 this year. “The goal was that everyone would see a higher level of play and, as a result, it seems to have worked.

“It’s a short season for these guys to play together as a team because they’ve been competing against each other all year, and now, all of a sudden, they have to gel together,” added Clifford, “which they really did.”

Sticks and stones – D-II Bow downs D-I Tide

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:17:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

Too bad the game didn’t affect the standings.

After a few years of trying to plan a game against Division-I power Concord, the boys of Bow lacrosse showed they’re a Division II team in name only, beating the Crimson Tide, 6-1, at Southern New Hampshire University on Tuesday, May 22.

“Bow’s a very athletic team,” said Concord head coach Daren Premo. “They’ve got a bubble of athletic guys right now, and they played the way we expected. We would expect this type of game from them if they were a Division I, Division II or Division XVI.”

The Falcons, coming off a stinging 4-3 loss to St. Thomas the day before, struck first when senior attacker D.J. Meagher found an open Nick Laboe for the 1-0 lead with 5-minutes, 7 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Crimson Tide, entering the game 10-5 in D-I play, quickly evened things less than 40 seconds into the second frame after Matt Gilbert scored on a Kyle Starr assist.

Then it was all Bow.

Falcons goalie Pat Acone held the Crimson Tide in check, and the offense supplied a 2-1 lead with just more three minutes left before the half; midfielder Eli Mishkit scored the Falcons’ second goal.

Bow, 10-1 in D-II action, kept attacking as Alex Stephens found an open lane, sped past two Concord defenders and scored for a 3-1 Bow lead. Deven Erickson capitalized when Concord’s Eric Moore was handed a two-minute penalty for an illegal check. Erickson’s goal made it 4-1, before Mishkit added another less than one minute later.

But the Falcons weren’t the only ones flying high, as play was stopped in the fourth quarter when players from both squads let emotions take over.

“Anytime you’re going to have a Concord, Bow, Bishop Brady game, you’re going to have high emotions,” said Premo after three of his players were benched after the brawl. “You just tell them there’s more after this, and no one needs to be ejected. We’ve got the playoffs coming up, and everyone needs to keep their heads in it.”

Stephens agreed, saying it was no surprise seeing the rivals get heated.

“Once we got up, we sort of anticipated that because it’s such a big rivalry,” said Stephens. “We came into it not having much to lose because we were the underdogs because we’re Division II, so that helped give us some added motivation. This was a big win, especially after the St. Thomas loss and with the playoffs right here.”

Bow wraps up its season against rival Bishop Brady on Thursday, May 24.

And this time, the game counts.

Not again – April nor’easter floods homes, closes roads

Bow Editor — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 20:12:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

A tree fell on Clinton Street in Bow, causing a chain reaction of events that eventually led to Doug and Katherine Crabb’s downstairs looking more like a wading pool than a basement.

The tree that fell knocked out power lines, causing electricity in the area to be out for more than three hours, and stopping the sump pump, said Doug Crabb.

“I’m surprised this rain turned into this much water,” he said, staring at the puddle that was his basement. “The brook out back, basically turned into a lake.”

It was the surprise factor that really caught them off guard, said Doug.

“We hadn’t really had much rain this spring, so I didn’t really think much of it,” he said. “When we got wet last year, along with everybody else in the state, we got 13 inches of rain in 10 days.

This year, it hadn’t rained in two weeks. We get a pretty decent rainstorm and then all of a sudden, whoomp. The water table must have been up significantly.”

He added that he thought if the town kept better maintenance on dead or damaged trees, the situation could have been avoided.

“It was the whole area – it wasn’t just our street – that was without power for so long,” said Katherine. “So everybody around here was playing the catch-up game.”

Still, local town officials said, overall, the effects of the storm were minimal.

The following is a list of impacted areas:

Bow

The town of Bow experienced no road closures, but several inconveniences due to the recent storm.

“I think we’re better off than some of the surrounding towns,” said Town Manager James Pitts.

“We certainly have some infrastructure damaged, primarily due to the edge of pavement being undermined and damaged, but overall, we’re not looking at large amounts of damage this time around.”

The town is still investigating the impact of the heavy rains, however.

Still, there were several barricades and signs for high water, though the affected roads – Route 3A, Grandview Road and Page Road, among other high-water areas – were still passable.

Some roads had to have lanes narrowed because the edge of the pavement collapsed, said Pitts.

In addition, several areas of town went without power for a few hours, but were restored quickly, he said.

Hopkinton

In Hopkinton, Deputy Fire Chief John Pianka said, in terms of road closures, the recent storm may have been worse than last year’s May floods.

“We probably had probably 13 or 14 roads closed due to washouts,” said Pianka. “I think this year was a little worse than last year. Statistic-wise, maybe it wasn’t, but I think we’ve had more road closures and damage than last year.”

Other weather-related problems, said Pianka, were power outages and flooded basements, which he said kept the fire department busy all day Monday, April 16, and into the next day.

Dunbarton

Fire Chief Jon Wiggin said only two roads, County Road and Kimball Pond Road, were closed due to flooding.

“We had a lot of ditch damage and things like that, about 10 flooded basements that we responded to, and at one time, I think eight roads were down to one lane or had water running across,” said Wiggin. “Other than that, we fared pretty well.”

There were also scattered power outages in town, including at Dunbarton Elementary School.

Concord

Concord, like Bow, Dunbarton and Hopkinton, experienced some trees falling and power outages, but also experienced several road closings or flood water impacts.

Dogs reunited with owners after missing six months

Bow Editor — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:21:00 GMT

BY SARAH LEBRUN

When Becky and Matthew Carr’s two Shih Tzus went missing six months ago, they thought they would never see them again.

That all changed on Friday, March 22, when Becky received a call from Hope Bourdeau, the kennel manager at the Concord-Merrimack County SPCA in Penacook. Their dogs had been found.

“I just started bawling,” said Becky. “I threw some clothes on and went right to the SPCA.”

According to Bourdeau, a Concord man brought the dogs to the shelter March 21, after Annabelle allegedly bit the family’s 2-year-old daughter. The dogs had been living in the couple’s home for six months, after they were found wandering in Bow.

“He drove up (to the SPCA) in a Mercedes, and he refused to pay a surrender fee,” said Bourdeau.

The Bow family’s dogs, Annabelle and Oliver, got out of the house Sept. 4, 2006, when the family’s cat opened a sliding door.

“They hadn’t been gone 10 minutes before my husband took off on the four-wheeler looking for them,” said Becky.

According to Becky, the dogs were not wearing any identification when they got out, as they had just been to the groomer that day.

“I don’t know how somebody could think we just left them when they’d just been groomed,” said Becky.

The Carrs posted missing dog fliers in towns within a 50- mile radius – at police stations, veterinarian offices and animal shelters, offering a $500 reward if found.

“My husband and I spent weekends for two months putting up fliers,” said Becky.

Thinking they would never see their dogs again, the Carrs got a new dog – a pomeranian and shih tzu mix named Milo.

“He was a Valentine’s Day gift to our son,” said Becky.

“(Our son) Matty was heartbroken when (the dogs) left,” said Becky. “His first word was doggie. Not mommy or daddy. Doggie.

“I feel like I’ve been living in a dream world since they returned.”

“We’re just glad to have them back,” said Matthew. “They’re in pretty good spirits – better than we were for six months. We can’t think the SPCA enough.” According to Concord police, there is an ongoing investigation, and no additional information is being released.

2006 Year in Review - In star-studded year, Hopkinton boys soccer earns top billing

Bow Editor — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 20:49:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

While others celebrate the end of the year with eggnog, presents and relished time with friends and family, we took a look back at 12 months worth of Neighborhood athletics.

The calendar contributions came from Neighborhood squads at all levels. Some hoisted championship trophies in repeat triumphs; others walked away with consolation medals. Seniors signed national Letters of Intent, while young stars made names for themselves, assuring lasting legacies in their respective sports.

Trying to cull the year’s best victories, unbelievable individual performances, disappointing losses and unforgettable upsets was difficult, as 2006 was packed with plenty of worthy moments.

You could argue Concord High owned the year’s brightest moment: its boys tennis team reclaimed the Class L tennis title, and its golf team repeated as state champs. Maybe it was the Bow girls tennis squad hoisting the championship plaque. Perhaps the honor belongs to the Crimson Tide girls lacrosse team, which took home its second straight state title.

Debate all you’d like, but we have a number of reasons – 204 reasons, to be exact – why 2006’s biggest headline goes to the boys of Hopkinton High soccer, recently named Class M champions.

The Hawks finally soared to the state title after 204 minutes, 32 seconds of game time, spanning four days. On Thursday, Nov. 9, both teams played to extra frames, but this time the Hawks walked away with a 3-2 overtime win and the bragging rights that come from perching atop the Class M boys soccer mountain.

David Wood scored from 40 yards out with 2:53 remaining to tie the game, and Joe Dammann headed in a crossing pass from Matt Demers 4:32 into overtime to give Hopkinton the win.

“Just fight, fight, fight” is how Demers described Hopkinton’s attitude. “That’s how we look at it, and that’s how we like to play. We just came back and said, ‘All year, we worked for this. Every Saturday morning that we had practice, we didn’t do this for nothing.’ We knew we were going to win the state championship.”

After playing to a double overtime, 1-1, tie against top-seeded Gilford on Sunday, Nov. 5, the two teams met again to replay the game on Nov. 8. Another postponement gave the Hawks one more day to think about what it would feel like to bring home their first Class M plaque since 1984.

“ The makeup of the team allows for a lot of resiliency, and we have a lot of heart and we always bounce back from things,” Wood said. “We haven’t had to do it a lot this year, but when we need to, we’ve been able to.”

Winter

Before basketball and ice hockey champions were named, the Granite State’s best swimmers and divers were crowned at the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association’s championships held at the University of New Hampshire’s Swasey Pool. The boys of Bow took home fifth place with 111 points. Senior co-captain Steven Mulherin placed fourth in the 100-yard backstroke, while Matthew Card placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke. The Lady Falcons placed 14th with 31 team points.

Concord’s boys swim squad finished 14th, scoring 33 total points. Senior Alex Broadbent placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley. The girls placed eighth with 67 points as Jennifer Corriveau took first in the 50-yard freestyle and second in the 100-yard breaststroke. Bow High’s Caitlin Fellows was one of nearly 600 females recognized at the 19th annual Women’s Athletic/Academic Awards on Feb. 6.

Dover ended Bow’s ice hockey season for the third straight time after knocking out the Falcons, 2-1, in the Division II semifinals.

“It’s never easy losing. To never get a chance at getting to the finals, it’s awful. It’s too bad. I feel terrible for them, that we couldn’t do more for them,” Bow head coach Tim Walsh said of his seniors, who’d been part of three Falcons teams that lost in the Final Four.

In Division I action, Concord was iced, 2-1, by eighthseeded Berlin in the D-I semis. Four minutes into the third period, with the game tied, 1-1, Concord’s sensational keeper, Matt Mosca, made a glove save on a Berlin shot. But the whistle didn’t blow, the puck got loose, slid between Mosca’s legs and over the goal line for the eventual game-winner.

Away from the ice, the Bow boys basketball team earned its first appearance in the Class I finals in more than 10 years with a 67-45 win over Kearsarge. The Falcons bowed to Pelham in the title match.

The girls of Concord gymnastics were joined by gymnasts from Bow and Hopkinton in the NHIAA championship meet. The Crimson Tide club finished fourth overall, while Stephanie Cormier placed ninth for the Falcons and Hopkinton’s Julia Lynch came in 34th. In front of a packed house at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore Center, Concord’s cheerleaders placed sixth at the NHIAA state competition. On Feb. 16, Bow’s girls ski squad earned the Division III Alpine skiing title.

The seventh-seeded Lady Falcons said goodbye to their season after a Class I girls basketball semifinal loss to Souhegan. Bow finished its regular season at 12-6.

After giving up 24 points on eight straight three-pointers in the fourth quarter, Hopkinton’s girls basketball team fell short in earning a trip to the Class M finals, losing to Newport in the semis.

Concord’s girls basketball team lost in the first round of the Class L tournament.

Meanwhile, on the mats, wrestling’s Meet of Champions brought together the Neighborhood’s best grapplers, including some from Concord and Bow. Falcons sensation DJ Meagher, fresh off his 140-pound championship at the New England Regional Tournament in New Haven, Conn., was named the MoC’s “Outstanding Wrestler.” Bow took home eighth overall, while the Crimson Tide finished second.

Spring

The Class I track and field finals was the stage, and the Bow boys 4 X 400 relay team delivered quite a performance, setting a school record after finishing the race in 3-minutes, 36.12 seconds. As a team, the boys finished sixth while the girls took home eighth. Bow was the only team in the state to score in all three relay races for both the boys and girls.

“When they get to that relay team, they’re ready to go and don’t want to let each other down,” said Bow head coach Dyrace Maxfield. “It kind of makes them tougher all year long.”

Concord’s boys track team placed sixth in Class L action. The girls were ninth. The Crimson Tide girls tennis team earned its first Class L playoff berth in two years before losing in the quarterfinals. Bow High’s boys tennis squad lost to Class I rival Kennett in the semifinals.

After a memorable upset by West last season, the Class L boys tennis title returned to the boys of Concord High when the Crimson Tide knocked off sixthseeded Keene, 5-1. The championship capped a perfect 17-0 season for Concord.

Led by the No. 1 player in the state, Amber Chandronnait, Bow’s girls tennis team captured the Class I championship after defeating previously unbeaten foe Bishop Brady, 6-3. Chandronnait went on to win the individual state tournament before signing her Letter of Intent to play tennis for the University of Nebraska.

Concord’s nine fell to eventual Class L baseball champion Manchester Memorial in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Crimson Tide advanced by beating No. 6 Spaulding in the first round but dropped a 6-1 decision to the Crusaders.

The Crimson Tide softball squad reached the Class L semifinals but fell to eventual state champion Salem.

Both Bow and Hopkinton High’s baseball teams absorbed season-ending losses in the Class I and Class M semifinals, respectively. Bow Memorial School’s track and field team took fourth in the state finals.

In their first season as a varsity program, the girls of Hopkinton lacrosse earned a trip to the Division III playoffs, making an appearance as the 10th seed. Hopkinton’s boys lacrosse squad suffered a Division III semifinal loss.

In Division II action, the Falcons boys lacrosse team lost in the state semis for the second straight season, an 8-7 defeat by St. Thomas Aquinas.

The reigning Division II girls lacrosse champion, Bow was dethroned after an 11-3 loss to Winnacunnet. The Falcons finished their regular season at 12- 1, with the only loss coming at the hands of Winnacunnet. “They buried us more than that in the regular season,” Bow head coach Chris Raabe said.

“We were way outhustled in everything – ground balls, shots on net. You name it and they beat us to it.”

Bishop Guertin of Nashua handed Concord’s boys lacrosse team a 15-10 loss in the Division I semifinals.

Meanwhile, the ladies of Concord lacrosse hoisted the Division I championship plaque as they cruised to their second straight title with an 11-4 win over Nashua South.

Summer

Connor Anderson, 10, of Dunbarton, finished second in the state in the 9- and 10-year-old division in the Drive, Chip and Putt Challenge. In Little League action, an 18- 1 loss to Bedford ended Concord National’s Division I tournament run.

Concord American dropped from the winners’ bracket after a tough, 11-10, loss to Suncook in the first round of the Little League District One majors tournament. The Bow Blue Jays won the Bow Little League minors division championship.

The Bow Falcons Baseball Club dominated the Granite State’s 40+ men’s baseball league with a 21-game win streak. Concord Legion Post 21 posted an 11-9 record, its best finish in the past 10 years.

The Granite State Senior Games included 16 events in nine days. This year’s GSSG hosted a record 507 participants.

Bow’s Jack Finan walked away with a gold medal in the 70- to 74-year-old men’s division at the GSSG’s 5K racewalk. Local trio Brad Hosmer, 66, Norman Gill, 53, and John Valavane, 55, competed in GSSG cycling events. Concord’s Hosmer won gold in the 40K road race, and silver in the 5K time trial and 20K; Gill took bronze in the 5K, 10K time trials and 20K road race, and gold in the 40K; Valavane earned gold in the 5K and 20K, and silver in the 40K. Dunbarton resident Lucille Gage won gold in the 55- to 59- year-old women’s division. Gage competed in the GSSG’s golf tournament.

Concord’s U14 softball team traveled to Virginia and won its second straight national championship.

Fall

Neighborhood News hosted its annual NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition on Sept. 16, where defending sectional champion Sam Winslow placed second in the 10- and 11-year-old boys division. His sister, Abbey, took home first place in the 8- and 9-year-old girls division. Damon Morin of Dunbarton finished third in the 10- and 11- year-old boys division, while Jacob Zylak took seventh. Bow’s Kyle Milne placed third in the 8- and 9-year-old boys division.

Dan Meserve, Hopkinton High athletics director, was named Class M Athletics Director of the Year. The win marked the second time Meserve earned the award in his nine-year post as AD.

The boys of Hopkinton golf placed sixth at the NHIAA Class M-S tournament.

Under third-year head coach Chick Smith, Concord repeated as Class L champions after edging Timberlane and West by one stroke.

The Derryfield School golf team’s four-year championship run ended after a fourth-place finish in the NHIAA Class M-S golf tournament.

Bow High fell to Merrimack Valley, 4-0, in the first round of the Class I field hockey tournament. The Falcons finished their regular season at 5-9.

In Class L action, the girls of Concord field hockey were brought down by a 1-0 quarterfinal loss. The seventh-seeded Tide finished the season at 9-6- 1.

Defending Class L volleyball champion Concord lost in the quarterfinals to finish its season at 11-7.

At the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore Center, the girls of Bow spirit placed eighth in Class I competition, while Concord took 10th in Class L.

Both Hopkinton’s girls and boys cross country teams took second at the Class M-S championships. A week later, the Concord girls cross country club finished 10th at the Meet of Champions. In the Class L girls soccer tournament, West defeated Concord, 2-0, in the first round.

On the boys side, reigning champion Concord couldn’t repeat, losing in the semifinals. Following a perfect 16-0 record that earned the top seed in the Class I boys soccer tournament, head coach George Pinkham watched as his Bow High team was upset by ninth-seeded Lebanon in the quarterfinals.

After making their 10th semifinal appearance in 11 seasons, Hopkinton’s girls soccer team was again stopped one game short of the finals, this time by Raymond.

There was a lot to celebrate in 2006. Unfortunately, there probably are a number of stories and accomplishments that didn’t find their way into the pages of this sports section, though that hardly diminishes their importance. Having said that, bring on 2007.

Starting over, Concord, Bow bring new looks to competition

Bow Editor — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:48:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

DURHAM – For the girls of Concord High and Bow High spirit, this season was about gaining familiarity with new coaches, new systems, new choreographers and new teammates.

Both squads competed at this year’s Class L and Class IMS Fall State Spirit Competition on Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Whittemore Center.

The Crimson Tide, under new head coach Janice Nichols, placed 10th, scoring 154.0 total points. First-year mentor Tanya Spead led the Falcons to an eighth-place finish with 141.5 total points.

“We had a new coach, new choreographer, new music person,” said Nichols. “So this year was really a building year. Right from the start I noticed they’re really hard workers and great dancers, so it made the transition easier.”

Nichols and her team recently hosted the Concord Capital City Tournament on Oct. 29, where Concord debuted its performance three times. Hosting the tournament, said Nichols, allowed teams an early look at competitor’s routines.

Spead said leaving the Capital City tournament helped her team pinpoint mistakes it was making. The Falcons used the week leading to the state competition to correct those flaws.

She added Bow’s biggest adjustment was becoming comfortable with her personality.

“As a coach I’m very serious, but as a person I’m really laid back,” said Spead. “So they were really trying to get used to what I expected … things like focusing all the time and taking their classes at cheer-gym seriously.”

Spead said her experience coaching at the Three Rivers School in Pembroke allowed her to bring a competitive spirit to the team. She also did not appoint team captains in an effort to foster teamwork.

While Spead said the Falcons were hoping to beat rival Bishop Brady, which placed third with 154.0 points, Nichols said she was analyzing all Class L clubs.

“All the Class L teams have stepped it up, so I couldn’t say who I’m afraid of,” said Nichols.

“We had some new girls and some late-season injuries, so things had to be revamped and hopefully it pays off.”

Both coaches said bringing an interactive approach to practices helped the teams come together quicker. Nichols added her girls became accustomed to her “happy medium” style of coaching.

“I know when to have fun and when to get down to business,” said Nichols. “This year has been an experience for both sides, and I think next season it’ll be a lot smoother.”