Bow News : Merrimack Valley

Science raises awareness of concussions and their consequences

Bow Editor — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:07:00 GMT

In his 25-plus years as athletics trainer at Salem High School, Sean Cox has witnessed his share of hard hits to the head.

And he’s seen the ramifications.

Football player Matt Starr, for instance, experienced an early-season concussion – a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function and sometimes marked by permanent damage.

After missing a week of action, he returned to play, then experienced another head trauma several games later. Starr not only lost the remainder of his 2003 gridiron schedule, but the majority of the wrestling season as well.

The one thing Cox has never dealt with is a player’s death, though he knows others have been in that situation. That’s why Cox and many other trainers, team doctors and coaches are constantly re-educating themselves on the dangers of repeated head trauma.

It wasn’t long ago, after all, that a player took a hard hit to the head, answered a few questions and was swiftly inserted back into a game. Now, re-entry isn’t so easy.

“A football player who whacked his head in a football game in 1982 would kind of stumble off the field, and we’d kind of kid about it – ‘Oh, my ears are ringing,’ ‘You got your bell rung.’ – that kind of stuff, and as soon as they improved and became functional, they were right back in there,” said Cox. “We didn’t care so much about a little dizziness, a little headache, a little upset stomach. They went back in.

“Now we know you have kids that are not completely healed from a head injury, and then they get hit again, and it can even be kind of minor, but it causes their brain to shut down rather quickly. I mean, they can die in a couple minutes,” he added. “It doesn’t happen very often, and I try not to operate scared, but it’s a great motivator to make sure a kid is fully recovered before you let them play again.”

The data

According to a recent study published by, among others, Dr. Barry P. Boden and Dr. Robert C. Cantu in the July 2007 edition of the American Journal of Sports Medicine, roughly seven direct catastrophic football head injuries occurred each year between 1989 and 2002 in scholastic athletics.

Catastrophic injuries are defined as direct – resulting from participation in the skills of a sport – or indirect – resulting from systemic failure secondary to exertion while participating in a sport. Each classification is further subdivided into three categories:

• fatal – the injury causes the death of the athlete;

• nonfatal – the injury causes a permanent neurologic functional disability; and

• serious – while severely injured, the athlete has no permanent functional disability.

Youth and high school players face a greater risk of catastrophic injury, and those with a prior head injury, especially in the same season, are more likely to suffer another trauma.

Though Boden’s study indicated no clear reason for a higher incidence of catastrophic injuries among high school vs. college football players, Gregory Soghikian, the former West High School and current Bedford High School team physician, said some coaches and researchers point to inexperience.

“One of the problems may be that kids haven’t learned to hit properly. They use their head as a weapon,” said Soghikian.

He also said younger athletes may be at greater risk because their skulls are not fully developed.

“Their cranium, or brain shell, has not fully matured and is not as strong as an adult cranium,” said Soghikian. “There is a presumption a developing brain is more susceptible to being disturbed … physically. The electrical pathways are more easily scrambled, but the exact reasons why, we don’t know.

“At the same time, the younger brain seems to have the ability to heal quicker,” he added. “I don’t know if it’s because that area heals better or if the brain has the ability to set up different pathways and sort of bypass the injured area.”

Boden’s study also noted there were 497 reported fatalities on the gridiron between 1945 and 1999, and 69 percent were caused by brain injuries, with a spike in deaths from 1965 to 1969 when football was flourishing and equipment wasn’t keeping pace with the sport’s popularity.

While the number of deaths may seem relatively low, research headed by Dr. Kimberly G. Harmon at the University of Washington’s Sports Medicine Clinic indicated that, of the roughly 1.25 million athletes playing high school football each year, up to 20 percent sustain a concussion during their career.

Laura C. Decoster, executive director of the New Hampshire Musculoskeletal Institute, said there is no New Hampshire-specific concussion data available.

There were, according to the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association, 3,305 state athletes who played high school football in the 2004-05 academic year.

Assuming Harmon’s national study translates proportionately to New Hampshire, up to 661 of 2004’s state high school football athletes have suffered or will suffer a concussion while playing the game.

Double trouble

Joe Cacciatore, a certified athletics trainer at Pelham High School, said concussions generally occur from a collision but sometimes happen when an athlete’s head hits the ground or another surface. The force of impact is hard enough to cause the brain to rebound off the skull or bruise at the direct site of impact. While one in five high school football players face a serious head injury, Soghikian said concussions are not limited to “contact” sports such as football, lacrosse and hockey.

Whether it’s a batter hit in the head with an 85-mph fastball or two basketball players colliding during play, concussions occur on all playing surfaces, he said. That’s why it’s important for coaches and players to become educated about the risks.

The biggest concern for medical professionals today is second-impact syndrome.

According to a 1999 assessment by Harmon, second-impact syndrome was first described in 1973 and involves a player returning to action before symptoms from a prior injury have subsided.

“A second blow to the head, even a minor one, can result in a loss of autoregulation of the brain’s blood supply,” said Harmon. “This leads to a vascular engorgement and subsequent herniation of the brain that is usually fatal.”

Between 1992 and 1999, Harmon said 17 cases of second-impact syndrome were reported in football alone.

The pressure to play No one denied it, not the coaches, not the trainers, not the doctor and not the player. All parties involved said the same thing: the pressure to have an athlete on the playing surface is undeniable.

Dave Tremblay has coached at both the youth level, mentoring Pop Warner teams with the Hooksett Hurricanes for seven years, and in high school, where he took over as Pembroke Academy head coach in 2007.

He said his experience is that high school athletics trainers tend to be more conservative than EMTs and nurses on the Pop Warner sidelines.

Tremblay said because trainers have the final say, high school athletes are less likely to be reinserted into a game after a hit to the head.

“Trainers at a high school game have liability concerns, especially because most of them are contracted by the school district,” he said. “If they send a kid back in there, it’s on them.”

For a coach, that creates some frustrating moments.

“There are definitely times when our trainers say (a player) can’t go back in, and I think they can,” added Tremblay. “We have some kids take some pretty good hits, and you can usually tell if the kid really got their clock cleaned … but it’s probably good, in those situations, that (the decision) is taken out of the coach’s hands.”

Cox said he understands the pressure and feels it too, but noted most coaches today are like Tremblay: They want to win but, first and foremost, respect the health of their athletes.

There have been times when a physician has given a player the thumbs up to return to action, and Cox balked.

He said his approval is contingent on a player remaining asymptomatic following physical exertion tests such as backpedaling and running.

In fact, both Cox and Soghikian said the clock for a player’s return doesn’t begin to tick until symptoms have completely subsided. Sure, the parents are disappointed at times, sometimes angry, but Cox simply lets them know playing isn’t an option. He’s even called the doctor and explained his position, and nearly every time, the doctor acquiesced.

“That’s one of those battles I have chosen to fight,” said Cox. “Sure I (get pressured). Of course I do … I’ve never had it happen, but if a coach disagreed with me and I had to walk out onto the field, stop the game and physically remove (a player) myself, I would.”

But there is no greater pressure than from the players themselves.

“They expect each other to be able to play and not react to an injury,” said Goffstown’s head football coach, Rob Cathcart. “If someone has a sprained ankle, they play through a sprained ankle. If it’s a separated shoulder, they play with a separated shoulder. That’s the mentality you want a football player to have. But with a head injury, the idea they’re now susceptible to a greater injury, that’s the tough one to get kids to understand.”

Cathcart said he’s had players argue with him on the sideline. Bow High’s hockey coach, Tim Walsh, knows the feeling.

“I don’t even listen to the kids,” said Walsh. “If a kid gets his head hurt, and he says he’s fine, I don’t believe it because they’re supposed to say that. You want them to want to play. Until a trainer or doctor says, ‘OK,’ I don’t even pay attention. A concussion (is) different.”

But the greatest fear of concerned adults is the injury only the player knows about. Starr, a sophomore when he suffered his season-ending concussion in 2003, said trainers and coaches knew of only three or four of the seven or eight significant head injuries he experienced in high school.

“If it was serious enough, I couldn’t hide it, but once I learned the symptoms, I pretty much figured out what I had to do to keep playing,” he said. “I was just a stupid high school kid. It was pride. I didn’t want to show weakness.”

Starr said he hasn’t competed in a contact sport since 2006, but admitted he may suffer from short-term memory loss.

“The kid who has a minor bell-ringing, who decided not to tell his coach or trainer because he doesn’t want to be taken out of a game or miss games, and then they get a second injury shortly thereafter, those are the ones we worry about, and those are the ones most at risk of serious injury, even dying,” said Soghikian.

“That’s my anxiety,” said Cathcart. “That’s where I think the culture lies in that a kid won’t tell anyone because he’s afraid he will let his teammates down.”

But Soghikian said things are changing.

“We’re trying to get away from that cultural mentality,” said Soghikian. “Sometimes kids won’t tell you, but they tell their teammates, and more and more often you’re seeing those teammates come up to us discreetly and saying, ‘Hey, so-and-so has a headache’ or ‘So-and-so got hit in the head and didn’t say anything.’ That’s a nice change in culture in that kids are becoming protectors of teammates rather than, ‘Hey … tough it out and get back out there.”

Technology’s impact – good and bad Tremblay said head injuries are becoming rarer, mostly due to technological improvements.

“There are times when they get their bell rung, that’s for sure, but I haven’t seen too many major head injuries,” he said. “We get a lot of broken legs and things of that nature, but with the helmets nowadays, truthfully enough, we don’t see a whole lot of head injuries.”

Cathcart is trying to further reduce the risk. After reading “Head Games: Football’s Concussion Crisis from the NFL to Youth Leagues,” by former Harvard football player and World Wrestling Entertainment employee Chris Nowinski, Cathcart realized the value of good equipment.

“We used to be very middle-priced oriented in terms of helmets and other equipment, but after reading that book, we made the decision to go with the top-of-the- line helmets,” said Cathcart. “And the bigger thing that we learned is that virtually as important as the helmets is how you handle the jaw area.”

The Goffstown program made two pieces of equipment available to players. The first, said Cathcart, is the Brain-Pad mouth guard. Unlike conventional mouth guards, which cover only the upper portion of a player’s mouth, the Brain-Pad fits over the lower teeth as well and includes a hole for easier breathing. It allows an athlete to bite all the way down, eliminating a loose lower jaw and, added the coach, drastically reducing the chance of concussion.

The other upgrade GHS is promoting is a chin strap with a hard outer shell. Cathcart said the risks associated with blows to the chin are just as great as hits to the cranium, and a soft chin strap does little to protect a player during a direct hit.

“A lot of people don’t have money to buy a top-of-the-line helmet,” said Cathcart. “But they certainly have the ability to get the $15 chin strap and the $20 mouth guard, which is a whole lot better and greatly reduces your risk.”

Unlike football, modern hockey has seen certain technological upgrades actually increase the amount of concussions, said Walsh.

The boards and glass have become stiffer in newer rinks to limit awkward bounces of the puck, Walsh said. In turn, there has been a noticeable increase in head injuries.

“Very rarely is it the openice hit. Sometimes you get a hard elbow or something like that, but usually the wind just gets knocked out you,” said the coach. “The majority (of serious head injuries) have been collisions with the opposing player and the boards. A player’s head gets caught between rigid glass and a 230-, 240-pound kid, and something’s got to give.”

Data from the National Hockey League backs up Walsh’s perception. “The reported concussion rate in the NHL during the last five years is more than triple that of the previous decade,” concluded a study completed by R.A. Wennberg and C.H. Tator and published in August 2003 in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. “Bigger, faster players, new equipment and harder boards and glass have all theoretically increased the risk of concussion in the NHL in recent years.”

Prevention and, if necessary, diagnosis

While collisions in hockey are inevitable, and Walsh has seen his players absorb and deliver plenty of vicious checks, he said those on the ice can avoid serious injury with intelligent play.

“The biggest thing we tell our kids is when you go after the puck to skate through the puck, not to the puck,” he said. “When you stop moving your feet, that’s when you ask for trouble with that big hit.”

Once that big hit happens, however, there are usually telltale signs something is wrong, and the time for playing games is over.

According to Harmon, early indicators of concussion include headaches; dizziness; confusion; tinnitus, or ringing in the ears; nausea; vomiting; and vision change.

In the long term – extending into weeks, sometimes months and, in extreme circumstances, years – those falling victim to a traumatic brain injury often experience memory disturbances, poor concentration, irritability, sleep disturbance, personality changes and fatigue.

Soghikian said sports medical professionals, to improve diagnoses, are adopting innovative approaches such as neuro-psychological studies.

“Basically, we’re talking about fine-tuned cognitive studies to determine if somebody has some long-term issues related to a head injury,” he said. “… We want to try to get a baseline on the person beforehand to determine any variations.”

Trainers generally adhere to 16 to 20 guidelines for evaluating and grading a head injury. All safety guidelines, said Soghikian and Cox, should be met before an athlete can play again.

The minimum amount of time players miss often depends on the amount of trauma they’ve experienced. Cantu, chief of neurosurgery and director of sports medicine at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., and other researchers recommend an escalating scale based on the severity of the injuries and the number of occurrences.

In many cases, multiple concussions end an athlete’s season, sometimes a career.

That, said Soghikian, is better than the alternative.

Bow’s coach pleased with teams’ state-meet efforts

Bow Editor — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:29:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow High School head swimming coach Joann Jackson had a goal for each of her teams heading into the 2007- ’08 Division II season. “Before the season started, I said that I wanted my boys to get a top-five finish, and my girls to get in the top 10,” said Jackson.

Jackson’s swimmers did not disappoint, as the boys grabbed a fourth-place finish and the girls took ninth during the state swimming competition in Durham on Saturday, Feb. 9.

In addition to the two solid team efforts, three Bow swimmers qualified for the New England championships after securing qualifying times during the Division II competition. Richard Jenkins, who won the 100-yard backstroke during his team’s fourth-place finish, qualified for the New England competition, as did Kyle VeLand and Kerry McCann.

Jenkins also came in fourth in the 200-yard freestyle.

VeLand posted a solid day, placing third in the 200-yard individual medley and second in the 100-yard butterfly. Mc- Cann notched a second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke for the girls.

Bow’s efforts weren’t enough to overcome St. Thomas, which won the girls competition, and Oyster River, crowned Division II champion on the boys side.

Jackson said she was excited with the performances, as many of the swimmers achieved personal-best times.

At a higher level of competition such as the state meet, jitters often strike the swimmers.

“The kids have to keep the nerves in,” said Jackson. “Richard (Jenkins) was pacing up and down the pool trying to get the nerves out. Everyone gets them out in a different way. He was seeded first, which can be tough to be expected to win.”

In addition, the 200-yard medley relay team of Jenkins, VeLand, Peter Moore and Nick Normandin came in second, while the 400-yard relay group of Normandin, VeLand, Jenkins and Steve Bosse grabbed a third-place finish.

“The teams ahead of us had many more individuals qualify, so the points we got out of ours were great,” said Jackson.“The boys were the strength, and the girls produced even more than I expected going in to season.” Concord’s girls team placed 10th during the Division I meet.

Students express themselves through poetry – out loud

Bow Editor — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 22:06:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

With the Poetry Out Loud competition taking place throughout the state, two Bow High School students had a chance to get some tips from someone who knows the routine pretty well.

Teal Van ***, Bow High School graduate and 2006 national runner-up for the competition, was at the school on Friday, Feb. 8, to offer insight to a pair of contestants in preparation of this year’s contest – an program that encourages high school students to learn about poetry through memorization, performance and competition.

During the classroom round of Poetry Out Loud, students are asked to memorize a poem and recite it while being scored on a variety of criteria.

“The key is that it’s not about (the mental aspect). The way to get it is to have such an understanding of the poem that it’s in your body, not your brain,” Van *** told Sarah Desrochers and Jonathan French, who were on hand after school to work on their presentation.

French, who is performing Jonathan Swift’s “A Satirical Elegy on the Death of a Late Famous General” during the Feb. 19 and 20 classroom competition, was required to take part in the contest through his freshman class.

“I think because it’s a requirement not as many people are going to try as hard, but I am going to try my hardest,” said French. “It’ll be my first time on stage, although not my first time in front of an audience.”

Desrochers said she is looking forward to the competition, thanks to her love for public speaking.

“I really like being in front of other people,” she said. “You get up there and you know what you’re going to say, knowing there won’t be any opposition since it’s not a debate. I have been hoping to win at least a part of the contest, and I figured (hearing from Van ***) would definitely help.”

Van *** was able to give advice to the students through her experience at the national level and also as a creative writing student at Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity being able to work with people involved in the contest,” she said. “To really be successful, you have to be able to understand the poem and let it have personal meaning beyond just a school project they have to memorize. It should mean something beyond just an assignment.”

Jackie Coe, the advisor for the school’s Literature Club, said the competition’s message of spreading poetry is one of the key aspects.

“Having the opportunity to get kids to think about the poem and memorize it, they often initially groan,” she said. “But it ends up being worthwhile. It works a different part of the brain. We just don’t have as much poetry in life anymore.” Coe said Van *** helps students see poetry from another perspective.

“Part of what she’s doing is to bring poetry to people. To have someone who’s passionate about poetry and not a teacher is great. It’s great to see her echoing what we’re telling the kids,” said Coe. “Plus, she’s really good.”

The Poetry Out Loud program comes to Hopkinton High School on Monday, Feb. 18, at 6 p.m., and to Bow High School on Friday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m.

One winner from each school advances to the state Poetry Out Loud contest at Keene State College’s Arts Center on Brickyard Pond on Saturday, March 22, from noon to 5:30 p.m.; snowdate is March 29 The public is invited to attend. Finalists vie to become state champion and compete nationally in Washington, D.C., at the Poetry Out Loud finals for a chance to win $50,000 in scholarships and school prizes. Visit the State Arts Council Web site www.nh.gov/nharts for more information.

Bow students exceed state test averages

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:46:00 GMT

By MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow students scored well as the second- through eighth-grade results from the New England Common Assessment Program were recently released.

The test, taken in fall 2007, reflects students’ performance in the 2006-07 school year. Bow scored above the state average in every grade in the categories of reading, writing and math.

“The results were very positive. Bow is doing well in every category, but I was most happy to see the growth in reading,” said Superintendent of Schools Dean Cascadden. “Not only are we getting kids who are ready to learn, but we’re improving as we go along.”

In reading, third-graders were 79 percent proficient in Bow, compared to 77 percent in the state. Eighth-grade students in Bow scored 95 percent proficient, while the state average dipped to 67 percent.

Cascadden is especially impressed with the improvement as students advance grade levels.

“I think the school system is doing a good job of teaching kids according to state standards. The knock is that we have a great product to begin with and, yes, we do,” he said. “But at the same time, we’re working well with them as they get better as time goes on.”

Students remained about level in math throughout the grades, as third-graders scored 82 percent proficient and eighth-graders were 81 percent proficient.

“While we stayed level compared to the state, we aren’t losing ground,” said Cascadden.

Although the eighth-grade score of 81 percent proficient did not improve on the scores, it is significantly higher than the state average of 58 percent.

“Having a great staff is a part of it, and there’s a collective drive and vision of excellence in the district. People move here because of the tremendous school system,” said Cascadden. “Excellence breeds excellence. You have people who want to be here, kids who want to learn and a great staff. It works together to breed a great school district.”

School looks at global program

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:45:00 GMT

By MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow superintendent of schools Dean Cascadden and other officials are looking for the community’s input while applying for the International Baccalaureate Diploma program.

The program was initially developed overseas for American students in other countries, but now aims to give students a leg up when applying to competitive colleges.

If the International Baccalaureate Diploma, or IB, program is accepted in Bow, students would take higher level courses during their junior and senior year, one of the benefits of the program, according to Cascadden.

“The biggest thing that it includes is trying to go deeper in understanding and comprehension of the material,” he said. “Competitive colleges see this program as a good preparation, and schools that do well in this program are ranked high in quality. I saw it as a natural fit as where we are now and where we go from there.”

Cascadden said the program has two main components – developing a well-rounded student and earning an intercultural understanding.

One reason for concern expressed by some residents is cost, because there would be expenses for some of the tools needed, as well as hiring additional personnel to run the program.

Bow has not yet been accepted into the program. Part of the acceptance into IB is community support, so the school is holding multiple information sessions for town members to hear what the program involves.

School officials are currently using the estimate of 100 students to judge the financial impact. With 100 students, officials estimate one and a half additional personnel would be necessary, which would cost about $130,000, part of which could be offset by fees paid by the students involved.

“Because you’re adapting what you presently have, it’s not like it’s going to be all new costs coming in. The major cost comes in having someone oversee the program. There are some other fees, but that’s the main one,” said Cascadden.

The additional staff would only be added as enrollment in IB dictates, if the school is accepted.

Testing in the program is a large attraction to the program for the district.

“The reason most are drawn to it is the validation of the assessment program,” said Cascadden. “Right now we’re following standards, but this helps you take a strong look at if you’re really teaching the kids at a level where they can be successful in the future.”

Cascadden said the application process is ongoing, and includes a visit from IB officials.

“There is no guarantee that we’re going to be accepted. Part of the assessment is if the town is accepting of it. It depends on what happens with that,” he said. “I’m 100 percent in favor of it, but I have to represent how the community feels.”

In addition to information sessions, the town will also get a chance to give its input during the Friday, March 14, Bow School District Meeting, which takes place at the high school, at 7 p.m.

If accepted, this year’s freshman class would be able to take IB courses during their junior and senior years.

Another key aspect, according Cascadden, is the ability to stride for excellence from Bow students.

“I see that as a whole, it gives us an external standard to compare ourselves to. The people here will rise to it, make improvements and things at the school will get better,” said Cascadden. “That isn’t to say that things are going poorly now, but it’s so you don’t remain complacent, you want to be striding for the next goal.”

Bow beats up bottom-feeders, struggles against contenders

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:14:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

BOW – The Bow Falcons left the Merrimack Valley Pride still searching for that elusive first win in Class I after a 53-38 home victory on Jan. 30.

Bow’s full-court press caused chaos in the Pride backcourt, resulting in numerous turnovers.

“We felt speeding the game up would give us an advantage, and I think that was an important part of tonight’s victory,” said Bow’s coach, Chris Gaudreau.

In addition to a stinging, stingy defense, the Falcons pushed the ball up the floor on offense. Gaudreau yelled, “Push it!” after many defensive rebounds.

Still, the winless visitors remained competitive throughout the first half. Tied at 9-9, Merrimack Valley eyed a breakaway layup, but Bow senior center Connor Heindl raced down the court, blocking the attempt. On the ensuing play, senior guard Brian Chergey hit a three-pointer to give Bow a 12-9 edge, and the Falcons never looked back.

Gaudreau said his team’s first-half defense – especially the play of junior guard Mike Finnegan – was exceptional.

“Mike may have not showed up much on the score sheet, but his pressure on the ball helped keep the momentum on our side,” said Gaudreau.

Kevin Cressy led MV with 13 points. The sophomore forward kept the Pride in the contest into the third quarter.

“He played well tonight for us, like he always does, and gives us that inside presence you need,” said Merrimack Valley’s coach, Rich Otis.

But MV’s mentor said Bow’s aggressive defense proved unmanageable for his group.

“We have a lot of younger players, and sometimes the youth and inexperience shows through,” he said.

Bow also received strong performances from center Tom Poitras, who scored 13 points; Nick Sarette, who added 11 markers, and Chergey, who finished with nine points.

After a home contest against 11-1 John Stark was postponed due to weather on Friday, Feb. 1, 10-3 Pelham knocked the Falcons back to .500 with a 62-59 victory on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

The loss followed a three-game winning streak for Bow, 6-6.

“I like where we’re at,” said Gaudreau, “Hopefully we continue to get better and be ready for the tournament.”

Girls hang tough, stumble at John Stark

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:49:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

WEARE – Two minutes into the second half, host John Stark was in control, pulling away from Bow. Suddenly, the visitors grabbed the wheel, turned around and drove the Generals to distraction.

But Stark, fueled by fine free throw shooting, pumped up its Class I girls basketball postseason hopes and left Bow a bit flat, winning 46-41 on Saturday, Feb. 2.

This game was especially important, said Bow head coach Corey Boilard and his John Stark counterpart, Wayne Thomson, since both teams entered with identical 10-5 marks.

Thomson’s crew moved into a tie for fifth place in the standings. Boilard’s group dropped out of the top eight, which points to a road trip for the first round of the playoffs. Each team has two games remaining in the regular season.

“When you’re fighting with another 10-5 team … you expect to win. So I don’t consider (our second-half comeback) a moral victory,” said Boilard.

Thomson said he saw his Stark girls play a solid game, force Bow into mistakes and execute on offense when necessary.

“We preach defense, turnovers and foul shooting,” said the Stark mentor. “Come tournament time, that’s what’s most important.”

Thomson has a familiar name wearing a familiar number at his disposal, one whom Bow must face for three more years.

JS freshman Katie Cullerot, wearing the same No. 30 as her since-graduated sister, Libby, sank six straight shots from the charity stripe – each a pressure-packed 1-and-1 chance – to offset a key three-pointer from Bow’s Kaitlyn Hinck.

“I wanted the ball in her hands,” said Thomson. Cullerot finished with 11 points.

Hinck, despite missing a good portion of the middle of the game with a bloody nose, poured in 16 points. Her last three-pointer pulled Bow within a deuce.

However, she passed up an opportunity to shoot a trey that could have tied the score.

Boilard said he addressed the entire team about being aware of game situations. On the other hand, he was pleased the team worked its way into having a chance at all.

“We give ourselves opportunities,” said Bow’s coach. “I’d like to see us playing that way – with that sense of urgency – for 32 minutes.”

Instead, Stark controlled play most of the night, led by Erin Clarke.

The senior center fouled out, but not before leaving her mark. Clarke netted 11 points in the first half as the hosts built a 28-19 edge at the break, and she passed the ball effectively from her low-post position.

“That’s having trust in your teammates and playing smart,” said Thomson.

She also broke the Lady Generals’ scoring drought – due largely to Bow’s spirited defense – with 5:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. That bucket, more than eight minutes after the previous JS score, gave the Lady Generals a three-point edge. Clarke netted 15 points.

“It was a tournament atmosphere against a team that’s going to do well in the tournament,” said Bow’s Boilard. “We’ve been in a lot of (close) games late in the fourth.”

Game notes

Many in attendance were wondering about Boilard’s last-minute strategy. Here’s what happened. John Stark, ahead 44-41 with 25.3 seconds left, inbounded the ball facing a full-court press. However, Bow allowed 13.5 seconds to pass before fouling a Stark player.

“My take is you play tough defense, hope to get a turnover, then once they get over half court, foul,” said Boilard.

The plan worked.

With someone other than Cullerot shooting free throws, JS missed both, giving Bow a chance with less than 10 seconds to shoot a game-tying three. But no one took that shot.

For the victors, Brittany Purington scored 10 points. Julie Feliciano added six points, including a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left to account for the final score. Olivia Cray and Elyssa Feliciano both hit for two.

Kelly Chergey added seven points to Bow’s line. Maggie Crisman and Molly Crisman scored six each.

Meghan Faretra netted four, and Jackie Laboe nailed two free throws.

GSGC athletes place at Winter Carnival Meet

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:21:00 GMT

Level 4, 5 and 6ers compete at Judges

The Granite State Gymnastic Center level 8 and 9 gymnasts recently competed at the 11th annual Winter Carnival Meet, hosted by Gymnastics at Brentwood Commons.

Several athletes with Neighborhood ties placed at the meet, led by Gia Quinn in the 12-year-old age group.

Level 8

Quinn placed first in the all-around with 34.475 points. She was tops on floor and beam. Quinn also placed second on vault and third on bars.

In the 15-and-older group, Caitlyn Madore of Contoocook won the all-around with 33.65 points. She topped all competitors on bars and took third on beam.

Kaelyn Bouchard of Concord finished third.

Dobe’s consistent performance included second-place efforts on bars and floor, as well as third on beam and fifth on vault. Bouchard took third on vault and floor.

Level 9

In the 15-and-older group, Ainsley Smith was first on vault and bars, as well as second on floor, in taking third place in the all-around.

Kayla Parcells finished fifth in the all-around, led by a second-place effort on bars and third-place showing on beam.

• • •

The GSGC level 4, 5 and 6 gymnasts competed in the annual New Hampshire Judges Cup recently at Tri Star Gymnastics in Dover.

Level 4

Among 6- and 7-year-old competitors, Jennie Ess of Bow took third on beam and fourth on floor, good for eighth in the all-around.

Among 8-year-olds, Maggie Vogt of Bow finished first on floor, and Hooksett’s Skylar Rienert finished second. Rebecca Farren was consistent in finishing eighth in the all-around.

Jennifer Smith was eighth in the all-around against fellow 9-year-old competitors.

Jessica Scagliotti-Thurlow of Bow was 11th in the all-around.

Level 5

Peighton Barker of Hooksett finished third in the all-around among 7- and 8-year-olds on the strength of third-place efforts on floor and beam. Gabi Brummett of Bow was sixth in the all-around, just ahead of Abby Grandmaison’s seventh-place showing. Cassie Bumford finished sixth on floor.

Among 11-year-olds, Brianna Puleo of Bow was second on bars and took third in the all-around, while Bow’s Lindsey Vogt was fifth in the all-around on the strength of a first-place effort on vault. Elizabeth Ludwig took fifth on bars, Leeanna Cmar of Bow was seventh on vault, and Sarah Farrelly of Concord took 10th on vault.

Megan Reese of Concord finished seventh on the beam in the 12-year-old division.

Level 6

Elizabeth Walmsley of Bow took seventh on bars and ninth on floor among 8- to 11-year-old competitors.

Snow news is good news

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 23:17:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

With the largest squad in school history, totally 35 athletes, the Bow Alpine ski team is flourishing.

Both the boys and the girls teams have finished in the top four in each of their six events this season.

And each won the most recent meet, on Friday, Jan. 18, against Oyster River and Bishop Brady.

In fact, the boys took the maximum number of points at the meet, earning the top four times to emerge victorious for the fourth time this year, 384 to Brady’s 379 and Oyster River’s 371.

Standout Ian Hanson won the giant slalom with a two-run total of 52.43 seconds, beating his closest competitor, teammate Jake Hughes, by nearly three seconds.

Hughes took second with a time of 55.40 seconds, followed by Cali Hatem at 56.25 and Emile Hatem at 57.21.

For the girls, Krystal Cummings placed second in 57.94 seconds, Jordan Bibeau came in fourth in 1 minute, 0.14 seconds, Kelly Lynch finished sixth with a time of 1:02.47, and Kaylee Smith took eighth in 1:04.59.

While Poole was ecstatic about the Falcons’ most recent performance, he said he was disappointed that rivals Kearsarge and Gilford missed the meet due to Friday’s snowstorm.

Still, he is thankful to have such talented teams, no matter the competition.

“It is mainly based on having enough kids that grew up racing in their younger years that have had the chance to develop all the skills to be great racers,” said Poole. “Every now and then you get lucky and get a kid that grew up skiing casually, and they get to high school and learn to race through the gates. But that’s more the rarity.”

Cummings is an example.

“She’s just been one of those special athletes,” said the coach of his female star, who has finished no lower than third place all season.

“She grew up skiing with her family at Stowe (Mountain in Vermont), and somehow picked competitive skiing right up.”

For the boys, Hanson, a senior, has placed first or second in each meet and is as close to a guarantee for the Meet of Champions and Team New Hampshire as you’re going to find, said Poole.

Nipping at his heels is Hughes, a sophomore who gets better each race. He also has an excellent chance of representing the Granite State at the Eastern Finals in March.

Both squads, said Poole, are in prime position to win next month at the division championships.

While the boys and their three seniors push for their first title, the girls, including five seniors, compete for their third crown in four years.

“This being my fourth season coaching at Bow, this is the first class I’ve had since they were all freshmen,” said Poole. “It’s bee

With playoffs in sight, Bow must shake off disappointments

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:47:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

Spaulding had won 40 consecutive Division II games and two straight state titles headed into this season.

Its only blemish this year came was a 6-3 setback on Dec. 22 at Timberlane.

Still, the 7-1 Red Raiders took notice when they saw 6-3 Bow waiting on Saturday, Jan. 19.

“Their coach has a lot of respect for us as a program. Everyone else gets up for them. He said we’re one of the teams his squad gets up for, us and Dover,” said Bow coach Tim Walsh. “They didn’t need a wake up call from us; they already knew.”

Playing at home, the Falcons held a 1-0 lead from the first minutes of the contest – when freshman Tyler Estee knocked a rebound off a Brett Borbidge shot into the left corner of the net – right through one minute, 20 seconds left in the regulation.

That’s when 2007 D-II player of the year Jamie Ferullo knotted the game on a power-play goal.

Bow held on for the tie, but Walsh said the late goal knocked the wind out of his players.

“The kids did everything I asked them to do,” he said. “I was more disappointed for the kids, that we played so well and nearly shut down the best player in the state, and didn’t win the game.”

Unfortunately, said Walsh, his players couldn’t match their intensity two days later when they hosted 8-1 Timberlane.

The Falcons were dominated from start to finish, dropping the contest 6-1.

“I guess you can call it a Spaulding hangover,” said Walsh. “This doesn’t come anywhere near our best effort”

Estee scored the Falcons’ lone goal, ricocheting the puck off a defenders skate and into the net.

Though Bow has struggled at points this season, upset by now 3-5 Alvirne in its first game, losing to Timberlane twice, and falling to Goffstown, 6-5, Walsh said this is not a rebuilding year for his young squad.

The players, he said, just need to realize that each and every opponent has Bow circled on the schedule, and they need to be ready every time they lace up the skates.

“We’ve won a lot of games in the last seven years, so we’re not sneaking up on anybody anymore. We did that five, six years ago,” said Walsh. “I mean, Timberlane won last year in overtime, and you would have thought they won the Stanley Cup. We’ve been one of the top programs in Division II for awhile now, and everyone knows it.”

After winning three games in a row and five out of six prior to the Spaulding contest, the Falcons were picking up momentum, said Walsh.

Now, if they are to earn a high seed in the postseason, perhaps even host a first-round matchup, they need to start clicking again, immediately.

Up next for Bow is 3-3-1 Kingswood on Saturday, Jan. 26.

“They’re a very well-coached, very disciplined team,” said Walsh. “They work hard and don’t give you anything easily.”

Library seeks your stories of world travel

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:53:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow residents will soon have the opportunity to travel the world without leaving the comforts of 509 S. Street.

The Baker Free Library will soon begin its Armchair Traveler program, run by residents who will give presentations on trips they’ve taken in cooperation with the library’s “The World Visits Bow” theme for 2008.

So far, the library has organized events bringing information about Afghanistan and Japan, and a program about Russia is being planned for February.

“We are trying to open up other peoples’ experiences for people in town,” said Jen Leger, one of the librarians in charge of young adult and adult programs. “It’s a way for other people to travel around the world without even having to leave Bow.”

Individuals taking part in the program will bring in videos, photos, souvenirs or other items from their trip. Leger said two residents have approached her about taking part in the program, so it could start soon.

The programs on Afghanistan and Japan were well-attended, giving Leger optimism the newest event will be a success.

“It would be a great benefit for the library. It could bring in some people in town who would normally not visit the library,” said Leger. “By coming out to see these programs, maybe they would be exposed to some of the other great things the library has to offer.”

Continuing its world tour, Baker Free Library will also have Russian artist and lecturer Marina Forbes, who will teach guests about the Russian folk tradition of wooden nested doll painting.

On Saturday, Feb. 16, beginning at 10 a.m., Bow residents 10-years and older can purchase and paint the dolls and learn about other aspects of Russian culture.

Although the theme for the year is already set at the library, Leger said it can also be seen another way.

“Even though the theme this year is ‘The World Visits Bow,’ we want to turn it a little bit into Bow visiting the world,” said Leger. “There are so many interesting people in Bow who have traveled to a variety of places, and we want them to share their experiences.”

Bow basketball puts learning in kids’ court

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

They may not be able to dunk yet, but Bow first- and second-graders are learning how to play basketball, as well as lessons that will stay with them when they step off the floor.

The Bow Youth Basketball program teaches aspiring athletes the basics of the sport, teamwork and good sportsmanship.

“I think it’s important that kids start at a young age. Now you see youth sports with kids starting at 3 and 4,” said Lisa Sileau, one of the coaches in the program. “Not only is it important for them physically, but socially. When they’re in school everything is structured. This is structured, but fun. It isn’t the competition, but socializing as well.”

At the youngest level of Bow Youth Basketball, there are no games. Teams practice for one hour twice a week working on basic skills.

“It’s a lot of helping each other and being positive. It takes practice and it’s like some other things in school, too,” said Dee Treybig, who has been coaching her husband, Phillip’s, team while he’s away on business. “It’s like, how do you get better in math or writing? You have to practice. It’s OK to not get it right now. It’ll come over time.”

With the age of the children and only an hour to practice, Sileau said the practices are fast moving.

“You have to make everything you’re doing quick. You don’t want to drag it out and lose their attention,” said Sileau. “We try to make it as fun as possible so they want to go further and keep them continuing to come.”

Due to snow, some of the teams have lost practice times since the program began about two weeks ago, but, Sileau said, there has already been a noticeable difference in her young athletes.

“Surprisingly, we noticed a difference on our second practice,” she said. “The kids are extremely enthusiastic about it. The second night they were already doing what we did the first day. It was amazing what they learned in just that one practice. They soak in so much and learn so much.”

Learning the new skills is not only beneficial for the children, but also for the coaches.

“I really enjoy seeing the kids when they figure out a new skill, when they just get it,” said Treybig.

“They’re so eager and honest at this age that they don’t try to ‘act cool’ or anything. They’re open and honest about their expressions. Watching them and being part of their new experience is great.”

Bow offers a variety of programs for youth and adults, including: a American Red Cross babysitting course beginning Feb. 4.

“Kinder Karate” class for children 4 to 6, which runs Mondays from 10:55 to 11:35 a.m. The town skating rink has opened, but users should call to check that the ice is solid before visiting.

For information on any of the department’s programs or to register, call 228-2222.

Struggling Bow points toward Feb. state meet

Bow Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:28:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

The season is starting to wear on the Bow wrestling team.

After beginning the season 6-0 in dual meets, an undermanned Falcons squad fell at Hollis-Brookline 46-30, losing many points to forfeit on Jan. 9.

Three days later, on Saturday, Jan. 12, Bow traveled to Merrimack for the school’s annual Hall of Fame tournament, and, fielding eight of a potential 13 wrestlers due to injury and illness, only Doug Rosenberg placed, finishing second in the 135-pound weight division.

“In some respects, we just faced superior competition – kids who were grappling at a much higher level – and it showed,” said Bow coach Paul Cohen. “Some of it is just a learning process, especially with the inexperienced kids. For the experienced kids, it’s just a matter of correcting the mistakes that continue to hamper them.”

Agility and endurance should, in many cases, prove a non-issue as Cohen pushes toward the Division II tournament and Meet of Champions.

Indeed, he recruited several of his football players from a team that reached the Division V semifinals in the fall.

“In some senses, it translates a lot. Since I’m the football coach, I know these kids are well-conditioned and much more physically prepared for wrestling than a lot of kids who don’t play football. Doug Rosenberg is the one exception,” he said of his standout senior, who trained on his own throughout the summer and fall.

Those trading in their shoulder pads and helmets for singlets and headgear include 285-pounder Evan Ward, fellow heavyweight CJ Poole, 215-pounder Ian Wedemeyer, 171-pounder Jim Paveglio, 160-pounder Eric Raiche, 140- to 145-pounder Jonathan Lefebvre, 135 to 140-pounder Blake Nelson and 119- to 125-pounder Ben Morrow.

In addition to being in good physical shape, many of Cohen’s grapplers know how to use their hands and feet to gain an on-mat advantage – sometimes.

“For the bigger guys, the offensive and defensive linemen, they’re used to shedding and performing certain maneuvers that really help them on the wrestling mat,” said Cohen. “The idea of balance and the ability to use one’s hands to keep an opponent at bay is also important, but at the same time a lot of holds our offensive and defensive linemen can use are nullified without pads. Likewise, a lot of throws and maneuvers of that nature are illegal on the football field, so there certainly are just as many differences.”

The time factor can make the transition difficult, he added, saying in football, a player goes all out for three hours, while in wrestling an athlete must get amped up for minutes, then relax for a prolonged period – often snacking and napping to pass time – then regain that intensity when they hit the mat for their next match.

Working as a synchronized unit in football presents certain challenges, as does the individual nature of wrestling.

No matter the similarities or differences between the two sports, Cohen is certain his wrestlers will be prepared Feb. 16.

“I think you’ll continue to see us improve once we get a few kids back and get healthy,” he said. “We realize the state meet is a month away, but it’s at our house, where we’ve been pretty successful. So we’ll definitely be ready.”

Bow’s cache of talent comes to the surface

Bow Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:22:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

They are starting to find their identity.

Early this season, Bow girls basketball coach Corey Boilard expressed a need for patience while his players adjusted to each other and, in some cases, high school competition.

Nearly two-thirds of the way through the season, his Lady Falcons are 8-3, and having played with house money thus far, are ready to push all in as they head toward the Class I postseason.

In other words, the young Bow squad is winning, despite Boilard’s tempered expectations. “Matching our inexperience with our age differential, I knew it was definitely going to take a half a season for them to start getting comfortable playing together,” he said. “But the work ethic and talent is there for these girls, and the potential to do something special is definitely there.”

Boilard pointed to a topheavy Class I as an indication that his team, along with several others, has the opportunity to finish as high as fourth in the standings, which gives it a firstround home playoff game and puts it in position to pull off an upset or two.

Still, he is hesitant to commit to that set of expectations, choosing instead to enjoy watching his players come together and maintaining a pleasant air of surprise.

“From the first day of practice, one of the goals was to work to achieve and maximize their potential, and that’s what they’ve done,” said Boilard. “For us, it’s more a matter of believing we can win and believing in each other that we can go out and do it together.”

The coach said he was impressed with his players’ maturity and composure when they bounced back from a tough loss at Kearsarge to defeat Oyster River in overtime.

Returning home after exactly one month on the road, the Lady Falcons withstood an Oyster River comeback attempt and won in overtime on Jan. 11, 51-48.

The game was tied at halftime before the locals, behind pressing defense from Maggie Crisman, Kaley Marston and Kaitlyn Hinck, pulled ahead for a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

But Oyster River adjusted and hit three late three-pointers to pull ahead.

Bow, not to be denied, fed the ball to Hinck, who hit a flashy reverse layup to knot the contest with less than 30 seconds on the game clock.

The visitors went 5-for-5 from the foul line to move ahead in OT, but Hinck nailed a three-pointer to tie the game, and Kelly Chergey, who hadn’t scored all night – an usual occurrence, said her coach – drained an 8-foot jump shot to give Bow the lead for good.

Hinck assured the victory by stealing a last-second Oyster River pass.

She finished the contest with 22 points – 15 from beyond the arc – to go along with seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.

The versatile Maggie Crisman added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals, while Caitlin Heindl and Alison Meagher stepped up with solid defense in the win.

“After losing two in a row earlier in the year, we talked about not letting it happen again, and to win it in that fashion at home, in front of our fans, it was a great confidence booster for the girls,” said Boilard.

Against Kearsarge, the Lady Falcons led with two minutes remaining in the contest, but after watching the lead and the win slip away, Boilard said he recognized a common theme.

Bow allowed its foe to shoot 28 free throws, including 9-for-11 in the fourth quarter, while the locals shot just three and made only two in the contest.

In its other two losses, at Coe-Brown and against John Stark in early December, Boilard’s team gave up 19 points from the stripe in each setback, a sure sign his players needed to exhibit better discipline late in games.

“It’s something that gets better as the season goes along, so I haven’t been terribly concerned about it, especially since they have already gotten better since the Christmas break,” he said. “I look at Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) from Duke, and he preaches you have to get to the line and make more free throws than the other team if you want to win. That’s certainly been true with us.”

Meagan Faretra scored 11 points in the Kearsarge loss, Chergey had eight and Kaitlyn Hinck scored seven.

Thieves target catalytic converters

Bow Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:19:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Bow police are asking businesses in town to take precautions after businesses have been hit by a series of thefts involving their vehicles’ catalytic converters.

The first theft occurred in November, with another in December and January, according to Bow police Lt. Dave Girard.

Although police can’t confirm if the same person has committed the thefts, the evidence at the scenes has been similar.

Police have not released the businesses hit or the exact number of converters stolen, but Girard said in each case the converter was removed from the vehicle using a saw. Less than 10 converters have been stolen and police are unsure of why those items were targeted.

“We’re checking with a lot of people in the industry to see if we can track down exactly who these people are and why it’s occurring,” said Girard. “We found that they contain a small amount of platinum. If you amass enough of them, you may have a product that’s worth something. There also may just be a market in them.”

Girard said he has seen similar crimes involving theft of copper and other recyclable materials. “We weren’t greatly surprised but alarmed it’s happening here in town,” said Girard.

The November theft occurred on Route 3A and the other two thefts reported were from vehicles parked in businesses along River Road.

Business vehicles are the only ones hit by the thefts, and Bow police want owners in town to be aware.

“We want everyone to know that it’s happening, and want businesses with an area to park inside to please do that,” said Girard. “We urge people to park them in garages if they can. If they have videos in or around businesses, make sure they’re working properly.”

The Concord Regional Crimeline at 226-3100 is offering cash rewards for information. Those with information can also contact Bow police Detective Jim McIntire at 228-0511.