Hooksett Banner : basketball

Central wins twice in tourney, then loses to defending champs

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:42:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Mike Wenners, the Central girls basketball coach, admitted he’d rather forget the tough conclusion to the Little Green’s otherwise successful season. What will stick in his memory is the effort and determination his young squad utilized to reach the Class L semifinals.

“I’m very proud of them because we only returned three girls that played last year (and finished state runner-up), and we definitely made some significant gains this season,” said Wenners following Central’s 74-35 loss on Tuesday, March 10, to two-time defending champ Winnacunnet.

“We were very young and very inexperienced, and they worked so hard to get us back to the semifinals. It’s a credit to their work ethic and to them as competitors we even got back to this point.”

Central completed a 13-5 regular season, earned the tournament’s fifth seed and defended its home court with a 45-37 firstround victory against No. 12 Nashua North.

That set up a quarterfinalround matchup at fourth-seeded Londonderry, which beat CHS, 63-54, on Feb. 17.

Not only did the Little Green avenge the regular-season setback, they decisively won, 46-34, to set up a rematch of last year’s title game with Winnacunnet.

“To go back there and win a playoff game on (Londonderry’s) court after losing by nine earlier in the year, it was a great team win for sure,” said Wenners. “I’m pleasantly surprised where we finished this year, and my expectation is to build off that next year and get back to here.”

Plenty of talent returns, including leading scorer Christiana Bakolas and junior classmate Sam Walker of Hooksett.

“I don’t have captains, but Sam and Christiana are both going to be four-year varsity players. They were leaders this year, and I’ll definitely be leaning on them next year to help get this team back to Southern New Hampshire (University),” said Wenners. “Defensively, Sam causes so much chaos out on the floor with the way she plays. She’s very tough, and for a kid that’s 5- foot-3, I’ll tell you, she plays a lot bigger and stronger than that out on the floor.”

Candia’s Kaleigh Gibbons, a junior, is also expected to play a key role next year as well.

Packed house sees Central boys hand Trinity a loss with smothering defense

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:12:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The intensity of the postseason is still weeks away, but no one told the Central and Trinity boys basketball teams.

The Little Green knocked off the undefeated Pioneers, 56-48, on Friday, Jan. 30, in a high-octane game that set up a three-way tie atop the Class L standings near the season’s midpoint.

After Central headed to the locker room with a two-point halftime lead, the Pioneers quickly grabbed a 28-27 lead on a three-pointer by Hooksett resident Cormac Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick’s basket was the first shot in an explosive backand- forth second half. The difference remained a single basket throughout most of the second half.

However, starting at the 3:20 mark of the final quarter, Central held Trinity without a basket until Fitzpatrick’s jumper with 20 seconds remaining, and that hoop only trimmed the Little Green lead to 53-48.

“They have the best man-toman defense in Class L,” said Trinity’s head coach, Dave Keefe. “They can win games with that alone. We can learn a lot from Central’s defense.”

The bleachers at Central were completely full for the game, with the schools’ student sections battling all night, just like their beloved basketball teams.

“It was an unbelievable atmosphere tonight,” said Central’s mentor, Doc Wheeler. “When we’ve played them the last nine years, it’s always been a great game. It’s just a great rivalry, and we wanted to be competitive.”

Senior Brett Parenteau helped the Little Green do just that, nailing long-distance shots all night, while putting up 26 points to lead all scorers. Will Bayliss of Hooksett added 11 for Central.

Jordan Laguerre, who dropped in 14 points, paced the Pioneers, while Fitzpatrick chipped in 10 in a losing effort.

Bedford resident Zach Ibanez contributed off the bench for Trinity. His only hoop of the game came with 10 seconds remaining in the opening period, cutting what had been a 9-2 Central lead to 15-13.

Wheeler said his team was single-minded in the days leading up to the Class L showdown, but he does not want to make too much of the victory.

“We told the guys before the game that it is a long season,” said Wheeler. “We are looking to be a very good team. We can be close to average, but when we work hard enough we can also be very good.”

Central’s only loss this season came Jan. 27, a 42-41 home setback to Nashua South, something the Trinity cheering section, chanting “Nashua South,” reminded Little Green fans of during the game.

Trinity, Central and Pinkerton each sport 7-1 records, and Wheeler said the top postseason seed – and the inside track at a state title – awaits the team that continues to progress.

“I hope this game gives the team a belief at what their capacity is,” said Wheeler. “We have two months remaining, and the team that improves the most is the one that will win it.”

In addition to his team’s stellar defense, Wheeler said he had another strategy to help his team knock Trinity from the ranks of the unbeaten.

“Prayer,” said Wheeler jokingly. “They have a number of kids that are so good at controlling the game. You just pray that they miss some shots.”

Trinity ready to fight – again – for state crown

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:58:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Two straight appearances in the Class L boys basketball finals – and two straight losses to Salem – have Trinity’s head coach, Dave Keefe, hoping the third time will be charming indeed.

Though he lost star Ryan Bourgeois of Bedford to graduation, Keefe returns super senior Jordan Laguerre and Hooksett’s Cormac Fitzpatrick, a proven long-range threat who has raised other areas of his game.

“I think he’s the best pure shooter in the state,” said Keefe, who joked two years ago that Fitzpatrick would trip over the three-point line if he tried to drive to the basket. “But he’s really worked hard to improve his strength. He hit the weight room all summer, added some muscle, and that’s going to help. Nobody works harder than that kid.”

In a preseason jamboree at Concord’s Community College, Fitzpatrick’s defense, something Keefe said the junior must continue to develop, was solid.

During one sequence in a scrimmage with Class L foe Bishop Guertin, Fitzpatrick anticipated a long cross-court pass and picked it off, sending the Pioneers on the attack.

With the smart, athletic Laguerre, a troop of Manchesterbased players from Sudan, and high-flying Bedford senior Zach Ibanez also among the eightplayer rotation, Keefe plans to play an up-tempo game when possible.

“I want to be up in people’s faces,” said the Trinity mentor, who listed Salem, Nashua South, Winnacunnet, Central and dark horse Memorial – coached by Cormac’s father, Mike – as contenders for Class L supremacy.

“We’ve got no one in our rotation over 6-foot-2 1/2. We’re a small, athletic team that has to take care of the ball.”

Keefe said 14 or 15 regularseason wins are within reach for his charges, and added Trinity doesn’t face the two-time defending champs in the regular season, though he wouldn’t mind a postseason rematch.

For now, Central leans on trio of experienced players

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Following a loss to Winnacunnet in the state finals last year, the Central girls basketball team hopes a little experience leads a largely young team back for a second shot at the two-time Class L champs.

This year’s Little Green team has just three returning players who earned significant court time last year, including Hooksett’s Sam Walker, but head coach Mike Wenners said those three players – and the experience they gained in 2007-08 – should prove invaluable as this season progresses.

“They’ve been there before, so they won’t panic in situations like that,” said Wenners, a Hooksett native. “It helps us as a team because they can lead the way if we get into situations like that. When we’re playing in front of big crowds, we’ll really lean on them.”

Walker, Christiana Bakolas and Keily Funk make up the Little Green’s “big three.” Walker is a junior, but it’s her third year at the varsity level. Her success stems from the highspeed level of play she brings to the court.

“The reason she’s been successful is energy and effort, and I think it goes hand in hand. She’s non-stop out there. Sometimes she almost plays too fast,” said Wenners. “There’s no one that outworks her. She’s a person that you hate to play against, because she’s always in your face.”

Wenners said the team could struggle as it learns to play together, but he’ll depend on Funk, a senior who won a state title with the soccer team, Bakolas, a junior who is already one of the state’s finest players, and Walker to keep frustration to a minimum should Central falter early.

The Little Green’s scheduled season-opener vs. Salem was postponed until Monday, Dec. 22, but Central tipped off on Tuesday, Dec. 16, winning 60-31 against Nashua North.

“We’ve talked about being just a work in progress. We expect to be competing with everyone at the end of the year,” said Wenners. “It’s one of those things that you have to understand. We’ll have bumps, particularly the first month. We have to work hard, and if we do that, some of the bumps will be ironed out.” Jen Langton, a senior, earns her first significant varsity playing time this year.

Cheyenne Jenkins could start for Wenners, who said after 6-footer Ciara Doucet, his team is lucky if its next tallest player is 5-foot-7.

“We’ll be (using) a transition offense. We’re a very small team,” said Wenners. “We have to defend very well, rebound as a team very well, and get up the floor. It’s not our game to just pound the ball into the paint. Taking care of the ball is critical. We talk about valuing every possession that we have.”

Central shows true colors in loss to unbeaten state champions

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:16:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

The question for fourth-seeded Central: how do we, after losing to this team by 16 points on our home court just a few weeks ago, stop unbeaten and top-seeded Salem?

The Little Green found an answer – incomplete, it turns out – in the Class L boys basketball semifinals. Still, they proved they could more than compete during a 46-42 loss to the Blue Devils on March 12 at the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gymnasium.

In fact, the Green machine was humming along quite nicely as halftime approached. Will Bayliss scored all of the team’s seven first-quarter points, then led a secondquarter surge that created a 26-20 edge for Central at the break.

However, the team’s best chance to suffocate Salem expired even before the first-half clock did; ahead by 10 with less than 20 seconds remaining, Central allowed Mike Kimball, who poured in a game-high 23 points, and Kevin Sledge to hit buckets.

Kimball added the first five points of the third quarter, and suddenly the Little Green lead had virtually vanished. It was gone by the end of the third quarter, and despite the best efforts of senior Michael Stys, who nailed half of his eight threepoint attempts, Central never took the lead again.

“The toughest thing for me right now is to go and console (those) kids,” said Central’s head coach, Dave Wheeler, who devised a game plan revolving around Bayliss’ relentless defensive pressure on Josh Jones, Salem’s leading scorer.

After amassing 29 points in the teams’ last meeting, Jones scored just two, but those two were game-clinching points; the Blue Devils’ junior canned a pair of free throws with 10.2 second remaining, effectively putting the game out of Central’s reach.

Bayliss and Stys, as usual, keyed the Little Green, combining for more than 80 percent of the offense. Bayliss scored all 15 of his points before the break, while Stys netted 12 of his 20 points after halftime.

“(Stys) is asked to do more than probably any player in the league,” said Wheeler. “He leads us in scoring every game, has to guard the other team’s best big man, and he’s got to handle the rebounding.”

Though he loses the soongraduating Stys, Bayliss returns.

“(Bayliss) has one of those unique traits. People look in his eyes, and there’s a resolve there, a determination, that lifts up his teammates and his coaches,” said Wheeler. “It’s more than just basketball. He’s going to be a leader in whatever he chooses.”

Salem’s coach, E.J. Perry, said he was happy to be through with Bayliss until next winter.

“He was the best point guard I’ve seen this year,” said Perry.

Seamus O’Neill and Philip Hayden added four and three points, respectively, to round out Central’s scoring. Like Bayliss, they’ll return for the 2008-’09 season, as will Zachary Collins, Connor Spiro and Brett Parenteau, who gained valuable experience in the team’s three-game Class L postseason run.

In addition to Stys, the Little Green lose long-range shooter Matthew Shaughnessy, along with guard Robert Lucas and forward Matthew Paulson.

Central reaches semifinals again, draws familiar foe

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:06:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

With his fourth-seeded squad playing its best basketball of the season, Central boys basketball coach Doc Wheeler said a 16-point home loss to undefeated Salem two weeks earlier helped propel his young hoopsters into the Class L semifinals.

The Little Green have won five in a row since the embarrassing setback Feb. 22, earning a rematch with the defending state champs following a 41-32 thumping of No. 5 Londonderry in the Class L quarterfinals on Sunday, March 9.

“We’re playing our best basketball by far right now,” said Wheeler. “If you would have seen us play Alvirne in the (sixth) game of the season (a 59-38 Central loss), to be honest, we weren’t a very good team. But we’re blessed in that we’ve had a lot of younger kids mature, accept roles … and it’s going to take a heck of an effort to knock us out.”

Londonderry can attest to that. Central jumped to a 5-0 lead and never allowed the Lancers within three points. Behind 17 points from senior Michael Stys and another 12 from junior Will Bayliss, the Little Green turned a 20-7 first-half advantage into an easy win.

While the contest was never in doubt, even Wheeler had to admit that he couldn’t have expected 41 points to win a playoff game, though he noted his defense more than made up for the offensive shortcomings.

“Seven points at halftime, you think about that, they scored on three possessions,” he said. “I mean, we can’t play any better than that.”

Wheeler said his squad’s familiarity with the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gymnasium paid dividends against Londonderry.

“I think it’s pretty significant. Our guys expect to be here, and they expected to win,” he said. The Little Green’s rematch against Salem, the one squad with as much recent experience in Durham, was set for Wednesday, March 12.

Wheeler said adjustments were made and his team was ready, adding that, aside from several late-game free throws, Salem star Josh Jones made one field goal in the second half of the previous meeting.

The winner of the semifinal match plays Saturday, March 15, for the state title. Tipoff is 3 p.m.

Central knocks off Timberlane to reach semifinals

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:00:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Someone older and someone newer led Manchester Central to a familiar spot – the Class L girls basketball playoff semifinals.

The second-seeded Little Green used 16 first-half points from senior Alicia Doucet and all six team points in overtime from sophomore Christiana Bakolas to escape with a 51-48 win on Sunday, March 2, against seventh-seeded Timberlane at Southern New Hampshire University.

The victory moved CHS to the state semifinals for the second straight year. Doucet connected on three of four three-point attempts, including one that gave the locals a two-point edge heading into halftime. In the process, Doucet reached the 1,000-point plateau.

“She’s worked so hard, and she deserves it,” said her head coach, Mike Wenners. “She’s a remarkable competitor and will do whatever it takes to win.”

Bakolas, who shares starting backcourt duties with classmate Sam Walker of Hooksett, was held in check through three quarters, with three points on one three-pointer.

But she scored six points in the fourth quarter and six more in OT to finish with 15.

Still, it was another senior, Catherine O’Neill, who stopped a 7-0 Timberlane run and forced the extra session when she grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback with four seconds remaining in regulation.

“It helps to have a good senior group,” said Wenners.“All six of our seniors really help keep the team focused and in control.”

Bakolas’ half-dozen overtime markers were all earned at the charity stripe. And as Central prepared its last-second defense, the coaches urged the Little Green cagers watching from the bench to control themselves.

“It’s so emotional, especially an overtime game like this,” said Wenners, whose team was scheduled to face No. 3 seed Londonderry on Wednesday, March 5. “But the reality is, we’re in the quarterfinals.”

Londonderry is one of two teams to defeat 18-win Central in the regular season.

“But we played as individuals that time,” said Walker. “We play better as a team, and we have been (playing that way) for the past two weeks.”

Should the Little Green vanquish the Lancers in the semifinals, top-seeded Winnacunnet, which handed Central its other loss, or No. 4 Merrimack awaits in the finals, set for Friday, March 7, at SNHU. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Bakolas, who shares starting backcourt duties with classmate Sam Walker of Hooksett, was held in check through three quarters, with three points on one three-pointer.

But she scored six points in the fourth quarter and six more in OT to finish with 15.

“It helps to have a good senior group,” said Wenners.“All six of our seniors really help keep the team focused and in control.”

Londonderry is one of two teams to defeat 18-win Central in the regular season.

“But we played as individuals that time,” said Walker. “We play better as a team, and we have been (playing that way) for the past two weeks.”

Host Central falls to Salem as Jones fuses visitors’ attack

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:35:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Central’s student body had a message for visiting Salem and, more specifically, its star junior forward, Josh Jones: “Napoleon Dynamite – Gimme your tots!” Jones, the Central faithful feel, bears a striking resemblance to the awkward high schooler of film fame.

But on Saturday, Feb. 23, Jones was anything but awkward – though he certainly added to his burgeoning fame – in the Blue Devils’ surprisingly simple 63-47 Class L boys basketball win over the host Little Green.

Jones scored Salem’s first eight points en route to 29 markers overall, drawing “Ooohs” from the Salem fans who trekked to see this battle between the 2006 Class L champs – 11- 3 Central – and the 2007 Class L champs – 16-0 Salem.

To be completely accurate, even the Little Green followers grudgingly uttered, “Whoa!” following more than one (very) longrange three-pointer from Jones.

Central’s coach, Dave Wheeler, was more to the point.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to tip your cap to a better team, a better player,” said Wheeler. “And (Jones) is a very good player.”

And Salem is clearly a very good team. The Blue Devils, 17-0 following the victory, are one win from a perfect regular season. Alvirne, 9-6 following a recent tailspin, stands in Salem’s way.

“People keep reminding us about the Patriots,” said the Blue Devils’ head coach, E.J. Perry. “But these guys stay focused.”

“These guys” certainly were focused at Central, outscoring the hosts, 8-3, 10-0 and 8-2, at the start of the first, second and third quarters, respectively. That forced the Little Green into a constant game of catchup, a daunting task against steady Salem.

Each time Central closed to eight, nine or 10 points in the second half, Salem answered with a basket or free throw, usually involving Jones, or the Little Green committed a turnover.

“We’ve got a home crowd that’s dying for us to make a play,” said Wheeler. “We just couldn’t do it.”

With three regular-season games remaining, Central, Wheeler added, must work on defensive communication, becoming more physical and overcoming adversity.

As an undersized team, the Little Green, playing man-to-man defense, have to shout out defensive switches. That didn’t happen against Salem, which scored countless buckets on backdoor cuts.

Seamus O’Neill, recently returned from a knee injury, should help Central compete near the basket, using his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame as a low-post equalizer.

Most importantly, the team must learn to come back from deficits and overcome unfavorable game sequences, said Wheeler. He looks to Will Bayliss and Michael Stys to provide leadership and added the team’s postseason performance is directly related to theirs.

That suits Wheeler just fine. He called Bayliss “a born leader, a born worker” who simply tried to do too much against Salem. Stys, according to his coach, averaged nearly 30 points in the previous five games, of which four were victories.

Against the Blue Devils, Stys netted 19 points. Bayliss added 13. Central, 11-4 after the loss, dropped to fifth place in Class L, but the team closes the regular season against the current No. 4 seed, Londonderry, on Sunday, March 2.

Strong finish garners CHS No. 2 ranking

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:30:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

With the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Class L girls basketball tournament locked up, Manchester Central didn’t have much to play for in its regularseason finale vs. Salem High School.

But when the contest on Saturday, Feb. 23, was over, the Little Green left with a 61-47 win in one of their most physical games of the season, heading into the postseason on a positive note.

“We don’t normally see the physical aspect as much as we did against Salem, so that was a nice test for us. We haven’t really experienced that,” said Central head coach Mike Wenners.

“They’re very talented, and it was a physical challenge for us. Our kids responded well … They didn’t react to some of the other stuff.”

Salem committed multiple intentional fouls, and the Little Green shot 46 free throws compared to 15 for the Blue Devils.

Although Central led throughout, Salem cut the lead to four points with little more than two minutes remaining in the game.

Hooksett’s Sam Walker dropped in seven key points in the final quarter, and Central made its free throws down the stretch to seal the victory. Walker had 10 points in the game.

“They came out in the fourth quarter and made some threepointers,” said Wenners. “We wanted to just make sure we didn’t lose their shooters. We had to get a hand in their face while they were shooting jumpers, and we made some big free throws.” Alicia Doucet paced the Central attack with 16 points, while Catherine O’Neil followed with 15.

Central’s last loss came on Feb. 2, a Saturday matchup against Londonderry. The Little Green ended the regular season 16-2, but Wenners knows it is the second season that matters most.

“You can’t look ahead, because if you do, there may be no tomorrow. The nice thing is that eight of our 13 kids were on the team last year that lost in the semifinals,” said Central’s coach, who has six seniors on his roster.

“They know what it’s like to be close, and they know that it’s do or die. The seniors understand that the season doesn’t just end, their high school career does with the next loss.”

Central pulls away using good ball movement

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:24:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Many times in practice, teams run a drill in which every player must touch the ball before a shot is taken. It doesn’t always translate into game play.

It did for the Central High School boys basketball team, which consistently made the extra pass and shot past visiting Winnacunnet High School, 71-44, on Friday, Jan. 4.

It appeared as though the Little Green would take a slight lead heading into the locker room; Central led 26-20 with less than 30 seconds remaining until halftime.

But guard Will Bayliss dropped in a three-pointer and came up with a steal before feeding Michael Stys with a pass for an open layup. In the blink of an eye, the Little Green had a double-digit lead.

“I thought that was big, but it didn’t make us any more pleased heading into the locker room,” said Central head coach Dave Wheeler, impressed with point guard Bayliss, who had 10 assists to go with his 12 points. “Will simply defines excellence in his preparation and passion for the game.”

Central used its momentum heading into the second half, consistently passing the ball around the Warrior zone defense until it found the open shot – something the Little Green did throughout the quarter.

Matthew Shaughnessy hit three of his team’s seven third-quarter three pointers, and the Little Green extended the lead to 24, outscoring the Warriors 28-15 in the period.

According to Wheeler, the team’s unselfish play in the second half was by design.

“We talked at the half about not shooting too quick,” said Wheeler. “We shot it too quick in the first half, and we needed to make an extra pass or two. When we started doing that, those looks were wide open.”

Stys scored 21 points and hauled in 10 rebounds to lead the offensive attack for the Little Green, who rested most of their starters in the fourth quarter.

Still, Wheeler said there was room for improvement. “They won the physical battle, which we usually win. They chucked us around in the first half, although we did a little bit better of a job in the second half. We need to work on our physical play and our box outs, we can’t win like that.”

What was most helpful for Central, which improved to 3- 0, was making the extra pass. “You have to take what the defense gives you, and they were showing the two-three zone,” said Wheeler.

“We have smaller guys who are skilled, and so when you make that extra pass it gives you space, and that’s significant. It makes our guys look a little taller.”

Historic firsts and championships top 2007 Hooksett-area sports

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:16:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

For Hooksett-area teams and individual athletes, 2007 was a year in which the surprising became the norm, particularly at the high school level.

Though squads such as the Central girls tennis team finished tops in Class L and Cawley Middle School collected multiple titles, other perennial contenders bowed out of the postseason early, or missed the playoffs altogether.

The Central boys hoopsters didn’t reach the finals a year after winning the state title, and the gridiron was strangely absent a Little Green team.

Still, Pembroke Academy football was in the playoff hunt for the first time in school history, and Memorial’s track and field team collected a rare but disappointing mark during the state championships.

Let’s take a look back at the year in Hooksett-area sports.

Winter

Gymnastics
Manchester Central’s Nicole Simoneau repeated as the individual state all-around champ with 36.600 points in the NHIAA girls tournament.

Spirit
In January, the Pembroke Academy cheerleading squad finished tops among Class I participants at Kiwanis.

“A state championship brings a banner to your gym, but this is just as important,” said Pembroke coach Donna Ong.

“We’ve been here lots of years, but to have so many supporters out there is just awesome. It’s what these girls deserve.”

Weeks later, Central finished first in the co-ed competition at the state championships in February.

Pembroke placed third in Class I, and after finishing second at the Kiwanis event, the West cheerleading team finished eighth at states, in the process bidding farewell to eight-year coach Sherri Reinfurt.

“This year was more special because we knew it was our last for us and coach,” said senior co-captain Hayley McDonough.

“We’ve had some great finishes too (two second-place finishes and one third-place award). Hopefully, whoever takes over next year can step in and fill coach’s shoes, but it’ll be hard.”

Wrestling
West’s Mark Watts took home third place in the 145- pound weight class at the Division I wrestling championship on Feb. 17, earning him a trip to the Meet of Champions, where he finished sixth.

Memorial 171-pounder Nick Berube finished second at the D-I meet, and Central 130-pounder Ben Champagne placed third.

Others reaching the Meet of Champions from West by finishing in the top six at the division meet included Jared Crain, David Lamarche and Caleb Earnshaw.

Crain, a 130-pound sophomore, surprised competitors when he finished fourth at the M of C, just missing a bid for New Englands.

Basketball
Defending Class L champ Central hooked up with cross-town rival Trinity in the post-season semifinals. There, No. 3 Trinity avenged a regular-season loss to second-seeded Central, 52-49, before being bedazzled by a last-second buzzerbeater in a 54-51 heartbreaker to Salem in the final.

The No. 16 West girls lost, 53-36, in the first round of the Class L playoffs to top-seed Timberlane, a team that was upset in the quarterfinals by No. 8 Central, 56-51.

The Little Green’s surprising run came to an end in the semifinals when the girls lost to Bishop Guertin, 42-37.

Auburn Village School’s girls basketball team defeated Merrimack, 52-39, to win the Class M Tri-County championship.

Indoor track and field Memorial took second place at the Class L indoor track championship behind strong performances from Wes Cotnoir, fellow Auburn resident Thomas Piccioli and Bobby Johnsen, who placed second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 55-meter dash. Chris Lemieux took third in the high jump.

David Irving won the shot put with a throw of 52 feet, 5 inches.

The Central 4 X 800 relay team of Matt Paulson, Corey Sinotte, Craig Brown and Dante Vitagliano emerged victorious, and the 4 X 200 team of Mitch Albro, Chris Mitchell, Muzafer Aku and Paulson finished third in 1 minute, 36.25 seconds.

Paulson also won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:05.26.

And thanks to Julianne Quinn and Kristin Johnson, the West High School girls finished fifth at the meet.

Quinn, broke two of her own school records by finishing the 1,000-meter run in 3:01.72 and the 1,500 in 4:53.32. She finished second in both. Johnson, like her teammate, finished runner-up in her best event, the 3,000-meter run, with a time of 11:00.37.

Spring

Tennis
Central High School won its third girls tennis title in school history and its first since 1995, defeating Bishop Guertin, 8-2, in the Class L championship.

The Manchester West boys failed to dethrone perennial tennis superpower Concord, losing 5-2 and settling for the consolation plaque.

The Blue Knights girls fell in the Class L semifinals, 7-2, to Central. But Derryfield School won its fifth straight boys state championship, crushing top-ranked Berlin, 8-1.

“The more you do something, the more comfortable you are doing it,” said Cougars coach Bruce Berk. “So they’ve been there, they’ve played in the finals before and have confidence because of that. When kids compete, because they’re kids, all you can do is ask them to play close to their potential. If they can play better in the tournament, that’s what I hope for.”

In the Class M-S girls title match, Derryfield was edged by Gilford, 5-4.

Baseball
While other local teams failed to reach their respective class finals, a Derryfield squad with local talent reached the championship game as the No. 10 seed in Class S. Though the Cougars fell to Lisbon, 7-2, coach Jeff Hastings took pride in the improbable run.

“The team definitely thrives in the underdog mentality,” he said. “I talked it up a little bit because I wanted the guys to be loose, to realize all the pressure was on Lisbon … No one, except us, expected anything out of the 10 seed.”

Thirteenth-seeded Trinity had similar success with local athletes, reaching the Class L final before losing to Merrimack, 7-2.

“No one thought we’d even be here,” said sophomore starting pitcher Sean Lyons. “We knew we had the potential to win this. We knew we were capable of proving everyone wrong.”

Softball
Cawley Middle School, on June 1, celebrated its second straight Tri-County Class M softball title. It wasn’t the Hooksett school’s only championship in 2007.

Track and field
Pembroke sophomore Allison Brehm tied a 45-year-old record, crossing the 200-meter dash finish line in 25.84 seconds at the Class I championship. She then finished second in the 100- meter dash and third in the long jump.

Manchester Memorial became the first team in state history to eclipse 100 points and fail to win a state championship. The Crusaders lost to the perennial thorn in their side, Merrimack, 114-105. Minus its best sprinter, Cotnoir, Memorial still earned nine first- and second-place finishes at the event. Central finished fifth overall.

Among the victors, Memorial’s Lemieux finished first with a 6-foot-4 high jump, David Irving won shot put and discus, William Wrobel took the javelin, the 4 X 100 team won, and Sean Beauvais topped all competition in the triple jump.

Thomas Piccioli finished fifth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.79 seconds.

Matt Paulson took individual titles in the 400- and 800-meter runs and combined with Central teammates Sinotte, Brown and Vitagliano to retain the 4 X 800 crown.

Though West’s Russell Johnson finished eighth in the Class L championship, his personalbest time of 4:32.29 in the 1,600- meter run still qualified him for the Meet of Champions; his effort was one of the next four best times among the four New Hampshire classes – L, I, M and S.

Elias Grijalva also advanced to the state meet, recording West’s lone team point by placing sixth in the 400-meter dash.

For the West girls track and field team, which placed 12th in Class L, Kristin Johnson came in third and Kelsey Hunt finished fifth in the 3,200 meter run, Julianne Quinn took fifth place in the 1,600, and the foursome of Quinn, Brittany Frazier, Kay Penny and Haley Lydstone finished fourth in the 4 X 400-meter relay.

Summer
American Legion baseball Sweeney Post baseball reached the American Legion regionals by defeating Keene in the New Hampshire final, 9-6. Shortstop Matt Skeffington of Auburn led Sweeney throughout the tournament.

“He’s a leader, and the kids look to him for the big hit. Between him and Bryan Poltak, I don’t think there is a better shortstop-second base combo in the state,” said Sweeney manager Dave Flurey.

Little League/Babe Ruth baseball and softball Auburn’s 11- and 12-year-old softball team repeated as state champs by defeating Lamprey River in the title game, 13-11.

The Hooksett 10- and 11- year-old Little League baseball all-stars reached the District 1 final, but lost to Goffstown, 6-1, on July 21.

“Winning is nice, but it’s really about constantly improving and coming together as a team, and they did that,” said coach Jim White.

The 14U Bedford Hornets softball team, with players from Hooksett, Windham and Bow, won the state American Softball Association tournament and New Englands and advanced to the Eastern national tournament and PONY national tournament.

“It sounds so cool to say you’re going to be pitching in a national tournament,” said Rachael Morgan. “And we know there are going to be teams that bring some crazy skills. But I know I’ll have a good time because I’ve got a bunch of girls who’ve been together for awhile now, and that’ll make a difference.”

The Bedford Hornets 12U softball team – featuring local players from Auburn, Bedford and Salem, among other towns – placed third in the ASA tournament and second in the New England competition, earning a trip to Ohio to compete for the national championship.

Granite State Senior Games West High School coach and New Boston resident Lee Hess recovered from a 25-foot ladder fall to win the 50-meter, 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in the 55- to 59-year-old division.

Candia’s Dave Baldessari won the 65- to 69-year-old pistol shoot.

Punt, Pass and Kick Auburn 11-year-old Joey Dudek won the 10- and 11-yearold division of the local NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium in Manchester on Aug. 7.

He followed that performance by winning the sectional competition in Bristol, R.I., on Oct. 14, and the regional competition on the Gillette Stadium practice field prior to the New England Patriots Oct. 28 contest against the Washington Redskins.

Fall

Soccer
The Cawley Middle School boys soccer team won the Tri- County championship with a 5-4 win over Hampstead, while the girls team fell in the final, 2-1, to St. Joseph of Manchester.

“It was one of the best-played games in both championships we’ve seen in a long time,” said Cawley’s athletics director, John Frazier.

After finishing the regular season undefeated, the Little Green girls were knocked off in the quarterfinals of the Class L tournament.

The West boys team, which came back from a two-goal second- half deficit to beat Goffstown in double overtime in Class L’s first round, lost to defending champ Exeter in the quarterfinals, 3-1.

Fifth-seeded Memorial suffered a tough 1-0 overtime loss at No. 4 Londonderry.

The seventh-seeded Lady Blue Knights were upset, 1-0, by No. 10 Alvirne in the first round, ending the season 8-7-1 The season included wins against the playoffs’ No. 4 and 5 seeds, Merrimack and Memorial.

Football After going to Salem – the team that knocked Central out of playoff contention the week before – and pulling off a comefrom- behind 17-14 upset against the Blue Devils in the regularseason finale, West bowed out in the Division I first round against three-time defending state champ Pinkerton Academy, 34- 7.

Two weeks later, however, West once again came back to win a big game, this time against rival Central in the Manchester Turkey Bowl. West scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win the Queen City championship, 19-13, and avenge a 28-16 midseason setback to the Little Green.

“We made the playoffs, and we obviously hoped for a state championship, but if we didn’t get that, the city championship is the next best thing,” said West coach Travis Cote.

Cross country
Central’s Craig Brown and Cory Sinotte finished second and third, respectively, at the Meet of Champions on Nov. 4. West’s Kelsey Hunt finished fifth at the event.

Cheerleading
The Hooksett Hurricanes Jr. Pee Wee spirit squad was crowned Pop Warner state champs.

It marked the fourth straight year – and fifth in six years – that a Hurricanes cheer team won a state title.

Golf
West High School, which finished No. 1 in the regular season, came in fourth in Class L. For the Blue Knights, Kyle Badger fired an 18-hole round of 68, while Jake Nutter led the Bedford High Bulldogs with a 77.

In the individual tournament, Badger fell one shot short of the Class L title, carding a twoday 141.

Crew
Derryfield School won five medals in eight races at the 2007 Amoskeag Rowing Club New Hampshire State Championship Regatta. The men’s junior-novice- four won gold and the men’s junior-four teams A and B finished tied for second at 16:09. The women’s junior-novice-four placed second, and the women’s junior-four finished third.

Field hockey
Derryfield School, featuring players from Hooksett, Bedford, Hopkinton and Windham, finished the season undefeated and won the Class M-S state title on Oct. 28. The crown was Derryfield’s first in the sport in more than 20 years.

“It’s tough for us because we’re a Class S school, so … we’re always playing teams that are twice our size,” said coach Lenny McCaigue. “To win it is just a dream come true for us.”

Trinity falls in final

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:55:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

It did something that hasn’t been done since 1985. It beat a Class L perennial powerhouse to get there. And it gained unwavering confidence in the process.

This year’s Trinity High boys basketball team will indeed be remembered as one of the program’s most impressive after a 2007 campaign worthy of the history books.

After going through two-time defending champion Central, the Pioneers earned their first berth in the title game in more than 20 years. Once there, Trinity put on a show in a game that was decided by a last-second, buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave Salem the championship and sent the Pioneers to the locker room to ponder how they’d come so close to a title.

Taking the court on Saturday, March 17, in front of a near-capacity crowd at the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gym, Trinity proved Central wasn’t the only Class L contender among Queen City clubs.

With 29.5 seconds left, and the game knotted, 51-51, Salem’s Stephen Savage, this year’s Class L Player of the Year, received the ball near midcourt. Trinity guard Steve Rice of Auburn waited cautiously as Savage held the ball under his arm before driving to the right wing and releasing a fall-away trey that swished through the net as the final buzzer sounded.

“I knew they would go for the final shot,” said a somber Ryan Bourgeois of Bedford. “We tried to keep up the momentum, but it just came down to the last shot. It both stinks it came down to the last shot, and it also makes us proud it had to come down to that last shot.”

Bourgeois tallied a big hoop with 2:31 left before Salem tied the game, 51-51, on two free throws. With 1:05 remaining, Pioneers senior Dan Hartford set up at the foul line but missed his two shots, allowing the Blue Devils the final possession.

Guarding Salem sophomore Josh Jones at the left corner of the key, Hartford watched the Savage-Rice faceoff and had a clear view of the winning bucket.

“I was pretty close to the shot,” said a teary-eyed Hartford after the game. “I can’t believe it went in. I just know we got down and played hard enough defense as we could have, and it was a good shot.”

The road to the finals wasn’t an easy one, though, as the Pioneers had to dethrone Central in the semifinals two days prior. Against the Little Green, Trinity battled back from a 38-21 half-time deficit for a 52-49 win.

“I told them, ‘There are 16 minutes left of basketball. No matter what happens, you’ve gotta play the defense of your lives. You gotta get after it for 16 minutes,’” said Trinity coach David Keefe after the win over Central.

“It was unbelievable. So that’s a lot of credit to these kids. Some kids would have folded, and I said, there is no way with the season that we had that we’re going to fold.”

Keefe watched as his team won five of its last six regular season games to clinch the No. 3 seed in the tournament. Leading 30-19 at the half against Salem, Trinity couldn’t hold on as the Blue Devils climbed back to take a 43-42 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“It was a great win (over Central), not only for our team but for our school, going to a final game,” said Keefe. “We were a team that barely made the playoffs last year, and now we’re going to the championship game. I told them, ‘It’s great. Be ready to go … and then be ready to finish off the dream season.’”

Game notes
Freshman Jordan Laguerre led the Pioneers with 14 points, 12 rebounds and three steals.

Bourgeois and Rice finished with nine points each, while Hartford added six.

Auburn native Kirk Hennequin scored two points on a buzzer-beating bank shot to end the first half.

Central’s strong start wiped out in semifinal loss

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:51:00 GMT

BY MATT STOUT

Sitting inside one of the many locker rooms buried in the bowels of Lundholm Gymnasium, the Manchester Central boys basketball team did as it usually does following a game Thursday, March 15.

Coaches talked and players listened. Players talked and coaches listened. The Little Green’s post-game discussion has been known to teach outsiders awaiting its conclusion a lesson in patience, regardless of that particular game’s significance.

Certainly, that night’s contest was important. And so was the team meeting.

Savoring their final moments as a squad following a 52-49 loss to No. 3 Trinity in the Class L semifinals, the secondseeded Little Green emerged from their dressing room nearly 30 minutes after the ref’s whistle signaled the end to their season.

The two-time defending state champs, in great position to challenge for a third straight crown after shooting 68 percent from the field en route to a 38- 21 halftime lead, faltered late.

They scored 11 second-half points to the Pioneers’ 31 and hit zero field goals in the fourth quarter, when Trinity exploded for 19 points.

“That was the best half of shooting I’ve seen in my life,” Trinity coach David Keefe said of Central’s performance in the first two periods. “So that’s a lot of credit to those kids. But some kids would have folded, and I said there is no way with the season that we had that we’re going to fold.”

Trinity didn’t, and, facing a little pressure and some cold outside shooting, Central watched as all the success it enjoyed in the first half turned into frustration in the second.

The collapse, however, stemmed primarily from two of Central’s biggest problems during the season – rebounding and foul shooting – as the Little Green missed all six of its free throws with under five minutes to play and couldn’t seem to convert a put-back when necessary.

That opened the door for Trinity, which closed the game on a 12-0 run to capture its first finals appearance since 1985. It also closed the door on the Central locker room, which for the first time since 2004 wasn’t home to a championship plaque.

“We spent time in the locker room thanking the seniors. We had three senior starters and another two off the bench, and two of the three starters didn’t see the light of day on our team last year,” said Central coach Dave “Doc” Wheeler, referring to starters Will Brooks and Hooksett native Bill Statires. “That’s the first thing we do after the last game.

We thank the seniors for their effort and the example they set for the younger kids.”

Despite the heartbreaking finish, that example surely won’t be lost. In addition to Brooks and Statires, who scored 16 and six points, respectively, Central also rode the strength of Hooksett native Josh Last all season, including Thursday.

The 6-foot-4 guard hit two of his team’s four three-pointers – Statires knocked down the other two – and hit its only two free throws in the fourth quarter to finish with 12 points.

That production will surely be missed next season, along with Central’s other seniors, George Maclellan and Brandon Coutts.

But it’s the things box scores don’t measure, the “work ethic, the leadership, the communication skills,” Wheeler said, that the coaches hope the returning players picked up.

Hooksett native and junior forward Michael Stys, who matched classmate J.J. Jackson’s six points in the semifinals, will need to prove that next year when Central looks to improve upon its 18-3 record.

If it can, that may mean a fifth straight berth in Class L’s final four, a shot for its 18th state title and a reason to make that postgame meeting another long – but joyous – one.

Central falls to Salem, which claims top playoff seed

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 16:59:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

It began the night as Salem High’s Davis Gym. It finished as official headquarters of “Savage Nation” and the No. 1-seeded team in the Class L tournament.

Salem’s road to the top spot was marked with an impressive overtime win against twotime defending state champion Central.

In front of a near-capacity crowd of around 1,100 fans clad in blue and white or green and white, Salem beat Central, 67-58, on Friday, Feb. 23.

“We went nuts (in the locker room),” said a smiling Salem head coach E.J. Perry after the game. “We knew (Central head coach) Doc (Wheeler)’s team was going to make us work for it. These guys have really grown up this year.”

As usual, leading the way for Salem was senior Stephen Savage, whose face was proudly displayed on a poster reading “Savage Nation” by Blue Devils fans. Though Savage took time off before the game trying to get over the flu, the guard finished with 21 points.

The Blue Devils erupted for 15 points in the extra session, opening the frame with a Josh Jones 3-pointer, a Savage steal and a Mike Kimball layup. Savage’s 21st point, a foul shot, gave Salem a 58-52 lead with 2:28 remaining.

“They played defense the whole night,” said Savage. “I knew it would be a tough night, but we were as ready as we could be. Coach would take me out the last two minutes of every quarter, but I was itching to get out there.”

Kimball scored nine points off Perry’s bench, posting his final points on a layup good for a 60-54 Salem lead. The Blue Devils outscored Dave “Doc” Wheeler’s squad, 8-4, from the free-throw line in overtime.

In a game defined by physical intensity, Central’s William Brooks fouled out in overtime, while Salem’s 6-foot-4 center Brian White was benched in the fourth quarter; Savage also flirted with four-foul danger the final eight minutes of the game.

“Whitey (Brian White) was really going, but he isn’t good at avoiding fouls,” said Perry. “There was no question, though, I wasn’t going to take him or Savage out because it was such a close game.”

With one loss apiece before the matchup, Central fought the Blue Devils to a 16-15 lead after one quarter.

The second frame featured the Little Green’s well-known defense; they led Salem by seven points – the biggest lead of regulation – at halftime.

Jones and White ignited the Blue Devil offense to pull even after three periods, 37-37, before senior Chris Voukides sank one of the most important shots of the night with 3:31 left in the fourth quarter.

Voukides converted a fourpoint play to tie the game before the powerhouses battled backand- forth into overtime. He finished with 14 points, including six free throws in overtime.

Leading Central was 6-foot- 2 junior Mike Stys of Hooksett, who finished with a game-high 25 points. Sophomore Will Bayliss, who played a tough man-toman battle with Voukides all night, combined with Hooksett’s Josh Last for 23 points.

With starter Nick Loomis and Kevin Sledge hurt, Perry got some much-needed support from Jones, who scored 11 points, and White, who pulled down 13 rebounds.

“This was a great game of high school basketball,” said Perry.

“Doc’s team has such great man-to-man (defense), we knew we had to just play the game of our lives.”

Back to business - Fremeau hits milestone as Central gets season rollin’

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 20:43:00 GMT

BY SAPNA PATHAK

It’s hard to say whether Central’s season-opening win over Spaulding meant more to Little Green head coach Mike Wenners or senior captain Whitney Fremeau.

Wenners watched his charges post a 73-13 romping over the Red Raiders on Friday, Dec. 8. En route to the homecourt win Fremeau scored her 1,000th point, good for a spot in the Little Green record books.

“We moved the schedule around to have this as our season opener,” said Wenners. “We thought it would be nice to have Whitney score her 1,000th point in front of a home crowd, but now it’s back to business for the rest of the season.”

That business includes improving on a 10-8 finish that ended in the first round of last year’s Class L girls basketball playoffs.

Fremeau returns along with junior Alicia Doucet, who will start. Freshmen guards Christiana Bakolas and Sam Walker will split time in the starting lineup. Meaghan Montville is Wenners’ only other senior. In addition to two seniors and two freshmen, Central’s roster includes eight juniors.

Despite graduating Maura McGee, Meghan McGlone and Stacy DiSabato, Wenners said the team should be able to have a productive season offensively.

“We have pretty good size,” Wenners said. “If we can rebound defensively, we’ll be a stronger team. We’re most successful when we can get Whitney or Alicia out on the wing and get them the ball.”

The fifth-year varsity coach added this season should provide some of Class L’s best matchups due to the strength of its senior class. Wenners named Londonderry, Bishop Guertin and Trinity as much-awaited opponents.

“We could have upwards of seven Division I players throughout the state,” said Wenners. “This’ll be a year with some good teams not making it to the quarters and semis. It will be a very good, competitive year, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Central faces off at Queen City rival Manchester West on Friday, Dec. 15.