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Good Central squad edged in state semis by very good North group

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:53:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Manchester Central’s football team, rolling along since mid-October, finished flat against Nashua North.

The third-seeded Little Green played well on offense and defense against the Titans, but the second-seeded hosts overcame a 12-3 deficit, scored late following a sequence of fumbles and reached the Division I finals with a 26-19 win on Sunday, Nov. 15, at Stellos Stadium in Nashua.

For Central, the game was really its fifth straight “playoff” contest. At 2-2 following a loss to Londonderry, the locals had no room for error, and they made none: lopsided wins over also-rans from Concord and Manchester Memorial preceded impressive victories against perennial power Pinkerton, 21-10, and previously unbeaten Salem, 45-7.

And for most of the first half against North, a trip to the championship seemed probable, thanks in large part to a pair of Hooksett players.

Tyler Nolet, a junior, picked off a pass in the right corner of the end zone to thwart North’s opening drive, and sophomore quarterback Jared Chandler capped a nine-minute drive with a touchdown pass to Nick O’Hagan for a 6-0 edge.

Central’s star running back, Michael Cavanaugh, chewed up time and North’s defense during the 80-yard drive.

“We wouldn’t be half as good as we are without those Hooksett kids,” said head coach Ryan Ray, speaking also of senior linemen Buddy Demmons and Ryan Bigg, as well as sophomores Kyle Brunelle, Christian LaRoche, Malcolm Sutton and Seth McCusker, and junior Eric Todd.

But Nashua, as it did all day, responded quickly, kicking a field goal to slice the deficit in half.

Back and forth the teams went.

Chandler’s athleticism produced six more points on Central’s next possession, which took almost six minutes. He ran left on first down from North’s 14-yard line, juked a Titan defender, tapped the falling player’s helmet with his right hand as he darted past, then dove into the end zone for a 12-3 edge.

“He’s a gritty competitor who always wants to make some big plays,” said Ray.

Central forced a punt, and Candia’s Sam Graham returned it to the 45-yard line, but the Little Green failed to take advantage, punted, and North’s quick-strike attack produced seven points in 33 seconds.

So, the lead was down to two after the extra point, and momentum had shifted. North scored first in the second half, added the two-point conversion and took an 18-12 edge.

This time, Central responded, converting a pair of long third-down conversions during the 75-yard scoring drive. First, Chandler connected with classmate Junior Brown on third-and-12, then Cavanaugh picked up nine yards on third-and-8, sustaining the drive. Ultimately, the senior from Raymond leaned over the goal line on fourth down, and sophomore Stephen Grzywacz’s extra point gave Central a 19-18 advantage.

After Nolet pounced on Dylan Brodeur’s turnover, Central was four minutes from the finals. But Cavanaugh fumbled one minute later.

“That was tough right there,” said Ray. “He’s been a rock for us all season. We wouldn’t be here if wasn’t for his hard work and effort.”

North’s Andre Williams finished a short 27-yard drive – and, effectively, Central’s season – on a 3-yard TD with 1:58 on the clock. The junior also picked off a fourth-down pass on the Little Green’s lastgasp drive.

“We played a good game on both sides of the ball,” said Ray. “They played just a little better.”

Central controlled, beaten in state championship game by Exeter

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:20:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

Whenever a Manchester Central girls soccer player looked up, an Exeter foe loomed large on the Southern New Hampshire University turf.

The Blue Hawks smothered the Little Green on Friday, Nov. 6, in the Class L state finale, a 2-0 outcome that doesn’t fully indicate Exeter’s control of the contest, nor do justice to Central’s fine followup to its state championship in ’08.

The physical contest included four yellow cards, two issued to each team, but Little Green head coach Peter Lally said both teams’ aggressive play was just that.

“Oh, come on,” he said. “If this had been a boys game, there are no yellow cards.” Instead, Lally credited Exeter’s size with stifling his crew’s attack.

Central generated just one scoring chance: in the 27th minute, Hooksett’s Sarah Velasquez fired a shot off Exeter keeper Aby Fisher. The rebound went to Jillian Graff, who left-footed the ball toward the net. But Chelsea Owens, who gave her squad a 1-0 lead just five minutes earlier, leaped and headed Graff’s attempt away.

The Little Green did not threaten again.

Exeter added a second tally off freshman Abby Short’s foot just six minutes into the second half, but Central keeper Lindzy Hamel made several fine saves to keep the score close.

Trailing by two, the Little Green’s fine 16-4-0 season ended quietly, its usually productive attack – and boisterous fans – silenced by the Blue Hawks.

Lally said his seven departing seniors – Tanya Robidoux, Christina Denbow, Abigail Wurtele, Krista Lucas and captain Lindsay Johnson, all Hooksett residents, plus Hamel and captain Ainsley Smith – led a team that few expected to return to the state final. He mentioned Johnson, softballer Robidoux and gymnast Smith as athletes who could easily continue their soccer careers in college.

Among his starters, Kaylee Thrasher, Velasquez and fellow Hooksett residents Jayne Kelley, Carly Auger and Deven McKiernen return for a final varsity year.

And because Central’s freshman and junior varsity teams dropped just three games combined in 2009, Lally said he’s confident the program can continue its recent success.

Central boys, with Hooksett help, take fi rst state championship

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:18:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Manchester Central boys made one final run before leaving the soccer field for the last time in 2009.

This time the Little Green didn’t have a ball at their feet, but rather bottles in their hands as they showered their head coach with sparkling cider in celebration of the school’s first-ever boys soccer state championship.

Hooksett’s Chris Beauchesne tallied the gamewinner with 27:25 remaining in the first half, and Central beat previously undefeated Exeter, 1-0, on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Southern New Hampshire University.

Beauchesne recorded three goals in four Class L playoff contests for fourthseeded Central, which had never reached the state finals.

“He’s always been able to get in the right spot. He just has a knack for that,” said Central’s head coach, Chris Laberge, of his senior striker. “When he’s on a roll, we try to ride him because we know he can get us two or three good chances a game.”

Exeter entered with a 16- 0-3 mark and applied pressure during the first half, amassing 10 shots and four corner kicks.

The Little Green only put three shots on goal during the first 40 minutes of play, but they weathered the Exeter attack, then capitalized on one of their few opportunities when Beauchesne gained control of a deflection inside the box and lofted the ball over goaltender Brendan Laverty’s head.

Senior goalkeeper Will McDonough made eight saves, including a feet-first sliding stop that kept the Blue Hawks off the board late in the first half.

With 3:06 remaining, Exeter’s Josh Vlasich sent a dangerous centering pass from the corner that rolled all the way through the box and past the feet of three teammates, and Central escaped with its second consecutive shutout.

“We knew coming in that we had what it took to bring the win home for Central,” said Beauchesne. “Knowing they hadn’t been beaten coming in, we had to get up, and we did in a big way.”

Also representing Hooksett during Manchester Central’s title game were juniors David Scarpetti and Max Yee, along with freshman Romero Osario.

Laberge said it was critical for Central to notch the first goal of the game, especially after watching his team hold the Blue Hawks scoreless during the regular season meeting between the two.

“We knew we just needed to score one,” said Laberge. “You don’t often get a chance in your life to make history. This team will be able to look back at this years from now, and they’ll always have the opportunity to say that they were the first.”

Defending champ Central edges top-ranked Salem

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:47:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Peter Lally knows from experience what the Salem girls soccer team went through at Stellos Stadium.

Lally’s No. 4 Manchester Central Little Green knocked off the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils in the Class L semifinals on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2-1, earning a shot at winning a second consecutive state title.

“I’ve certainly been in Salem’s position before. I’ve been a top seed and been knocked out, been undefeated and knocked out,” said Lally. “It’s not fun.”

All of the scoring in the game came within a span of 3 minutes, 28 seconds in the second half, beginning with a connection between two Hooksett players.

Deven McKiernan put a ball on net that bounced off Salem goaltender Sarah Snyder, and Lindsay Johnson put the rebound in while falling to the turf with 25:18 left to play.

The Blue Devils responded when Cassandra Chase took a perfectly placed through-ball from Tayllar Righini and capitalized with a wide-open goal at the 22:03 mark to even the score.

A mere 13 seconds later, while Salem’s fans celebrated the equalizer, the Little Green came storming back when Hooksett’s Sarah Velasquez took advantage of a failed clear by the SHS backfield, finding the back of the net to again give her team the lead. Johnson earned the assist after putting the ball into the middle of the box.

“We let down after we scored, and that’s uncharacteristic of us,” said Salem mentor Kendrick Whittle. “I thought we were in the driver’s seat, but that’s what Central does to you. They were just a little bit tougher than us.”

The Blue Devils couldn’t muster many more scoring threats, though Chase did fire twice while closely guarded; the junior sent one high and the other into the side of the net.

As the final seconds wound down, Salem defender Avery Neusch lofted a free kick off the crossbar, but an infraction was whistled on the Blue Devils, and time expired just seconds later.

Both teams had similar runs into the semifinal meeting. Each won a preliminaryround game, 1-0, before surviving quarterfinal-round tilts on penalty kicks.

Lally said his team’s grit has been the biggest factor in reaching the Class L championship, which is scheduled for the campus of Southern New Hampshire University on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.

“We’re not the biggest team, but sometimes they play big,” said Lally. “Our program is as good as any team in the state. The Little Green is still around. I think the ‘little’ part of that is appropriate.”

Girls tough, but it’s not enough, in shutout loss to Dover

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:19:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Ciara Doucet’s arm kept her team in the game, but Central couldn’t produce at the plate during a Class L preliminary-round contest.

On June 3, the 14th-seeded Little Green traveled to play fourth-seeded Dover, falling by the slimmest of margins, 1-0. Doucet fired a completegame two-hitter and allowed an unearned run in the fourth inning. The Central offense, meanwhile, was denied all afternoon.

The team’s best threat came in the sixth inning when senior left fielder Liz Belanger of Hooksett smacked a two-out triple, but she remained on the bag as the inning ended.

Sophomore right fielder Deven McKiernan of Hooksett made a diving catch late in the game to save a run, giving Central’s offense one last chance to climb back in the contest, but the Little Green couldn’t rally.

Head coach Trish Ellis said her team, after its early mistakes, delivered some startling plays.

“We made the errors, but we recovered and made some great plays on defense to save ourselves,” said Ellis. “We didn’t let the physical errors effect us mentally, and we gave them a great game for the second time this year.”

In its second contest of the year, Central, which finished the year 7-13, dropped a 6-4 decision at Dover.

Ellis was forced to construct a makeshift lineup throughout the season due to injuries and school-related absences. The injury bug continued to bite in the postseason.

Infielder and cleanup hitter Brie LaRoche, said Ellis, should be a centerpiece for Central next year. She hit .385 with 22 RBI in 2009 as a sophomore.

Tanya Robidoux of Hooksett and fellow juniors Lindzy Hamel and Kyle Fortin of Candia, as well as sophomore Carly Auger of Hooksett, figure to key the attack in 2010.

Doucet was unable to pitch most of the season due to injury, something Ellis said had an impact on the consistency of the team, which suffered three three-game losing streaks during the regular season.

Central girls win states, local athletes make push for Meet of Champions

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:40:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Track and field teams from Central and Goffstown trekked to Concord for the Class L meet on Friday, May 29, while T&F squads from Bow, John Stark and Pembroke Academy traveled to Coe-Brown Academy for the Class I state meet on Saturday, May 30.

Central Edged out during the indoor state championship last winter, the Central girls left no doubt when it came time for the outdoor competition. The Little Green earned 100 points to come away with the state championship, thanks to strong showings by Meggie Donovan and Arianna Vailas.

Donovan won the 200- meter dash and was second in the 100, and Vailas was first in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs. Central’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams also earned firstplace points.

The boys placed 10th with 24 points, and Cory Sinotte races in the Meet of Champions at the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, June 6, after wins in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs.

Bow
The Bow boys track team earned a third-place finish at the Class I state meet, qualifying athletes for the Meet of Champions in six individual events.

Senior Ian Verderame won the 100 with a time of 11.47 seconds. He also placed second in the 200.

Joining Verderame at the MOC is Dylan Lucas, third in the 300-meter hurdles and fourth in the pole vault, as well as Atticus Swett and Ian Wedemeyer.

Swett tossed his way to a third-place finish in the discus throw, and Wedemeyer put the shot 46 feet to grab third place.

The Falcons also earned points in the 4x100 relay, as Alex Foley, Kyle Moore, Aaron Forest and Verderame finished in 45.18 seconds, placed second.

Bow’s girls team came in 10th on the afternoon with 15 points, led by Katherine McManus’ skills on the track and in the field.

The sophomore was third in the 100-meter hurdles and second in the high jump, and she represents the team at the MOC.

John Stark
Ethan Moore’s three second- place finishes led the way for John Stark, which finished with 48 points in fifth place.

Moore was runner-up in the high jump, shot put and discus throw to qualify for the Meet of Champions along with Sean Laman, who was fourth in the high jump.

The Generals’ only individual victory came from Glen Jackman, who won the 300-meter hurdles.

John Stark’s 4x400 relay team was second, with seniors Elliot Doughty, Sean Laman, Kevin LeBlond and Joseph Getts running the event in 3:34.

Doughty also came in fifth in the 200-meter dash. Elizabeth Anderson had the best finish for the JS girls, coming in seventh in the 400- meter dash.

Goffstown
Jana Hieber travels to Durham for the MOC following a first-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles during the Class L meet. Hieber ran the event in 45.09 and also ran a 16.06 time in the 100-meter hurdles, placing fifth.

The boys managed six points as Nick Aubut was fifth in the 400, Steven Edmonds took fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, and Kyle McNamara was fifth in the 300 hurdles.

Pembroke Academy Allison Brehm qualified for the Meet of Champions, coming in second in the 100- meter dash. Kacie Paradie had the next best finish for Pembroke, a sixth-place triple jump.

The PA boys’ lone point came from Dan Kroll, who placed sixth in the shot put.

Athlete of the Month - Trinity junior does what’s necessary to help team win title

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:45:00 GMT

Hooksett player can’t be varsity at West as population shrinks

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:31:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Although Bedford is the new high school on the athletic landscape, it is Manchester West that is left looking to build from the bottom up once again in order to continue to field competitive teams. The spring sports season will mark the final group of West teams that will include Bedford residents, and Blue Knight coaches and school officials are continuing to search for the best way to continue to keep roster numbers up.

This is creating an issue for at least one Hooksett student, who won’t have varsity hockey available to him next year.

When the process of moving students to the new Bedford High School began, a total of about 65 percent of Blue Knight athletes were from Bedford, according to West Athletics Director Sarah Dumais.

“It was a big hit initially,” said Dumais. “We had some openings and blank spots on rosters. The more the word gets out, we’re coming back. This year was the worst it’ll be. After they’re gone completely it’ll start to turn around because the Manchester kids will know that they’re our focus.”

West’s hockey team is expected to take a significant hit next season, an issue that was brought up during a recent Hooksett School Board meeting by a Hooksett resident whose son attends West and played on this year’s squad.

Because so many Bedford athletes played on the hockey team this year and normally make up the team’s roster, there is a chance the school will be unable to put a varsity team on the ice next year.

“If kids who want to participate come out, they’ll have the opportunity,” said Dumais. “If we have, say, six freshmen and three sophomores with no varsity experience, we probably wouldn’t expose them to varsity play just because of the safety issues.”

If enough students try out for the team but aren’t experienced in the sport, Dumais said it is possible the school will only have a junior varsity team or possibly a club team.

“Socioeconomic is part of it too,” said Dumais. “It’s really expensive to play hockey, and in junior programs you have to pay for ice time. On the West Side, there just aren’t kids playing hockey.”

Hooksett students are typically sent to Central High School if they live east of the Merrimack River and to West High School if they left on the west side of the river, but may choose a different school. Dumais said the number of Hooksett athletes on teams at West is minimal.

Hooksett School Board member James Sullivan said that while West has some advantages, one of the drawbacks of the now smaller school, due to Bedford’s withdrawal, could come in a situation such as the hockey team.

“A small school can offer smaller class sizes, better ability to compete and ability to stand out more with their talents,” said Sullivan. “On the other hand, a smaller school, because of its population, may not be able to offer the breadth of course selections, and or extra activities, such as varsity hockey.”

While Dumais said she would be thrilled to see more Hooksett students choosing the Blue Knights, it is difficult for her to convince those students to select West.

“We would love for the Hooksett kids to choose West instead of Central,” she said. “We have more room and things to offer here. They have a contract that states they can choose, so there’s no way we can really nail them down and have them come here.”

Several teams had low numbers this year, including the West boys basketball team, which still managed a run into the quarterfinals of the Class L tournament.

Head Coach Sam Carey was down to about eight players on his roster by the end of the year, as he was forced to remove several players from the team for academic reasons.

“I teach at Parkside, so now I know that I need to push it and get those kids motivated,” said Carey. “The biggest issue between Manchester kids and Bedford kids that I had was the grade issue. I’ve got to get kids focused on their grades, and that starts before they get to the high school.”

Though it is a small sample size, of the students Carey had to remove from the team, none were from Bedford.

West softball coach Dan Drewniak expects to have a large group of athletes trying out for the team, but the amount of experience they have will likely be lower without Bedford students.

“The only difference is that a big percentage of the kids are novice players who don’t have game experience,” said Drewniak. “There were at least three girls at open gym who have never played competitive softball and are planning on coming out for my team. That’s the difference.” Drewniak said coaches at the school will need to begin stirring up interest with younger students.

“We’ve got to actively recruit and get the kids more involved at the middle school age,” said Drewiak. “I coached the middle school basketball team and took them over to see games at West. We’re stepping up and trying to get the kids interested in the programs.”

Dumais said the biggest difference between West and Bedford athletes is the amount of exposure they have to the sports they play.

Despite the loss of Bedford students, Dumais is optimistic about the Blue Knights’ future, and is looking forward to working with an increased number of Manchester student-athletes.

“There are athletes out there, but athletes that haven’t had the same opportunities as Bedford kids,” said Dumais. “An athlete is an athlete. If they’re athletic we’re going to take them and coach them.”

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.

Athletes perform – and watch – at state meet

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:16:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

At the girls gymnastics state championships, the hosts won the title, but the guests – teams and individuals – still enjoyed the show.

Salem High beat second-place Pinkerton and third-place Central on Saturday, Feb. 21, for its third straight New Hampshire championship, but Little Green athletes, as well as individuals from Goffstown, Pembroke, John Stark and West, took their turns on vault, bars, beam and floor, then cheered on friend and friendly foe alike.

“They really appreciate when they see a talented gymnast,” said Ginnie LaVallo, Salem’s head coach, mentioning no team in particular. “They know the work that goes into doing any of this. So it’s nice to see them watching the other competitors.”

Manchester Central
Central’s Ainsley Smith finished fifth in the all-around, helping the Little Green to 130.625 points, 5.575 behind the Blue Devils and two back of the Astros. Spaulding’s Kaitlyn O’Brien won the individual allaround with 36.2 points.

Sarah Conley and Hooksett’s Liz Wong added important points for Central, with Wong a top-10 performer on vault and bars.

Meg Norklun, who coaches Central and the lone West entrant, Jill Dusseault, said the sport fosters friendship because so many of the athletes know each other through gymnastics training centers, not just as school teammates or opponents.

Conley co-captained this year’s Central team with Chelsie Gilbert. They graduate, along with Bonnie Duval, Laura Robitaille and Molly Friedman-Cowan.

But Smith returns as a senior in 2010, and Wong, Abby Noonan, Jessica Carignan and Katie Williamson are back for their junior years. Emily Harrises competed on bars as a freshman.

Manchester West
Dusseault put up a top-20 effort on uneven bars, posting her best score of the year. Afterward, Norklun and Goffstown’s coach, Carol Raza, shared a laugh. “All season long, she’s either jumped off the bar or landed on her butt,” said Norklun good-naturedly. The coach embraced and congratulated Dusseault after the event.

Pembroke Academy, Goffstown and John Stark
Ashley Reade led a trio of individuals with Neighborhood ties in the all-around. John Stark’s Reade placed 19th overall, including a tie for 12th on beam.

Pembroke’s Kelsey Dobe was 25th in the all-around, keyed by strong showings on vault and floor.

Jana Hieber, representing Goffstown, finished 30th in the all-around. Her best performance came during the floor exercise.

Kristin Paradis, Trinity High’s mentor when the school had a team, coached Reade and Dobe, who train together in Bow. Paradis also mentored Prospect Mountain’s Haley Farnham, tied for 18th in the all-around, and Belmont’s Joy Piper, 23rd.

Central awaits rematch … for state title

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Central girls gymnastics team hopes its next trip to Salem High School has a different ending.

On Thursday, Feb. 5, Central managed 128.7 points to finish ahead of Keene, but fell to Salem’s score of 132.2 and Pinkerton’s 130.85.

Pinkerton and Salem are the only teams Central has lost to this season, something head coach Meg Norklun wants her team to change on Feb. 21, the date of the state meet hosted by Salem High School.

“They’ve done really well so far this season, but we haven’t really had one meet where everyone has hit at the same time,” said Norklun of the Little Green gymnasts.

On Feb. 5, Ainsley Smith continued her strong campaign, winning the all-around for the fourth time in five meets.

Smith placed first on the vault and beam, as well as second on the bars, earning the top individual score in the all-around with a 35.6, defeating Salem’s Leeann Vadala, who managed 35.2 points.

One of the team’s strengths entering the match was its floor routines, but on Feb. 5 it was the only category in which the team did not place an individual among the top three.

“We’ve been performing consistently well on the floor and on the vault,” said. Norklun. “It has been the bars and the beam where we’ve struggled at times.”

In addition to Smith, Sarah Conley has performed well this season in the all-around, said Norklun, and Conley should play a big role in the state competition as well.

Salem has won the last two titles and 15 overall, but Norklun said her team doesn’t think about its opponents, but rather its own scores.

“When you compare yourselves to someone else, that’s when you tend to shoot yourselves in the foot,” said Norklun. “We try to focus on ourselves. Our goal is to do as well as we can … That is what has worked for us in the past.”

Central girls lead Neighborhood teams at state championships

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:44:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Central fell just short of winning the state track and field title, settling for runner-up to Bishop Guertin at the Class L girls championships on Sunday, Feb. 8.

The Little Green collected 58 points to Bishop Guertin’s 59 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, but that didn’t disappoint Central’s head coach, Kelly Feibel.

“We had some great performances in certain areas and fell a little short in other areas,” said Feibel. “In the last five years since I’ve been coaching here, we haven’t been able to be runner- up, so it was a big accomplishment. (If we’d had) a better day, we could have possibly been the champs.”

Alexandra Conway and Arianna Vailas each earned 18 points for the Little Green. Conway bested her teammate in the 1,000-meter run; Vailas returned the favor in the 1,500-meter run.

The 1,500-meter race was particularly tight, with Vailas defeating Conway by .05 seconds.

Nora Bruckner earned nine total points of her own, coming in second in the long jump and placing sixth in the high jump. Emily Garcia was the other Central athlete to finish in the top six individually. She placed fifth in the shot put with a toss of 32.07 feet.

Feibel, an assistant coach for a Little Green cross-country team that lost by one point at the state meet several years ago, is already looking to use the day as motivation.

“I know too well what it feels like. It’s a little fuel for the fire for spring. We were at least able to go home feeling like we accomplished something in years,” she said. “A lot of the girls who were running – about 99 percent – will also be in the Class L championships in spring. This is something that, come states in spring, we’ll do a lot of talking about it – how important those sixth-place, onepoint finishes are.”

For the Central boys, Kyle Thornton, Zachary Chabot and Cory Sinotte finished in the top six of their events.

Sinotte won the 1,500-meter run in 3 minutes, 59.59 seconds, Thornton was fourth in the 55- meter dash at 6.73 seconds, and Chabot took fifth in the 1,000- meter run in 2:41.26.

Bow
The Bow High School boys and girls each earned top-10 finishes. The boys came in sixth place among 21 teams. Bow’s girls were seventh out of 20 entrants.

Ian Verderame was third and fourth in the 55- and 300- meter dashes, respectively, and he also teamed up with Connor Lokar, Aaron Forrest and Griffin Sandler to place second in the 4x200-meter relay.

Jonathan Vinnenberg ran the 3,000-meter race in 9:35.57, good for third in the event.

Katherine McManus was fourth in the high jump and 55- meter hurdles to earn points for Bow. Sam Gallerani was fourth in the long jump, and Elodie Reed placed third in the 1,000- meter run.

Reed narrowly missed scoring another point when she finished seventh in the 1,500-meter run, just .08 behind the sixth-best time.

John Stark
Ethan Moore scored the Generals’ team points, finishing sixth in the high jump and third in the shot put. Moore’s throw went 45 feet, 9.25 inches, and his high jump was 5-10.

Manchester Memorial Memorial’s boys finished fifth thanks to an especially strong performance by Domingo Cruz, who nabbed three secondplace individual finishes on the day.

Cruz was runner-up in the long jump, 55-meter dash and 300-yard dash, during which he edged third-place finisher and teammate Craig Berube.

Berube was also a part of the 4x400 relay squad that finished fourth with a time of 3:38.11.

Two Memorial girls earned individual points. Rachel Hedge was fifth in the shot put, and Chelsey Serrano took sixth in the 3,000-meter run.

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.”

Central wrestlers continue hard work in pursuit of victories

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:54:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Central’s head coach Jim Delani joked that the Timberlane wrestlers his team faced on Saturday, Jan. 24, went straight from the crib to the wrestling mat.

“These Timberlane kids have been wrestling since they could crawl,” said Delani. “For us, it’s so much about little steps.”

With only five veteran wrestlers, Central has struggled in the early going, but Delani has still been impressed by his team’s progress, and the team’s young core has Delani feeling positive about the future of the program.

“I can’t tell you how optimistic I am. This is going to be the nucleus of the team,” said Delani. “They keep impressing me every week with their progress and their work ethic, and now we’re just waiting for the results. They stay enthusiastic, which is really important.”

The most experienced wrestler on the Little Green has been on the mats just three years, and team captain Joe Saliba has been one of the returning grapplers to help lead the way.

“He has really been setting the example throughout the season,” said Delani. “Ever since the preseason, he has been working with the young wrestlers and helping them get better.”

Austin Reddington has been one of the freshmen performing well early on, and Malcolm Sutton earned a pin at the 171- pound weight class against a tough Concord opponent in a recent match.

Delani said his wrestlers have been getting difficult draws at times, and it can be frustrating to watch those match-ups.

“It feels tough for me to watch and see our freshmen going up against seniors who have been doing it for years,” said Delani, who added this group has shown resiliency. “That’s the toughest challenge, is to push them harder and also keep their confidence going. We’re battling, we’re learning, and most importantly we’re continuing to work hard.”

Central skaters on the board following intra-city victory

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:13:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

They say the first win is always the most difficult. They are, of course, wrong. No matter the level, anyone who has coached recognizes it’s the last victory – the one that comes in the final contest of the postseason – that’s toughest to garner.

And that’s why Manchester Central’s first-year head hockey coach, Chris D’Agostino, wasn’t exactly doing cartwheels at center ice following the Little Green’s 7-4 triumph against rival Memorial on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Though he fully recognizes the lengths his team must travel to even be mentioned in the same breath as perennial powers Bishop Guertin, Bishop Brady and Concord, D’Agostino said the win was still meaningful.

“I needed it, but the kids needed it more than anything,” he said. “You know, we were 0-3, now we’re 1-3, so it’s definitely a little confidence booster. I thought we looked great out there.”

After opening the season with three tight setbacks against St. Thomas Aquinas, Pinkerton and Berlin, all top teams in Division I, D’Agostino said it was important to enter another tough stretch – against Concord, Salem and West – with momentum.

“We’ve got a bunch of players that are hard to get focused at times, but they’re good, coachable kids,” said D’Agostino. “And I’ll tell you what, winning is a lot more fun than losing. Now they’ve experienced that feeling, and I hope they want more of it.”

Ideally, Central can make a habit out of the practice, perhaps earn six or more victories and reach the postseason. But those are only this year’s goals.

“I definitely want to build the program to be bigger and better,” said D’Agostino. “Every year we should be making the playoffs. Every year we should be winning games at a school the size of Central.”

The team is young, so those coveted tournament triumphs may not be far off.

D’Agostino has only one senior, Zach Wentworth, on his top line. He had a hand in all seven goals against Memorial. His other top playmakers include juniors Kyle Pratte, who recorded a hat trick, Tyler Lavertu and Cam Geddes, who found the net twice.

Freshman Rene Couture, with no goaltending experience, starts in net for the Little Green this season and has already improved markedly.

Also contributing for the Little Green this season are seniors Nick St. Croix, Karl Ludwig and Tyler Pratte; juniors Alex Murphy, Trevor Paquet, Chris Straw and Greg Hood; sophomores Sean Burke, Mackenzie Myers, Kyle Pettit, Ben Johnson, Jon Bairam and Tyler Clark; and freshmen Joe Libby, Easton Dubois and Derek Clark.