Pelham News : Merrimack Valley

Longtime coach leaves lasting impression

Salem Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:35:00 GMT

The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Championships at Dartmouth College in Hanover on Sunday, Feb. 3, included several locals sprinting, leaping and throwing against some of the best athletes in the state.

In Class L, Salem finished ninth among boys teams and 13th among the girls.

In Class I, Pelham came in 18th in the boys event, and the girls were 22nd.

Salem

Michael Marshall won the boys 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.85 seconds, and teammates Nick Cavallo and Alex Miller placed sixth and seventh with times of 8.41 and 8.43, respectively.

Marshall also tied for second in the high jump at 6 feet, 2 inches, and finished fifth in the long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 4 inches.

Alex Miller finished sixth in the boys 55-meter dash at 6.83 seconds,

Robyn Ciriello placed fifth in the girls shot put with a throw of 32 feet, .25 inches; Melissa Higgins came in seventh in the girls 300-meter dash at 43.38 seconds; Megan McLaughlin, with a time of 1:43.93, took ninth in the 600-meter run; and Breanne Parhiala, at a distance of 15-07.25, was eighth in the long jump.

The girls 4x800 relay team placed fourth at 10:10.96, and in the 4x400, the girls finished fifth at 4:17.24.

The boys 4x200 relay team finished sixth at 1:37.29.

Pelham

Andrew Ridlon placed fourth in the boys 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:24.96, and Todd Paquin was eighth in the long jump with a distance of 19-01.25.

Bruce Vieira came in 10th in the boys 100-meter dash with a time of 38.87 seconds, and David Periera was 11th in the 600-meter run at 1:32.56.

Paquin, Periera, Vieira and Mike Bogochow came in sixth in the boys 4x200 relay at 1:42.51.

Jordyn Oriole finished ninth in the girls 600-meter run, at 1:48.64, and Shannon Oriole was ninth in the 1,000-meter run at 3:21.49.

Kelsi Lynde came in ninth in the 55-meter hurdles preliminary at 9.80 seconds, missing the finals by one-tenth of a second, and Stephanie Martins was 15th in the 1,500-meter run.

The girls 4x800-meter relay team of Shannon Oriole, Jordyn Oriole, Rachel Notini and Martins finished sixth at 10:29.42.

Pelham win over Hollis-Brookline showcases improvements

Salem Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:29:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

To accurately gauge how much the Pelham boys basketball team has improved since the beginning of the season, review these two results: the Pythons opened the season on Dec. 11 with a 81-60 loss at Hollis-Brookline, but eight weeks and 12 games later, Pelham defeated the same Cavaliers, 47-43, at home.

“That’s a team that blasted us a month and a half ago in their gym, and they played just as good as they did then,” said Pelham head coach Todd Kress. “The difference is, defensively, we showed up tonight. For the first time in four years, we never once trapped the ball the whole night. We just played straight-up, man-to-man, in-your-face defense.”

In addition to the best defense his 11-3 Pythons have shown in some time, Kress said they have found an identity.

“Even down five at the start of the fourth quarter, guys in the huddle were saying, ‘Come on, we can do this. This is our gym.’ A month and a half ago that wouldn’t have been the case. They would have been yelling at each other, and they would have been doubting me,” he said of a squad that began the season 2-3 before embarking on its current nine-game winning streak.

“Right now, they have a lot of confidence in me. I have a lot of confidence in who I’m putting out there. They’re believing in themselves, and it’s showing on the court.”

It was guard Justin Hojlo who propelled the Pythons to victory.

The junior guard, who three nights later eclipsed 1,000 points in his career, took over late against Hollis-Brookline, scoring 11 of his game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter after being shut out in the third.

Though Pelham entered the final frame down five, Hojlo stole the ball at half court in the opening seconds and drove to the basket.

After notching two free throws to bring his team within one point, 36-35, Hojlo knocked down a three from the top of the key and drew another foul in the process.

He completed the four-point play, then stole the ball and scored on a flashy layup to give the Pythons a 41-36 lead, which they never relinquished.

“He’s been under the weather and hasn’t really practiced much this week,” said Kress, who called several timeouts in the fourth quarter just to give his star a breather. “He gave this team everything he had, and he dominated that fourth quarter like you want your best player to do. And it wasn’t just him. He was making his teammates better, and that’s what makes Justin so special.”

Ricky Costa and Jamie Vaiknoras each contributed eight points, and freshman Stephen Spirou added seven.

“We’re on a nice little roll. We just need to keep this going,” said Kress. “The important thing now is for us to realize that we only have five games left. Sure, they’re all against .500 teams or worse, but those are dangerous teams at this time of year, and we can’t afford to lose another game if we want to go in as one of the top four seeds.”

Hojlo, who needed 11 points against Bow on Tuesday, Feb. 5, to become the quickest Python to hit 1,000 points, scored 25 in the 62-59

Pelham Elementary School hosts its first-ever spelling bee

Salem Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:09:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

Standing at a microphone and in front of a large audience, Renee Gagnon, 11, spelled the word “implement.”

When Superintendent Frank Bass responded, “That is correct,” the audience erupted in applause.

Because Renee spelled the word correctly and her two competitors misspelled the words given to them in the same round, she became the winner of Pelham Elementary School’s first spelling bee.

“I’m so excited I could just jump up and down,” Renee, a fifth-grader, said after the Thursday, Jan. 31, competition.

As the school winner, Renee will go on to a regional competition. If she’s successful there, she’ll advance to a state spelling bee.

Renee was one of 25 students from grades 3 through 5 who competed in the school contest. They had each won in their classrooms.

Each student was given one word to spell in the first round. “Cosmos,” “sarcasm,” and “pecan” were among the words spelled correctly. Misspelled words included “yacht,” “virtuoso” and “liverwurst.”

The eight students who correctly spelled their word advanced to the second round. From there, Renee, Mackenzie Bryant and Kaylie Golding emerged as the three finalists.

Three short rounds later, Renee emerged as the winner, and soon after, MacKenzie won the spot as her alternate when she spelled “confetti” correctly.

Principal Alicia LaFrance, School Board member Eleanor Burton and parent volunteer Judy Hayes served as judges. Once a student said a letter, they could not take it back.

Renee and Mackenzie were each awarded ribbons, and every participant was given a certificate of achievement.

LaFrance told the audience – made of up students, parents and teachers – that it’s not easy for the participants to compete in front of other people. And she encouraged the audience to give the spellers a big round of applause.

Candidates for selectmen, School Board face contested race for seats

Salem Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:07:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

Two men appointed to the Pelham Board of Selectmen last year to fill vacancies are among the three candidates seeking to win election to the board in March.

Two three-year seats are available. Alfio Torrisi, who made an unsuccessful run for the board last year, is making another attempt.

The other candidates are Douglas Viger, who was appointed to the board in June when Thomas Domenico moved out of town and William McDevitt, a former selectman who returned to the board in November after Ed Gleason resigned.

Viger made a strong third place finish last year, when two seats were up and five candidates made bids.

The only other contested race on the town ballot is for two cemetery trustee positions. Three candidates are running. They are Richard W. Jensen, Timothy Zelonis and Edwin Baker.

One-, two- and three-year terms for trustee of trust funds were available but no one signed up to run for them.

Other candidates are:

Philip R. Currier, moderator, two years; Charlene F. Takesian, treasurer, three years; Kim L. Boland, supervisor of the checklist, three years; Angele Diack, Daniel Guimond and Robert S. Sherman, Budget Committee, three three-year seats; Douglas H. Fyffe, Ann Susan Snide, library trustee, two for three years; and Jason Croteau and Paul Dadak, Planning Board, two seats for three years.

The school district ballot features contests for two seats on the school board.

Incumbent Linda Mahoney is being challenged by former School Board member Raymond P. Perry for a three-year seat.

Mahoney is seeking her second term. Perry served on the board from 2001-04.

A one-year seat on the board is available because Michael Conrad, who was reelected to a three-year term in 2006, is leaving the board a year early. He cited a new job and family matters as reasons for stepping down.

Three candidates are running: Joseph Farris, Linda Koehler, and Lorraine Dube, who almost won a seat last year when she made her second bid for the board.

Other school district candidates include: Patricia Murphy who filed to run for clerk; Kenneth Dunne, who is running for moderator; and Patricia Murphy, who is running for treasurer. Those are three-year positions.

The polls will be open at Pelham High School from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11.

Pelham soldier talks about life in Iraq

Salem Editor — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:05:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

For more than a year, Army 1st Lt. Barry Couture “chased bad guys” and helped Iraqis rebuild their lives – a stark contrast to life in his relatively quiet hometown of Pelham.

Couture, 25, led an armored platoon of about 24 men in eastern Baghdad. One man was killed, another seriously injured.

“The Iraq experience especially makes you grow up fast, just because you’re literally ... in charge of these guys lives,” said Couture, who recently returned home after completing a 15-month tour in Iraq.

While there, his men fought the Mahdi militia, the paramilitary force of the Iraqi Shi’ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

At the same time, Couture was in charge of starting civic projects – working on sewage systems, electricity, water and doing trash cleanup. Working with local leaders, he tried to make life better for the Iraqis and gain their trust.

“I did a lot of work with the schools,” he said. “That was my biggest focus. A lot of them had shattered windows. We’d replace the windows, get their plumbing straight. Make sure their bathrooms worked. Made sure the teachers are getting paid.”

Couture, a 2001 Pelham High School graduate, was only about two weeks into his first-year studies at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point when the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place.

“You sort of had the idea that the peacetime army was shattered on that day,” he said. “Everyone had that tangible feeling, especially the seniors. Those few seconds it took the planes to hit, we all watched it on TV. We went quickly from a peacetime army to an army of war.”

Time magazine, in fact, dubbed Couture’s class the “Class of 9/11.” They were cadets, according to the magazine, who entered West Point shortly before the world changed and were prepared for a new kind of war.

Death and destruction

In the spring of 2007, while serving in Iraq, Couture’s Humvee was hit by an armor-piercing roadside bomb known as an explosively formed projectile or EFP.

The EFP ripped through the Humvee’s trunk and tore off its spare tire. The blast’s force cracked two windows and flattened the vehicle’s tires.

“My ears were ringing for two days,” Couture told the newspaper Stars and Stripes.

A band that Couture wears on his wrist honors the memory of one of his men, Specialist Charles Leonard of Monroe, La., who was killed in a firefight, leaving behind a wife and child.

“But luckily that was the only (casualty),” said Couture. “We had a lot of close calls, but we were really, really fortunate.”

Another man, Couture’s senior noncommissioned officer, suffered burns to his face and hands when an EFP ripped through a tank. The man eventually recovered and returned to the platoon.

“He didn’t have to,” Couture said. “You sort of become a family when you’re over there. He felt strongly that he needed to come back and finish what we all started.”

“He helped run the show with me so it was great having him back,” he added. “It was an uplift for everyone when he got back because it kind of represented to us a really dark and bad time when he got hurt, and then him coming back and things started getting better – it made life a lot more bearable and easier.”

Tour extended

As Gen. David Patraeus took over command of the coalition forces and the military’s surge in Iraq began, Couture learned his year-long tour, which began in October 2006, was extended to 15 months. His platoon moved from Rustamiyah Forward Operating Base to combat outposts – first to an abandoned potato chip factory, and later to an Iraqi bunker Saddam Hussein had built when he was in power.

During their tour, Couture’s platoon patrolled at least eight hours a day, with the men moving in tanks and Humvees. With his uniform, protective gear and ammunition on him, Couture carried about 85 extra pounds on his 175-pound frame.

Back in Pelham, his parents worried for his safety.

“Our faith helped me, our friends helped me,” said his mother, Maureen. “You just get through every day. It’s really, really hard.”

What Couture learned in Iraq is that he and his men had to resist falling into habits, that doing the uncomfortable helped keep them safe.

“The insurgents pick up that you take the same route every day. That you do certain things the same way all the time,” he said.

“Things start becoming routine, and the biggest thing is, the entire time, you have to fight complacency,” he added. “Iraq is really weeks and weeks of boredom, followed by a couple of seconds of terror, sheer terror.”

Couture described his platoon as a cohesive unit, whose members pulled for each other. Each one protected the soldier next to him.

“My noncommissioned officers were just amazing at just keeping the soldiers aware, making sure they all had all their protective gear on, just kicking them in the butt when they needed it,” Couture said. “That’s the biggest reason why most of them got through, I think.”

“There was kind of a tension all the time,” he added. “But at the same time, we laughed a lot. You’re never having a good time, but you make the most of your situation.”

Coming home

When Couture attended Pelham High, he had a classmate who would make the ultimate sacrifice to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Daniel Gionet, who graduated the same year as Couture, was an Army medic when he was killed in June 2006 after a bomb hit his tank.

Couture was still in the U.S. at the time, and his father, Bruce, called him to deliver the news.

“Just like all the other ones, it’s sad, and you wish it didn’t have to happen,” Couture said. “But that’s the situation over there. That’s the way things work. I think it hits when it was somebody from your hometown.”

Couture came home on Jan. 19 and spent time with family and friends before returning to Fort Hood, Texas, where he is stationed. His tour of duty in Iraq, he said, seemed to pass quickly.

“You’re so focused on what you’re doing and there’s so much to do, it actually goes by quick,” Couture said. “I didn’t feel like we were there 15 months. Your days are so full. The days feel long, but the weeks and months fly by.”

DS leaves rough stretch for some smooth sailing

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:49:00 GMT

By Jerry Liptak

That 1-3 start is long forgotten. Six straight wins for Derryfield School girls basketball have moved the girls into the top eight of Class S.

While the Lady Cougars had early-season difficulty with the division’s best squads, they’ve feasted on overmatched foes recently. Only one victory was against a team with a record better than .500, and according to Derryfield head coach Ed Lemire, Nute, 6-5 at the time, entered that contest on Jan. 23 without its best player.

DS handled Nute, 62-26, following three other double-digit wins – 48-6 against Nashua Christian, 44-34 against Gorham and 57-22 at Mount Zion.

More recently, the Lady Cougars hosted and beat Pittsfield on Monday, Jan. 28, 39-23, and Wilton-Lyndeborough in a back-and-forth affair on Jan. 25, 43-40.

Camille Smith’s defense led the team past Pittsfield. She was credited with five steals and added seven rebounds in the win. Bedford’s Danielle Potter was high scorer with 13 points.

Against Wilton-Lyndeborough, an early three-point deficit was erased by seven straight DS points. After a quick second-quarter start gave Derryfield a nine-point edge, Wilton tallied six of the final seven first-half points to close the gap.

A DS burst meant a 30-24 edge in the third quarter, but Wilton responded for a 33-31 advantage entering the final frame. Steady, composed late-game play from Tayla Satkwich of Windham, Kathleen Reynolds of Salem, Kelly Schwarz and Smith secured the win for Derryfield.

Smith added six steals on defense, while Schwarz collected four. Potter added three swipes and nine points.

Against Nute, Schwarz turned in a stellar all-around effort with 15 markers, 14 rebounds, five assists, five steals and two blocks. Andrea Green and Zoe Sobin tossed in nine points each.

In the 35-point win against Mount Zion, 10 players scored, led by Reynolds with 10 points. Alisa de Bruyn Kops tallied the first five points of her varsity career. Kerlyne Desire, Aislinn Desire and Sobin each made three steals.

Potter paced the team with 13 points in the tough win against Gorham. DS actually trailed at one point early in the second half by 10. A 14-0 run spurred the Lady Cougars, who eventually opened a 16-point lead late in the game.

Sobin netted a career-high 10 points in the blowout against Nashua Christian. She also pulled down 13 rebounds. Ashley Swartz keyed the defense with four thefts.

Speedy host’s late push leaves visiting Pelham dusted

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:46:00 GMT

By Matt Schooley

MILFORD – The Pelham High School girls basketball team used its size to keep pace with Milford High School, but the Spartans eventually sprinted away from the Pythons, winning 72-50 thanks to a huge fourth-quarter run.

Following three quarters of play during the Tuesday, Jan. 22, contest, the now 2-10 Pythons trailed 5-8 Milford, 47-44.

The fast-paced Spartans, however, opened the final quarter with a 22-4 run, leaving the visiting Pythons in the dust.

“They wanted it more, and went after the ball and made plays,” said Pelham head coach Tim Powers, whose starting lineup didn’t include any seniors. “We’re a young team, and we had a hard time getting adjusted to what they could do out of timeouts and breaks, and we just didn’t handle it too well.”

Coming out of the half, Milford took a 30-29 lead and extended it to double digits, scoring the first nine points of the third quarter. Pelham quickly responded with a run of its own, outscoring the Spartans 11-3 to close to 42-40.

Pelham received solid play from its forwards; Briana Szidat and Jacqui Perry tossed in nine points apiece, while Brittany Croteau led all Python scorers with 12 points.

The Spartans used their guard play to turn the game into a track meet, however, thanks to 18 points from junior Melanie Forte and swarming defense leading to fast breaks throughout.

“We could beat the pressure and get some layups, and our defense was good at times,” said Powers. “We did bits and pieces fairly well, but we have to remember that it’s a 32-minute game, not just 24.”

The two teams previously matched up less than a month ago, as Pelham again played the Spartans tight, losing 51-43 on Jan. 8. The Pythons have lost their last two games by at least 20 points, as Pelham lost on the road to Kennett, 60-40, on Jan. 18.

“We have to work on everything,” said Powers. “We need to improve in all aspects of the game, but we’re just going to keep taking a game and practice at a time.”

Kayla Bailey chipped in seven points off the bench for Pelham in the loss to Milford, which head coach Tim Powers said came down to the Spartans’ speed.

“They were quick and tough, and when you don’t have the speed to match that, it puts you at a big disadvantage,” he said.

The Lady Pythons beat Monadnock, 54-46, on Friday, Jan. 25 before losing a 48-47 heartbreaker to Laconia the next day.

Town ballot includes second attempt for new fire station

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:03:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

A request for a new central fire station – the second attempt by officials in two years to win approval for a new building for firefighters – is on Pelham’s 2008 town warrant.

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, voters will be able to discuss and debate that warrant article, and about 20 others, when they gather for the deliberative session of town meeting.

The session will be held at Pelham Elementary School and starts at 7 p.m.

Selectmen are asking voters to approve a $4.273 million bond article for the $4.8 million construction project, and would use $527,000 in impact fees. The building would be constructed south of the village green and across from the police station.

Last year, a warrant article to fund a new fire station at a maximum price of $7.3 million did not win the 60 percent majority it needed to pass.

Fire officials have complained that their station, which opened in 1972, is too small, forcing them to store some of their vehicles outside.

There is also inadequate sleeping quarters for firefighters, not enough storage space, and inadequate space in the garage for people to work on vehicles.

The proposed operating budget for 2008 is $10,877,184. The default budget, the previous budget with certain adjustments, is $10,583,535.

Two warrant articles deal with collective bargaining agreements.

An agreement with the police union calls for increases of salaries and benefits of $140,049 this year and $119,483 in 2009.

The pact with public works and municipal workers provides for increases of salaries and benefits of $44,572 in 2008, $69,446 in 2009 and $69,096 in 2010.

New high school tops warrants at deliberative session

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:59:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

Some big ticket items are on the Pelham School District ballot this year, and voters will get a chance to weigh in on them, and other warrant articles, at the district’s deliberative session.

Voters will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 6, starting at 7 p.m., at Pelham Elementary School.

Three of the most expensive warrant articles being recommended by the School Board deal with Pelham High School – purchasing land for a new school, constructing the building and adding an auditorium to it.

A $3 million bond article would authorize the school district to buy two parcels of land, totaling approximately 48 acres, off Windham Road on which to build the new school. The district has signed a purchase and sale agreement with the landowners.

The construction and original equipping of the new high school is being proposed in a $44,665,000 bond warrant article. Of that amount, $41,411,000 is for the high school project, while $3,254,000 is to renovate the current high school into a school for grades 7 and 8.

A $3,116,000 bond article would fund the addition of an auditorium at the new high school.

All three bond articles require a 60 percent majority to pass when voters go to the polls on Tuesday, March 11. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the high school.

Passage of the school construction and renovation article is contingent upon the land purchase being approved. Likewise, passage of the auditorium article is contingent upon the new school being approved.

The Budget Committee is recommending that the land be purchased, but it is opposed to the new buildings.

The land and auditorium would each be financed with a five-year bond, while the new school and renovations would be paid for with a 25-year bond.

The school district has estimated that the highest tax impacts per $1,000 of assessed property valuation are 32 cents for the land, $2.12 for the school and renovations and 33 cents for the auditorium.

Officials believe that if voters approve the project in March, the new school would be completed by September 2010.

The school district’s proposed 2008-09 operating budget is $24,165,115. If the budget is rejected by voters in March, a default budget of $23,768,163 – the current budget plus certain adjustments – goes into effect.

Other warrants

Almost all of the other warrant articles seek to add new staff positions, increase pay for workers, upgrade technology or make capital improvements, as requested by the School Board. These include:

• $48,851 to give nonunion workers a 3 percent salary increase.

• $64,450 for the salary and benefits of a special education teacher/case manager to support students with disabilities at the high school.

• $64,450 for the salary and benefits of a health/physical education teacher to support the health curriculum and the elementary school.

• $12,382 for a part-time custodian at the elementary school.

• $64,450 for salary and benefits to add a sixth-grade teacher at Memorial School.

• $32,225 to add a business teacher at the high school.

• $64,450 for salary and benefits to add a social studies teacher at the high school.

• $53,991 to continue providing child-benefit services to St. Patrick School.

• $183,333 to fund the third year of the school district’s technology plan.

• $140,000 to replace the parking lot and add additional parking spaces at Memorial School.

• Add $50,000 to the district’s maintenance capital reserve fund

The Budget Committee is not recommending the new social studies teacher, part-time custodian, special education manager and parking lot improvements.

Pelham looks forward to season-ending home cookin’

Salem Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:28:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

Having netted four consecutive road victories, and after losing its first home contest in four years, the Pelham boys basketball team returned to PHS and started a new streak in its house.

On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Pelham defeated visiting Milford, 68-50. It starts a stretch in which the 7-3 Pythons play seven of their last nine regular-season Class I games at home.

“We dug ourselves a hole at 2-3, but we knew if we could survive that stretch and get to 6-3, we just had to come home and protect our court,” said head coach Todd Kress.

And while Kress said it felt good to be home, he was the first to point out that his team looked sloppy and often out of sync throughout most of the Milford contest.

“I don’t think either team did a great job of executing and didn’t necessarily shoot the ball well. They did a great job in the second half of exploiting us inside, which you would think more and more teams are going to keep doing,” he said. “But we had the benefit of home court tonight and I really think that was the difference.”

Justin Hojlo paced the Pythons with 26 points, while freshman Stephen Spirou added 13 for the victors. Ricky Costa, who was uncharacteristically absent from the scoring line in the first half, rebounded in the third and fourth quarter to contribute eight points. Jamie Vaiknoras and Evan Cove each matched Costa’s point total.

The widespread scoring distribution was exactly what Kress said his squad was lacking when they were struggling early in the season. And opposing coaches are taking notice.

“They’re as good as anybody,” said Milford coach Dan Murray. “Even though they don’t have the size, they have the guards to match up with anyone in the state.”

Hojlo, especially, creates problems for opponents, he said.

“What makes him so good is that he sets the other guys up so well,” Murray continued. “If he was out of the lineup they would drop way down. Their guys can create, but he sets the tone for everything they do.”

Against Kennett, at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord on Friday, Jan. 18, the Pythons dominated from start to finish, crushing their opponents, 90-60.

Hojlo led the team in scoring with 24 points, while contributing eight assists. Costa dropped in 22 points to go along with five helpers and four rebounds. Spirou added 13 points, and Grant Hebert put another 12 on the scoreboard, adding four assists.

Up next, the 7-3 Pythons host 7-2 Monadnock on Friday, Jan. 25. Kress said the matchup presents an interesting dichotomy between the two squads. Monadnock is one of the larger, more physical squads in Class I, while the Pythons are small and fast and like to wear teams out by running up and down the court.

School drug search policy may be revised

Salem Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:44:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

The School Board may revise its policy on drug searches in Pelham schools after concerns were raised about the magnitude of the searches and disruptions caused to students.

During the board’s Wednesday, Jan. 16 meeting, School Board member Linda Mahoney cited the large number of law enforcement agencies that were used when a search was carried out in April at the high school and middle school.

“A little overkill and it wasn’t for anything they found specific,” Mahoney said. “It was scary for these kids. These kids didn’t know what was going on. And that’s what I don’t want to see happen again. It seems like we’re treating our kids guilty until proven innocent.”

Fourteen agencies, including the Pelham Police Department, carried out the searches. A bottle of vodka was found in the car of a 17-year-old boy who allowed administrators to search his car, and marijuana was discovered in the car of a 16-year-old boy after his father permitted a search.

The high school’s fire alarm sounded before the search began, sending students and employees outside.

Drugs searches are typically conducted every year in which dogs “hit” on places where drugs may be located.

Administrators have the right to search lockers. If a dog hits on a car, administrators ask the student for consent to search the vehicle. If the student or car owner refuses to give consent, the matter is turned over to police, according to Dorothy Mohr, school principal.

Dogs are not used to search students.

Mahoney said she is not blind that drugs may be in the high school but said other alternatives that provide a deterrence should be considered, such as having a police officer walk by lockers with a dog once a month.

Student representative Scott Cloutier said once the April search began, no one was concentrating on their school work that day. Instead, they were concentrating on the dogs they could see being used in the parking lot and were worrying if any of their belongings inside the school had been touched.

“To that magnitude, it was an interruption,” he said.

School Board member Eleanor Burton spoke in defense of the searches.

“I don’t think it hurts in this day and age,” she said. “I think we have to protect all the students. If it’s there, we need to find it. I don’t think it hurts to do it once in a while.”

School Board Chairman Bruce Couture said he believes several dogs are used to make the searches go quicker and because there’s a limit to how long each animal is effective.

“I see both sides of the argument, but I certainly think we should always keep ourselves open,” Couture said. “If something is brewing and they know about it and need that force to do it, then I think we should give ourselves that flexibility.”

Superintendent Frank Bass said he and Roxanne Wilson, the assistant superintendent, will review the policy and try to craft a proposed change that would address the concerns they heard during the meeting.

Supporters seek to restore library budget

Salem Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 20:14:00 GMT

By Darrell Halen

Supporters of the Pelham Public Library, unhappy that the Budget Committee reduced its funding for this year, will try to put $16,000 back into the library’s budget at the deliberative session of Town Meeting.

Library trustees had asked for $245,308 for 2008. The Budget Committee cut that figure to $216,978 – about what the library’s budget was in 2004 – and 5 percent less than last year.

According to library director Sue Hoadley, about a dozen library supporters -– staff, trustees, Friends of the Library in Pelham and others – attended the Budget Committee’s Jan. 15 reconsideration hearing in hopes of restoring some funding.

But John Lavallee, Budget Committee chairman, said at the meeting that the panel didn’t want to hear anything about the library unless it was new information, according to Hoadley.

As a result of the budget cut, library hours have already been scaled back from 50 hours to 42 hours a week and most full-time salaries were reduced by close to 5 percent.

The Budget Committee had suggested that a 40-hour-a-week adult services position be reduced to 20 hours, said Hoadley.

Lavallee said previously that many town departments took a hit in their new budgets and that Hoadley can “make it work” with less money. Many taxpayers are angry about higher property tax bills they received last month and are facing expensive proposals on the ballot in March, including a new high school and new fire station, he said.

Hoadley said library supporters at the deliberative session will ask that $16,000 be added to the town’s budget to bring the library’s funding to $232,978.

That money will allow the library to return to 50 hours, restore pay for full-time workers and provide them with a 3 percent cost of living adjustment and raise pay for part-time workers.

“It’s a small amount of money, but it will make a world of difference for the library,” Hoadley said.

The town budget can be changed at the deliberative session as long as a majority of voters present support it. The session begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at Pelham Elementary School.

Voters will accept or reject the budget when they go to the polls in March. If they reject it, a default budget – the previous year’s budget with certain adjustments – would go into effect. That would mean the library would be at its 2007 spending level.

Pelham hosts tourney,wins three titles

Salem Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:36:00 GMT

The Pelham Holiday Tournament, from Dec. 27 to 29, included more than 50 teams playing in separate boys and girls divisions for third- through eighth-graders.

Though welcoming to their many guests before and after play, the hosts were particularly inhospitable on the court, winning three of the nine division championships available.

The fifth-grade girls, as well as the sixth-grade and eighth-grade boys, won crowns, while the third- and fourth-grade girls reached the division finals before falling in overtime.

Third- and fourth-grade girls

After losing their first game to Groton-Dunstable by 13 points, the girls beat Hudson at the buzzer, then edged Windham, which finished without a victory. Both were two-point victories. In a rematch with Groton-Dunstable, the Pelham group of eight third-graders and four fourth-graders took the champions into OT, despite having just two experienced players.

The team, coached by Lisa Brown, included Hillary Faust, Sarah Benjamin, Abigail Conway, Rachel Alexander, Caitlin Ernest, Rachel Marion, Shannon Morin, Baylee Duarte, Abigayle Lachapelle, Morgan Walsh, Sarah Brown and Jessica Lessard.

Third- and fourth-grade boys

The Pelham boys ran into tough opponents in the first two games, losing in overtime to Bedford, 27-25, then falling to the eventual division champions, Lowell.

Tenacious defense from Collin Loring and Trevor Longo kept Pelham in the contest with Bedford. Other standouts included Cameron DeLoreto and Lukas Raza. Kyle Frank, Tim Walkup, Steven Jackson, and Tim Anderson playing well against Lowell.

But the locals earned a hard-fought 17-12 victory against Dracut to wrap up their tourney outing. Standouts on both ends of the floor for coach Craig Loring included Keith Brown, Jack Krzeminski and Tony Mantia.

Fifth-grade girls

Defense led Pelham to a title. The girls allowed 36 points in four lopsided wins. The locals moved through the opening round with a 40-7 drubbing of Dracut, a 20-10 victory over Lowell, and a 32-9 decision over Tyngsboro that featured 14 assists.

Chelmsford finally challenged the champs in the finals. Pelham, coached by Jim Philipson, led 9-6 at the half. But some aggressive man-to-man pressure defense held Chelmsford scoreless for 15 minutes of the second half in a 17-10 win.

Fifth-grade boys

Following a 53-45 win over previously unbeaten Wakefield on Dec. 22, fueled by Bryce Brown’s scoring and Nick Francoeur’s rebounding, Pelham had trouble early in the tourney opener and trailed Dracut by nine points at the break.

But Ryan Cloutier poured in eight second-half points, and Joe Costa sank two late-game free throws in the team’s 26-23 comeback win. Zach Masiello and Nick Wolfrom led a defense that allowed Dracut just four points.

Pelham then edged Hudson, 32-31, as Eric Guinasso want 3-for-4 from the line and Ryan Rondeau chipped in six points from inside the paint. Cloutier’s eight points included the game winner.

Despite strong efforts from Nolan Duffy, who scored nine points and grabbed several rebounds; Dylan Sylvestri, who it two free throws; and Ryan Nystrom, who added six second-half points, Pelham fell to Derry, 28-27.

Sixth-grade girls

Pelham opened the tourney with two convincing wins, 33-20 over Chelmsford and 26-14 over Tyngsboro.

The team’s lone blemish was a loss to the division champions from Hudson.

“How can you summarize heart and determination?” said coach Pattie Parece. “Every player did what was asked of them.”

Each of the girls said the team turned in a sterling defensive effort. The roster included Jordan Parece, Brianna Duarte, Hannah Paitchel, Minta Notini, Elissa Mogauro, Katie Haghdan, Niki DelSignore, Shelby Bedard, Michelle Langlois and Kaelyn Walsh.

Sixth-grade boys

Pelham proved its mettle, winning blowouts and tight games alike in winning the division crown.

James Sullivan, Chris Benjamin and Joe Slattery led a smothering press as the locals jumped to a 29-12 halftime lead, then cruised to a 45-38 win over Dracut in the tourney opener. Mike Coupal and Joe McArthur controlled the boards.

Windham then fell to Pelham, 39-20. Zach Conway led the attack with 10 points and eight rebounds. Derek Sage chipped in six markers.

The boys used a ferocious press to bolt to a 23-11 halftime lead over Hudson, then held off their foes’ comeback with a few key foul shots for a 39-36 victory.

Pelham’s Mike Pelletier helped the team to a 29-26 lead over Litchfield in the division final, but the rough-and-tumble visitors wouldn’t quit. Thanks to Ryan Frank and Jake Vaiknoras, who each took an offensive charge from a larger Litchfield opponent, and a solid team effort on both ends of the floor, the locals won, 60-50. Vaiknoras led the team with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Pelletier finished with nine points and Kevin Sabine chipped in six for head coach Mike Larson.

Windham won once in three contests, crushing Dracut, 37-18.

Seventh-grade girls

Pelham won two of three contests at the holiday tournament, edging Hudson, 37-36, and Merrimack, 28-23. Only a loss to Billerica kept the locals from the division finale.

Seventh-grade boys

Pelham went 2-1, as did Windham, in a strong division.

Pelham lost only to eventual champion Lowell before handling Dracut, 34-30, and Hampstead, 38-26.

Windham’s only setback was to division runner-up Merrimack. The team defeated Groton-Dunstable, 32-24, and Tyngsboro, 39-27.

Eighth-grade boys

Pelham A rolled to the title with double-digit wins over Hampstead, Dracut West and Dracut East. The only potential stumbling block, Hudson, fell to the locals, 48-46.

Pelham B went winless, though the team played well against the division runner-up, Dracut East, falling 48-45.

Solid road win lessens pain of historic home loss

Salem Editor — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:01:00 GMT

By Ryan O’connor

It had to end sometime.

Four years and 37 games after the Pelham boys basketball team last lost in its own gymnasium, the squad dropped its home opener, 54-53, to Class I favorite Portsmouth on Jan. 2.

The Pythons’ last home loss came in 2004 when they still competed in Class M.

“To be honest, when the game ended, not one part of me was thinking about the streak,” said head coach Todd Kress. “But we had some guys in the locker room that felt they let some of the alumni down. They really had this on their minds a lot more than I thought they did.”

But Kress witnessed his hoopsters come within one point of beating one of the top team’s in the state, despite having one of the worst shooting nights in their recent history.

Due to poor weather and New Year’s Day, Pelham didn’t practice for four days between the Keene Holiday Tournament victory and home opener, which Kress said explained – but did not excuse – the team’s flat performance.

“We walked into that game off no preparation and no practices and definitely looked it,” he said. “Yes, we were rusty, but we should be experienced enough to overcome it. We just didn’t look like ourselves as far as shooting the ball, shot selection and our rhythm were concerned.”

Much to their coach’s delight, however, the Pythons managed to turn their anger into a positive outcome two nights later on Friday, Jan. 4, when they traveled to St. Thomas Aquinas of Dover, minus their top three inside threats, and handled the hosts, 63-51.

“As much as the streak was a very nice thing, it wasn’t going to go on forever,” said Kress. “We’re almost done with this ridiculous stretch (of road games), so we just need to get though this next week (and two tough road contests at Milford and Kearsarge) and then we can go out there and start a new streak.”

The 3-3 Pythons open the season with eight of their first nine contests on the road. They finish the season with seven of nine at home.

Though the three losses will make it difficult for the Pythons to earn a top-three playoff seed, Kress said his team is still poised to lock up a first-round home matchup and reach Durham, where the larger court at the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gymnasium is advantageous to Pelham’s run-and-gun style of offense.

Against St. Thomas, Pelham – minus starting center Grant Hebert, who sprained his ankle against the Clippers, and backups Evan Cove and Conor McColgan, who were both sick – was forced to start 6-foot freshman small forward Stephen Spirou at center.

For at least two-thirds of the contest, Kress said he essentially had five guards running the court.

“That’s a different, very small, old-school type of gymnasium where the fans are really right on top of you. At the beginning of the year, you look at that game and just hope you can get out of there with a win,” he said. “I’m very, very proud with the way the boys came out, not so much with the lineup, but just going in there after a tough home loss and doing a great job of executing down the stretch.”

Against Portsmouth, Kress said the difference in the game was the lack of a third scoring threat. There was a huge drop between Ricky Costa’s 17 points and Justin Hojlo’s 14 points and the next highest scorers, Hebert and Jamie Vaiknoris, who each tallied five.

Two nights later, Costa delivered 19 points and Hojlo added 17, including 10 big points down the stretch. But Spirou netted eight points and Vaiknoris and point guard Brady Tryon both contributed seven in the winning effort.

Bow plays inhospitable host to Pelham, which beats Newfound

Salem Editor — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:53:00 GMT

By Chris Quartarone

The Bow wrestling team kept its undefeated streak in dual matches alive when the Falcons took down Pelham, 44-30, on Jan. 2.

The Bow wrestling team kept its undefeated streak in dual matches alive when the Falcons took down The recent meet at Bow High School also included the Newfound Regional Bears.

In the first dual match, Pelham crushed Newfound, 53-3.

Pelham’s Jake Corbin overpowered Newfound’s Calvin Leach in the 189-pound weight class, followed by another pin from Pelham’s Rob LaRose.

“I thought we came out with good energy tonight after not being on the mat much over winter break,” said Pelham coach Bob Riddinger.

In the tightly contested 130-pound match, Newfound’s Mike Bruning and Pelham’s T.J. Lee locked up in a back-and-forth scrap. Lee eventually broke a tie to win, 9-7.

Despite no warm up, Bow came out with two quick pins to stop Pelham’s momentum in the second dual match.

In the 171-pound weight class, Bow’s Sean Dipold pinned Ryan Daigle. In a battle of 189-pounders, Jim Paveglio pinned Pelham’s Corbin, a senior.

“I thought we wrestled aggressively and intelligently tonight, and when the kids wrestle within their ability, they succeed,” said Bow coach Paul Cohen.

Both Cohen and Riddinger said any team wrestling back-to-back dual matches is at a disadvantage, which was Pelham’s job.

“For the kids who already wrestled earlier in the evening, it is difficult for them to come out and wrestle another match, but they gave good effort,” said Cohen.

Riddinger said his team needs to refocus on some of the mechanics of the sport.

“We weren’t getting off the bottom (position) tonight,” he said. “We’ll get back to the basics of wrestling because you only need a few moves from each position to be successful.”

Riddinger agreed with Cohen that Pelham’s long hiatus during winter break may have had an adverse effect on the Jan. 2 meeting, but he saw positive aspects from the back-to-back dual meets, specifically the chance just to wrestle again.

Cohen said his group of currently unbeaten Bow grapplers has plenty of room for improvement.

“We still are learning to adapt to different styles of wrestling,” he said. “But we do have a nice mix of veterans and rookies, and they all have a great attitude, which is important. The kids definitely have confidence when they step on the mat and expect the best from each other.

“To be 6-0 with good tournament placings,” added Cohen, “I look for big things from this team.”