Pelham youngsters continue to improve during difficult girls basketball season

Salem Editor — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:47:00 GMT

It was a good news/bad news Senior Night for the Pelham girls basketball team.

The bad news? The Lady Pythons had just three seniors to honor, a reality evident by the 53-38 setback that evening, Friday, Jan. 30, courtesy of visiting Coe-Brown Northwood Academy.

The good news? The Lady Pythons graduate only three seniors. While the losses mount – Pelham fell to 3-10 following a 75-40 loss at Portsmouth on Tuesday, Feb. 3 – head coach Tim Powers knows his charges are showing marked progress.

“They’re young, and they learn every game. They’re improving, and they’re doing things better now than they were at the beginning of the year, so that’s the important thing …,” he said. “Anytime you can get on the floor and get some game experience that’s a huge benefit because you can’t simulate that at practice.”

Though Coe-Brown left the PHS gymnasium with a 10-3 record, the locals were competitive the entire first half, even taking the lead late in the second quarter.

But when senior standout Briana Szidat left with an injury early in the third, Pelham not only lost her scoring – she led the game with 18 points – but her leadership.

“That definitely was a factor, but even with her going out with an injury, we still had opportunities, and we just didn’t take advantage of those chances,” said Powers. “The girls came out and executed the game plan and did things the way they needed to, the way we wanted to do, and we were right in the game. That’s the kind of basketball we’re capable of playing. We just need to do it for four quarters.”

Nicole Mastacouris chipped in six points, while Sarah DeBaldo and Rachael Fournier each added four markers. Also contributing to the stat sheet were Jacqui Perry, Amanda Blake and Kayla Bailey.

Powers admits he looks forward to witnessing the fruits of this year’s lumps, but acknowledged his tri-captains, Szidat, Bailey and April Blinn, will be tough to replace.

“Obviously, Briana is the one that does a lot of the scoring and gets all the headlines, but the other two are … hard workers, and they do all the little things that, if you look at the box score, you’re not going to see,” said the coach. “But they do the things that make the team go: they push the young girls and do a lot of the dirty work. They’re very important pieces, all three of them.”

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.

Pelham News : girls basketball

Pelham youngsters continue to improve during difficult girls basketball season

Pelham hosts tourney,wins three titles