Pelham News : high school sports

Pelham handled in state semis by visiting Bishop Brady

Salem Editor — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:47:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

There was another postseason celebration on Pelham’s home field. This time it took place on the opposite sideline.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, the two-time defending Division V football champions were knocked out of the postseason by third-ranked Bishop Brady, 32-18.

The Pythons were well behind at halftime, 29-6, but trimmed the deficit to 11 points in the fourth quarter before falling short on fourth down and inches inside Bishop Brady’s 20-yard line.

“We have to get one inch, and we can’t,” said Pelham head coach Tom Babaian, who said his team was consistently overpowered. “That says a lot about us. We went behind our biggest kids, and they still couldn’t get it.”

Bishop Brady scored late in the first quarter and added another touchdown with 11:36 left before intermission to take a 13-0 lead, but Cam Robidoux grabbed some of the momentum back on the ensuing kickoff. The senior running back took the kick and scampered 86 yards for a touchdown to pull his team within seven points.

Peter Chenelle recovered a fumble at Pelham’s 4-yard line to momentarily slow Brady. In the shadow of his own goal post, quarterback Joseph DeAngelo dropped back to pass and was greeted with heavy pressure, throwing the ball out of bounds. He was flagged for an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone. The result was a safety and 15-6 deficit; then Bishop Brady scored another touchdown on the ensuing drive.

DeAngelo, a senior, rebounded with a 24-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kevin Cheam with 5:56 to go in the third quarter.

With 5:13 left in the game DeAngelo, who threw for 130 yards on the evening, hooked up with Josh Luciano for a 19-yard score to trim the margin to 29-18. The home team climbed no closer.

“The road (to the championship game) going through Pelham is how I would have wanted it,” said Brady’s head coach, Greg Roberts. “It’s been such a good program, and this is how it should have been.”

During the teams’ regularseason meeting, the Pythons handled the Green Giants, 25- 7.

Babaian said that despite consecutive titles, it’s been difficult to sustain success because of the small amount of players he has on his roster. Nearly every player on the Pythons plays in all aspects of the game.

“We need more kids. It’s not a football school, and it catches up to you,” said Babaian. “We got outsized, outplayed and out-thought today. We were exposed for what we truly were.”

Pelham High School reaches playoffs; coach seeks year-round commitment to improve

Salem Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:41:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Pelham girls volleyball season lasted one match longer than recent years. Thanks to a three-win campaign, the Pythons earned a playoff berth before falling to undefeated top seed Hollis- Brookline in straight sets on Thursday, Oct. 29.

Pelham was overmatched by the Cavaliers from the start, falling 25-14, 25-11 and 25-18.

While the Pythons’ efforts didn’t pay off on the scoreboard, extended points on many occasions thanks to diving efforts and digs on hardhit shots.

Alex Hall led the Pythons with 16 digs, while Kathryn Mostone managed eight digs and seven blocks. Roxanne Lapierre chipped in six digs as well.

“For us, our defense is always a mark of what we’re doing well,” said Pelham head coach Jen Nugent. “Our defense has been much improved. It’s gotten better with every match.”

The team secured its postseason berth on Oct. 19 with a 3-1 road victory over John Stark, thanks in large part to 10 kills and 17 blocks by Jacqui Perry. Mostone also had a solid match, contributing 16 digs and 14 blocks.

Nugent had only one bench player during her team’s playoff match, making it difficult for the Pythons to keep up with the Hollis-Brookline’s high-octane attack.

Pelham hung close early in the first game, trimming the deficit to 11-8 before the home team pulled away.

The Cavaliers controlled the second game, but in the third frame Pelham grabbed its first lead of the match, 4- 1, with Kelsey Kenney at the service line.

Kenney led the Pythons with 11 service points and an ace.

The Cavaliers recaptured an 11-10 edge, and although Pelham took a 14-13 lead, Hollis-Brookline dominated the remainder of the match to proceed to the Division II quarterfinals.

Nugent said her team was excited to have gained the No. 16 seed.

“We have a lot of girls interested in being on the team, but it’s just about getting them to buy into playing year-round to continue to improve,” said Nugent. “It’s my goal to get them to love it so much, they don’t want to stop.”

Young, sub-.500 PHS has an air of success that its coach has already seen

Salem Editor — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:14:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

There aren’t many similarities between lacrosse and soccer, yet Matt Regan is still experiencing an enjoyable case of deja vu.

Regan coached the Pelham High School lacrosse team that was 2-12 in 2008 and a state semifinalist in 2009. He senses a similar turnaround for his soccer squad, one that ended its season with a 6-2 victory against visiting Milford on Friday, Oct. 23.

Following the triumph, the Pythons concluded their 2009 campaign with a 4-12-0 record. The team does not lose a senior off its roster.

“I was able to do it with lacrosse because we had a lot of talented juniors who became seniors and rose to a whole new level,” said Regan. “By doing that, they bring everyone with them.”

Sophomore forward Alec Paradis connected on a feed from junior Ryan White midway through the first half, giving Pelham a 1-0 edge.

White concluded the firsthalf scoring when he found the back of the net five minutes prior to intermission, extending the lead to 2-0.

Evan Skinner, also a sophomore, scored early in the second half to give his team a three-goal lead, and the outcome was not in doubt again.

The Pelham starting lineup against Milford included five juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen, including one who should be central to the PHS attack for years to come.

Rafeal Decampos is a tall and powerful player who possesses tremendous abilities both with the ball and in the air, said Regan, though the mentor understands his young midfielder has work to do.

“When he’s on his game, everyone molds around him,” said Regan. “The games he played good, we won. The games we lost, well, he was a freshman. He’s going to be a spectacular player.” DeCampos and Peter Figurito also scored for Pelham, while Brian Finney made eight saves.

Sophomore Derrick Defranzo has started his first two years at the school and was recently joined up front by Paradis, previously a midfielder.

The Pelham mentor said he’s excited about the duo’s potential thanks to the speed and quickness each possesses. “You can tell they’re sophomores,” said Regan. “They’re still raw. If we can hone those skills, they’re going to be extremely hard to defend in the next couple of years.”

Despite its poor record overall, Pelham has shown glimpses of what could await Class I foes in the near future. On Oct. 13, the Pythons fell to Oyster River by a lone tally in overtime, and on Oct. 20 Pelham led Bedford until late in the contest before falling to the Bulldogs, 2-1. Those two teams have 19 wins between them, and both reached the Class I postseason tournament. PHS also beat playoff-bound Laconia on Sept. 30, 3-1.

As was the case for his lacrosse team, Regan said offseason play is key to ensuring forward momentum continues.

“They had been struggling and had some tough years. They had to get it out of their heads that the teams they were playing were better than they are,” said Regan. “We can play with these teams now.”

Pelham falls to Bow, drops in standings, must rebound quickly

Salem Editor — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:45:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

It’s a task Tom Babaian hasn’t faced in recent years, but the Pelham football head coach must now help his team find a way to bounce back.

After producing undefeated state championships the last two seasons, the Pythons are now 1-2 in Division V play following a heartbreaking 17-14 loss to visiting Bow High School on Friday, Sept. 25.

Pelham clung to a 14-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Falcons took control of the ball with 6:26 remaining in the contest and drove down to the Pythons’ 10-yard line with 30 seconds remaining.

Bow’s Austin Hill threw a corner end zone fade to a tightly covered Tom Poitras, but the 6-foot-6 receiver reached over the head of the defender and hauled in the go-ahead score.

“We had it covered perfectly. What else are you supposed to do?” said Pelham’s head coach, Tom Babaian.

The Pythons responded rapidly with a threat of their own as Tim Schaffer took the ensuing kickoff and returned it to the Bow 43-yard line with 17 seconds remaining.

Quarterback Joseph DeAngelo had one clean shot at the end zone, but the well-thrown ball fell through his receiver’s hands, and he was sacked while scrambling on the next and final play of the game.

DeAngelo gave his team a lead early on, scoring the game’s first touchdown on a quarterback keeper in the first quarter.

Bow struck back late in the second quarter to knot the score, but DeAngelo and the Pythons answered the call on a 41-second drive that culminated with a touchdown pass to freshman Kevin Cheam with 1:49 remaining until intermission. The second half, however, belonged completely to the Falcons, who possessed the ball for 19 of a possible 24 minutes while pounding into the teeth of the Pelham defense.

The Pythons missed an opportunity just prior to Bow’s game-winning drive. With 8:13 remaining in the contest, Conor McColgan leveled a Bow ball carrier, jarred the ball loose, and Josh Luciano scooped it up at the Falcons’ 31-yard line. But four plays later Pelham turned the ball over on downs, setting up the frantic finish.

Pelham went 22-0 combined in 2007 and 2008, but Babaian said it’s unfair to compare this year’s unit to those teams because of the skilled players and leaders who graduated.

“We are nowhere near the team we were in ’07 and ’08. You have to put that all behind,” said the Pelham mentor. “A lot of (the early struggles) are that they’re still trying to find each other, figure out what their teammates can do.”

Bow head coach Paul Cohen said his team knew coming it faced a difficult foe … and may have to again.

“Do I think they’re a team who can be one of the top contenders in the division? Absolutely,” said Cohen. “If we see them again, we’re going to have to prepare even harder.”

Babaian said his team wants that chance.

“We’re hoping,” he said. “That sure would be nice to get another shot at them.”

Upbeat Pelham High School volleyball dedicated to reversing recent struggles

Salem Editor — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:26:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Jen Nugent doesn’t mind being target practice.

The Pelham High School girls volleyball coach said she uses unique drills during practice to keep her team’s spirits up while trying to turn around a program that’s stumbled in recent years.

“They feed off of each other, and they’re a supportive group. We like to try to do some things that are fun but also productive,” said Nugent. “Even if that means hitting balls at me.”

Pelham opened its season with a 3-0 home loss to Souhegan, but the team improved in each game.

After falling in the first game, 25-13, the Pythons trimmed the Sabers lead to 22- 18 in the second frame before falling, 25-20.

The final game was the closest of the three, with Pelham close throughout; the score was 21-21 before the Sabers pulled away with a 25- 21 victory.

Nugent said she was happy with her team’s chemistry as the match progressed despite the setback.

“It was all about comfort level,” said Nugent. “It was their first match of the year, so just getting on the court and getting the season started was the big thing towards working the nerves out.”

Second-year captain Jacqui Perry is one of the Pelham leaders after topping the charts for the Pythons in digs, kills and blocks in 2008.

Sophomore Kathryn Mostone brings a determined, all-out style to the team; her mentor said the outside hitter won’t hesitate to hit the floor for a loose ball and also has improved her overall game.

Another player Nugent looks forward to watching this season is Sara Fuller, a junior middle blocker who the coach said shown rapid improvement and, thanks to her hard-hitting ability, a force at the net.

Last year, the team went 1-15, and the coach said she seeks a return to the tenacious defense Python players perfected several years ago, as well as an improved service game.

“We just want to be competitive, and we’ve gone a few years without that,” said Nugent. “It’ll take a lot of hours in the gym – and a lot of dedication.”

Pelham’s roster includes seasoned returners and talented additions

Salem Editor — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:49:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Even with summer winding down, Linda Koehler wasn’t excited to have her Saturday calendar unexpectedly cleared. Pelham High School’s field hockey coach preferred following through with her original plans.

The Pythons were set to take part in a four-team jamboree on Saturday, Aug. 22, but the games were canceled due to inclement weather, a disappointment for a coach who wanted to provide game action to a relatively inexperienced squad.

Nine seniors graduated from last year’s Pelham team that finished the 2008 Class I regular season at .500, 6-6-2.

“When I look at the team, numbers-wise I do have returning players,” said the mentor. “Some have some really strong time in at varsity, and some have a spattering of varsity playing time. It is going to be about transitioning (the untested players), and that’s our major focus right now.”

One aspect of the team that should make the transition easier is the relationship between the varsity and JV programs. Several players suit up for both teams, and each squad runs the same system, making it easier for athletes playing varsity for the first time.

Returning players Kally Riddinger and Stephanie Winn, who serve as team captains, lead the group.

Riddinger is the Pythons’ top defender, while Winn is a midfielder. But Koehler said the pair brings more to the team than fine contributions on the field.

“You name it, they do it,” said Koehler. “They’re smart players with a strong varsity background, and they are hardworking, good role models in addition to being solid at their positions. Those are the key elements you look for.”

Kelsie Lynde is one player Koehler expects to improve throughout the season; the junior’s athleticism should help fuel the Pelham offense from midfield to attack.

For Pelham to excel on offense, Koehler said forwards Molly Smith and Keri Foley need to meet their potential; both possess strength in the offensive zone.

The coach also said the 2009 unit is an easy-going bunch with good chemistry. As the season proceeds, Koehler said she hopes to see her inexperienced players develop a better grasp of the game and make some necessary mental adjustments.

“It’s a matter of them realizing that they are more talented players than what they thought, but it’s hard to build that confidence,” said Koehler. “I think they’re much better than what they are giving themselves credit for.”

Top athletes from SHS, PHS push for Meet of Champions

Salem Editor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:29:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Salem High’s track and field team trekked to Concord for the Class L meet on Friday, May 29, while Pelham’s T&F squad traveled to Coe-Brown Academy for the Class I state meet on Saturday, May 30.

Salem
Both of Salem’s track teams scored well, earning finishes near the front of the pack. The boys scored 53 points and the girls managed 47, earning fifth- and sixth-place in the state, respectively.

Several Salem athletes came away with multiple topfive finishes, and the Blue Devils have participants at the upcoming Meet of Champions on Saturday, June 6, at the University of New Hampshire.

Mike Marshall won the 110-meter hurdles and was second in both the high and long jumps, while Jerickson Fedrick was third in the 100- meter dash and fifth in the 200-meter dash for the Blue Devils. Max Jacques was fourth in the 100 and triple jump. Also, the 4x100 and 4x800 relay teams scored points for the SHS boys.

Melissa Higgins was second in the 400-meter dash and fourth in the 200-meter dash, but it was the field where Salem girls earned top marks.

Amy Desrosiers won the discus throw, followed in second place by Robyn Ciriello, who won the shot put with a heave just beyond 38 feet. Erica Begin took third place in the javelin throw.

Pelham
Though the Pelham track teams finished near the bottom of the standings during the Class I competition at Coe-Brown, about one-fourth of the squad qualified for the morning’s events, and several athletes recorded personal best (PR) efforts.

The boys finished the day with six points, while the girls grabbed one point.

Cam Robidoux notched a third-place finish in the 200- meter dash, earning him a spot in the MOC. His feat came just two weeks after he restarted track activity. A hamstring injury suffered at the Pelham Invitational in April had sidelined him for a month.

Kelsi Lynde narrowly missed the finals of the 300-meter hurdles, as she was nosed out by .02 seconds.

While she was unable to make it to the final heat, Lynde knocked .4 seconds off of her PR during the run. Lynde also teamed with Emily Long, Shannon Oriole and Melody Long in the 4x400- meter relay, during which the Pythons notched a time of 4 minutes, 16.56 seconds, good for sixth place.

Pelham edged in semis by Souhegan

Salem Editor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:24:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The third-ranked Pythons fell by a razor-thin 9-8 margin in a 9-7 tiebreaker during the deciding No. 1 doubles match of the Class I semifinal, losing a heartbreaking 5-4 outcome on Saturday, May 30, to second-seeded Souhegan.

Pelham put itself in position to clinch a spot in the state championship match, needing a lone doubles win after Ethan Ely polished off the final match of singles play with a win at No. 6, giving the Pythons a 4-2 advantage. Souhegan first won at No. 3 doubles, knocking off Matt Mercier and Ely, 9-7, to climb within 4-3.

Next to fall for Pelham was the previously undefeated freshmen duo of Jared Taylor and Matt Smith, leaving the collective eyes of the crowd at Jasper Valley squarely on the battle unfolding before them on court one.

With the team score knotted at 4-4, Ryan Fyfe and Brad Shapiro lost a 6-3 lead before bouncing back to grab a 7- 6 advantage, but the Sabers forced a tiebreaker that also went the distance.

Needing to score seven points to win the tiebreaker and the match, the Pythons took the lead at 2-0 and 3- 2 and subsequently tied the score at five, six and seven before Souhegan won backto- back points to complete its comeback and advance.

Head coach Lisa Terwilliger loses just one member of the regular rotation to graduation, and she said the youth of her team may have shown during the match with Souhegan.

“Last time we played them we only won one singles match and won two of the doubles,” she said. “Then to come out today and not be able to win any of the doubles matches, it was a little bit upsetting.”

Freshman Jared Taylor continued his impressive first year of varsity tennis with an 8-2 win at No. 1, while Shapiro and Mercier came away with victories at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively.

Shapiro, the lone senior on the ladder this year, posted an 8-3 win in his final singles match.

Still, with the group’s deep and talented core, Terwilliger knows this was likely not the Pythons’ only crack at a Class I tennis championship.

“We’re a very young team,” she said. “We have a few more years to get it, and hopefully we will.”

Facing D-III power, untested Pelham preps for postseason

Salem Editor — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:11:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The dominance of the Pelham High School football team continues, even in late spring.

For two consecutive years the Pythons have gone undefeated on the gridiron en route to state championships, and boys lacrosse head coach Matt Regan said his team can reap the postseason benefits.

PHS concluded the regular season with an 11-3 mark and has more wins this year than the previous four years combined, but the coach enters the tournament without a single playoff-tested player.

“It’ll be tough. I’ve got a group of guys who have never been there,” he said. “I have a few football players who know what it’s like to go all the way, so I’m relying on them to share what it takes with their teammates.”

The regular season closed for the Pythons with a 10-7 home loss to undefeated Monadnock on Friday, May 22, in a game that may go a long way in preparing Pelham for the playoffs.

After the Huskies struck first in the opening quarter, Justin Mansfield evened the score, then Tom O’Brien gave the Pythons a 2-1 advantage.

It appeared the game would be tied entering the intermission, but Josh Fisette took a pass from Sean Paradis on a breakaway and found the back of the net as the buzzer rang for a 4-3 Pelham lead.

Monadnock showed how it dominated Division III play with a 13-0 record when it scored five consecutive goals to grab an 8-4 edge.

Pelham bounced back with three straight scores to trim the lead to 8-7, but the locals couldn’t claw any closer.

“When we fell behind by four, things could have gone south very quickly,” said Regan. “They didn’t let that happen. That just shows that we’re ready for the playoffs.”

Last year the Pythons were 2-12, but Regan said he believed entering the 2009 campaign that his team had improved thanks to an offseason of indoor play.

Despite higher expectations, the mentor admitted even he has been surprised at his team’s marked improvement.

Even though Pelham was unable to hand the Huskies their first loss of the year, Regan believes his team sent a message entering D-III postseason play, which is scheduled to begin Monday, June 1.

“We know we can play with anyone,” he said. “I think the moment got us a little, but we made the statement that we needed to make.”

Pelham High School finishes regular season on the rise

Salem Editor — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:40:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Pelham boys tennis team doesn’t have much to pay back its Class I opponents, but the Pythons prepared for the postseason by avenging one loss from a short list of blemishes in 2009.

After losing to then undefeated Bedford earlier in the week, Pelham handed the Bulldogs their first loss of the year on Saturday, May 16, by way of a 5-4 road win.

With the victory, the Pythons concluded regularseason play at 12-2 and now await seedings for the upcoming Class I tournament.

Pelham took a 4-2 advantage after singles play when Brad Shapiro, Matt Smith, Matt Mercier and Ethan Ely knocked off their Bedford adversaries from their respective third through sixth spots on the ladder.

Mercier’s victory was particularly impressive; the junior trailed 3-0 and 6-3 against Kyle Basoukas before rallying for a 9-7 win.

Pelham’s No. 1 and 3 doubles pairs were unable to muster the lone victory needed to clinch the match, but the team decision was sealed during what went in the books as a 3-2 win for Smith and his partner, Jared Taylor.

Smith and Taylor led, 3-2, when a Bedford foe showed signs of frustration. His coach came onto the court for a conference before deciding to default the match.

With the victory, Taylor and Smith concluded a perfect season at No. 2 doubles.

PHS head coach Lisa Terwilliger said she has seen the importance of depth in several matchups this year.

“When we played ConVal, their (No.) 1 through 3 players were pretty stacked,” said Terwilliger, in her fourth season as coach. “We said on the bus heading over there that we’d have to count on our lower half of the ladder. We won 5-4 based on that, and it showed us how well-rounded we were.”

Pelham is currently seeded second in Class I, but top-ranked Bedford still has four matches to play before the tournament, meaning the Pythons could grab the No. 1 spot.

Taylor, a freshman, has anchored the ladder, losing only four times in his first year.

In addition to his blemishfree mark in doubles, Smith has lost just one singles match as the team’s No. 4 player. Terwilliger said she does not think having a fairly young rotation hurts the team entering the playoffs.

“They’ve been waiting for this all season,” she said. “They’re ready.”

I’Anson, Vadala head to Virginia and national meet

Salem Editor — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:58:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Chelsea I’Anson and Leeann Vadala won’t need much time to introduce themselves when they leave for Virginia Beach representing New Hampshire in the Senior National Gymnastics Invitational.

Though I’Anson and Vadala competed at different high schools, they have also trained together since sixth grade.

I’Anson, a member of the Pelham High School team, and Vadala, a Salem High gymnast, were among three Granite State athletes chosen to travel to the May 22 competition.

Python head coach Amanda Iwanicki has coached I’Anson for three years at the high school level.

“I couldn’t have thought of someone who was more deserving for it,” said Iwanicki. “It was big because this is a kid that three years ago was fighting to get the program into the school. People were wondering what the big deal was with the team, and now she can show that she took the program to a national level.”

Both gymnasts began the sport at a young age following advice of family members.

At the suggestion of her grandfather, I’Anson tried the sport and loved it immediately.

For Vadala, there was little doubt that she would end up tumbling her way to a successful gymnastics career.

“She had three sisters to pave the way, so she’s been around gymnastics since she was so young,” said Salem head coach Ginnie Lavallo. “When you’re the younger one, you fall into it much better. Her parents were both athletes that instilled that kind of mindset for striving to be her best.”

The bar was set high for Vadala; her oldest sister, now the head coach at Andover High School in Massachusetts, was one of the top gymnasts in the state during her high school career.

“I had to live up to my sisters,” said Vadala. “I always wanted to keep getting better so I could keep up with the rest of my family.”

Entering the national competition, Vadala said she hopes to place in the top 15 on the bars.

The SHS senior said she has often been her biggest critic, but that has helped her find success.

“I am really hard on myself,” she said. “If I wasn’t as successful as I wanted to be, people had to remind me that even if I didn’t do as well as I had wanted to, I was still doing better than most gymnasts.”

I’Anson also prepares to leave for the event with realistic expectations and a relaxed outlook.

“I know I won’t be the best person there,” she said. “I am really just looking forward to having some fun while I am down there.”

Pelham coach reminds players to relax, stay focused

Salem Editor — Thu, 07 May 2009 12:55:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Visiting St. Thomas Aquinas shellacked Pelham’s baseball team.

“So what?”

It’s that phrase that Pelham’s head coach, Matt Stone, repeated to his players throughout the contest on Wednesday, April 29, to help them maintain an even keel during an 11-3 setback and a 2-7 start to the season.

“You can’t show emotion. You can’t lose your composure. That’s what ‘So what?’ means,” said Stone. “You have to be able to brush it off and look yourself in the mirror after the game and say that you didn’t take a single pitch off.”

In the early going, Stone could be heard saying the expression repeatedly, as the Pythons fell behind 8-0 in the first three innings. It appeared the game was headed for a mercy-rule conclusion.

But Stone’s bunch buckled down, held the Saints without a run in back-to-back innings, then began to chip away at the score.

After Louie Lebel and Corey Couillard worked walks, Joe Morin plated Pelham’s first run in the bottom of the third with an RBI groundout.

In the home half of the sixth, Mike Perruccio came off the bench and produced a sacrifice fly, and Jesse Vaiknoris brought the third Python run of the day home with a single that cut the deficit to 9-3.

The hard-hitting, slick-fielding Saints proved too much, but Stone was glad to see his team play for seven innings.

“We’ve gone down before, but we’re not here to get mercy-ruled,” said Stone. “We’re going to keep kicking, keep scratching to try to keep playing.”

Pelham’s most impressive win of the season came April 24 in a road tilt with Kearsarge when the Pythons left with an 8-7 victory, the Cougars’ only setback in five April games.

Following the loss to St. Thomas, the Pythons fell to Souhegan, 11-1, on Saturday, May 2, and Coe-Brown, 10-5, on Monday, May 4. In the setback to Coe-Brown, played at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, James Moran went 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple, Lebel singled and doubled in two official trips to the plate, but Northwood’s boys scored five in the top of the seventh to pull away.

“They’ve learned how to handle being on the underside of some games,” said Stone. “It’s not a sport where if you’re angry you can take it out on your opponent. It’s a game where you have to stay cool mentally to be successful.”

Young players continue to pump up Pelham’s program

Salem Editor — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:57:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Pelham had a few interested parties watching matches throughout the 2008 season. This year, they’re on the other side of the fence.

Boys tennis coach Lisa Terwilliger said she began thinking about this year’s team when her current freshmen – then eighthgraders – showed up to see a PHS squad that was eventually knocked out in last year’s Class I semifinals.

“That was a good sign,” said Terwilliger. “They had interest and wanted to be a part of it. I knew we’d have a good lineup.”

The lineup begins with freshman Jared Taylor, who has already shown he can handle the top rung on the Pelham ladder.

On Friday, April 17, the Pythons knocked off Portsmouth, and Taylor passed the biggest test of his young career.

Trailing, 4-1, in a battle with Eric Levenson, who Terwilliger said is one of the top players in the state. Taylor battled back and eventually secured a 9-7 victory. That win set the tone for a 6-3 final that sent the Pythons to a 3-0 record.

Matt Smith, also a freshman, came away an 8-3 victory that day as well.

The upperclassmen, of course, are contributing mightily as well. Senior Brad Shapiro enters his fourth year with the team as the third-ranked Python, and juniors Ryan Fyfe and Matt Mercier fill the second and fifth rungs on the ladder, respectively.

Ethan Ely rounds out the lineup for the Pythons, hitting in the sixth spot as a sophomore. With a relatively young team, Terwilliger has already identified her challenge this year.

“The biggest thing we have to work on is the mental aspect, and not showing emotions on the court,” said Terwilliger. “For the other team to see that, they know they already have the win. That has happened a little bit early on.”

Pelham handily won a home tilt with Milford, 9-0, on Monday, April 20, before hitting the road for back-to-back contests in Bow and Souhegan on April 23 and 24.

The head coach said she expects her team to make a run in the playoffs, and the tradition the squad has developed in previous campaigns breeds confidence in her players.

“Every year, my team thinks we’ll have a winning season,” said Terwilliger. “This is my fourth year, and every year except one we’ve had a winning record. They want to win, and we’re not used to losing. So having that reputation really helps.”

With few athletes, Pelham High School goals center on strong individual efforts

Salem Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:08:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

With a small squad, Pelham’s track and field athletes enter the upcoming season actually looking to inject some “I’s” into “team.”

Since the short roster currently precludes an end-of-season team state championship, the Pelham coaching staff spends practices and meets focusing on individual goals.

“We can’t do the damage at the state meet, so we focus on helping them hopefully cracking the top three,” said Justin Soucy, who shares Pelham’s coaching chores with Jen Jaquith. “Our goal is as always to get as many individuals to the state meet and have them perform as well as they can if they make it there.”

Cam Robidoux is expected to be one of the main performers for the Pelham boys. The junior competes in the 100- and 200- meter dashes, and potentially a relay team.

In the meet prior to the indoor state meet in February, Robidoux suffered an ankle injury, yet he still managed eighth-place finishes in the 55- and 300-meter dash races.

Jumper and sprinter Todd Paquin was slated to be one of the team’s leaders this spring, as he was in the indoor campaign. However, a knee injury means he likely misses the season.

For the girls, Emily Spognardi continues her first season in competitive track; the junior switched to the sport during the indoor season and found early success with a sixth-place finish in the 1,500-meter run.

“Having the indoor season under their belt helps a lot,” said Soucy. “If they get to the state meet and perform well, it gives them a boost of confidence and gets them looking forward to this season, especially for someone like Emily, who is in her first year.”

Kelsi Lynde and Melody Long are also among the members on the girls team with indoor experience from this year’s state meet. Lynde was sixth in the 55- meter hurdles, and she teamed with Spognardi, Melody Long and Emily Long on the sixthplace 4x400 relay team.

“Getting into the state meet is usually a big goal for anyone on our team,” said Soucy. “A huge motivating factor is to look at personal goals and do everything in our power to make sure we hit those.”

Hojlo heads to college as Pelham High School record holder and special leader

Salem Editor — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:22:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

He came off the bench his freshman year – a spark amongst a fiery group of seniors, including his older brother – and helped Pelham garner its first Class I basketball crown.

As a sophomore and junior, his flame burned brightly as he guided the team to the Class I quarterfinal round each season.

That flame flickered when his junior campaign ended with him back on the bench, a coach’s decision based on a technical foul for arguing with the referee.

This year, he ignited into a full-blown wildfire, torching opponents to the tune of 28.1 points per game and 702 markers overall. And if it wasn’t for a thumb injury suffered in this year’s state semifinals, he may very well have led Pelham to another state championship. This was the evolution of Justin Hojlo.

In those four seasons he compiled a Pelham record 1,810 points, far past the old mark of 1,621 set by one of his mentors, James Roman, when Hojlo was a freshman.

In that time, the Pythons won 74 games in Class I and lost 12. They were 80-16 overall.

“He walked into a very fortunate situation as a freshman where he was good enough to be a successful player, but he really didn’t have to be thrown into the fire. He had a lot of big brothers on that team that really allowed him to take his time developing as a high school basketball player,” said Pelham head coach Todd Kress of the standout guard, who has averaged 23.2 points per game as a starter the last three seasons. “Once his sophomore year came, … the team was really thrown into his lap … That was a lot for a sophomore to handle. He wanted to defer to the seniors because it was their last year, but he knew, at times, he needed to be the guy on the court.

“As a senior, you saw he was finally able to really step into that leadership role,” Kress continued. “Now it was Justin who had a lot of little brothers looking up to him.”

Every game this season, Hojlo received opposing defenses’ severest concentration.

Every road and playoff contest, he was the object of fans’ hostility. Yet he led the Pythons to a 17-1 regular season.

Hojlo credits his maturation as a cager almost entirely to Kress, assistant Matt Regan and the other coaches at PHS. “I came in and all I could do was shoot three (pointers),” said Hojlo. “Now I have an allaround game, and I’ve got to credit the coaching staff for that. They’ve made me into a real basketball player.”

Despite his 5-foot-10 frame, he leaves behind some very large shoes to fill.

Michael Lombard, along with fellow sophomore Stephen Spirou, are the two most likely candidates to step into Hojlo’s starring role.

Lombard, a post player, said he hopes to succeed in different ways, but doubts he’ll ever have the game-changing impact Hojlo exhibited on a nightly basis.

“We’ll never have another player like him come through the program,” said Lombard. “It was just amazing to be around him. He could score in a hurry, and he was always there to carry us when we needed him.”

That’s not to say Hojlo was selfish. On the contrary, though he was never afraid to take an important shot, he just as often slashed toward the net, drawing defenders to him before dishing to a wide open teammate for an open look at the hoop.

But the one thing Kress hopes Hojlo leaves behind is his desire to win.

“I hope all the younger players really paid attention to those fourth quarters of tight games because the one thing Justin 100-percent positively showed throughout his four years is he hates to lose,” said the coach. “That’s just Justin’s mentality. You can’t imagine how fiery and demonstrative he is when he loses. I’m sure that 1,810 mark won’t be touched for many, many a year, but what I really hope, if nothing else, he passed on that desire to have the ball in tight situations.”

Kress said the most difficult part of accepting his team’s 61- 48 loss to Portsmouth in this season’s Class I finale was that Hojlo, due to the thumb injury, couldn’t take over one last time in a hotly contested fourth quarter. Still, Hojlo has played in 10 playoff games on the University of New Hampshire’s larger floor, as many as anyone in Class I. Now he hopes to have a similar impact on the Plymouth State University hardwood.

“I think you’re going to see a much different player up there,” said Kress. “You’re going to see a kid that hurts defenses if they don’t play him tight, and you’re going to see someone very dangerous from the perimeter. But I think, more than anything else, you’re going to see a facilitator on a very talented basketball team John Sheinman has up there.

“He’ll be one of the pieces in a bigger puzzle, and I see him fitting right into his role and dishing out a lot of assists. He’ll be a very popular teammate, I’ll put it that way,” added Kress. “Justin isn’t intimidated by anything, and Plymouth is very fortunate to have a player like him.”