Pembroke News : pembroke academy

Pembroke Academy girls, solid last year, has nucleus back for run in ’09

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:04:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Pembroke Academy girls soccer team has a strong core and, later this year, that could translate into a better seed.

Though the Spartans finished last year at 10-5-1, a cluttered Class I postseason picture left them with the No. 11 seed. PA bowed out in the first round of the playoffs.

A combination of youth and experience has Pembroke’s mentor, Steve Langevin, excited about the current season, which began on Friday, Aug. 28, with a 2-0 victory over Bow.

One strength of the team is the defensive backfield, which is almost completely intact from last season.

“It’s nice to have that, because we’re just going to get to know each other even better,” said Langevin. “By playing more together, they’re going to be become even more difficult for other teams to get through.”

Abby McCormack is back as starting sweeper as a sophomore. She’s joined by fellow returners Emma Pinard, Haleigh Parker and Alyssa Douglas. The only new face on defense is Laurin Brainerd, who played junior varsity in 2008.

Langevin said he has 19 players, and all should expect to see time on the field running a high-pressure scheme that focuses on team defense from every position.

The mentor doesn’t expect any individual to post a gaudy goal total, and the offensive load is spread equally through the lineup.

Junior Rachel Devoe is the top returning goal scorer; she tied for team honors in 2008. Langevin expects senior Kacie Paradie and first-year varsity players and sophomores Hannah DeBold and Alycia Abbott to have an impact at forward.

The NHIAA instituted a new method of keeping the standings for Class I on a oneyear trial basis, with teams rewarded more for wins against tougher opponents. Langevin said if the system were in place last year, the Spartans likely would have had a much higher seed based on their strength of schedule.

Eleven of Pembroke’s 16 games this season come against last year’s top 10 teams. If the Spartans continue to notch difficult wins, a reward likely awaits the group.

“We’re just trying to get in (the playoffs),” said Langevin. “We’re hoping the tough schedule we’re playing will get us a little more ready for the tournament. You just want to get there and get hot at the right time, and then any of the top 10 teams can win it all.”

A new class of graduates

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:43:00 GMT

By Lauren Sausser

The first instinct Bridget Sargent had at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, was to hit the snooze button.

But then she remembered she had to graduate.

“Once I was awake, I was excited that it was graduation,” said Sargent, a Pembroke Academy senior from Allenstown.

Sargent and her friend Lynn Noonan worked together to make sure their sashes were straight and their caps were pinned on correctly. Both will attend the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord this fall.

All the graduating seniors were abuzz about future plans that morning.

Senior Kurtis Chesley is shipping off to Illinois in a few weeks for basic training. He is joining the Navy; Tyler Fritz will head to NHTI to study video game design.

Savannah Fitzpatrick, the senior class treasurer, is excited about attending Plymouth State University this fall, but was more focused on the speaking part she had to deliver in front of hundreds of family and friends who turned out for the graduation ceremony.

Fitzpatrick also presented awards to Pembroke Academy faculty.

“I’m nervous about speaking,” Fitzpatrick said before the program. “I feel like I was in first grade last week. These last four years have gone by so fast.”

More than 200 seniors received diplomas on the athletic fields of Pembroke Academy yesterday morning. The rain held off, and the grass was dry enough to set the picture- perfect backdrop for the ceremony.

“When I looked at her this morning, I thought that by the end of the day, she’ll be on her own,” said Donna Hall, mother of graduate Alex Hall, who will attend the University of Hartford in Connecticut.

“It’s gone by very quickly. We’ll definitely miss her, but we’re excited for the opportunities ahead,” she said.

Andrew Gosselin, father of senior Stephanie Gosselin, said there could not be a prouder parent on the athletic field yesterday.

“I know my daughter has a head on her shoulders above most others,” Gosselin said. “She’s graduating from Pembroke Academy in the top 10 percent of her class. She knows exactly who she is, and what she wants to be. It’s a very proud moment.”

West, Central and Memorial high schools also held graduations on June 20.

Pembroke Academy reaches playoffs under first-year coach, finishes with 10 wins

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:34:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Dylan Hall’s goal entering the season was to make the playoffs. Hall’s Pembroke Academy boys tennis team reached that goal, and in impressive fashion.

The Spartans posted one of the best campaigns in school history, finishing the regular season at 10-4 to earn the seventh seed in the Class I tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to secondranked Souhegan, 7-2.

Poor weather forced the Spartans and Sabers to play inside Nashua Swim and Tennis Club on Friday, May 29. Kyle Carty was the only member of the Spartans’ ladder to earn a singles victory; PA’s No. 5 came away with an 8-6 win over Souhegan’s Nate Readington.

Early on, it appeared the doubles matches would have meaning. The majority of the scores remained tight before the Sabers pulled away to clinch the team win before singles play concluded.

Pembroke No. 6 Bill Bouchard raced to a 4-1 lead early against Nate Poulack, but was unable to hold on and fell, 9-7. Stephen Boddie posted the next closest result, falling 8-5 at No. 3.

At No. 3 doubles, Carty and Luke Underwood defeated their Souhegan counterparts, 8-4.

Four players are eligible to return for Pembroke, including two from among the team’s top six.

Bouchard and No. 4 Ricky Yeames are likely to hold spots in the ladder next season, while head coach Dylan Hall looks for contributions from inexperienced players Jeffrey Lin and Emerson Brooks in 2010.

Despite the early exit from the playoffs, Hall said he was impressed with his team’s 10-5 mark.

“We beat Bow twice, which is our main rival, and we also beat Hanover for the first time in school history,” said Hall. “For Pembroke tennis, we had a very good year, and the seniors can take a lot out of this.”

The mentor, looking to continue the program’s growth, wants his team’s effort this year to resonate with PA’s other student-athletes.

“I’m really hoping that with the success of the team we’ll be able to attract some athletes who may not necessarily be tennis players,” said Hall. “It’s the type of sport where if you have a good, athletic kid, I can show them how to play.”

Rookie coach sees experience as means to Pembroke Academy’s improvement

Hooksett Editor — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:22:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

No matter where they come from, Dylan Hall looks forward to seeing some wins.

The first-year Pembroke Academy boys tennis head coach said while he has an idea what his team’s lineup will look like, the efforts of those closer to the ladder’s bottom rung weigh just as much as those of his top player.

“A win is a win,” said Hall during a scrimmage against Goffstown on March 31. “Our goal is to make the playoffs, to play good, solid tennis and get in there and have some fun. We’ve got a good group of kids, practicing has been good, and I think we have a good shot at it.”

Barring an unforeseen change, Tim Phair is the Spartans’ No. 1. Luke Underwood, Stephen Boddie and Ricky Yames, not necessarily in that order, should man the Nos. 2 through 4 spots, according to Hall.

The coach also said Kyle Carty and Bill Bouchard are among those expected to see court time this year, as well as Emerson Brooks, who has shown promise as a freshman.

Pembroke traveled to and handily defeated Laconia on April 13, 8-1. The Spartans face Plymouth Regional at home on April 20.

While practice time has prepared the team for its seaBarring an unforeseen change, Tim Phair is the Spartans’ No. 1.

Luke Underwood, Stephen Boddie and Ricky Yames, not necessarily in that order, should man the Nos. 2 through 4 spots, according to Hall.

The coach also said Kyle Carty and Bill Bouchard are among those expected to see court time this year, as well as Emerson Brooks, who has shown promise as a freshman.

Pembroke traveled to and handily defeated Laconia on April 13, 8-1. The Spartans face Plymouth Regional at home on April 20.

While practice time has prepared the team for its seasonopener, being able to scrimmage has exposed Hall’s squad to a different kind of action.

“Tennis is the type of sport where you can practice a lot and be good in practice, but nothing makes up for game experience,” said Hall. “It’s a totally different animal once the games start. Certain kids get tight, certain kids get better, so (the scrimmage) is huge.”

During the preseason meeting with GHS, Hall wasn’t necessarily concerned with the scores of the matches, but said he and his team benefited from the day.

“I’ve just been watching to see how they perform under pressure, and all kids are different …,” said Hall. “What I really want to see is them put to use some of the stuff we’ve worked on, and that’s all I am really looking for.”

Pembroke Academy's first-year coach sees experience as means to improvement.

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:46:00 GMT

No matter where they come from, Dylan Hall looks forward to seeing some wins.

Barring an unforeseen change, Tim Phair is the Spartans’ No. 1.

Luke Underwood, Stephen Boddie and Ricky Yames, not necessarily in that order, should man the Nos. 2 through 4 spots, according to Hall.

The coach also said Kyle Carty and Bill Bouchard are among those expected to see court time this year, as well as Emerson Brooks, who has shown promise as a freshman.

PA’s season begins Tuesday, April 7, with a home match against Lebanon. The team travels to Laconia on April 13, then faces Plymouth Regional at home on April 20.

While practice time has prepared the team for its season-opener, being able to scrimmage has exposed Hall’s squad to a different kind of action.

During the preseason meeting with GHS, Hall wasn’t necessarily concerned with the scores of the matches, but said he and his team benefited from the day.

Goffstown-Pembroke Academy Tennis scrimmage

Pembroke one of three top seeds to fall to state champion Portsmouth

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:55:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Last year, it took a stunning underdog effort for the Pembroke boys basketball team to reach the Class I semifinal round. This season, the secondseeded Spartans were expected to be there.

Unlike 2008, when No. 9 PA knocked off undefeated top seed Oyster River, it was the locals who were upset in this year’s tourney.

The Spartans lost, 58-48, to No. 6 Portsmouth, which also beat No. 3 Oyster River in the quarterfinals and No. 1 Pelham for the state title.

“Last year, we came in being the spoiler. It just feels different this year,” said head coach Matt Alosa. “Last year, you weren’t expecting us to beat Hanover (in the semis). I felt that this game, we had more of a chance to come back, even being down like we were, to come back and win.

“Everybody’s down. You know, nobody wants to lose, and this team knew they were championship quality,” he continued.

“They went out there and they fought, they left their heart on the court tonight, but ... we couldn’t get over that, eight-, 10-, 12-point point hump, and in the final four you’ve got to make some shots, and I just don’t think we had a typical Pembroke shooting night.”

Indeed, the Spartans, in both the second and fourth quarters, took some wind out of the Clippers’ sails, holding them scoreless for more than five minutes late in the first half, but time and time again the locals failed to take advantage.

Yes, they cut an 18-point third-quarter deficit to seven in the fourth, but that was the closest they came.

“In the second quarter we stopped them seven or eight times in a row, and we got nothing out of it,” said Alosa. “Tonight, I think the defense did a pretty good job. I just don’t think we finished on the break, I don’t think we finished the shots we normally make, and when you don’t do that with a team like Portsmouth, that’s running on all cylinders now, you’re going to have a tough time.”

Still, the fact PA has fallen in consecutive final four appearances carries with it this reality: the program is now among the best in Class I.

“That’s just it. We’re trying to have a program, not a team. Not a team one year that you get lucky and have some kids that are good. I think these kids have been developed now for three years, and you can kind of see the progression from my first year, second year, third year,” said Alosa. “We graduate five seniors – all of them play – so we’re going to be younger next year ... but I think you’ll see Pembroke in the mix. We’re trying to develop a program that can consistently get into the tournament, can consistently make noise and be competitive.”

The Spartans, who finished the year 19-2, will undoubtedly miss graduating floor general Tyler Yeaton and fellow seniors Nick Porter, Christian Davis and Pat McCormick, but plenty of talent is expected to run the PA floor next season, including the likely prolific backcourt duo of junior Sheldon Benson and sophomore Taylor Vasquez.

Others returning include juniors Brad Freeman, Dalton Cheney, Zach Cogswell and Jackson Riel, as well as freshmen Tyler Morrison and Kent Noyes.

Game notes
Grenier led the contest with 19 points. Nick Porter contributed 10 markers. Benson added six, and McCormack and Vasquez offered four apiece. Davis and Yeaton chipped in with three and two points, respectively.

Pembroke Academy trophy case accepts another deposit from state champion spirit squad

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:52:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

The Pembroke Academy spirit squad kept its word.

Following a second-place finish at the 2008 Class I winter competition, team members had a message for head coach Donna Ong.

“They said last year, ‘Well, we were runner up this year, we’ll win it next year,’” said Ong. “They weren’t kidding.”

Ong’s Spartans edged Bedford – champions at the fall competition – on Saturday, March 14, to earn the state title and a spot at New Englands, besting a young Bulldog group by .5 points.

Bedford was a main competitor during the regular season this year for the Spartans; each team beat the other at least once leading up to the Class I contest.

“We’re only a second-year team, so we don’t totally know what’s out there. Pembroke stuck out in our mind this year,” said Jennifer Mason, Bedford’s head coach. “We don’t really have any rivals since we are such a new team, but Pembroke was someone we were worried about.”

Pembroke was forced to perform without Brittany Fleury; the sophomore tore her ACL the previous week while competing in Concord. “She was hobbling, but she was there,” said Ong. “I know she was going through it in her head.”

The sophomore watched her team’s routine alongside her coach, who was forced to make changes in the routine before her team arrived at Southern New Hampshire University.

“I threw some things together, and I was just hoping they would look OK,” said Ong. “This is a team that is pretty amazing, and they are truly athletes. They’re selfless and focused. They have a lot of fire and determination, and obviously confidence.”

Ong said there wasn’t just one aspect that led to her team’s title.

“I couldn’t believe it. It was a money-maker routine. Everything was on the money,” said the coach, who was assisted by Danielle Yeaton. “It was on time, synchronized. It was solid. I never move when I watch their routines, and I was up and on my feet.”

Team members include captains Melanie Lussier, Jennifer MacKenzie and Ashley Pelissier, as well as Fleury, Jennifer Cheney, Madyson Caruso, Kennedi Duval, Kaitlyn Frederickson, Alyssa L’Heureux, Kimberly L’Heureux, Molly LaPlume, Kristen Palmer, Chelsea Pritchard, Ashley Schaefer and Jess Smith.

Pembroke Academy continues its rise in win over struggling Stark

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:40:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

On a night when the Pembroke Academy boys basketball team was ice cold shooting from the outside, head coach Matt Alosa couldn’t help but think of warmer days in March.

Despite shooting 12 percent from beyond the threepoint arc, the Spartans managed a 56-45 victory against John Stark on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at NHTI, Concord’s Community College.

Following a 75-60 victory against Bedford on Saturday, Feb. 14, and a 59-46 triumph over Merrimack Valley on Tuesday, Feb. 17, the Spartans improved to 15-1, leaving Alosa with the hope his charges are about to play their best basketball.

“Whoever wins (the Class I championship) needs to be hot at the beginning of March,” said Alosa. “You can catch anyone when you’re having a bad night, and that’s when you lose.”

Despite the poor longrange shooting, the Spartans still hit 40 percent overall after shooting 31 percent during the first half. At the break, PA led by four points, 23-19.

“Turnovers and missed free throws really hurt us,” said Stark’s head coach, Mike Smith, whose team was 17-for- 29 – roughly 59 percent – from the charity stripe. “Pembroke is a very hard team to match up with because they’re so athletic. They took us out of a lot of the things we wanted to do.”

Despite its 10th loss, John Stark remains in the hunt for a playoff spot. Smith answered quickly when asked how many wins his team needs to sneak into the tournament.

“Seven wins should be good enough to get in,” he said. “We’ve got a steep road ahead. We’ve played everyone in the division close, and everyone we have left is going to play us tough. We have to win three out of four, and it’s not impossible for this team.”

On Friday, Feb. 13, John Stark hosted 7-7 Plymouth Regional in what Smith called a “must win.” His team responded, cruising to its fifth victory, 71-42.

But the team absorbed another setback after a 79-72 loss to 10-5 Milford on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Lebanon, with a doubledigit victory total, visits next on Friday, Feb. 20. Stark’s regular season ends at Kearsarge Regional, another of a handful of squads seeking the 16th, and final, spot in the postseason.

In the game versus John Stark, Pembroke’s Jonathan Grenier, Sheldon Benson and Christian Davis all scored in double figures, with Grenier’s 17 points leading the group.

Taylor Vazquez led PA against Bedford with 19 points. Kevin LeBlond’s 18 points paced the Generals against Pembroke, while Nick Campono dropped in 11 markers.

Alosa said his team has four scorers averaging in double figures this season, with a fifth hovering around nine points per game, and that makes the Spartans a difficult foe in the tournament.

“We don’t have just one guy. It’ll be a different guy every night, and you never know who that will be,” said Alosa. “That’ll be important in the playoffs. Rarely do you have a whole team not shooting the ball well in one night.”

Spartans shrug off loss with lopsided win, seek deep playoff run

Hooksett Editor — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:22:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

A season-opening loss to first-year Bedford not withstanding, Marc Noel maintains the highest expectations for his squad this season.

Indeed, the Pembroke Academy ice hockey coach returns nearly the entire lot of players from a squad that reached the playoffs last year.

“I think the returning core is solid, and considering my team this year is really no different from last year’s, minus (standout) Jordan McCray, of course, there’s really no reason why these guys can’t step it up a notch,” said Noel.

The next logical step is a trip to the Division III title game, a goal he said is well within reach.

The Spartans proved their resilience by bouncing back from the 2-1 Bedford setback on Dec. 17 and crushing Laconia on the road, 7-0, on Saturday, Dec. 20.

It certainly helped to have first-string goaltender Zach Gagnon, who missed the opener, back in net. Freshman forward Steve Gilpatrick filled in admirably and proved a reliable fallback, stopping 11 Bedford shots, but Noel said Gagnon’s senior experience provides the Spartans with a distinct advantage each time they take the ice.

Another senior, Doug Turnbull, earned honorable mention recognition on last year’s all-state squad, and Noel said he should be a shoe-in for first- or second- team distinction if he stays healthy and maintains the level of play he exhibited in 2007.

Jennifer Poulin, who scored PA’s lone goal against Bedford, is as good if not better than many of her male opponents and is being scouted by Division II and III colleges to play women’s hockey next year.

Junior forward Victor Ranfos is another key component in front of the net, while senior Billy Barnett and junior Jamison Syphers lock down the blue line.

Marc Racine and Corey Pinsonneault complete a solid senior class, and junior Joey Allen returns to the team after missing last season and is expected to contribute nightly.

Also seeing varsity ice time this year are junior Syd Parker and sophomores Ryan Mitchell and Lucas Connor.

Because Noel has less players, and less lines available, than many of his D-III foes, he said all the players must continue to play within the system if PA is to reach its full potential.

“I’m very happy to see them react to this system the way they have. I mean, they limited Bedford to 13 shots. If we can keep teams below 20 each time out and reinforce our goaltending effort, we have a real chance,” said Noel. “I’ve coached a lot of hockey teams through the years (including 10 years at the high school level), and this particular group of kids, in my opinion, wants to learn and wants to win more than any other group I’ve had. I’ve never seen a team play with this much heart.”

Pembroke Academy’s young roster filled with hard workers, quick learners

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:15:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

She can teach them the fundamentals – how to pass, box out, defend and shoot. But neither Rose Galligan nor any other coach can teach hustle.

Luckily for her, the Pembroke girls basketball team is flush with just such a necessary tendency.

So even though the Lady Spartans lack experience, Galligan believes they have a legitimate chance to win most games they play.

“I think we’re going to be competitive, and I think we’ve already made great strides from the first game,” she said.

PA has competed twice this season, winning the first contest against Merrimack Valley, 41-38, then dropping game two, 47-44, to Bow.

“We haven’t shot the ball particularly well, but we have a lot of speed and just need to take the time to work out the kinks,” Galligan continued. “I still think I have the top player in the state, but the challenge is getting all the girls to work around her.”

That player, senior standout Alex Hall, enters her second season at Pembroke after transferring from Trinity.

“She’s a great role model … a great teammate who loves working with the other kids,” said Galligan of Hall, who scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Bow. “As talented as she is, I give a lot of credit to her parents because she’s a great individual, too.”

Though the Lady Spartans finished last December with a winning record, they struggled at times through January and February and missed the final playoff spot.

This year, Galligan hopes Hall can lead the locals to the postseason.

Hall’s classmate and co-captain, Mollie Griggs, contributes with solid play and a knack for motivation and communication. When sharp-shooting sophomore Alesha Girard is hot, such as in the season-opener when she led the team with 12 points, Pembroke can win most contests. When she’s cold, such as the Bow game, when the team produced an 18-for-72 performance from the field, the Lady Spartans struggle.

Sophomore guards Marissa Letendre, a 10-point contributor against Merrimack Valley, and Sarah Chouinard play well up top and have already shown a knack for stringent defense. Chouinard, for example, made three steals and grabbed nine rebounds vs. Bow.

Paige Bilodeau, a transfer from Bishop Brady, is still learning the new system, but Galligan expects her to contribute with greater frequency as the season progresses, and 5-foot-11 sophomore Sarah Kelley locks down the inside from her starting position at center. Sophomore Sarah Vien and junior Danielle Blanchette, who scored 10 points against Merrimack Valley, have also exhibited an aggressive style underneath the basket.

Freshman Hannah Pinard and sophomores Briana Austin and Jocelyn Cray round out the young varsity roster.

Pembroke cagers, last year’s semifinalists, seek next level in ’09

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:12:00 GMT

BY MARK PETERSON

A roster full of experience and talent has Pembroke Academy believing it can make another run to the Class I boys basketball semifinals – and beyond.

With a lineup that’s almost entirely upperclassmen, the PA coaching staff is confident every player enters the season gameready.

“We’re going to have 11 players that can come in and help us out … at any time, which is pretty unheard of in high school basketball,” said Dave Segal, PA’s assistant head coach. “A lot of people are talking about us as being one of the top four teams in the state along with Pelham, Portsmouth and Laconia. So I hope that’s true.”

The Spartans must replace productive guards Justin Muniz and Drou Goff, as well as sixth man Matt Lavoie. Yet Segal and head coach Matt Alosa are confident yesterday’s role players can become today’s stars.

“We’ve lost three key players from last year’s team. However, we’ve been able to fill those gaps pretty easily,” said Segal.

The coaches expect sophomore Taylor Vazquez to see an increased amount of playing time this season at various positions on the floor.

“Vazquez has improved tremendously over last year,” said Segal. “Taylor’s going to open some eyes out there for us this year.”

Along with experience, size is on Pembroke’s side this season, with 6-foot-6 senior Tyler Yeaton expected to anchor the center position for the Spartans. He offers a strong interior defensive presence and was consistently among the team’s top scorers in games last season.

Yeaton should spend nights flirting with double-double statistics, as he did in last season’s Class I semifinal game against Hanover, when he scored eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Yeaton was a key reason the Spartans remained competitive against a Marauders team that outsized PA everywhere else on the floor.

Seniors Jon Grenier and Nick Porter were among the most likely candidates to be named team captains. Porter is in line to start at forward, along with junior Sheldon Benson.

The rest of the roster includes seniors Christian Davis and Pat McCormack; juniors Coleton Neely, Jackson Riel, Dalton Cheney, Zach Cogswell and Brad Freeman; and freshman Tyler Morrison.

The Spartans begin their season with a home date against Hanover on Tuesday, Dec. 16. It’s a chance to avenge last year’s semifinal loss, during which PA stormed back from an 18-point second-half deficit, closing to two points before falling by eight.

PA also visits Bishop Brady on Friday, Dec. 19, then hosts Plymouth Regional on Monday, Dec. 22, before taking a Christmas break.

Pembroke Academy mourns death of freshman in car crash

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:45:00 GMT

BY LAUREN SAUSSER

After a one-day Election Day vacation, Pembroke Academy students returned to classes and were struck with the grim reality that one of their fellow classmates was gone.

Fourteen-year-old Marissa Gray of Chichester, a freshman at the school, suffered fatal injuries in a car accident in Hooksett on Nov. 3.

Marissa was the sole passenger in a gold Chevrolet Malibu, driven by her mother, Denise Gray, 55. The mid-size car collided nearly head-on with an oncoming Ford pickup truck when Denise Gray lost control trying to avoid a stopped car at a traffic light near the Hooksett- Allenstown line by the Mega-X convenience store on Route 3.

The pickup was driven by Timothy Field, 52, of Pembroke.

The two drivers were transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. State police said Marissa was killed during the crash.

Pembroke Academy Headmaster Mike Reardon said the school is dealing with the loss of Marissa as best it can. “When we received the news, we got our crisis team together,” Reardon said. Counselors, psychologists and clergy were on hand at the school Wednesday, Nov. 5, to help students cope with the news, he said. “We’ve got counselors in freshman classes all day today. If the kids need to talk about stuff, the counselors there to facilitate that process,” he said.

To compound the harsh reality that the teens have been confronted with, Reardon said Marissa was one of the school’s brightest students. She was a member of the field hockey team, the lacrosse team and the Key Club. Her records indicate she planned to attend college. She excelled in math.

On Nov. 5, many of Marissa’s friends wore ribbon bracelets tied at their wrists to remember her. Members of the field hockey team penciled the number 74 – Marissa’s field hockey jersey number – in black eyeliner on their cheeks. Other students made posters. Some made Tshirts to commemorate her life.

“She was genuinely liked by everybody – adults and kids,” he said. “(The students) are supporting themselves. They’re stunned, they’re shocked, but their doing what human beings needs to do during these times, which is to help each other.”

Andrea Hammond, the staff psychologist at Pembroke Academy, said students are expressing their grief in different ways and parents should be aware that even if their children were not friends with Marissa, they are still likely affected by the loss.

“First of all, parents should probably recognize kids might be grieving in different ways. They may come home and not want to talk about it,” Hammond said. “You see a lot of physical problems, stomach aches, problems with eating and sleeping.

They also go back to a younger maturity level. They regress in many ways.”

Angry, hostility, denial and depression are all common symptoms of adolescent grief, she said.

“Spend extra time with the children,” Hammond said. “Don’t be afraid of it, otherwise it will be the elephant in the room. Make yourself available to the kids a lot. They will probably need extra parental attention. They might get clingier. They might want to cuddle up with their parents. Keep things as normal as possible, but don’t be completely inflexible.”

Pembroke’s big plays defeat John Stark

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:23:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

To even the most subjective observer, there was little noticeable difference, in terms of talent, between the two teams clashing on the varsity gridiron. The respective coaches agreed: neither squad had a distinct advantage.

Yet the numbers on the scoreboard told an altogether different story.

Indeed, a 28-12 final is a pretty clear indicator of one team’s supremacy over the other, but not in the case of John Stark and Pembroke Academy.

Though PA earned the decisive victory, both units were able to put together sustained drives throughout the battle on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The difference turned out to be a touchdown on the opening kickoff, a third-quarter fumble returned to paydirt and an interception in the end zone.

After PA’s Chris Allen returned the first play of the game 75 yards to give his team the early advantage, the Spartans recovered a fumble on Stark’s ensuing drive and added six points when senior quarterback John Natalizio found Vince Verreccia in the back of the end zone.

The Generals rebounded with a solid drive and a 3-yard touchdown run by sophomore Ian Kuck, but botched the snap on the extra point. Pembroke then put together a 71-yard drive, credited entirely to fullback Dan Kroll, who capped the march by punching in a 6-yard score.

Stark’s quarterback, David Wilson, led his team back down the field and eventually scampered into the end zone himself, but that was all the scoring the Generals could muster.

In the second half, freshman Chris Beauregard forced a fumble, and Verrechia notched his second touchdown on a 45- yard return.

Another long John Stark drive ended with a Natalizio interception in the end zone.

Pembroke, said John Stark’s first-year coach, Bob Clarke, is a fine team, but one the Generals can beat.

“We executed well at times, but we just had breakdowns,” said Clarke. “We’re playing freshmen and sophomores, so we’re young and we’re making mistakes, but I cannot fault the kids’ attitudes ... They’re giving me absolutely everything they’ve got, they just need to learn how to win.”

The Spartans began that same process last year, and though they are also young, coach Dave Tremblay said they’re showing marked progress.

“We were pretty evenly matched with John Stark, size-wise, but I think we had a little more speed than them,” he said. “We’re coming along, and I definitely think we can hit with most teams (in D-III). We’re not really thinking playoffs right now, but the kids are having a lot of fun this year, and the program’s moving in the right direction.”

Pembroke Academy’s future hopes rest largely on untested talent

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:35:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Two years ago, the Pembroke Academy golf team included six participants, not even enough to field a complete lineup each time out.

Though the team’s day-to- day performance is still a work in progress, PA coach Mike Desilets said he’s seeing some encouraging signs.

“The scores are high, but our numbers are high, too,” he said. “We’re very young. We only have two or three seniors, and we have more (golfers) than the last two years combined.”

In fact, there are 21 Spartans competing for playing time this season.

Sophomore Lucas Connor and junior Jamison Syphers, who each shoot in the low 80s, lead the current squad. Though the team is a long shot to make the state tournament, Connor and Syphers are likely to represent Pembroke at the Class I individual championship in October, said Desilets.

Juniors Billy Bouchard and Kaitlyn Labbay, who played last year with Connor and Syphers, consistently score in the top five for PA as well.

Freshman Emerson Brooks has shown plenty of promise, as have many of his classmates, said Desilets. That list includes Thomas Graziano, Stephen Henning, Kent Keeler, Stephen Lang, Jack Poirier, Matthew Serafin and Jake Steinbeiser.

Also contributing are seniors John Andrews and Neil Innarelli, juniors Zachary Cogswell and Adam French, and sophomores Jorden Bonanno, Kinsey Brassaw, Nathaniel Chagnon, Joseph Darby and Abigail Kinney.

With the amount of youth on the team, Desilets said his expectations are high for the future.

“Right now I’m just trying to get as many kids as I can into matches, so next year they’ll all have a year of experience under their belts,” he said. “I don’t know how often we’ll get a group this big, so hopefully the freshmen can keep us strong for the next couple years.”

Pembroke Academy melds talented athletes from each class in search of postseason

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:25:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

The numbers are climbing. The enthusiasm is rising. No doubt about it, things are looking up for coach Steve Langevin and his Pembroke Academy girls soccer team.

Though the Lady Spartans dropped their home opener on Friday, Aug. 29, 2-0, to visiting Bow, Langevin is confident this varsity group of six seniors, six juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen has the ability to improve on last year’s 6-10 record, which included a flat 1-8 start and strong 5-2 finish.

“We had 55 kids playing summer scrimmages and making the Maine trip (for a tournament),” said Langevin, who added he was pleasantly surprised by the high turnout. “That gave us a chance to see what they’re capable of. In that type of situation, we didn’t even have to try to do any team bonding. They just took care of it themselves.”

Sometimes, players form cliques along class lines, snuffing out any chance at team chemistry. Sometimes, upperclassmen resent watching a younger athlete garner more playing time.

That possibility worried Langevin.

But following the Maine trip – players camped out at the fields, and there was no seniors-only or juniors-only tent – and after seeing increased maturity from his returning athletes – especially captains Jenni Poulin, Ashley Pelissier and Kristen Jordan – the mentor said he can focus on in-game specifics, like the offense.

PA had trouble finding the back of the net in 2007, and the first game of ’08 was no better, but Langevin said the Maine excursion and other preseason scrimmages convinced him the team’s scoring would increase. “We have a lot of players who aren’t afraid to go to the goal,” said Langevin, who paired Pelissier with freshman Hannah Pinard at forward to start the Bow contest. He also praised sophomore forward Rachel Devoe.

“She is, without question, the most improved player on the team,” said the coach.

And PA mixes a veteran presence with youthful exuberance in the midfield, backfield and net as well. Against Bow, aggressive sophomore keeper Haleigh Parker started, then senior Hannah McTigue played the second half. Langevin said it doesn’t matter who starts, so the rotation can and will change.

Among the four starting midfielders are two seniors, Poulin and Jordan; a sophomore, Marissa Letendre; and a freshman, Lizzy Olsen. Langevin said Jordan, an all-state player in the backfield last year, gladly moved to midfield to help the Spartans transition the ball to attack.

In the backfield, Kara Loiselle, a junior, and Emma Pinard, a sophomore, team with freshmen Alyssa Douglas and Abby McCormack.

Junior midfielders Molly LaPlume, Jordan Heath, Taylor Bachelder and Chelsey Martinelli join senior Ariel Abbott in providing PA seasoned options in reserve, as do backs Jen Cheney, a junior, and Brooke Murray, a senior. In fact, Devoe is the lone underclassman coming off the bench.

“The (upperclassmen) understand that some of these younger players have earned the time (on the field),” said Langevin. “But all of these players are ready to step in when they’re called.”