The last two years, tears routinely fell in the locker rooms of Salem opponents.

Not this year.

After consecutive Class L state championships, the Blue Devil boys basketball team fell just short of a third straight finals appearance, losing to third-seeded Manchester Memorial, 49-41, on Wednesday, March 18.

“We always talk about blood, sweat and tears, and tonight it was tears,” said Salem head coach EJ Perry. “I had to hold them back myself.”

After trailing throughout the contest, the Blue Devils showed the mettle that won them backto- back titles, cutting the deficit to three.

With 3:21 remaining, Josh Jones cut the deficit to 42-38 with a long-distance shot, and with 1:31 left, Alex LaRosa drilled a stepback trey to pull his team within 44-41.

LaRosa narrowly missed a last-minute shot before Jones’ attempt to tie the game with 47 seconds was three-quarters of the way down before it rimmed out, and Memorial sank its free throws down the stretch to seal its spot in the finals with top-seeded Trinity.

“I thought both of those shots were heading in the basket,” said Perry. “I’d take those shots every time, but they went back rim and front rim. I was happy with the way our kids came back.”

Jones fittingly led the Blue Devils in scoring with 16, while Michael Kimball, another important part of Salem’s Class L dominance, chipped in six points.

“It’s a sad day when I have to go in and not see them on the court,” said Perry, whose team finished the year at the University of New Hampshire’s Lundholm Gymnasium again this season. “For Jones and Kimball, this has been their second home. It’s definitely a different feeling this year.”

LaRosa, hoping to lead his team deep into the tournament as a senior, remains an integral part of the Blue Devils. The junior managed nine points against Memorial’s defense.

Memorial outrebounded Salem, 28-16, led by 27 points and nine boards from Jason Cheverfils. “We were trying to figure out a way to slow them down, whether to go in a zone and stretch them out or play man-to-man,” said Perry. “You want to be able to control your own destiny and be up by 10 instead of having to worry about coming back.”