Weare News : basketball

Stark just can’t keep pace with Pelham, which leaves Weare with win

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:48:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Justin Hojlo and Kevin LeBlond were in a shootout, but in the end it was Hojlo with more ammunition.

The two senior guards dueled during a Class I contest on Tuesday, Jan. 13, with Hojlo’s Pelham Pythons pulling away from LeBlond and the John Stark Generals, 88-71.

Hojlo poured in 35 points to help fight off LeBlond and his 27 points, as the Pythons improved to 5-1 in Class I play.

“They’re a very talented team,” said John Stark’s head coach, Michael Smith. “From what I’ve seen, they are one of the best, if not the best, team in Class I.”

Pelham opened up a 41-23 lead and appeared to have distanced itself from the home team. Moments later, LeBlond answered with back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to 10, and John Stark trailed by 12 at the half.

LeBlond, John Stark’s only returning starter from last season, scored six consecutive points to cut the lead to 66-61, but that was the closest approach for the 1-5 Generals.

According to Pelham’s mentor, Todd Kress, his crew’s response to Stark’s comeback was not surprising.

“It’s a matter of continuing the up-tempo style of play,” said Kress. “We want to make it so they may make a single run, but they aren’t able to sustain it. I think our team depth wore on them a little.”

Four players scored in double figures for Pelham, including Steve Spirou with 26 points. In the loss, John Stark’s Travis Matteuzzi notched his first double-double, scoring 16 points and adding 11 rebounds.

The game was fast-paced throughout, with both teams constantly running up and down the floor.

Kress said the way John Stark played while they were managing a second-half comeback looked familiar.

“They freed up their shooters and were basically beating us at our own game,” said Kress. “We had to keep pushing and hope to be the team standing at the end.”

Smith agreed the pace of the game was the key to his team’s comeback – and its prior and subsequent stumble.

“We got caught up a little in the speed of the game at the beginning,” said Smith. “We like to force the tempo, and did that for a while, but they are a little better at it than we are.”

Hojlo hit four three-pointers and was also successful on the interior.

“He has the ability at any time to get where he wants to be on the floor,” said Kress. “He’s included his teammates a lot more of late, especially early in the game. They can’t just key in on him. Then later in the game he is able to get out there and just do what he wants.”

Though Smith was happy with his team’s effort in cutting into a big lead, he said in the second half the Pythons left his group in the dust.

“Most teams like to play at about 50 mph,” said Smith. “We want to play at 70, and Pelham got to about 90.”

Stark looks to team leaders, varied bench to lead them to success

Goffstown Editor — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:44:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Due to snow and ice, the departure has been delayed, but Mike Smith is looking forward to seeing who’s in their seats when this vehicle leaves the station.

Weather has forced the John Stark boys basketball team to hold practices sporadically, but upon returning to the hardwood, the Generals’ head coach has been impressed with his team’s performance.

“You’re getting in here, getting in there. I’ve been very surprised when we pick up again after a break that they seem to be picking it up, and we don’t have to go back and review,” said Smith. “Guys understand that the bus is moving with or without them, and they want to make sure they are on the bus, and the seniors want to make sure they’re driving it.”

Last season, John Stark ended the season at 15-3, losing by a basket in the Class I semifinals.

Smith said his current group would like a chance at redemption, but it may be a difficult task after graduating four of his five starters from last year.

“I think what helps is that we’ve developed a tradition within the last few years of an expectation to get to UNH,” said Smith. “That’s been the goal. It’ll be a little more complicated this year, because only four teams get to go there instead of eight.”

A rules change means Lundholm Gymnasium is host site for the semifinals and finals. In years past, the quarterfinals were also played at UNH.

Despite missing those four starters from last year, Smith returns seven players with varsity experience; many step into new roles.

Because the practices have been few and far between, it’s been difficult for the Generals to gel.

“With the weather the way it is, scheduling has been very difficult. We could go through Christmas without playing a game,” said Smith. “It’ll be nice that we have some depth, because it’ll be tested as we play a lot of three-game weeks down the road. Everybody is in the same boat, and everyone wants to start playing.”

Kevin LeBlond and Nick Campono look to increase the pace of the John Stark offense, and they’ll press opponents on defense. Forward Danny Serard is coming off injuries, but Smith said he believes Serard, now healthy, can impress.

John Stark also has a bit of size with 6-foot-6 Travis Matteuzzi, who the coach said has been gaining confidence with each practice, and 6-4 forward Ethan O’Neill. Tom Vickers and Dyllin Moulton are two seniors who bring experience to the court.

Smith plans on using a rotation of 10 to 11 players per game, and that’s a big change.

“I think we have guys who can score, but we don’t have that 30- point scorer, all-state guy, which is why we’ve been overlooked a little,” said Smith. “I think we’ll make up for that with our depth and leadership.”

One unlikely source of inspiration for the coach has been Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots head coach, who stresses the importance of competition within the team for every position. “It’s no secret that in the Patriots’ model under Belichick, competition brings out the best in players,” said Smith. “We’re lucky to have that, whether for the first five, first eight or first 11. That’s forcing guys to improve. They can’t take breaks or take a rest, because there’s someone looking for those minutes.”

John Stark’s untested group requires captains’ guidance

Goffstown Editor — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:23:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Unlike the military, the captains must lead the Generals at John Stark High School.

Last season, the John Stark girls basketball team was knocked out of the playoffs by Souhegan in the quarterfinal round, and now head coach Wayne Thomson turns to Brittany Purington and Olivia Cray, his two seniors, to fill leadership roles.

“They’re going to have to step up,” said Thomson, the long-time mentor. “They aren’t in a supporting role. They are going to have to take charge. They’ll have to play like captains and play like seniors.”

Stark opened the 2008-09 season with a 52-40 win on the road vs. Milford on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and next play at Lebanon on Friday, Dec. 5.

Still, the chemistry of Thomson’s team – four juniors and six sophomores in addition to the two seniors – will require time to capture.

“Sometimes it takes a while,” he said. “We lost our center and our point guard. We lost one of our best bench players. We have to fill in the scoring, fill in the defense with whatever we can.”

Stepping in at center is junior Megan Titcomb, while Thomson said sophomore point guard Erica Vaillancourt may be asked to run the offense. “Megan has really improved on the offensive side of the ball, and she’ll have to anchor us in the middle,” said Thomson. “It’s always nice not to lose a ton of seniors, but it’s nice to have some.

“It’s a fine line,” he added. “If you’re looking for the future, it’s definitely nice to have the younger kids in there.” Besides, he’s happy with the depth of his squad. “They’ve come along pretty quick,” said Thomson. “My top seven or eight players are pretty interchangeable.”

With the preseason wrapped up, Thomson said he’s excited to see his young team on the floor when it counts. “We want to keep working and peak right around tournament time,” he said. “We’ve been going hard for two weeks, so it’ll be nice to get out and do it for real.”

No. 3 Stark stopped in semifinal by No. 10 Monadnock

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:44:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

In this game of survivor, the Generals were just another favorite unceremoniously voted off the Class I island.

On Wednesday, March 5, the third-seeded John Stark boys basketball team faced No. 10 Monadnock, a foe it had beaten by 24 points earlier in the season. Yet in the state semifinals, not even the senior alliance of Ben Titcomb, Gavin Sappier, Shane Arsenault and Zach Morrill-Winter could ensure immunity.

Three nights after the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds fell, Stark’s flame was extinguished, 45- 42, inside Lundholm Gymnasium on the University of New Hampshire’s campus.

JS coach Mike Smith said the Generals, who held the Huskies under 50 points, did their job on defense.

Offensively, they were consistently inconsistent, shooting 22 percent from the field, and Smith said they never really found a rhythm.

“They have some big inside presences that turned us into a perimeter shooting team,” said the coach. “Normally, we’re a little better (shooting from the perimeter), but the fact they made us one dimensional, obviously, I think hurt us.”

Even when the Generals did attack the basket, the ball was often kicked back to the outside at the last second.

“That’s what size will do... I think part of the reason we missed so many shots on the inside is because we weren’t focused on the basket, we were more worried about getting our shots blocked,” said Smith. “The frustrating part is it’s too late in the season to be worrying about that. The times we did drive in hard I thought good things happened … but I think guys started to press a little bit against the zone, and then it was kind of like everyone was hoping someone else would take the drive or make the shots.”

Arsenault, with 12 points, led the Generals in scoring while contributing seven rebounds. Morrill-Winter, with 11 points, was the only other General to score in double figures. Titcomb added eight points and nine rebounds.

Though Smith admits the current window of championship opportunity has likely closed, he remains optimistic about the program’s future.

“This was as good a shot as we’ve had to win the state title. I mean, even the ’04 team, which was the last time we (made the finals), we were playing against Souhegan, and they were a much better team than we were. I think if we play a best-of-five series against Monadnock, we win three out of five games, but we don’t play best-of-five series, and that’s what makes high school basketball so exciting. You’ve got to play for that one game, and tonight (Monadnock) did the things they needed to beat us,” said Smith. “We’ll be back, I don’t have any doubts about that.”

Last-quarter burst keeps Stark in tourney

Goffstown Editor — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:04:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Trailing by 12 points late in the third quarter against No. 6 Hollis-Brookline, third-seeded John Stark started feeling the upset bug that bit No. 1 Oyster River and No. 2 Portsmouth earlier in the day.

So when head coach Mike Smith called a timeout late in the contest on Sunday, March 2, it was no surprise one of his seniors, Gavin Sappier, was most vocal about his fear of a sudden finality.

“We’re not going home,” said Sappier. “Not today.” His teammates agreed and complied.

Stark finished the contest on a 14-0 run for a 65-59 quarterfinal- round win, advancing to the Class I semifinals, scheduled for Wednesday, March 5.

“I can honestly tell you we weren’t worried,” said Shane Arsenault. “Not to sound cocky, but our team is built on comebacks and winning like this.”

The team is also built on senior leadership, and it was clearly on display in the fourth quarter, said Smith.

The veterans scored 25 of the Generals’ 29 points in the final frame as the locals, in the last eight minutes, nearly matched their total through three quarters.

The contest was tied at halftime, but Hollis-Brookline was the third-quarter aggressor, shooting 9-for-12 from the field. The momentum shift came instantly in the fourth quarter.

The Generals chipped away at the deficit, and with 1:50 left in the contest, Ben Titcomb nailed two free throws to tie the contest.

The shell-shocked Cavaliers tried to reignite their offensive engine, but a traveling call was followed by a Sappier steal, then a Titcomb block and finally a backcourt violation.

By the time Stark inbounded the ball, up six points, Hollis- Brookline players gave a halfhearted effort at an intentional foul, and the Generals passed the ball around until the final buzzer sounded.

“I think, when we got down there in the third quarter, we started feeling tired, and you know, with the big floor, you could almost see it (in their faces),” said Smith. “I called a timeout, we talked, and I told them, ‘No more excuses.

You have all day to feel tired tomorrow. You’re either going to be tired feeling really good about what happened or you’re going to be tired feeling like you just missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Defensively,” added Stark’s coach, “that’s as a good a stretch as you’re going to see.”

Titcomb, with 19 points and 15 rebounds, absolutely dazzled Hollis-Brookline.

Sappier provided 15 points and seven rebounds; Arsenault added eight and eight. Zack Morrill-Winter, who played nearly the entire fourth quarter with four fouls, netted 13 points.

Stark stopped short of semis by Souhegan

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:19:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

John Stark girls basketball coach Wayne Thomson said he preaches defense, turnovers and foul shooting.

“Come tournament time, that’s what’s important,” he said following a 46-41 victory against Bow on Feb. 2.

On Sunday, Feb. 17, against fourth-seeded Souhegan High School of Amherst, the No. 5 Lady Generals nailed one of their coaches’ criteria for playoff success.

Playing solid defense throughout the contest, John Stark kept the game within reach against a potent Sabers offense, pulling within three points at the end of the third quarter.

But unforced turnovers and poor free throw shooting – Stark began the game 0-for-5 from the strip and went 1-for-6 in the first half – eventually doomed the locals to a 46-41 loss and postseason exit.

“We were all just a little slow today; I thought everybody was a step behind pretty much the whole game,” said Thomson. “In close games like that, between evenly matched teams, it’s those little things that make the difference.”

Freshman Katie Cullerot, who led the late-third-quarter charge, dropped in a game-high 13 points, pulled in four rebounds and nabbed two steals, while teammate Erin Clark added 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Brittany Purington contributed nine rebounds, eight points, two assists and two steals, and Elyssa Feliciano offered seven points, three steals, two assists and a rebound.

Prior to the Lady Generals’ quarterfinal-round loss, they opened the playoffs at home with a 55-40 victory over No. 12 Laconia.

Thomson said the two games of tournament experience will prove advantageous for the program’s future.

“I’m disappointed for the seniors, but I’m happy for the younger kids,” said Thomson.

“Nothing came easy this year. We had to work hard for everything we got. The last four games leading up to today, we played very well. Today, for whatever reason, we didn’t play good enough to win.”

Stark’s balanced mix of veterans, rookies brings a victory

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:27:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Last year, it was senior center Libby Cullerot who starred for John Stark, nailing two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining in regulation to send the Lady Generals into overtime.

They later sunk rival Kearsarge in the quarterfinals of the Class I basketball tournament.

So, when the team opened the season Friday, Nov. 30, it came as no surprise to coach Wayne Thomson that another Cullerot stole the show.

Katie Cullerot, Libby’s younger sister, not only made her first start for the Lady Generals, but was the team’s co-leader in scoring with 12 points in a 48-26 rout of visiting Fall Mountain.

The freshman received the start when senior point guard Elyssa Feliciano missed the contest due to sickness.

“For her to make the debut that she did … she didn’t play like a freshman out there,” said Thomson. “She doesn’t seem to be phased by playing at this level.

I mean, she got in foul trouble early and still ended up getting 12 points and five steals for us.”

That youthful impact gives the 18-year coach hope his squad can once again make a run in Class I, despite a roster with six freshmen or sophomores among 12 players.

Thomson said it’s not lack of talent, but lack of experience that makes this season tough to predict. That’s why he said it’s so important the team’s three seniors, all with postseason experience, step up.

“It’s always nice when you’ve got some kids coming back that understand what it takes to get there,” said Thomson. “It makes it easier for them to impress on the younger kids.”

Senior Erin Clark, who matched Cullerot’s scoring output in the season opener, has been productive at the varsity level the past couple years and is expected to lead the squad on both ends of the court, said Thomson.

“She’s a good post player but can take it outside and shoot. She has great range and is very versatile and really does it all for us,” he said.

Also setting the tone for Stark are Clark’s senior co-captains, Feliciano and Kristen Fratini. “Elyssa Feliciano is great with her perimeter defense and is an outstanding three-point shooter.

And she’s battle tested as our point guard,” said Thomson. “Kirsten Fratini has a lot of confidence and has always been a person that, no matter the situation, I put her in and she came through.”

Against Fall Mountain, Fratini tallied four points, five steals and five assists as the team’s shooting guard.

“I expect the (seniors) to have to carry a pretty heavy load,” said Thomson. “It’s always important to get (to Southern New Hampshire University, the Class I tournament host), and we’ve been pretty lucky in that the past six or seven years now we’ve gone to either the quarterfinals or semifinals,” he said.

Sophomore Megan Titcomb, playing in her first varsity outing, dropped in eight points for JS, proving she will be a contributor this season as well.

Others expected to see playing time include juniors Olivia Cray, Brittany Purington and Julie Feliciano; sophomore Christina Baum; and freshmen Allison Harris, Erica Vaillancourt and Melissa Purington.

“They all can play,” said Thomson.

“They are all very athletic, and they all have a very high basketball IQ. The younger kids just need to understand the speed of the game now is a lot different than they’re used to and that some of the things they got away with in eighth grade just don’t happen anymore.”

Stark looks to compete for its first title since Thompson’s first year, 1991, when the school still competed in Class M.

“I’ve told them the sky is the limit, but it depends how hard they want to work and how focused they want to be,” he said. “A little luck here and there helps. I’m not saying they’re going to rush to the championship, but I think we’ll be competitive most nights. If the first night is any indication, we should be pretty successful.”

Stark, employing a frenetic pace, must remain steady

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:18:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

A 14-4 regular season for the John Stark boys basketball team preceded a stinging upset loss to rival Kearsarge in the quarterfinals of the Class I boys basketball tournament.

But coach Mike Smith said the pieces are in place for his team to make a postseason run in 2008.

“The expectations the boys have set for themselves are pretty high,” he said.

Along with hosting a firstround playoff game and making it back to Durham, where the University of New Hampshire serves as host site for the remainder of Class I’s postseason, Smith said his players have championship aspirations.

But the season, he warned, could fall short of his players’ preseason optimism if they can’t play consistent basketball.

“Class I, like it is most years, is sort of wide open, and there are four to six teams that are pretty good. And then there are about that many teams that are just below them that can beat one of those better teams on any given night,” said Smith. “Right now, I’d say we’re probably between those two groups.”

During the summer, the Generals won a tournament at Plymouth State University playing up against New Hampshire Class L teams and squads from Massachusetts and Maine.

“It opened (the players’) eyes at how good they can be, but consistency and playing at that level on a nightly basis will be the key to how far we go,” said Smith. “It’s all about consistency.”

The Generals return four seniors; all saw significant playing time last season, and all have been named captains for the upcoming run, something their mentor admitted is unusual.

But all four – Zach Morrill- Winter, Shane Arsenault, Gavin Sappier and Ben Titcomb – bring individual strengths and personalities to the team, said the eight-year coach.

“As our point guard, Zach will be the leader on the floor in terms of doing everything we need of him to win games,” said Smith. “Ben is a quiet kid, but he’s one of our top rebounders and also someone who is very athletic for us and does a lot of little things that often go unnoticed.”

“Shane and Gavin both have this incredible lockerroom presence, but also work really hard out there during practice,” he continued. “The whole group has set a strong tempo so far in that we’ve had some very strong, competitive practices early on.”

Kevin LeBlond, a shooting guard who contributed late last year, and junior Travis Mateuzzi, a 6-foot-6 backup center, are also expected to play pivotal roles.

Two newcomers who have impressed Smith thus far are Ethan Moore and Nick Campono, an all-state soccer player. Both are juniors who played JV hoops last season.

“I think we’ll have a very exciting team. We’ll be up and down (the floor) a lot. If we can, we like to get into our fast-paced tempo early and play defense the entire length of the floor the entire game,” said Smith.

“Nobody out there is a 40-point-per- game scorer, but we have a lot of guys who can put the ball in the basket and share the load. It’s a very fun brand of basketball to watch.”

Third time’s the harm - Stark falls to Kearsarge

Goffstown Editor — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:24:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Though the John Stark boys basketball team defeated rival Kearsarge twice during the regular season, a playoff rematch between the two squads proved costly for the Generals.

After two convincing victories over the Cougars, 81-63 at home on Jan. 30, and 88- 81 at Kearsarge on Feb. 20, the Generals succumbed to their familiar foes, 62-57, in the Class I quarterfinals at the University of New Hampshire on Sunday, March 4.

“That is a program that I have tremendous respect for and I don’t take a lot of pleasure in seeing eliminated,” said Kearsarge head coach Marty Brown. “We learned from our two previous experiences with them that we just had to slow them down, keep them out on the perimeter, cross our fingers and hope that their shots didn’t fall.”

John Stark trailed, 16-10, after the first quarter and 29-24 going into the break.

“In the first half we came out and played hard, but we were giving up too many easy hoops we shouldn’t have given up, and I think that accounted for about half their points,” said Stark coach Mike Smith.

But the Generals came marching back in the third quarter to take a 40-36 lead less than three minutes into the second half.

The momentum quickly shifted, however, as Smith’s team allowed Kearsarge to once again take the lead, 44-40, by the end of the quarter.

John Stark kept the contest close but was unable to make the big shot down the stretch, despite numerous opportunities.

“Kearsarge did a pretty nice job of taking us out of our rhythm tonight, and we threw up a handful of shots that caught every inch of the iron that didn’t go in,” said Smith. “In the second half our guys were in the right spot and were attacking offensively, and it just didn’t go our way tonight.”

Losing 6-foot-4 senior Matt Nims to fouls halfway through the fourth quarter didn’t help, the coach added.

“He had a really nice first half and really kept us in it,” said Smith. “Would he have helped (in the last three minutes)? Absolutely.

But would he have been the difference maker? I don’t know. We’ve never been a team that relies on one guy.”

Game notes
Senior Nick French led the Generals in scoring with 16 points, while fellow senior Travis Therrien and junior Gavin Sappier each contributed 11.

Officially concerned – Tight loss begins difficult stretch for John Stark

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 20:50:00 GMT

BY JERRY LIPTAK

With her team down three points and 1-minute, 45 seconds remaining in the game, John Stark’s Elyssa Feliciano – directly in front of her bench – inbounded to Olivia Cray, who fumbled the ball, then controlled it on the other side of midcourt.

The referee blew his whistle. Wayne Thomson blew his stack.
For the next 30 seconds, the Stark girls basketball coach berated the official for calling a backcourt violation.

Despite the tirade, Thomson was not given a technical foul.

Instead, he and his team were handed a 40-37 defeat by visiting Lebanon on Friday, Jan. 26.

Thomson had no comment about the officiating, which included a quick technical foul earlier in the half for Lebanon’s coach, Tim Kehoe, and a handful of disputed calls by both mentors.

Thomson was more concerned with his team’s uneven performance and how this loss will affect its psyche, especially with three straight difficult matchups looming.

Undefeated Kearsarge, Bow and Merrimack Valley follow Lebanon. These four teams are the only clubs to defeat the Lady Generals, 9-4 after the setback to the Raiders.

Following the game, a taciturn Thomson had a simple, accurate reason for this defeat.
“If you have a couple of lapses,” he said, “that can be the difference.”

Indeed, after Stark jumped to an 8-2 lead, neither team led by more than one basket until Lebanon’s five-point advantage with less than four minutes remaining.

Thomson called an early timeout following an uncontested Raider layup. He also said his squad looked ragged on offense at times, forcing shots while trying to draw fouls.

The coach said those few mistakes, especially in a league loaded with closely matched squads, will often prove punishing.

Stark defeated Lebanon in a defensive battle on Dec. 15, 34-31. Early on, this contest looked different.

Cullerot, Erin Clarke and Nicole Duquette were hitting from all spots on the floor. So was Lebanon. The score was 16-15 after one quarter and 26-26 at the break.

The hosts committed five turnovers and added five more after intermission. Before the opening tip, Thomson said his team needed to limit giveaways.

It did.

But Stark scored just three points in the third quarter and 11 in the second half. Lebanon was marginally better. Still, it was enough.

“If someone had told me we’d only have 10 turnovers, I’d have said we’d have won the game by double digits,” said Thomson.

Despite a still-strong record, the Generals are 10th in a league marked by parity. The next three contests – the first two on the road – will help determine the locals’ playoff seeding in the upcoming Class I tournament.

Game notes

Cullerot led all scorers with 16 points, Clarke finished with eight points and Duquette scored five. Feliciano had three, as did Katelyn Gagnon. Cray added two.

Alyssa Charest netted six points in the JV team’s 36-26 loss to the Raiders.