Hanover --If part of what makes the holiday season special is the opportunity to reunite with friends, this year's Connecticut Valley Shootout boys basketball tournament at Hanover High School is a regular party.

The opening round of the all-Upper Valley tourney featured coaching conjugations in both games last night as Hartford coach Mike Gaudette faced a Mascoma program he spent 10 years mentoring in the matinee. Sharon Academy coach Tom Vashel returned to Hanover to face a Marauders team he played for from 1998-2002 in the nightcap.

The Hurricanes won 52-42 over the Royals, whose coach Wayne Chapman was Gaudette's jayvee coach in West Canaan from 2002-'06.

“To be honest, I don't really like facing them. It's just strange,” said Gaudette. “But it was great to see Wayne and to see the guys on the team I used to coach.”

Tyler Braley and Josh Poland, who played on Gaudette's varsity team as freshmen, are keys to Mascoma's offense but were limited to a combined 14 points. Braley, who scored 28 on opening day against Newfound, was held to just nine, while Poland, who scored 27 against Newfound, was held to five.

The Hurricanes' Logan White dropped down a game-high 27 points while center Spencer Kennedy had 16. White's 3-pointer from the top of the arc midway through the fourth quarter put the Canes up by seven.

“That was a big shot, but the key for us tonight was the defense,” Gaudette said. “I was a bit nervous coming in, not just because it was against my former team but because I saw them (against Newfound) and they looked pretty strong.”

In the late game, New Hampshire Class I Hanover disposed of the Vermont Division IV Phoenix, 72-34. Brendan Donohue scored 15 points for the Marauders (3-0) while Sam Gest contributed 14 and Sam Carney nine.

The Marauders jumped out to a 13-0 lead before Sharon clawed back to make it 15-8, but Hanover pulled away for good thereafter.

Evan Frank led Sharon with 12 points.

“I was impressed with them,” said Hanover coach Tim Winslow, who had Vashel as a player during the Marauders' 2002 state championship team. “It was great having Tom back.”

The tourney concludes tonight with Mascoma taking on Sharon in the consolation game at 6 and Hanover facing Hartford in the championship at 7.

Chester, Vt. -- Panthers center Jason Gray reached the 1,000-career point threshold as Thetford won in the opening round of the Green Mountain Holiday Tournament.

Gray needed 14 for the milestone and scored 16, going over 1,000 in the fourth quarter and prompting a break in the action as he received congratulations from both teams.

Gray was one of four players in double figures for the Panthers, who stayed undefeated at 4-0. Shawn Thurston (13 points), Jacob Osborne (11 points) and Ian Anderson (11) also had strong nights offensively.

“I think Jason's biggest concern was winning the game. We had a strong night offensively as a team.”

Thetford plays in the tournament final against the winner of last night's late first-round contest between Twin Valley and Green Mountain.

Woodstock -- The Wasps won their sixth in a row even without their starting point guard.

With last year's leading scorer, Cal Derosia, sidelined with an ankle injury, Sam Stockwell helped fill the void with 17 points including five 3-pointers for the Wasps (6-1). Jake Lapan added 13 points and Kyle Poretto had 12.

James Doyle-Braman scored a team-high 15 for the Royals (2-6), who trailed at halftime, 31-13.

Woodstock plays at Bellows Falls on Friday while the Royals play the second of six straight road games Saturday at Northfield.

Keene, N.H. -- Kaleb Tarczewski led all scorers with 21 points for Stevens, Kevin O'Connor had 13, and Cody Nichols and Travis Drewing had 11 each as coach Bill McIver's team picked up a nice win in the Keene Holiday Tournament to finish third among eight teams.

“They're all good,” he said of victories. “Con-Val is a decent Class I team. This was back-and-forth the whole way. We got the lead late, and were able to hang on,” McIver said.

The biggest advantage for either team was in the third quarter when the Cardinals outscored the Cougars, 15-9. Stevens hosts Conant on Jan. 6 in the regular season opener.

Essex, Vt. -- Stacey Schellong had a dozen points for Hartford last night in the Essex North-South Classic Tournament vs. BFA, St. Albans. “This was the No. 1 team, and we'll be playing the No. 2 team (tonight),” Hartford coach Steve Landon said. “These teams are very deep, fast and quick,” he said.

Bellows Falls, Vt. -- Stephanie Dumas had 10 points and Morgan Farnswoth added eight as a team from Amity, Conn., nipped the Yellowjackets in the Bellows Falls Christmas Tournament in a game that was close throughout.

“We played extremely well defensively, but we were 14 of 61 from the floor,” Windsor coach Bruce MacKay said. “We had good looks at the basket all night, but it was just in and out,” he said. The Jacks are in the consolation game tonight at 6.

Chelsea -- Deva Steketee scored 12 points and Kathleen McCarty had 10 as the Raptors edged the Red Devils.

Rivendell is off until it hosts Blue Mountain on Jan. 8.

Rutland -- Hartford's Nate Potter made 38 saves for his first shutout as the Vermont Division II Hurricanes blanked D-I Rutland.

“He had a phenomenal game,” Hartford coach Todd Bebeau said of his goalie. “We spent a lot of time killing penalties tonight and he was our best defender out there.”

Cody Vose scored two goals with two assists for the Canes while A.J. Hamel had two goals and an assist and Ryan Payne one goal and an assist. Drew Twitchell and Mike Avery tallied one assist each.

The Hurricanes face Burr and Burton tonight in the tournament final.

The Marauders won the first of three games in the Maine Holiday Classic. Davey Ivey scored two goals including the difference maker with 5:02 left in the third.

Parker Sutherland had a goal and an assist, while Shane Wolter Bob Peiffer and Alex Keeley had one goal each. Dan Elliott (two), Jamie Knight (two), Alex Dodds, Graham Miller and Ben Rimmer all contributed assists.

Freshman Mike Huber made his first career start at goalie and recorded 20 saves.

Hanover faces Greely (Maine) in the second day of the tournament today.

Concord -- Cam Macleay opened the scoring for Lebanon in the Capital City Tournament last night with an assist by Martin Tomanik in the first period. Brandon Guidotti had an unassisted goal in the second period, and later in that period, it was Tomanik on the score and an Ethan Gage assist.

“This was a heck of a hockey game,” Raiders coach Anthony Shaw said. “Concord had three goals in the first period. They are a solid team.” Lebanon goalie Matt Hutchins had 36 saves, and Concord netminder Brandon Garrett stopped 22. Lebanon plays Bow today at 3:30 p.m.

Woodstock -- The Wasps had a rough time in their tournament last night with visiting Hartford. Rebecca Fogg led the way for the Hurricanes with a pair of goals and an assist, and Kayla Thibodeau also scored two goals. Raquel Chiasson had a goal and an assist, Brianna Shaw added a goal, Jen Mariotto had a pair of assists, and NaaMah Dennson and Julia Borchert each had an assist.

Sophie Anderson got the Woodstock goal with a Kelly Willis assist, and Wasps netminder Emily Koetsier stopped 200 shots. Canes goalie Brooke Harrington turned back seven Woodstock shots.

Hartford (3-4) plays Burr & Burton tonight for the tourney title.

Woodstock (1-7) plays in the Lebanon Holiday Tournament today.

Woodstock -- Emily Martin scored Lebanon's goal on a Kyra Herbert assist and Jackie Goodell stopped 10 Burr & Burton shots for the Raiders.