Local roundup: Stevens boys basketball wins first playoff game in six years
CLAREMONT — The Stevens High boys basketball team picked up a long-awaited postseason victory, holding off Somersworth at Carr Gymnasium on Tuesday night for a 48-45 NHIAA Division III preliminary-round victory in front of the hometown faithful.
The win marks the first in postseason play for the Cardinals since 2017. The No. 6 seed Cardinals now look forward to a visit to No. 3 seed Mascoma on Friday night in the D-III quarterfinals.
Devante Thompson came off the bench for Stevens (13-4) to lead the attack with 12 points. Hunter LaRocque and Lucas Belisle each had eight points.
It was all tied up at 21-21 at the half before Stevens rallied to lead by as many as eight points in the third quarter. The No. 11 seed Hilltoppers didn’t fade, answering with a pair of clutch 3-pointers to make it a toss-up in the final minutes.
LITCHFIELD, N.H — The No. 12 Tigers saw their season come to an end in the first round of the NHIAA Division III playoffs. Newport (7-10) graduates Owen Beaulieu, Karter Pollari and Kayden LaClair.
LEBANON — The Raiders evened their record at 8-8 with the win. Lebanon is at Hollis-Brookline on Thursday.
ORFORD — The Raptors (12-4) won their fifth in a row. Rivendell is at Mill River on Thursday.
WINDSOR — The steamrolling Yellowjackets (17-2 in VPA D-III) won their 14th straight game on the strength of a second-half flourish to beat the Hurricanes (10-9 in D-II) and inch one step closer to the top seed in their state tournament later this month.
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The score was knotted up at 18-18 at halftime before Windsor erupted to outscore the Canes, 35-15, in the second half.
Sydney Perry had 19 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks for Windsor. Sophia Rockwood added 12 points and six boards. Audrey Rupp had nine points and six assists. Brianna Barton had eight and five steals.
Avery Mosenthal (14 points) and Charlotte Jasmin (12) led the way for Hartford.
Each team has one more game in the regular season, Windsor at Woodstock on Friday and Hartford at Fair Haven on Saturday.
PLYMOUTH, N.H. — The Raiders (2-14) came up just short in an intense battle on the road at Plymouth.
Lebanon trailed by 10 at halftime but rallied to cut the lead to three before Plymouth answered to extend the edge to 11. The Raiders battled back in the fourth quarter to get within three points but missed on a last-second game-tying 3-pointer.
Sara Belk led the Raiders with 18 points. Keira Houdegbe added 11 points. Coach Chris Boucher praised the defensive effort of Izzy Hamilton.
Lebanon visits Timberlane on Friday night.
MANCHESTER — The Bears edged the Cougars, improving to 13-6 overall and 12-4 in NHIAA play. Hanover is at ConVal next Tuesday.
ORFORD — The Raptors celebrated senior night, honoring Ryleigh Butler, Emma Seward and Jillian Bushee. Butler led the Raptors with seven points.
Rivendell concludes the regular season at Bellows Falls on Saturday.
BARTON, Vt. — The Panthers fell to the host Rangers, snapping a three-game winning streak.
Addie Cadwell led Thetford with 14 points. Charlize Brown and Whitney Lewis each added 10 points. Sakoya Sweeney had a game-high 29 for Lake Region.
Thetford (14-5) hosts Harwood to close the regular season on Thursday night.
BRADFORD, Vt. — The Olympians held Peoples to two points in the first half and cruised to the win.
Maggie Ellsworth led Oxbow with 15 points and four steals. Libby Swift added eight points and 10 rebounds. Emerson Fuller chipped in five points along with 12 rebounds and four blocks.
Oxbow (11-8) hosts Lyndon on Thursday.
WEST LEBANON — Phoebe Ballard’s second-period goal held up to give the Raiders a hard-fought win at Campion Rink.
Ballard’s goal came in the fourth minute of the second when she stole the puck at the blue line, walked down the slot and beat the opposing keeper on the blocker side.
“What a great effort by our entire team from the goalie on out. We skated hard and limited their chances most of the game while generating our own chances on offense,” LSK coach Mike Sheehan said.
Goalie Kristen Garzia made 22 saves for the Raiders, her second-straight win by 1-0 shutout.
LSK (7-6-0) hits the road on Wednesday to face Keene.
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — The Bears came up just short of the title, settling for an impressive second-place showing at the NHIAA Division II girls state championship at Mount Cranmore.
Maggie Higgins led the way for Hanover in both the slalom and giant slalom. Higgins was second overall in the slalom in a combined time of one minute, 4.93 seconds. Higgins was fourth in GS in 1:02.91.
Reilly Loughman took eighth in GS in 1:03.69 and was 11th in slalom in 1:11.61. Dahlia Fuld finished eighth in slalom (1:11.05), just ahead of Sadie Higgins in ninth (1:11.23). Mia Madden was 11th in GS in 1:04.68, ahead of teammate Ashley Cotter in 12th (1:05.27).
Team scores (top 5): Kennett 767, Hanover 743, Souhegan 694.5, Kingswood 647, Hollis-Brookline 588.
GILFORD, N.H. — The Raiders finished eighth overall in the NHIAA Division III boys state championship meet at Gunstock.
Roy Shapard had the highest Lebanon finish, taking 12th in GS in 1:12.56. Shapard added a 35th-place finish in slalom. Noah Lamontagne led the way in slalom, taking 17th in 1:19.21.
Lamontagne was also 18th in GS, followed by Sam Hastings in 42nd and Brett Thorpe in 63rd. Abe Pearson was 39th in slalom and Ean Ray was 45th.
The Raiders finished with 570 points as a team, with Plymouth winning the team title at 750 points.
Team score (top 5): Plymouth 750, Hopkinton 727, Gilford 701, Kearsarge 688, St. Thomas 595.
GILFORD, N.H. — The Raiders took eighth in the NHIAA Division III state championship meet at Gunstock on Monday.
Marin Pearson took 12th overall in GS in 1:17.60. Mariana Utell led the way in slalom, taking 29th in 1:35.78.
Olivia Cook was 33rd in GS, and Branna Hastings was 48th in slalom. Adriana Caraeni was 44th in slalom and 46th in GS. Pearson added a 45th-place finish in slalom for the Raiders, who finished eighth overall with 538 points.
Team scores (top 5): Hopkinton 762, Plymouth 696, St. Thomas 684, Gilford 670, Bishop Brady 632.
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