Local roundup: Hanover boys ascend to D-II state swim championship throne; girls’ reign end

SALEM, N.H. — Hanover High still has a state championship swimming program under its room. The plaque is simply changing hands.

The Hanover boys captured the NHIAA Division II state crown on Saturday, beating out 18 other schools for honors at the Salem Workout Center. Hanover amassed 210 points, well ahead of second-place Oyster River (153), to regain a crown last won in 2019.

The girls narrowly missed a fifth straight D-II championship, coming in behind Hollis-Brookline, 213-209. The Cavaliers were runners-up to Hanover last winter, 119-109.

Hanover’s boys got started with a 1-2-3 finish in Friday’s dive meet in Lebanon, with the girls going 3-4-5. Benton Cesanek won the 100-yard freestyle and was second in the 50 on Saturday. The boys added a second in the 400 free relay — relay events returned on Saturday after a year off for the pandemic — and got fourth-place finishes from Andres Savellano (100 butterfly) and freshman Theo Cook (500 free).

The Hanover girls won the 200 freestyle relay (Grace Clerkin, Elizabeth Staats, Claire Uiterwyk, Natalie Keith) and the 400 (Clerkin, Staats, Mollee Ye, Keith). Keith and Clerkin were second and third in the 100-yard freestyle. Staats was third in the 500 yard freestyle and Cook had a fourth in the 200 yard free.

“I am really proud of both of our teams,” said Hanover coach Sean Uiterwyk. “The competition was tough and they did a great job.”

Sara Gaspard scored all of Stevens’ points with an eighth in the girls 100 fly and a 14th in the 50 free. Angus Hall earned a point for the Lebanon boys by going 12th in the 50 free.

Boys team scores (top five): Hanover 210, Oyster River 153, Windham 138, Souhegan 130.5, St. Thomas 130.

Girls team scores (top five): Hollis Brookline 213, Hanover 209, Oyster River 156.5, Windham 110, Winnacunnet 100.

Girls basketball

Hanover 63, Kennett 38

HANOVER — With every member of the roster bearing a #11 on their legs for absent senior guard Caroline Adams, top-ranked Hanover (19-0) cruised to a win over No. 8 Kennett in the NHIAA D-II quarterfinals.

Adams missed the game with an illness. Hanover hopes to have her back for a Wednesday semifinal date with No. 5 Laconia at Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston.

Junior guard Stella Galanes led the way with 21 points for the top seed, reaching 1,000 for her career in the fourth quarter. Senior Melissa Whitmore added 12 and fellow senior Jane Lackley had an efficient 10.

“We have everything,” Hanover head coach Dan O’Rourke said. “We have guard play, we have shooting, we have defense, we have rebounding, we have bigs, we go deep. For a high school team that I’ve coached, it’s pretty high up there.”

PEMBROKE, N.H. — The seventh-seeded Raiders dropped a D-II quarterfinal to second-seeded Pembroke but fought hard to the end.

Down much of the night, Lebanon had cut the lead to one point in the fourth quarter.

“Awesome battle. Proud of the senior girls,” said Lebanon coach Chris Boucher in a Facebook post.

The Raiders (13-9) picked up 11 points each from Ella Longacre and Catherine Cole in the season-sneding defeat.

RANDOLPH — The Panthers got 16 points and 12 rebounds from Taylor West and improved to 8-6. All nine players scored for Thetford, with Macey Smith adding 10 points and Mason Fahey seven.

“We did some good things against a team that is working through the phase of developing a program,” said Panther coach Eric Ward. “We are seeing the floor better, anxious to see how much more we can do.”

Thetford is home to Oxbow on Monday.

NEWPORT — Freshman Taylor Fellows scored 13 of her game-high 27 points in the first quarter as Newport jumped out to a 16-point lead that it bumped to 18 at halftime, 33-15.

Fellows had five three-pointers on the afternoon. Maddox Lovely added 14 points for the Tigers.

Newport (7-9) concludes its season Sunday against Newfound and on Monday whould learn its first-round opponent in the NHIAA Division III playoffs.

WEST CANAAN — The Royals wound up the regular season with a strong win at home.

Madisun LaCasse and Leah Larocque had 10 points each, with nine more coming from Liberti LaCasse.

Mascoma was up by seven after one quarter and built that to 20-point lead, 33-13, after three.

Mascoma finishes at 6-10 and will open the D-III tournament on the road.

Boys basketballWhite River Valley 71, Twin Valley 30

SOUTH ROYALTON — The Wildcats (11-2) bounced back from a loss at Bellows Falls on Thursday to rout the other Wildcats on Saturday.

Senior guard Dominic Craven picked things up after a slow start to score a game-high 18 points for WRV. Sophomore forward Dylan Slack added 13 points, and senior forward Austin Tracy chipped in with 12. White River Valley allowed just six points in the first half.

WRV hosts Proctor on Tuesday evening.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hurricanes faced a tough opponent in the Highlanders, who were down two at half time but went ahead by seven after three quarters, 49-42, and hung on for the win.

Brandon Potter had 19 points and Tarin Prior added 15 for Hartford.

“It was a barnburner, but we came up short tonight against a good-shooting Harwood team,” said Hartford coach Jeff Thomas.

Hartford (11-3) welcomes Windsor on Monday.

WHITEFIELD, N.H. — The Tigers finished the season winless and will graduate seniors Jayden Conroy and Devyn Heino.

Boys hockeyHanover 3, Pinkerton 1

WEST LEBANON — Hanover killed off five minor and one major penalty and got a strong game in goal by Luke Ives with 21 saves to improve to 9-5-0.

Alex Rockmore had a goal and assist, Nick Lee two assists and Wyatt Seelig and Jack Stadheim a goal each.

“A nice win; special teams was crucial,” said Hanover coach Dick Dodds. “Fifteen minutes shorthanded and we successfully defended, and we were 1-for-3 on our power plays. Two weeks left in season, and we have to continue elevating our game.”

Hanover travels to Concord on Monday.

ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. — The Wasps held on for the win and move above .500 at 9-8-1.

Woodstock is home against Burlington on Wednesday.

WEST LEBANON — Both offenses exploded in the third period after being relatively quiet for the first 30 minutes, and it was the Raiders (9-4-1) who came away with the close victory at Campion Rink.

Will McGee scored the eventual game-winner with under four minutes remaining, and he also had an assist. Jack Clary and Andrew Dannehy scored for Lebanon as well.

Next up for the Raiders is a home date with Kearsarge on Wednesday.

SWANTON, Vt. — It sure wasn’t easy this time, but the Hurricanes made it 17 in a row to start the season by edging the Thunderbirds.

Ozzy DeFelice scored both goals for Hartford, one in the first period and the game-winner on a power play with four minutes to go in the third. Blaine Gour and Aidan Boonyaharn assisted on that goal, with Gour also assisting on the opening tally. James McReynolds had an assist as well.

Davey Bradley made 17 saves for the Hurricanes, who host Brattleboro on Wednesday.

WATERBURY, Vt. — Hartford scored three first-period goals, but the Highlanders would not go away and came back to get within one, 3-2, early in the second period. before Hurricanes scored again for a two-goal cushion and added two more early in the third.

“What I am most proud of was the grit and tenacity that we saw from everyone on the ice tonight,” said Hartford coach Kylie Young. “We had to throw together some lines due to a few missing players, and we work so well as a team that we didn’t hardly skip a beat. In the COVID season, we really need to have that depth and commitment from players, and we showed tonight that we have that and more.”

Hartford (14-1-0) travels to Rice Memorial on Saturday.

MONTPELIER — The Wasps stayed perfect at 15-0-0 when Isabel Konijnenberg netted the game-winner in overtime.

Woodstock had the early 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal by Kassidy Haley, but the Raiders tied it up on a two-man power play in the second period. Lily Gubbins and Skylar Haley assisted on the winning goal at 1:17 of OT.

Meridian Bremel had 17 saves for Woodstock which travels to Harwood on Monday.

BowlingWindsor second in Barre

BARRE, Vt. — The Yellowjackets earned the top seed in Baker play and advanced to the finals before being bested by South Burlington, 2-1, at Twin City Lanes.

Windsor knocked off Enosburg, 2-0 (203-194, 135-100) in the first round before bowling against South Burlington. Windsor lost the first match (172-167) and won the second (190-163) before dropped the decider (200-185).

In qualifying rounds Windsor’s Patrick Kelley bowled 222-222, Avery Bean contributed 226-134, Alyssa St. Louis rolled 160-183 and Bailey Eddy had a 167-153 set. Windsor travels to Colchester on Saturday for its final match of the season.

RANDOLPH — The Hurricanes placed third in the three-team match, losing to Brattleboro, 2-0, in the first round of Baker play.

Hartford finishes the regular season next week against Fair Haven and Brattleboro at Maple Lanes in Claremont.