High schools: Weekend playoff basketball and hockey, New Englands track and wrestling

Bow's Brendan O'Keeffe (left) shoots over a Hanover defender during a Division II boys' basketball quarterfinal on Friday, March 1, 2024 at Hanover High School. O'Keeffe scored 23 of his team's 34 points in a 51-34 loss.

Bow's Brendan O'Keeffe (left) shoots over a Hanover defender during a Division II boys' basketball quarterfinal on Friday, March 1, 2024 at Hanover High School. O'Keeffe scored 23 of his team's 34 points in a 51-34 loss. Chip Griffin—Chip Griffin / Photos By Chip

Published: 03-03-2024 12:35 PM

D-II Boys’ Basketball

No. 2 Hanover 51, No. 7 Bow 34

Key players: Bow – Brendan O’Keeffe (23 points), Connor Eno (great defense off the bench)

Highlights: The Falcons ran into a strong defense in Friday night’s quarterfinal, trailing 12-2 at the end of the first quarter and 24-11 at halftime. Bow cut the deficit to 31-27 late in the third quarter, but Hanover pulled away in the fourth to lock up a spot in the D-II semifinals.

Coach’s quote: “Tough to get down against a very disciplined team that makes you work on both sides of the floor. Proud of the way we came out in second half and cut a 13-point (deficit) down to four. Overall, a good season with many players taking big steps forward. Tough to see my two seniors, Colby Smith and Sean Guerrette, play their last games.” – Bow’s Scott Drapeau

Records: Hanover 18-1; Bow 13-7

No. 4 Coe-Brown 69, No. 12 Kennett 41

Key players: Coe-Brown – Connor Bagnell (16 points, 5 assists, 3 rebound, 2 steals), Quinn Salter (16 points, 14 rebounds, block), Jack Matson (9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks), Matt Flanagan (9 points, 4 rebounds)

Highlights: Things were clicking for the Bears on both sides of the ball, allowing Coe-Brown to take a 13-6 lead at the end of the first quarter and 25-16 lead at halftime to advance to Tuesday’s semifinal against No. 1 Pelham.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Coach’s quote: “Great team effort with solid defense throughout the game.” – Coe-Brown’s Dave Smith

Records: Coe-Brown 16-4; Kennett 9-11

D-II Girls’ Basketball

No. 4 John Stark 59, No. 5 Pelham 56

Key players: John Stark – Eleanor Girardet (17 points), Avery Geaumont (15 points), Izabel Korbet (12 points)

Highlights: The Generals opened up Saturday’s quarterfinal with a 9-0 run and maintained a 10- to 15-point lead for the majority of the game. Pelham cut Stark’s lead to a single point with 30 seconds left, but the Generals made clutch free throws to extend their lead back to three points. John Stark will play No. 1 Concord Christian in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Coach’s quote: “We came out shooting extremely well tonight. We had a balanced attack throughout, and Pelham had a big push at the end of the game. We were able to finish it out and are looking forward to playing the the semifinals.” — John Stark’s Tiffany Lewis

Records: John Stark 16-4; Pelham 15-5

No. 1 Concord Christian 53
No. 9 Derryfield 18

Key players: Concord Christian – Lilli Carlile (18 points), Emma Smith (17 points), Kayden Rioux (12 points, four 3-pointers), Kate Smith (6 points)

Highlights: The Kingsmen led 25-8 at halftime and 43-14 at the end of three quarters to cruise to a victory in Saturday’s quarterfinals. Concord Christian will play No. 4 John Stark in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Records: Concord Christian 18-1; Derryfield 13-7

D-III Boys’ Hockey

No. 6 Kearsarge-Plymouth 4
No. 3 Belmont-Gilford 3

Key players: KP – Jack Swanson (2 goals, assist), Brennan Johnson (goal), Shea Curley (goal), Lincoln Manson (2 assists), Charlie Cushing (assist), Gunnar Benedict (assist); BG – Max Ryder (goal), Evan Guerin (goal), Jaxon Embree (goal, assist), Adam Ribeiro (assist), Nate Gerbig (assist)

Highlights: Johnson scored the game-tying goal with 12 seconds left and Swanson scored the game-winner off a deflection 4:30 into overtime to send the Cats to the D-III semifinals with an upset victory. After tying and losing to the Bulldogs in the regular season, Kearsarge-Plymouth finally got the upper hand on Belmont-Gilford’s home ice in their third meeting. The Cats led 2-0 midway through the second period before the Bulldogs came back to take a 3-2 lead on Embree’s goal with 7:17 to play. Kearsarge-Plymouth will play No. 2 Pembroke-Campbell in Wednesday’s semifinals at Plymouth State University.

Records: KP 9-9-1; BG 13-5-1

No. 2 Pembroke-Campbell 2
No. 7 Hollis-Brookline/Derryfield 0

Key players: PAC – Cam Plumb (2 goals), Gavin Retkevicz (2 assists), Liam Cripps (14 saves)

Highlights: Plumb scored two goals in the third period to lift PAC to back-to-back semifinal trips thanks to Saturday’s quarterfinal victory. PAC will play No. 6 Kearsarge-Plymouth, a team it has already beaten 4-1 and 5-0, on Wednesday night at Plymouth State.

Records: PAC 14-4-0; HBD 6-12-0

Wrestling

New Englands

Key players: Concord – Maddie Beauregard (3-2, fourth, girls 185), Griffin Norwalt (0-2 at 126, reached consi of 16); Bow – Adler Moura (3-2 at 113, reached consi of 4), Joe McDowell (3-2 at 175, reached consi of 8), Josiah Funches (0-2 at 157); John Stark – Lyncoln Jablonski (0-2 at 113); Winnisquam – Ava Anderson (1-2 at girls 114, reached consi of 8)

Highlights: The area’s top wrestlers competed at New Englands on Friday night and Saturday at the Providence, R.I., Career and Technical Academy. Beauregard, a sophomore, had the top finish of all area grapplers, advancing through the consolation bracket to wrestle in the third-place match.

Boys’ Indoor Track

New Englands

Key players: Coe-Brown – Jamie Lano (fourth in 1,000), Sanjith Nomula (16th, 1,000), Elias Warner (21st, shot put); John Stark – Sam Kinsey-Turner (T-sixth, high jump), Logan Montgomery (20th, 300), Joel Douzanis (25th, shot put), Rio Calle (26th, long jump); Bishop Brady – Josh Gentchos (19th, 300); Kearsarge – Daniel Dalbec (22nd, one mile); Bedford – Jacob Redman (1,000 champion); Bishop Guertin – Matt Giardina (two-mile champion)

Highlights: Lano had the best finish out of the area athletes who competed at New Englands at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston on Saturday. Lano, who is nationally ranked in the 1,000, narrowly finished second in the fastest heat with a time of 2:29, but Bedford’s Redman ran slightly faster (2:27.20) in an earlier heat to be crowned the New England champion. Redman’s time is fourth-best in the nation this year.

Girls’ Indoor Track

New Englands

Key players: Concord – Ella Goulas (10th, high jump), Morgan Doherty (21st, 55 hurdles), Maddy Muller (24th, 600); Bow – Hannah Pawlowski (21st, 600); Kearsarge – Maelle Jacques (T-14th high jump); Bedford – Annika Scott (long jump champion; 2nd, 55 hurdles)

Highlights: Goulas cleared 5 feet, 3 inches in the high jump to finish in the top 10 at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center on Saturday.