In the final regular season meet before the postseason officially begins, the Merrimack Valley boys’ track team captured a win on its home turf and the MV girls finished second, just one point behind Goffstown.
With 113 points, the boys’ easily cruised past Goffstown (91.5), Bishop Brady (32) and Pembroke (11.5). Brandon Wood earned big points with wins in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. MV also got first-place finishes from Walker John (800), Zack Cronin (high jump), Jacob Barrington (pole vault) and David Reynolds (3,200), and a strong second from Camden Donovan (high jump).
The Pride did some excellent work passing the baton, as well.
“Both relays were smoking today,” MV Coach Bob Mullen said.
MV won both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays, with Dylan Guinard, Barrington, Joey Baylus and Wood running the 100 and John replacing Barrington in the 400 relay race, where MV edged out Goffstown by just 1.8 seconds.
“The 400 was the best relay,” Mullen said. “It was close for the entire race.”
Peter DuBois (second shot put), Joe Bell (second javelin) and Sean Sullivan (second discus) had the top finishes for Brady on the day. Pembroke’s Ben Hooker finished third in the 100, Jason Schoeller took second in the 3,200 and Tyler Josephson was third in the long jump.
On the girls’ side, Goffstown (94 points) edged out MV (93) for first place. Pembroke was third with 48 and Brady rounded out the field with 10 points.
Brookelyn Swenson won the 100 for the MV girls, highlighting an afternoon of wins for the Pride. Kaitlyn Covell (200, 300 hurdles), Asia Grace Hanson (800, javelin), Willows Sockalexis (3,200), Kristin Schoffield (triple jump), Sarah Carter (shot put, discus) and Rebecca Williams (pole vault) all won individual events for MV.
“I was really proud of the effort our girls put in today,” Mullen said. “We tried to get a new girl on the pole vault, and Covell won the 200 her first time ever running it.”
Julia Volotto (second long jump), Emily Carignon (second shot put), Lyss Hubbard (second discus) and Kassidy Larson (second javelin) all highlighted individual performances for Pembroke. Gabriela Sirmones (third 100) and Amelia Toole (third 1,600) had the highest finishes for Bishop Brady on the afternoon.
“As we turn the corner (on the season), this was a great tune-up,” Mullen said. “The Capital City Meet is next Saturday, and we’ll be hoping to compete Saturday-to-Saturday from here on out.”
From coaches’ reports
Concord first
Key players: Concord – Angel Feliz (1st 100 in 10.91, 1st 200 in 22.37, 2nd long jump), Dalton Mutz (2nd 100 and 200), Matt Adams (2nd 400), Jamie Wilkes (1st 800 in 1:59.8, 2nd 1,600), Alex Saviliev (3rd 1,600 and 3,200), Jacob Nichol (sixth 110 hurdles), Clinton Mungeta (5th 300 hurdles)
Highlights/key moments: The Crimson Tide finished with 95 points to take first at the 13-team Merrimack Invitational. It was the first time Concord has won this event in the 13-year tenure of Coach Hayden Daly. Portsmouth was second with 76, followed by Nashua North (69.5) and Londonderry.
Coach’s quote: “What I feel is just as important as the win is the team chemistry and how the team is buying in to working and competing. This is a special group of young men.” – Concord’s Hayden Daly
Concord third
Key players: Concord – Grace Devanny (1st 400 in 58.41, 2nd 100), Michaella Conery (1st 3,200 in 11:19, 2nd 1,600), Kat Jepson (sixth high jump), Yelena Beausoleil (fourth discus), Stephanie Oberg (fourth javelin)
Highlights/key moments: Merrimack finished first at its own invitational with 76 points. Londonderry claimed second with 61 and the Crimson Tide totaled 55 to take third, just ahead of Nashua South (52). Concord’s 4×400 relay team took second and the 4×100 team was fourth.
Coach’s quote: “I was incredibly proud of this group of young ladies today. They are proving they are a force. This meet had some of the best teams in the state and they proved they could hang with anyone.” – Concord’s Hayden Daly
Merrimack Valley 2,
Kingswood 0, 8 inn.
Key players: MV – Sam Hodkinson (8 IP, 0 hits, 10 K, 1 BB), Katelyn Hill (2-for-4, game-winning two-run triple), Miranda Crane (1-for-3, threw out three would-be base stealers)
Highlights/key moments: After throwing a one-hitter on Tuesday against Kearsarge, Hodkinson took the next step and spun a no-hitter against Kingswood two days later. The MV junior was a touch wild during that one-hitter, but on Thursday she only allowed the one walk. And once again she was getting outs with strikeouts, sitting down 10 Knights after sitting down 11 Cougars on Tuesday.
The Pride couldn’t produce any runs for Hodkinson in the regulation seven, but Hill changed that in the first extra frame. Lindsay Balch started the rally with a two-out single, Ann Bascom followed with an infield single and then Hill lined an 0-1 pitch to left center to plate the game’s only two runs.
Coach’s quote: “For the second game in a row, Sam was dominant. The girls have continued to battle and it paid off.” – MV’s Sam York
Records: MV 6-6; Kingswood 4-8
Pelham 5, Hopkinton 3, 8 inn.
Key players: Hopkinton – Alexis Blanchette (8 IP, 13 K, 3 ER; double, triple, 2 RBI), Sam Brewer (hit, run), Kasey Smith (double, run)
Highlights/key moments: Pelham tallied two unearned runs in the first, but Hopkinton tied it in the fifth inning, highlighted by a two-out, two-run single from Blanchette. Pelham answered with a home run in the next inning, but again Hopkinton tied it, this time when Smith doubled and scored on an overthrow by the defense. Despite having the winning run on third after a triple, the Hawks couldn’t drive her in and Pelham answered with two in the eighth.
Coach’s quote: “A tough loss, but I was very pleased with the intensity for all eight innings.” – Hopkinton’s Dan Meserve
Records: Hopkinton 5-5; Pelham 5-5
Belmont 5, Gilford 4
Key players: Taylor Lavallee (walk-off double), Nicole Antonucci (2 hits), Julianna Estrameara (2 hits)
Highlights/key moments: Belmont trailed in the home half of the seventh inning, 4-2, before the rally happened. Jordan Lavallee and Jordan Sargent started things with singles and Courtney Clairmont moved them over with a sacrifice bunt. Estrameara singled to plate a run and Antonucci tied the game with a single to right. Taylor Lavallee was next up, crushing a double off the wall and giving her team the win.
Coach’s quote: “Slow start with the bats, but a nice way to finish. Textbook softball in the seventh inning.” – Belmont’s Bill Clary
Records: Belmont 7-4; Gilford 7-3
Kingwood 3, Merrimack Valley 1
Key players: MV – Joe Dougherty (6 IP, 2 ER), Kevin Barton (2 hits), Cole Laliberte (double, run), Robbie Rattee (1-for-3, RBI)
Highlights/key moments: It was the second straight 3-1 loss for the Pride, which has been getting decent pitching but can’t find a way to score runs.
Coach’s quote: “It was a well-played game. We battled, still searching for that timely hit.” – MV’s Sean Wheeler
Records: MV 2-10; Kingswood 6-5
Pelham 6, Hopkinton 3
Key players: Hopkinton – Kyle Slevira (7 IP, 9 hits), Dave Nelson (2 hits), Kenny Andrew (2 hits), Dustin Rose (RBI single), Josh Angel (RBI single, run)
Highlights/key moments: Pelham opened the game with two runs in the first and Hopkinton cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame, but poor defense ultimately did in the Hawks. Of the nine hits Slevira allowed, five were infield singles and the defense also committed five errors. Pelham scored four of its six runs with two outs.
Coach’s quote: “We have been getting hits, we just haven’t been combining hits.” – Hopkinton’s Dave Chase
Records: Hopkinton 4-7; Pelham 4-6
Wilton-Lyndeborough 9, Pittsfield 8
Key players: Pittsfield – Casey Clark (5 IP, 2 ER, 3 K, 6 hits; 2-for-3, RBI, BB), Kyle Stockman (3-for-4, 3 RBI) Jesse Slater (2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 BB), Cam Darrah (1-for-2, 2 BB, run), Garret Hadley (great defense at first)
Highlights/key moments: Pittsfield led 8-6 going into the bottom of the seventh, but Wilton-Lyndeborough scratched across three runs (all unearned) to steal the win.
Coach’s quote: “We played an overall good game. But we’ve got to learn how to play a complete game and learn how to finish. We are getting close and battling against good teams, we just can’t put seven strong innings together. This one was tough to swallow.” – Pittsfield’s Rob Stockman
Records: Pittsfield 5-7; Wilton-Lyndeborough 7-4
Concord 10, Nashua North 7
Key players: Concord – Dan Lebell (4 goals, 2 assists), Drew Livingston (2 goals, 2 assists), Brendan Pearl (2 assists), Sam Galvin (goal), Spencer Burgess (goal), Dan Rydel (goal), Chris Cummings (goals), Cormick McGonigle (goal), Ethan Donlon (15 saves)
Highlights/key moments: Concord snapped a two-game losing stretch, and moved into the No. 8 spot in Division I ahead of North. The Tide will face undefeated Pinkerton on Monday.
Records: Concord 6-6; Nashua North 5-6
Belmont 11, Campbell 7
Key players: Belmont – Allivia Burbank (4 goals, 6 draw controls), Clorissa Roode (3 goals), Keagan Berry (several amazing saves), Andreya Murphy (2 goals), Anna Scott (goal, 3 draw controls), Hanna Leger (3 draw controls), Jen Hamilton (two assists), Laurynn Burbank (goal)
Highlights/key moments: Campbell led by six at halftime, but “after halftime, our girls officially came together,” Belmont Coach Marie Lander said. And that togetherness led to the team’s first win of the season. Hamilton, a senior, didn’t score a goal but she was instrumental on the attack. Senior captains Sarah Thayer and Leger and sophomore Sydney Shepherd anchored the defense in front of Berry.
Coach’s quote: “This game is huge for us. It puts us in the right direction and shows not only our girls, but our division what we are capable of. The skill is there and we brought it 100 percent today.” – Belmont’s Marie Lander
Records: Belmont 1-9; Campbell 0-8
Coe-Brown 7, Kennett 2
Key players: Coe-Brown – Jessica Miles (9-8, 7-5, win at No. 1 singles), Holly Roman (8-6 win at No. 2), Camryn Chick (8-4 at No. 5), Jillian Gordon (8-2 at No. 6)
Highlights/key moments: On Wednesday, Miles and Roman pulled out tough singles wins to give the Bears a 4-2 edge heading into doubles play. The two of them then teamed up for an 8-2 win at first doubles. Bailey Docko and Tayla George earned an 8-6 win at second doubles while Chick and Megan Wimsatt won, 8-6, at third doubles.
Records: Coe-Brown 7-4; Kennett 7-2