The Merrimack Valley JV boys’ basketball team lost to Bow 42-33. MV was led by Ben Rose with 15 points, Colby Jones with seven and Brandon Dukette with six.
■The Hopkinton JV girls’ basketball team defeated Hilsboro-Deering 47-22. It was a well-rounded team effort that brings the Hawks’ record to 13-0. Sierra Stone pulled down seven rebounds and scored six points. Hannah Pecce also grabbed seven rebounds and scored five points. Beth Taylor had six points and several boards, while Gina Simpkins also scored six points and had several assists.
The Smokeshow Barbecue Concord Capitals 11U Pee Wees had a tough go of it over the weekend, losing to the Vermont Storm (2-1), Lakes Regions Lakers (7-0) and the Rochester Blackhawks (7-2).
University of New Hampshire men’s ice hockey forward Kohei Sato, will represent Japan this week in the Pre-Olympic Qualification Round 3 Tournament from Thursday through Sunday in Jesenice, Slovenia. Japan will be looking to earn a bid to the Final Olympic Qualification Round on Aug. 27-30. Japan will be playing in Group G with Slovenia, Lithuania and Croatia. This past summer, Sato played for Japan in the World Championships in Estonia. He posted two goals and two assists for four points over five games as Japan went 2-3-0 and placed third in the Division I Group B Tournament.
■Freshman goaltender Ava Thewes of the UNH women’s hockey team was named the Defensive Player of the Week by Hockey East on Monday. On Friday afternoon, her second career appearance, Thewes entered the game in the third period and stopped all seven shots faced, as the Wildcats fell to Maine. During Saturday afternoon’s contest with the Black Bears, Thewes entered during the second period after Maine went up 2-1. She recorded 19 saves and didn’t allow a goal, backstopping the Wildcats to a 2-2 tie.
Concord National Youth Softball registration is open online through March 15 at concordsoftball.org. In-person registration is available on Feb. 18 at Abbot-Downing School from 4:30-6 p.m.
Coed Field Hockey Skills Clinics for grades K-6 at FieldHouse Sports in Bow is accepting registrations for the next five-week session, which begins Thursday. Beginners are encouraged. Clinics meet Thursday afternoons and are coached by Rony Jacober, director of Summit Field Hockey and assistant coach at New England College. Cost is $65. Register online at FieldHouseSports.com, call 226-4646 or stop in at 12 Tallwood Drive.
Concord High softball winter workouts for all players interested in playing for Concord High this year will be held each Sunday until spring tryouts. The next dates/times are: Sunday, 10 a.m.-noon. All workouts are at the CHS gym. Check Twitter @CHSTideSoftball for updates or changes. Questions can be emailed to Concord coach Duke Sawyer at sawduke2@comcast.net.
Concord Little League baseball skills sessions will be held Feb. 15 and Feb. 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Concord Seacoast United facility on 10 Ferry Street. All Concord area baseball players ages 4-12 are welcome. Visit concordnhlleague.com to register and more for information.
Plymouth State softball clinics will be held this winter on the following dates: Feb. 15 and Feb. 29. All clinics cost $30 and are led by Plymouth State softball staff and players. For more information contact Bruce Addison at beaddison@plymouth.edu.
Women’s Lacrosse Coaching Clinic is being offered by the Plymouth State University women’s lacrosse program and head coach Sandy Bridgeman on Feb. 16 at the Bank of New Hampshire Field House at ALLWell North. The coaching clinic is designed for high school and club coaches and includes two separate sessions on the same day. Interested coaches have the option of attending both sessions at a discounted rate. Session One – Essential Skills, Drills and Concepts – will run from 9:30-11:50 a.m. and costs $50 per person. Session Two – Next Level Skills, Drills and Concepts – will run from noon-2:30 p.m. and is also $50 per person. Attending both sessions costs $90 per person. Bridgeman, now in her 23rd year as a college coach, and the Plymouth State coaching staff will work with coaches in the classroom and provide on-field demonstrations covering topics including goalkeeping, mastering the draw and offensive and defensive team concepts. The day will include multiple opportunities for Q&A sessions with the staff. Online registration is available at tinyurl.com/PSUCoachesLaxClinic. All questions can be directed to Sandy Bridgeman at sandrab@plymouth.edu or 535-301.
N.H. Lightning softball 2nd Annual Free Spring Skills Clinic for any interested players ages 8-12 will be on March 15. The clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at Concord Sports Center. Pre-register at nhlightning.org. This clinic has limited spaces to ensure a quality player to instructor ratio, so sign-up soon. Email questions to president@nhlightning.org.
Panther Volleyball Camp for girls entering grades 5-12 will be led by Plymouth State University women’s volleyball head coach Joan Forge this summer July 27-30 at PSU’s Foley Gymnasium. The camp is broken into two sections: Section one is open to girls entering grades 5-8 and is designed for beginner to intermediate players. Athletes will learn basic fundamental skills, rules and strategies to be successful in the sport of volleyball from 9 a.m.-noon each day. Section two is for girls entering grades 9-12 and is for beginner, intermediate and advanced players who want to play and excel at the high school level. Attendees will be challenged with improving basic fundamental skills and will have the opportunity to learn more advanced strategies, position-specific skills, transition and concepts of team play. Section two meets from 1-5 p.m. The main focuses of both sessions will be to incorporate life lessons including character development, teamwork and sportsmanship. Drills and daily scrimmages are aimed at developing the complete player. Athletes will be separated into courts according to skill level to both challenge and maximize their learning experiences. The fee for section one of the camp is $150, while section two fees are $200. Registration fees include a camp tee shirt. Camp staff includes Forge and other college, Junior Olympic and high school coaches, as well as collegiate players. Online registration is available at tinyurl.com/PSUYouthVBCamp. All questions can be directed to coach Forge at jcforge@plymouth.edu or 535-2778.
Tryouts/Registrations
Concord High School student interested in playing a spring sport must attend a mandatory meeting on Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. Baseball will meet in the Media Center, softball will meet in the Lecture Hall, boys’ lacrosse will meet in Room 3090, girls’ lacrosse will meet in Room 3087, boys’ tennis will meet in Room 2043, girls’ tennis will meet in Room 2042 and track will meet in the Aerobics Room. Online registration will open on Friday and close on March 6. All students must register by then.
Concord Little League registration is open for its 70th season. Register boys and girls ages 4-12 at clubs.bluesombrero.com/concordnhll. Concord Little League serves Concord, Bow, Henniker and Hopkinton. Contact concordlleague@gmail.com with questions.
Concord Crush Young Lacrosse spring season registration is open. Registration is done through the Parks & Recreation website at concordparksandrec.com. Concord Crush offers the opportunity for both boys and girls from grades K-8 to learn and play the sport of lacrosse. Visit concordcrush.com for more information.
Merrimack Valley Blue Storm Sports youth lacrosse is now accepting registrations for the spring season for boys and girls in grades K-8. The season starts in March and the Blue Storm coaches are US Lacrosse ‘certified’ and partner with Positive Coaching Alliance to ensure a focus on sportsmanship, learning life lessons and having fun. Go to mvbluestormsports.com for more information and to register.
Granite State Lady Vipers AAU basketball program (based in Epsom) is actively seeking players for the following four teams: grade 5-6 team, grade 7-8, grade 9-10 and grade 11-12. For more information visit GSLadyVipers.com.
New Hampshire Nor’Easter Softball Club is looking for a few dedicated athletes to fill its 2020 roster. If interested, contact danperk78@yahoo.com or at 603-387-2039 to learn of opportunities and tryout information.
Health Club of Concord is seeking senior mixed doubles tennis players (age 50 and older) to play Wednesday and/or Friday mornings. Membership includes tennis, swimming, aerobics, all facilities and free parking. Tennis court time is discounted for members. Contact Myrna at the Health Club of Concord at 224-7787 to join.
Free Throw Championship, hosted by the Knights of Columbus, is open to all local boys and girls ages 9-14. The competition will be held on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the St. Gabriel Parish Center on Elkins Street in Franklin. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. There is no cost associated with this event. Each contestant will be given a chance to shoot 15 free throws, with the winner of each division determined by who sinks the most shots. There will be six separate divisions for boys and girls. The age of the contestant as of Jan.1, 2020 will determine the division participants compete it. Trophies will be awarded to the first place winners, while all contestants will be recognized for their participation. Division winners age 9 and over will have a chance to go on and compete at the State of N.H. Free Throw Championship. This year’s sponsors are the Knights of Columbus Council 11868 in Tilton, Council 12147 in Franklin and Council 10943 in Belmont. In the event of bad weather, the make up date for this event is Feb. 16. Contact Mark Messier at 520-5548 for more information.
Douglas N. Everett Arena has public skating hours Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and on Sundays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person, children age 3 and under are free. Skate rentals are also available for an additional $5. Cash or check only, but an ATM is available in the lobby. The Everett Arena also has adult stick practice (ages 14 and up) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10-11:20 a.m. Admission is $10 (goalies have free entry). Helmet and gloves are required and full equipment is recommended. The stick practice hours end on March 9 and the other public skating hours end March 13. Concord Parks & Recreation is also offering ice skating lessons with session two starting in January and continuing through February. Classes have limited registration. Registration cannot be done at the Everett Arena and must be completed with Concord Parks & Recreation by mail, fax, online, or in person. Go to concordnh.gov/skating for more information.
Discount lift tickets are being offered by the University of New Hampshire ski program in conjunction with SkiNH.com for alpine and Nordic ski areas throughout the state for the 2019-20 season. All tickets are good for any day. All proceeds from sales go to the UNH Ski Team. For more information, contact UNH ski coordinator Cory Schwartz at corys@unh.edu or 512-2317. The following packages are available. ALPINE: Mount Washington Valley Booklet, for $399 you get two tickets all of the following ski areas – Cranmore Mountain Resort, King Pine, Bretton Woods, Abenaki Ski Area; Old Man of the Mountain Booklets, $399, two tickets to all of the following ski areas – Cannon Mountain, Loon Mountain Resort, Waterville Valley Resort, McIntyre Area; Lakes Region, $399, two tickets to all of the following ski areas – Mount Sunapee Resort, Ragged Mountain Resort, Dartmouth Skiway, Gunstock Mountain Resort, Pats Peak Ski Area, Whaleback; NORDIC – Nordic Booklet #1, $175, you get two tickets to each of the following ski areas – Bear Notch Ski Touring, Bretton Woods, Great Glen Trails, Jackson XC, Waterville Valley, Mount Washington Valley, Franconia XC, Gunstock Mountain; Nordic Booklet #2, $175, you get two tickets to each of the following ski areas – Purity Spring Resort, Granite Gorge XC, Loon Mountain Resort; Nordic Skier Wolfeboro; Pine Hill Ski Club; Windblown XC, Dartmouth XC, Dexter’s Inn Trails by Norsk, Eastman XC, Ski Hearth Farm.
Gunstock Ski Club is offering a free trial day for athletes interested in joining the club (season or day pass sold separately). Gunstock Ski Club is a non-profit Alpine ski racing program for athletes ages 6-19. Contact program director Josh Bedard at jbedard40@gmail.com to sign up for a trial day or email info@gunstockskiclub.com for more information. The club trains through the end of March. Training is offered on weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., during February vacation weeks (for both New Hampshire and Massachusetts) and on weeknights for athletes U10 and older. Visit gunstockskiclub.com for more information about the club or to register.