Another hectic week of high school sports come and gone, and with it also brings the final week of some divisions in basketball.
Divisions I and II begin its final week of the regular season with some programs using the last games as tune ups before the tournament and others will attempt to close out the season in a positive manner.
While D-I/D-II ends this week – last date to play games is Saturday – Divisions III and IV end in the coming weeks and still have time to bolster resumes ahead of its respective tournaments.
As for other sports, there’s still ample time left for competition. The hockey schedule, regardless of division or boys/girls, begins its tournaments the first week of March.
Schedules and logistics begone, the week three rankings below.
1. Concord boys’ hockey (10-0-0): Simply put, until (if) they lose, the Tide can comfortably rest at the top spot. The reigning undefeated champions won their only game last week in a 4-0 final against Pinkerton. Concord’s game against Hanover that was originally scheduled for Jan. 28 is now scheduled for Feb. 14.
T-2. Bow girls’ basketball (14-2): Bow continues its winning ways and now has won 12 consecutive games. The Falcons have put themselves in a position to host a first round playoff game next week. They close out their season with games at Coe-Brown on Tuesday and home against Kingswood on Friday.
T-2. Pembroke girls’ basketball (13-2): In the same breath as the Falcons, the Spartans remain in the conversation as another team that has the potential to make a run in the D-II tournament. Pembroke won its only game last week, a 64-28 final against Souhegan. The Spartans had a Monday game against Kingswood and end the season Thursday at Sanborn.
4. Concord Christian girls’ basketball (11-0): The Lady Kingsmen climb to their highest spot yet after another dominant performance – a 30-9 walloping over Newmarket last Friday.
5. Merrimack Valley girls’ basketball (12-3): MV lost its only game last week and albeit it was one it wanted to have after crosstown rival Bow handed the Pride their third loss of the season. MV closes out the season with a busy week on the road that started Monday with a trip to John Stark. Other trips include Pelham and Oyster River.
6. Concord girls’ basketball (12-3): “Concord has a full and healthy roster for the first time this season and is heating up at the right time.” This still holds true as the Tide continue to win with the tournament rapidly approaching. While most of the wins have come on the road, Concord’s last three games happen in its home gym.
7. Hopkinton boys’ basketball (10-1): The Hawks have rattled off six straight wins since their loss to Gilford at the beginning of January. Hopkinton has a marquee matchup against Monadnock on Monday and hosts Conant on Friday.
8. Kearsarge boys’ basketball (11-1): Part of the difficulty when ranking the teams is evaluating the schedule and knowing each division is at different points. The Cougars continue to take care of business on the court after they lost to Hopkinton a week ago.
9. Hopkinton girls’ Nordic skiing: The Hawks are undefeated in three races, including first place out of 26 teams at NH Coaches Series skate race. Hopkinton’s next competition is the Classic race on Feb. 12.
10. Concord Christian boys’ basketball (8-1): The Kingsmen crack the top-10 with a recent victory over Holy Family.
11. Concord wrestling: The final week of January was a busy one for the brotherhood. Concord hosted Salem in a dual meet and then hosted the well-regarded Capital City Classic where it finished second out of 17 teams. The Tide had four champion wrestlers at the tournament.
12: Bishop Brady boys’ basketball (8-5): The Giants have snuck their way into tournament contention with three consecutive wins that included an upset over Pembroke and holding on against Kingswood. Brady has a busy week with four games in four days starting Tuesday against ConVal.
Others receiving votes: Kearsarge girls’ basketball, Belmont-Gilford hockey