Basketball: Kearsarge basketball splits doubleheader with Hopkinton in thrilling matchups

The crowd in Kearsarge’s gym roared with every point as numerous Hopkinton fans traveled to see their girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball teams, and Cougars fans filled the stands.

Kearsarge basketball hosted a girls’ and boys’ doubleheader on Friday night in front of a packed crowd. The rivalry between the two in D-III has become a local classic and both games lived up to the expectations.

The Hawks’ girls’ team (4-0) prevailed in a close game, 40-35, that came down to the wire, dropping the Cougars to 1-2 on the season. The Kearsarge boys (3-1) came out and defended their school colors in the later game to split the doubleheader against a tough Hopkinton boys team (3-1).

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Girls

Hopkinton’s defense shone the brightest. The Hawks gave Kearsarge different defensive looks — full-court pressure, a 3-2 zone, and man-to-man to stay ahead at different points in the game.

“We want our defense to lead our offense,” Hopkinton head coach Mike Mahoney said after the win.

Hopkinton junior Madi Belanger led the way with 12 points and was backed up by a six-point fourth quarter by senior Helen Yeaton. Ella-Mai Johnson also had a strong night with nine points.

“We did really well keeping our heads up even if they got a lead,” Yeaton said after the win.

“I think having the crowd behind us tonight was really helpful. Just to keep everyone fired up,” Johnson added.

Kearsarge coach Steve Lavolpicelo said that despite the loss, he’s confident the team will come out stronger after the break. The team is sticking together and working hard in practice; it’s just about shoring up the small errors.

After building a seven-point lead, Kearsarge stormed back to tie it thanks to sophomore guard Madden Huff’s five-point and Naimah Wilson’s four-point second quarter.

Wilson led the Cougars with 16 and tough buckets in the paint, but ultimately they couldn’t catch up to the Hawks.

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Boys

Junior guard Eli Whipple went off against a big Hopkinton team and scored 23 points to lead the Cougars to victory on Friday night.

Taking after his brother in many ways, he shot effectively from the perimeter and found space wherever he could to battle back from an early deficit. He scored eight in the second quarter and seven in the fourth to seal the game.

“It feels great going into the break. It’s always nice to be above 500 and I think we did a great job moving the ball, getting points when we needed to,” he said after the game.

The Hawks tried to keep up with Kearsarge’s prolific scoring night, but they committed many fouls early and struggled to use their size advantage to create numerical advantages. Ben Norman and Jackson Westover both fouled out, causing the Hawks to stray from their game plan.

Turnovers also cost Hopkinton, especially before half as Kearsarge scored on the fast-break.

Head Coach Liam McNicholas said his Hawks team will have to learn from these games against the top teams in the division.

“We’re going to be the biggest team in every game, so it’s just using our strength smartly is a huge thing,” McNicholas said.

Kearsarge found points from multiple players, even off the bench. Junior guard Mason Prescott came into the game in the second quarter and scored six points quickly, with three free throws and a buzzer-beating three-pointer to electrify the crowd. His points built the Cougars an eight-point lead going into halftime.

Kearsarge senior forward Davin Boehle got into double digits with a fourth-quarter three-pointer, ending with 10 points on the night. Overall, the Cougars showed that height isn’t everything and smart possessions can lead to winning.

Kearsarge head coach Nate Camp was elated by his team’s win before winter break against a tough rival. “I just liked how gritty we were,” he said.

After making a run to the D-III finals last year, Kearsarge knows what it needs to get there, but February basketball is far, still. For now, they will have to continue working to improve.

“I would say come together even more than we are, and really continue to trust each other,” Camp said on how his squad can grow. “Continue to add a few more wrinkles to our defense.”