Bishop Guertin's Dylan Santosuosso is one of the keys for the Cardinals going into tonight's Division I semifinal game with Londonderry. (AP photo)

Pick a game, there are plenty to choose from, if you are allowed to attend.

Today is the busiest day of the local high school tournament week before this weekend’s state finals, with three boys hockey semifinals and one boys hoop semi.

In Division I boys basketball, Bishop Guertin will take on Londonderry in the semis at 7 p.m. at Oyster River High School in Durham.

Meanwhile, in hockey, it starts with Merrimack facing Somersworth-Coe-Brown at 4:15 p.m. at Dover Ice Arena.

Next up will be Bishop Guertin, taking on familiar foe and rival Concord at 7:45 p.m. at Manchester’s JFK Coliseum.

Also, in the Divsion III semis, Hollis Brookline will take on Kennett at Concord’s Everett Arena at 8 p.m.

Here’s a look:

BASKETBALL

The Cardinals played Londonderry twice, beating them twice, but they were two different games. The first was 58-41 at Londonderry, and the tougher game was, ironically, 57-51 at Bishop Guertin three nights later. Guertin is paced by its depth, led by the one-two scoring punch of seniors Nate Kane and Dylan Santosuosso.

But many are wary of the Lancers.

“They had a couple guys injured. They weren’t at 100 percent either time we played them. And now they are,” said Cards coach John Fisher after Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Alvirne. “They’re a very talented basketball team.”

Winner faces either Winnacunnet or Trinity in Saturday’s final at Oyster River, time tba.

HOCKEY

None of the teams in the local hockey semis have faced each other this season. However, Bishop Guertin (12-2) and Concord (14-2) have been familiar tourney foes over the years. Guertin has depth,with the likes of veterans Mike Kiely, Sean Kelley, etc., but the Tide didn’t lose many from a team that reached the finals last year before the title game was cancelled due to the pandemic.

“It’ll be a pretty good matchup,” Bishop Guertin’s Gary Bishop said. “They’ve got three pretty good lines, we’ve got three pretty good lines, we’re both pretty good defensively.”

But, as Bishop noted, the Tide has junior defenseman Ryan Philbrick, “who is probably the best player in the state. But I’ve got a couple of guys who aren’t bad either. We’re looking forward to it.

“We have to stay out of the penalty box. With their power play, they pretty much score at will.”

The winner faces either Salem or Bedford in the finals Saturday.

In Division II, Merrimack and Somersworth Coe-Brown (7-4-1) did not play during the regular season,

“We’re going to definitely do some damage, I think,” Merrimack coach Dan Belliveau said. “Our seniors have really stepped up. They’ve created that leadership in the locker room, outside of hockey, and on the ice, and it’s really paid off.”

Belliveau says Merrimack is in a good place right now, with players like Ben Hardy in net and scorers like Eliott Medlock and Dom Carozza, etc.

“I’m comfortable with our goaltending, I’m, comfortable with our defense,and I’m certainly comfortable with our ability to put some goals in,” he said.

The winner will take on either Dover or Oyster River in the finals Saturday at 5 p.m. at Dover Ice.

In Division III, Hollis Brookline-Derryfield has had no problem putting the puck in the net, with six goals in its quarterfinal win. A program that had yet to win a tourney game (as the co-op) has now won two, but facing a traditional power in the Eagles that last won in 2017 but had also reached last year’s finals before it was cancelled.

Players like Sal Vella and Quinn Silivio have paced HBD in an abbreviated season.

The winner faces the winner of the earlier semi between Berlin-Gorham and Lebanon-Stevens-Mt. Royal in the title game.

Newsletter