The Lundholm Gym stands at UNH were packed, including on the Nashua North side, during the Division I boys basketball finals. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

By TOM KING

Staff Writer

The Tourney Trail this time of year has always been cold, snow around, and then maybe will warm.

But this year, the annual Winter Tourney Trail was pretty good for travel, no postponements due to weather, etc. Off to stops in Salem, Londonderry, Nashua, Derry, Tyngsborough, Exeter, Concord, Durham. You name it, we went there, and here is our usual post tourney account of all the stops we personally made. Repeat, it’s not a wrapup of the tournament season as whole, just a personal journal of where we were and what happened once we got there:

TUESDAY, FEB. 13

CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL, LITCHFIELD

And so it begins, the start of the local tournament basketball season, this time for Division III boys, with the Campbell Cougars hosting Gilford in a preliminary round game. Always great to be back in Cougar Country, and ran into old friend Will Henderson, who nearly became the Campbell baseball coach a few years ago, and said “You know it’s a big game if (yours truly) is here.” He was right, hard to pass up anything Campbell-Gilford. These two schools seem to always see each other in tourney sports play, Campbell beating Gilford 3-2 in a thriller of a soccer final. This one was pretty good, too, with Campbell rallying to take the lead late before Gilford’s Brendan Baldi nailed a dagger of a 3-pointer with three seconds left for a 53-50 Gilford win. Ouch.

“I felt good about our chances,” Campbell coach Justin DiBenedetto said. “I wish our season wasn’t ending.”

SATURDAY, FEB. 17

HOLLIS BROOKLINE HIGH SCHOOL

Welcome to the Division II Wrestling Championships, an all-day affair, but from a media standpoint, the finals are the key, plus in today’s day and age we can follow it on-line, rather than look at a chart on the wall. But the drama is incredible. Best place to watch? Standing next to the seated and always colorful Bishop Guertin coach Paul Rousseau, who was talking about how our favorite baseball team that wears Pinstripes in New York was looking like. The most excited wrestler on the day had to be Milford’s Kyle Lajoie, a No. 6 seed who won the title at 138 beating BG’s John Forcier with a late pin after he himself was in trouble earlier.

“I knew if I got off my back, I could eventually keep pushing,” Lajoie said. “I thought it was going to take three rounds, but I caught him.”

Guertin had 11 of 13 wrestlers place, and finished second to Goffstown. The other story was HB just recently named its new head football coach, John Trisciani The Elder. He was at the event, but we just missed him. Oh well.

TUESDAY, FEB. 27

SALEM HIGH SCHOOL

Yes, a 10-day break in between tourney events. Why? With Campbell out, that left the local Division I and II hoop and all the hockey tourneys left, and they started on this night. Where to go? Off to Salem – our first visit here since the Division I outdoor track championships in late May – where the young Bishop Guertin girls were playing in what for most was their first tourney experience in the Division I prelims. You wouldn’t have known it the way they started out, led by Thalia Drapeau, to take a 21-8 early lead. But Lindsay Goetz and the Blue Devils were too much to overcome, 55-44.

“Kind of a similar problem we’ve run into in the past,” Orlando said. “We were playing timid, and playing not to lose, rather than fighting really hard to come away with that victory.”

And hard for yours truly, in sneakers and jeans, to not feel underdressed when looking at the dapper Salem coach Rickey Oliver in a suit, in an era when hoop coaches at all levels dress down from the old days. Not Rickey.

LONDONDERRY HIGH SCHOOL

Yes, time to catch the end of the Nashua North prelim on the way home, as it started an hour later. How to go? Exit 4 off Route 93 in Derry, and then the back roads, which was really trip down Memory Lane. Believe it or not, it’s the first time in nearly 30 years we’ve taken that exit, which is where this scribe’s humble abode used to be. Yes, right off the exit. Building looks the same, but nothing around it does. But the back route to Londonderry through the Mack’s Apple Orchard area never changes and we got to LHS in time to see the fourth quarter of a game that was already out of hand. But, we knew it might be, as the Titans were doing what BG did – getting their tourney feet wet.

“That’s all it was about, all it was about,” North coach Curt Dutilley said after a 58-26 loss to the Lancers.

Thankfully he wasn’t wearing a suit; order restored.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 28

NASHUA SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

A lot of local boys basketball going on, and both North and South were home for the Division I prelims. Coin flip? Well, we figured the No. 8-9 battle at the Belanger Gym, South vs. Portsmouth might be closer. And South was playing the Clippers for the second time in six days, as that’s how the regular season ended. In fact, it was Portsmouth’s third trip to Nashua in eight days as the Clips had played at North on that Tuesday of the previous week. It looked early like they were quite comfortable with their surroundings, storming out to a 24-9 lead midway through the second quarter. But South senior guard Zac Castonguay wasn’t about to see his season end in his final home game. “Oh no,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let that happen.” His 20 points plus 27 for Josh Caruso did the trick. On to Derry to face the powerful Astros for noon on Saturday.

“Noon?” Castonguay said. “Ok, no problem, we’ll be there.”

Meanwhile, it was great to see former longtime Nashua High coach George Noucas enjoying retirement by taking in the game, seeing his former player coach. Noucas looks like he could still dissect an offense and devise a tough defense to stop it.

That figure seated in the background is former Nashua High boys basketball coach George Noucas, on hand to watch his former player, Nate Mazerolle, coach Nashua South to a prelim round win over Portsmouth. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Ah, March was coming in sort of lamb-like. There was no snow on the ground (still isn’t though that may be changing this weekend), and we had another partial doubleheader:

LONDONDERRY HIGH SCHOOL

Back to LancerLand for the Division I girls quarterfinal basketball,but only long enough to get a quick photo, see the first quarter. Broncos head coach Frank Girginis is one of the most reliable coaches in terms of submitting info and results, and promised to help out this time, which he did. On the way in good to see former Nashua North golf coach Scott Anderson, whose daughter, Reagan, played for the Lancers. Felt like golf weather. And on the way out, Lancer football coach Jimmy Lauzon. Hey, it’s always a who’s who in LancerLand. But the season unfortunately ended there for the Broncos, who couldn’t repeat their earlier upset in the prelims vs. Goffstown.

“We put Alvirne basketball back on the map,” Girginis said, and he’s right.

SKATE 3, TYNGSBOROUGH, MASS.

Yes, we needed to get here in time for a 7 p.m. puck drop for the Bishop Guertin girls hockey quarterfinal vs. Exeter , not only for Telegraph coverage but also work on the Nashua ETV broadcast. For once, we arrive early, a lot of prep time, when one grandparent of a BG player wanted to know which school yours truly went to in Nashua. Nope, not from here.

Then, we saw Exeter AD and longtime football coach Bill Ball. “Hey I thought you’d be wearing Green,” Ball said.

Why, was it St. Patrick’s Day? Hey, we are objective all the way, although it’s always fun to see the locals advance to the later rounds. Guertin did just that, beating the Blue Hawks 4-1, pulling away in what was a 1-1 game after one period. “We got to the locker room and really talked about how we don’t want the season to end,” Guertin’s Carly Green said. It didn’t.

The great thing about doing TV at Skate 3? We broadcast at center ice, where the heat above is often on. We almost felt overdressed.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

The way the game times work, it’s perfect for an old-fashioned Tourney Tripleheader, so here goes:

PINKERTON ACADEMY, DERRY

First stop, the Hackler Field House, as the Division I boys hoop quarterfinal between the No. 1 Astros and No. 8 Nashua South was that noon start because Pinkerton needed the rest of the day to set up for the NHIAA Cheerleading competition the next day. It was our first look at Pinkerton’s 6-foot-9 monster Jackson Marshall, the NHBCO Player of the Year who put up a four-spot (43 points) on the Panthers in pulling away in the second half for a record-setting 101-83 win. Highest point total ever in a Division I tourney game, and Marshall ended up getting his 2,000th career point. For South, there were hugs with a few minutes left for Castonguay, playing his final game. “That’s a tough one,” his friend and backcourt mate Josh Caruso said of seeing the tandem come to an and, although Caruso returns next year. “These three years, we built something that was unbelievable Never will forget it.” Or him.

NASHUA HIGH SCHOOL NORTH

Yes, arrived just after the scheduled 2 p.m. start, parking the furthest away from the North gym we ever have. Good crowd for the Division I boys hoop quarterfinal between the Titans and Windham Jaguars – the Jags student body was out in full force,making it almost seem like a North-South game.

The Titans were trailing 28-18, but closed to within a point at halftime and pulled away in the second half for a 70-60 win. “Coach (Steve Lane) called time out, got us under composure, and it was our game from there,” North junior sharpshooter Parth Miglani said after his game-high 24 points.

It was a bit of a wait outside the classroom that served as the Jags lockerroom for Windham coach Carson Desrosiers, but that’s to be expected. But the shoulder is still recovering from trying to reach up to talk to him via recorder. His team could have used him on the floor.

SKATE 3, TYNGSBOROUGH, MASS.

Yes, back to the ice rink for a scheduled 4 p.m. start, but no TV broadcast – that was at the North game – and thus no heat for the Bishop Guertin boys Division I hockey quartefinal vs. Hanover. Ah, what would a hockey season be without a BG-Hanover boys or girls game? We ended up getting both, and it was bad news for the Cards. The game started late – most hockey games do, because the rinks are all booked – and it was four minutes in when we arrived, layered up. It was a 1-1 game but things went downhill for BG thereafter, as they fell behind 3-1 and ended up losing 5-2.

But who do we see in the crowd? Why none other than Castonguay, who is friends with a couple of the BG kids, and another of our favorite hockey kids, South-Pelham’s Ryan Arnesen. Castonguay, who was fighting understandable tears a few hours earlier, was all smiles. Couple of great kids.

As for the Cards, who like the BG girls hoop team were defending champions, it was the end of an otherwise good season. Once again, basically almost a whole new team from the previous year. We really saw these last two seasons, fall and winter, how many talented local athletes graduated from area schools last June.

“A great year, we have 15 kids coming in new and finish in fourth place in the league, “ Guertin coach Gary Bishop said. “I’ll take that.”

Rain was falling outside, and the tripleheader went 1-2 for the locals. Now a couple of days before we hit the Trail again.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

EVERETT ARENA, CONCORD

Brrrrrrr. We love the press box here, but hate the cold. But hey, it’s hockey, right? It’s our seemingly annual trip to Everett and the Girls Semifinals, with BG usually taking on Hanover. They’ve played some classics, but this wasn’t one of them, as Da Bears got a 2-0 first period lead and never looked back en route to a very decisive 6-0 win.

It was tough as it was BG senior Gracie Menicci’s last game as a Cardinal, and she had to play it without her friend Jasmine Shattuck, who had suffered a season ending shoulder injury two weeks earlier. Guertin had only six shots on net.

“They’re tough to play against,” Guertin coach Phil DeVita said of Hanover. “They’re fast, they’re on you quick, they don’t give you time and space.”

The highlight was working the Nashua ETV broadcast with Rich MacDonough, who has done a boatload of hockey play-by-play this winter. And seeing former North boys hockey coach Darryl Green, Carley’s dad. Had to break the news to him, though, that his daughter was a better quote than he was. Oh well.

For hockey locally, that’s a wrap.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

EXETER HIGH SCHOOL

Ah, what would a winter tourney season be without a third straight trip to the home of the Blue Hawks, their large gym, and that hallway outside where the teams and coaches gather for the Division I boys hoop semis?

We had a feeling the Titans of Nashua North would upset No. 2 Bedford, because North was a much different team than the one that lost at Bedford 81-76 almost exactly two months earlier.

And it happened. The Titans grabbed a 40-33 halftime lead and 60-50 after three. The Bedford barrage many were bracing for never happened, and the Titans in their 20th season were on their way to the finals.

Bedford coach Frank Moreno was his usual gracious self afterward, telling the media the Titans just hit too many shots for Bedford to overcome. OK, now to pivot down the hall to see North’s Lane. But on the way, the highight of the Trail: Pinkerton Academy football coach and athletic director talking with former Nashua High football coach Bill Hardy. The two were bitter, bitter rivals when they faced each other nearly three decades ago, Hardy going so far as to say “We hate them” after one game when the Astros upset them in the regular season. Oh boy. But time heals all, and truth be told, O’Reilly is a big Hardy fan. Who isn’t? We had to get a photo of the pair, and we did, hopefully running with this story. The highlight of this winter’s Trail. So was the pure joy displayed by Lane, who almost in amazement said, “We’re the last team to be playing (along with the Pinkerton-Trinity winner, which, of course, was Pinkerton).”

Old football coaching rivals Brian O’Reilly of Pinkerton and former Nashua High head coach Bill Hardy shared some laughs at the Division I boys basketball semifinals in Exeter. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE’S LUNDHOLM GYM

Championship Sunday. It was supposed be just the Division I and II boys basketball finals here, but since UNH had an America East home quarter on Saturday, the girls games had to be moved to Sunday. Tip off for North was 4 p.m., not a bad time on the first day of Daylight Savings. Lane wanted the 10 a.m.game because the players were used to morning practices on weekend, but after losing an hour sleep? But, uh, he didn’t know about the time change until a couple days earlier. Good thing, as North certainly showed up on time.

Wow, it looked like a Titan day, after they fell behind 23-10 to grab at 33-28 hafltime led and led 50-42 a few minutes into the third. But a 13-0 Astros run basically ended that and the Astros went on to a 90-76 win. Imagine, 76 points on the Lundholm floor and no win. Another offensive tourney record for the Astros, Marshall had 34, but North’s Pena did himself proud with 30.

So did Nashua, which showed up for this one as the place was packed, standing room only. Jason Robie did interviews in the stands with plenty of local personalites/coaches/administrators for Nashua ETV.

But about an hour after the game, with the gym not yet filled for the Bedford-Pinkerton girls final, North’s Pena was hugging friends and family, knowing he had played his last game. And he gave the best interview of the entire Trail, talking about how well the Astros played, how much he loved his teammates, and how so much credit should go to Lane and his staff for teaching “life lessons.” We were floored, as Pena was just fabulous.

Then we walked out of Lundholm, down the walkway alongside the parking lot. Our favorite moment, the end of the Winter Trail, in daylight. Next up, spring.

Newsletter