CROSS COUNTRY

Charlotte Avenue, Bicentennial shine at PAL championships

Over 900 youth runners from the city’s 15 public, Catholic and private elementary schools participated in the 17th annual PAL/Alec’s Shoe Elementary School Championship at Nashua High School North.

In the end it was Charlotte Avenue and Bicentennial celebrating victory – with Charlotte Avenue receiving the Deb Frasier Cup as girls team champion and Bicentennial the Mark Frasier Cup as boys team champion.

The day’s races, sponsored by Nashua PAL in partnership with primary sponsor Alec’s Shoe, and also supported by St. Joseph Hospital were run in four flights: two 2-kilometer races for boys and girls in third grade and under, and two 3-kilometer races for boys and girls in fifth grade and under. Finishing second and third behind Charlotte Avenue in the Girls’ 3k event were New Searles and Birch Hill. New Searles and Charlotte Avenue followed city champ Bicentennial in the Boys’ 3K race.

Individual and team results are available on line at http://www.coolrunning.com/results/12/nh/Oct13_Nashua_set2.shtml.

The top individual finishers in each race were:

Girls 3K (5th grade and under): 1. Caroline Fischer, Infant Jesus; 2. Kendra Santoro, Main Dunstable; 3. Haley Schmitt, St. Christopher; 4. Shatia Ellison, Mount Pleasant; 5. Katie Loranger, Birch Hill; 6. Grace Jones, Birch Hill; 7. Abby Coy, Charlotte Avenue; 8. Machenzie Berthiaume, New Searles; 9. Caroline Harvey, World Academy; 10. Kara Kelliher, New Searles.

Boys 3K (5th grade and under): 1. Jacob Dukeshire, Bicentennial; 2. Zack Berthiaume, New Searles; 3. Ryan Fischer, Infant Jesus; 4. Colin Miller, Sunset Heights; 5. John Sullivan, New Searles; 6. Rory Curran, Charlotte Avenue; 7. Nicholas Dahl, St. Christopher; 8. Jeremy Melendez, New Searles; 9. Keegan Murphy, St. Christopher; 10. Siddhant Dutta, Bicentennial.

Girls 2K (3rd grade and under): 1. Meredith McDermott, Bicentennial; 2. Grace O’Malley, Infant Jesus; 3. April Koczalka, Sunset Heights; 4. Anesha Daniel, Ledge Street; 5. Meghan Conway, Sunset Heights.

Boys 2K (3rd grade and under): 1. Brandon Metivier, Birch Hill; 2. Levi Santoro, Main Dunstable; 3. Christopher Prangley, St. Christopher; 4. Aidan Castro, Sunset Heights; 5. Griffin Johnson, Bicentennial.

Nashua PAL Striders
registration open

Nashua PAL Striders is one of the premier youth cross country programs in New England. This program is a natural extension of any elementary, middle or high school program and has produced a number of USA Track and Field Junior Olympic National Championship teams and numerous All-Americans in various age groups for boys and girls. The Nashua PAL Strider’s program is open to all youth runners from any and all communities across New Hampshire and surrounding Massachusetts communities. The Nashua PAL Striders’ Jr. Olympic program has had a long tradition of success and is excited to continue that success into the 2012 season.

Registration is taking place at the Nashua High School South track Sunday and Monday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The first day of practice is Tuesday. Refer to www.NashuaPALRaces.com for preliminary copies of the necessary registration forms and other important program information. For specific questions, contact the cross country program director Chris Morrow at NashuaPALjocord@gmail.com.

HOCKEY

PeeWee: Cavaliers 3,
Natick (Mass.) 2

Max Sears opened the scoring, taking a pass from Nic Miller and slapping the puck into the net as the Cavaliers I went on to beat Natick, Mass., 3-2 in Valley League action.

A few minutes later Austin Ciszek netted the Cavs second goal with some hard work around the net. However, the Comets battled back with goals in the second and third period to tie the game at 2-2.

The Cavs’ penalty killing unit lead by forward T.J. Vitullo and defensemen Maddy Pitre, Sean Kelly, Alec MacEachen and Max Porter turned back several Comet power-play opportunities in the second and third periods. Goalie Ben Goolsby made a number of key saves, setting the stage for Isaac Rogers to finish things off with a backhand tally late in the third for the win.

Squirt: North Reading AA 10, Cavaliers 4

The Cavaliers’ defensive line of Nik Derenzo, Dylan LaLiberte, Collin McDonald and Joshua Salzman played strong, allowing just one goal in the first period, but North Reading was on the move building a 4-0 lead by the end of the second period.

The third period started strong for the Cavs when Jackson Gates scored the first goal. Moments later Anthony Viola scored and the Cavs were starting to rally. Matt Lynch and Cole Giersch continued a strong offense. A third goal, and the first of the year for Torin White put the Cavs within one goal. Paul Vachon tied the game in the middle of the third period but this was as close as the Cavs would get as North Reading put up six quick goals despite the best efforts of Cavs goalie Thomas Kelly.

FOOTBALL

Nashua PAL

3rd Grade: Nashua PAL 20, Manchester South 0

Charley Mewkill pinned the Sabres deep on the opening kickoff and the defensive play of Brian Melendez and Bobby Canaway shut down the outside lanes while Andy Barry and Zaeden Crocker plugged the middle. On offense the slashing running of Charlie Bellavance behind the blocking of Jacob Moore, Bryson Borromeo and Ariyan Cora led to a march down the field with Isaac Smith taking it in for a TD. Devyn Lavoie, Ethan Paquin and David Simpson ran through the Sabre offense. The running tandem of Matt Oliver and Dylan Homsy led a long drive for NPF. Xavier Francis made a spectacular tackle to end the half. Patrick Keegan opened up the second half with a TD behind Riley Bean and Christian Mosteiro. Nashua kept the scoring going when Jessy Allen crushed a Sabre defender to spring Smith for the last TD of the game. Drew Sheehan carried the ball up the middle to end the game.

5th Grade: Nashua PAL 19, Manchester South 13

This double overtime win was lead by game captains: Robby Long, Chris Acevedo, Aiden Bashor and Neo Helin. Logan Mathewson ran back the opening kick off for a TD. Robby Long ran for a touchdown and a PAT conversion during regulation and scored the winning touchdown in double overtime.

The offense kick-strated by Robby Long also had several nice runs as did Chris Acevedo, Andy Deutschlander, Gavin Belesca, Logan Mathewson and Donovan Labante. Max Ackerman, Aiden Bashor, Tyler Desrochers, Donovan Labate, Kyle Krulikowski, Dom Gentry, Jacob Sansoucie and Christian Ayala were solid on the line opening some nice holes. Standouts on the defense this week included Donovan Labate who recovered a fumble and made some crushing tackles. Robby long had an interception and some key tackles in the secondary to stop long runs. Neo Helin, Sam McElliot, Chris Acevedo, Andy Deutschlander, Adam Little, Logan Mathewson also played solid Defense. Next week Nashua takes on Manchester East.

Varsity: Manchester East 22, Nashua PAL 14

The Force overcame a 14-0 first quarter deficit in a tightly contested game with Manchester East, but came up just short in a 22-14 loss to the Cobras. A grinding rushing attack led to touchdown runs by Max Fay and Josh Roy. A strong defensive effort by Enrique Alvarez, Jose Melendez, Tylor Chase, Pat Barromeo and Devon Brasil kept Nashua in the game. Solid two-way line play by Mason Dane, Matt Esquivel, Trey Legraw, Joe Allen and Finn Littlefield made for a hard-fought game.

Merrimack

Cardinals top Youngsville

Defense again ruled supreme in Merrimack’s battle against the Youngsville Hawks. Despite rainy conditions, both teams dug in on defense to hold each other to single touchdowns.

Youngsville, noted as an outside running offense, was slowed down by cornerbacks Cohen Leighton and Connor Williams along with defensive ends Logan Clancy and Ryan Fee. The half ended with Youngsville leading 6-0.

In the second half, Merrimack’s ground-and-pound offense took control by moving the ball down the field. On its first possession, Merrimack (4-2-1) drove the ball to the Youngsville goal line and what appeared to be a touchdown was ruled a fumble recovered by Youngsville at the half yard line. Merrimack’s next drive was 60 yards capped off by a 5-yard touchdown run by Jacob Schiltz and the difference-making extra point rush by Caden Dudash.

In the last quarter, Youngsville took to the air but great pressure up the middle by Shea Goodwin and great coverage by safety Jesse Shepard prevented Youngsville’s comeback efforts.

Nashua Elks

4th Grade: Crusaders 7, Pelham 0

The Nashua Elks Crusaders fourth graders improved to 4-3 with a one-score win over the Pelham Razorbacks.

It was a defensive struggle for both teams, holding their opponent outside of the end zone until the fourth quarter when Nashua’s Curtis Harris was able to find an opening on the outside for a 60-yard touchdown run. Alex Ortiz secured the win with the extra point running straight up the middle through the Razorback defense.

Brandon Metivier helped the Crusaders move the ball downfield with a pass completion from Sullivan and a few hard runs. Sullivan and running backs Chris Keefe, Jason Compoh and Tyler Armeen also had some strong runs for the Crusaders’ offense.

The Crusaders’ defense played a disciplined game through all four quarters. Alex Ortiz led the defense with Harris (interception, fumble recovery), Keefe (strip), Metivier, Ben Wiehl (fumble recovery), Compoh (2 fumble recoveries), Caleb Humber (sack) and Michael Rutstein contributing to stopping the Razorbacks. Other contributing defensive players were Nick Gosselin, Colby Spencer and Josh Taylor.

5th Grade: Pelham 30, Crusaders 0

The Crusaders had a balanced running game led by Mike Robbins, who carried the ball over 70 yards behind the blocking of Adam Akel, Zach Robinson, Jake Lopes, Colin Keavey, Charlie McKelvey, Jake McDevitt, Colby Martel, Caleb Plourde and Kyle Salemi.

The defense forced two Pelham turnovers with Robbins stripping the ball from a Pelham back and Joey Buturla recovering a fumble. The defense fought hard to control the line of scrimmage behind the play of Brad Deitrich, Keavey, McKelvey, Yassine Jakib, Zach Gauthier, Nate Zalzal, Jordan Bodwell, Ben Levine, Ryan Rutstein, Buturla and Robbins.

6th Grade: Pelham 28, Crusaders 2

The sixth grade Nashua Elks Crusaders suffered their first loss of the season. Nashua and Pelham were both undefeated heading into the highly-anticipated contest, but Pelham was just too much on this particular Sunday, winning 28-2.

Nashua’s offense received solid running from Brendon Frost, Casey McNally, Jaylan Pacheco and Andrew Penkala. The Nashua passing attack was defended well by Pelham all game, and did not allow a reception until the final quarter when Penkala found McNally for a 20-yard pass completion. As usual, the Nashua offensive line received hard work from Justin Arnesen, Brandon Martin, Bradon McDonnell, Tanner Plourde, and Pacheco. Also playing well on offense was Jeffrey Allen and Jacob Babb.

The Crusaders’ defense played hard all afternoon and received big plays from Gabe Perrault, who caused the safety in the final quarter, Penkala (fumble recovery), Plourde and Pacheco. Nashua also received tackles from Josh McElligott, Nathanael Tejeda, Cole Desmond, Jake Robbins, Zach O’Neil, Alex Fortier, Mark Lagasse and Quincy Cotto.

SOCCER

MYA board elections

The MYA soccer program board of director elections will be held Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. All Merrimack residents are invited to attend the meeting at the MYA building. Interested in joining the board? Email secretary@myasoccer.org for more information.

BASKETBALL

NHBCO fall clinic in November

The New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Organization Fall Coaches Clinic will be held at Exeter High School on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Two clinics are offered. One for High School coaches, featuring Dartmouth mens coach Paul Cormier from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and one geared for grades K-8 youth coaches from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Discounts available for coaching staffs and youth organizations. For more information contact Jeff Holmes at 531-0466 jholmes@sau16.org.

CYO

Registration for Saint John Neumann boys team is open

Registration for the Saint John Neumann boys basketball teams are now in process. Boys entering the fifth and sixth grades (Mites) or seventh and eighth grades (Cadets) are eligible. For more information contact coach Brian Kennedy at 320-4467 or 889-3328.