Tom King

May Day already?

May 1 is here this weekend, and we always say once we get beyond Presidents Day in February, the time just flies, especially in the sports world locally with the high school tournaments. The NCAA hoop tourneys fill the time leading into the high school spring season, and once that starts, well, the time soars faster than the exit velo of one of South shortstop Albert De La Rosa’s home runs.

So here’s what to look forward to in a month that features something big in just about every sport:

SUNDAY, MAY 1

Now that the Bucks have taken care of their first-round series against the Bulls, this is the day that the second-round series in Boston will begin.

A lot of other contending teams (Phoenix, Miami, Milwaukee) have suffered injuries. The Celtics got their injured guy, Robert Williams, back, and have played incredible basketball for the better part of three months, rising from the ashes.

We’re going to say it here now: It looks like they are going to win the NBA title.

MONDAY, MAY 2

Back to school, kids. It’s also the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ve let the Boston Celtics and NBA have their fun, but now hockey will provide us with marathon overtime games, etc. that can have you on the edge of your seat whether you have a rooting interest or not.

The Bruins? As of this writing, they looked to be either the East’s higher ranked Wild Card, which would likely draw Carolina in the first round, or they could face Toronto if they slip past Tampa into third in the Atlantic Division. Either way, they start on the road.

TUESDAY, MAY 3

There aren’t many in-state teams that can give the Bishop Guertin High School lacrosse team a good run for its money, but the Exeter Blue Hawks may be the one. They come to Stellos Stadium for a 4 p.m. game that should attract come interest. At last look Exeter was unbeaten and had crushed local rival Dover 21-1.

FRIDAY, MAY 6

We get the big Nashua High School North-South matchup at Holman Stadium under the lights, part of Battle of the Bridge Week. South has a lot of talent, including but certainly not limited to De La Rosa, and the Titans can hit and are aggressive on the basepaths. This matchup usually comes down to who can avoid the big mistake defensively, so we’ll see how things shake out.

SATURDAY, MAY 7

It’s Derby Day! We’ll all be enamored with how Tom Brady&Friends party if they attend at Churchill Downs as they have in the past. The favorite this year is a horse named Epicenter, coming in as of now at 5-1 odds. Taiba and Zandon are in at 6-1. As a New York Rangers fan,we’re going with another 6-1 horse named Messier.

TUESDAY, MAY 10

A year ago, Rivier University was the site of the Division I and II championships (why it isn’t this year is beyond us, the NHIAA is making these southern schools trudge up to Plymouth?). Well, Nashua North and South softball will tangle at the nice Raider Diamond under the lights beginning at 7 p.m.

Both programs seem to be struggling so far but the Battle of the Bridge matchup against each other usually brings out the best in both.

THURSDAY, MAY 12

Bedford at Bishop Guertin girls lacrosse at Stellos, a 6 p.m. start. This should be the best in-state Division I girls lacrosse game of the year; the Bulldogs gave Bishop Guertin quite a scare in the semis last year and will certainly be aiming to do even more than that this time around.

It’s become a great rivalry. Of course, it’s BG-Bedford.

MAY 19-22

The PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, golf’s second major. Remember, this event usually in August was moved a year or two ago to this time to try to give it better exposure (still don’t see what was wrong with August). Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have registered, reports say.

But we mention this as a reminder that golf’s next major after this, the U.S. Open, will be held a month from this time in June right in the Boston area, the Country Club at Brookline, Mass.

THURSDAY, MAY 26

It’s Opening Night for the Nashua Silver Knights, as they begin their 12th season with the hopes of a more experienced roster, a full season of promotions, etc. coming off a full offseason of sales, etc.

This is the first year in the last three that they could go full steam ahead thanks to the pandemic – last year things still weren’t certain as to fan restrictions, etc. – and they hope to make the most of it.

A 6 p.m. first pitch vs. Pittsfield at Holman Stadium, and the 64-game season will be underway.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, MAY 27-28

It’s the Division I and II Track Championships, Division I on Friday at Salem High School and Division II Saturday at Pelham. It seems like just yesterday when Nashua North had those magical back-to-back nights with the boys and girls championships, doesn’t it?

We’ll see who the local favs could be this year, they’ve all had impressive showings to start this spring with some great individual efforts. Souhegan and Milford could be big in Division II as well.

TUESDAY, MAY 31

The Division I and II boys and girls tennis semifinals are on this day, and locally maybe Souhegan could be involved or even Alvirne (both Division II). But also, the Cincinnati Reds play the first of two games at Fenway Park against your Boston Red Sox. How many times do we say that? For a lot of us oldsters, anytime the Reds are at Fenway it brings back memories of a classic, classic Fall Classic: The 1975 Sox-Reds World Series.

There you go, fans. Have a marvelous May.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.

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