Sports
Girls’ basketball: No. 1 Concord Christian, No. 3 Pembroke prepare to do battle for the Division II title on Sunday
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
When Pembroke faced off against Concord Christian on Jan. 30, both teams were unbeaten. The Spartans led 51-50 with 6:15 remaining in the game but didn’t score again for over five minutes, as CCA stormed ahead to a 65-55 victory.On Sunday, the two...
Hockey: Pembroke-Campbell advances to program’s first championship game appearance with 5-0 semifinal win over Kearsarge-Plymouth
By DAN ATTORRI
In 25 years the Pembroke ice hockey program has never played in a state championship. That will change on Saturday.No. 2 Pembroke-Campbell (15-4-0) controlled Wednesday night’s semifinal from start to finish, defeating No. 6 Kearsarge-Plymouth...
Girls’ basketball: No. 1 Concord Christian one win away from third straight state championship after defeating No. 4 John Stark
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
SALEM – After falling behind 13-2 less than three minutes into Wednesday night’s Division II semifinal, No. 4 John Stark (16-5) looked to be in deep trouble against No. 1 Concord Christian (19-1).The Kingsmen came out asserting their game, forcing...
Girls’ basketball: Pembroke withstands late surge from Laconia to punch its ticket to the Division II championship
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
SALEM — Beating the No. 3 Pembroke Spartans (18-3) requires more than just slowing down their senior star Annelise Dexter. The Spartans have depth, they have versatility and most importantly, for this time of the season, they have poise. And in...
Nordic skiing: Concord boys win D-I championship, girls finish 2nd; Watt, Lesser and Clarner earn individual crowns
By DAN ATTORRI
This year’s winter conditions posed far greater challenges than usual to the state’s high school Nordic ski teams, so much so that even having a championship wasn’t a given. But meet organizers pulled a rabbit out of a hat and Concord High made the...
Boys’ basketball: No. 4 Coe-Brown pushes No. 1 Pelham to overtime, comes just short of reaching D-II championship game
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
DURHAM – As Coe-Brown head coach Dave Smith stood outside the Bears’ locker room at Oyster River High School hugging his players one by one — virtually all with tears in their eyes — he exuded nothing but a sense of pride and appreciation.“The effort...
Boys’ basketball: Hanover grinds down Pembroke, ends the Spartans season in the D-II semifinals
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
DURHAM – Entering Tuesday night’s Division II boys’ basketball semifinal, the No. 3 Pembroke Spartans (18-3) knew exactly what No. 2 Hanover (19-1) was going to do: run a remarkably methodical offense and play smart, disciplined defense. Pembroke knew...
A victory for college athletes — but only a step
By JIMMY GOLEN
A ruling that gives the Dartmouth basketball team the right to unionize has far-reaching implications for all of college sports — from the quaint, academically oriented Ivy League to the big-money football factories like Michigan and Alabama.The...
Monitor Sports Podcast – Dave Smith previews Coe-Brown’s semifinal against No. 1 Pelham
Monitor staff
On this week’s podcast, Eric Rynston-Lobel and Dan Attorri recap last week’s playoff results, including Concord boys’ hockey’s stunning overtime loss to Exeter and preview this week’s D-II boys’ and girls’ basketball semifinals featuring Pembroke...
Girls’ basketball: No. 4 John Stark gears up for the challenge of No. 1 Concord Christian
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
If No. 4 John Stark is able to take down top-seeded Concord Christian in Wednesday night’s Division II girls’ basketball semifinal, it’ll be because of the Generals’ experience and composure. At least, that’s what head coach Tiffany Lewis is banking...
Dartmouth men’s basketball team votes to unionize, though steps remain before forming labor union
By JIMMY GOLEN
HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth men’s basketball team voted to unionize Tuesday in an unprecedented step toward forming the first labor union for college athletes and another attack on the NCAA’s deteriorating amateur business model.In an election...
NHTI men win conference hoops title
NHTI defeated the Central Maine Community College (CMCC) Mustangs 80-78 on Sunday to win their fifth YSCC men’s basketball championship in program history. It’s also the first time the Lynx have won the championship on their home court since 2018.On...
NLRB official denies Dartmouth request to reopen basketball union case. Players to vote Tuesday
By JIMMY GOLEN
Dartmouth basketball players remain on schedule to vote Tuesday on whether to form the nation’s first-ever college athletes’ labor union after a National Labor Relations Board official rejected the school’s request to reopen the case.NLRB regional...
Boys’ basketball: As No. 4 Coe-Brown prepares for its D-II semifinal against No. 1 Pelham, a Q&A with head coach Dave Smith
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
On Friday, No. 4 Coe-Brown (16-4) took down No. 12 Kennett, 69-41, in the Division II boys’ basketball quarterfinals. The Bears advanced to face No. 1 Pelham (18-1) in the semifinals at Oyster River High School on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.The Monitor...
High schools: Weekend playoff basketball and hockey, New Englands track and wrestling
D-II Boys’ Basketball No. 2 Hanover 51, No. 7 Bow 34 Key players: Bow – Brendan O’Keeffe (23 points), Connor Eno (great defense off the bench) Highlights: The Falcons ran into a strong defense in Friday night’s quarterfinal, trailing 12-2 at the end...
Boys’ hockey: No. 11 Exeter stuns No. 3 Concord in overtime, knocks Crimson Tide out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
CONCORD – Concord keeled over in disbelief.It hadn’t yet been five seconds since a shot from Exeter’s Ryan Wallace found the back of the net at 12:03 of overtime to win the game for the Blue Hawks, 4-3. The stark reality already set in. The Tide...
Girls’ basketball: Pembroke off to the D-II semifinals after beating Bow for the third time this season
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
PEMBROKE – Over the previous two seasons, no team has caused Pembroke girls’ basketball more disappointment than Bow. Each of the Spartans’ last two years ended with a loss to the Falcons in the playoffs. But Saturday was different.Pembroke was the...
Boys’ basketball: Joe Fitzgerald’s 26 points lift Pembroke over Merrimack Valley in D-II quarterfinal
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
PEMBROKE – The No. 3 Spartans (18-2) had ample reason to feel concern, trailing No. 11 Merrimack Valley (9-11), 23-22, at halftime of Friday night’s Division II boys’ basketball quarterfinal.With the Pride having just come off an upset overtime win...
Boys’ hockey: Coming off back-to-back losses, Concord looks to right the ship in the playoffs
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
It’s not too common to see Concord boys’ hockey lose back-to-back games. When it happened last week in losses to Keene (2-1) and Hanover (3-2), it was the first time the Crimson Tide program had dropped consecutive contests in seven...
Boys’ basketball: Familiar foes, Pembroke and MV prepare to do battle in the D-II quarterfinal Friday night
By ERIC RYNSTON-LOBEL
When No. 11 Merrimack Valley (9-10) shows up to play No. 3 Pembroke Academy (17-2) on Friday night in the Division II quarterfinals, there won’t be much the two teams don’t already know about each other. They squared off twice during the regular...
