CONCORD – Starting 3-3 through six games is not the worst possible outcome Concord could’ve imagined coming into the 2022-23 season. But as the schedule approaches the midway point of the season, the Tide still have work to do to get to where head coach Rob Darrell wants – the playoff hunt.

The Tide (3-3) suffered a setback on Tuesday night against Goffstown (5-1), losing 55-42. Concord has now lost two straight after starting the year 3-1.

Aidah Smalley led Concord with 13 points; no other member of the Tide cracked double digits. On the other side, the Grizzlies’ Ava Winterburn lit up the scoreboard with 33 points. She proved to be too much for Concord to stop.

“She’s a great player,” Darrell said of Winterburn. “They did a really good job of getting her open and getting her available. We make a mistake, she got the opportunity, she finishes, so I give her a lot of credit.”

Overall, it was a messy performance from the Tide, who hung around in the first half but let things slip away in the last 16 minutes. The offense found intermittent sparks, but the defense couldn’t force stops and Concord gave the ball away too many times. It’s a theme that’s repeated itself several times so far this season.

“We’re not a 32-minute team yet,” Darrell said. “We don’t play consistent for 32 minutes. Tonight was probably one of our best shooting nights, but then we didn’t do as well at rebounding, we had a lot of turnovers. When we get the whole thing together, which is little by little by little, then I think you'll see a different team towards the playoffs.”

One of the biggest challenges for Darrell has come on the defensive end. In his first year as the head coach, he said he discussed tweaks he planned to make with Tim LaTorra – his predecessor and the current boys’ basketball coach – before the season. 

The results haven’t come as easy.

“I think we need to play with a little more pride, a little more heart,” he said. “I feel like tonight, (there were) a few letdowns where they give up for a couple seconds, and then (Goffstown) capitalized.”

Looking ahead, the Tide still have about five weeks to steady the ship. Through the first six games, there have been positives and negatives, some expected, others not. Such is life when you have a new head coach and a roster that’s dealt illnesses and injuries through the first month. Now, it’s just a matter of finding the consistency as the roster gets back to full strength. 

“I wish we were farther along, but we're not yet,” Darrell said. “I really see a light at the end of the tunnel. I really do. I feel confident in the progress we're seeing at practices and in games and on film when I watch it after. We still have a lot to fix, but I feel we're moving forward well.” 

Concord will be back in action on Friday where it’ll face Bedford on the road to try to get back over .500.

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