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Defenders lose again

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:57:38 EST

It was another lean night for the Defenders at Holman Stadium, as they managed just three hits in a 6-0 loss to Quebec.

High School Highlights: Wrestling, Scores, Schedule

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:08:00 EST

The Milford High School wrestling team went undefeated on the day, while Nashua North’s Joey Page picked up his 100th career win at the Souhegan-Milford Dual Meet Championships. The Spartans picked up wins over White Mountains (62-9), Plymouth (45-21) and North (42-33), the last of which came down to the final match, where Milford’s Rueben Carson pinned North’s Marly Kert at 2:36 of the 120-pound match. Also wrestling well for Milford was Andrew Myers (182), Connor Borne (152), Joe Albina (170), Scott Dannewitz (160) and Devin Dolliver (132), who had two pins on the day. North went 1-2 – beating White Mountain Regional 45-12 while losing to Milford and Salem (36-33) – at Saturday’s meet, but Page wasn’t going to let the Titans go without a memorable highlight for the day. Page, who went 3-0 on the day at 160 pounds, recorded a pin in 38 seconds against his White Mountain opponent to lock up the 100th victory of his high school wrestling career. Also going unbeaten on the day with three pins to their credit were Cam Bennett at 106 and Connor McBride at 145. In the loss to Milford, Titans 170-pounder Joe Chimelski pulled out a 6-2 win over the Spartans’ Albina. Bishop Guertin 24, Exeter 21 The Cardinals finished up the Division I regular season with a win over the Blue Hawks. Zak Kemos (138-pounds) and John Fagan (195) both recorded pins for Bishop Guertin, while Cole Fokas (126), Brandon Levesque (132) and Ryan Szczgielski (113) also picked up wins. Alvirne, HB win 2 of 3 The Broncos and the Cavaliers each took two of three dual meets at the Cavalier Classic at Hollis Brookline High School. Alvirne defeated Bow (31-30) and Pelham (36-24) but lost to Londonderry (57-10).

US stuns Switzerland as Federer, Wawrinka both lose

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:00:59 EST

FRIBOURG, Switzerland – The visiting US stunned Switzerland with a 2-0 lead on opening day of their Davis Cup World Group first round tie on Friday as both Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka went down to defeat. Mardy Fish began living up to his national number-one standing as he defeated the 28th-ranked Wawrinka 6-2, 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 9-7 to give the visitors an unexpected start. But it was John Isner’s comeback win over Federer 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 which truly shocked a crowd of partisans who filled the Forum Fribourg for what had been expected to be a winning weekend over the under-done Americans. The 32-times champion US lead the series 2-1. But the once-powerful nation has lifted only one Davis trophy in the past 16 years. The visitors came without injured Andy Roddick and doubles player Bob Bryan, whose wife just had a baby. Wawrinka went down in four and a half hours to Fish. “He did everything to win,” said the beaten Swiss, who added that the winner “played more aggressively in the fifth set.” Wawrinka had been hoping to play the hero’s role, which he performed in September when he scored the win over Lleyton Hewitt, thus returning the Swiss to the World Group. Wawrinka saved match points in the tenth and last games of the final set but was unable to hold off world number eight Fish as the American produced a winner on his third opportunity. Fish finished the slug-fest on clay with 15 aces to 10 for Wawrinka and fired 93 winner to 80 for the Swiss.

Celtics need Rondo to recover quickly

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:01:57 EST

TORONTO – Rajon Rondo, after a long night, didn’t leave the locker room for the team bus until long after his teammates had vacated the building. As the Celtics point guard admitted to Doc Rivers during halftime of an 86-74 loss to the Toronto Raptors, he was playing horribly. He had, for example, five turnovers in the first half, though he went error free during the last 24 minutes. “To his credit, at halftime he said, ‘Man, I’m playing like crap.’ And I said, ‘That’s fine, but keep playing,’” Rivers said. “Even if you don’t play well, it can’t affect your energy and your effort, because everyone is always watching on your team.” The problem is Rondo only got marginally better. He wasn’t particularly effective during the Celtics’ Thursday night loss to the Lakers, either, though he didn’t want to entertain a suggestion that he’s in the midst of a slump. “That’s you guys’ opinions,” he said.

Wade prefers his footing to Gronk’s

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:02 EST

Sometimes there is ample time for rest and recovery. So when Dwyane Wade sustained what ultimately was diagnosed as a high ankle sprain, he rested and recovered, returning after two weeks off, soon back to the top of his game, as evidenced by his 33-point outing Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. Three days earlier, Wade scored 25 points against the Toronto Raptors, then took stock in the pitfalls of trying to speed up the timetable for such an injury. It left him appreciative of the extra caution the Miami Heat medical staff took. Wade said he hardly was surprised by how limited New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowki was during the Super Bowl, two weeks after sustaining a high ankle sprain in the AFC championship game, one that ultimately required the type of surgery Wade was able to avoid. “I mean, I knew it was going to be tough for him. But, obviously, it’s the Super Bowl. What do you expect him to do?” Wade said of Gronkowki, before the debate turned to Gronkowki’s post-Super Bowl shirtless dancing agility. “He’s going to go out there and he’s going to try.

Bruins regroup versus Preds

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:12 EST

BOSTON – Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron scored in the shootout to lift the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the visiting Nashville Predators on Saturday afternoon. Bergeron added a shorthanded tally in regulation and Milan Lucic scored the tying goal with 1:07 left in the third period for the Bruins, who bounced back from a 6-0 loss at Buffalo on Wednesday. After David Krejci was denied in the first round of the shootout, Seguin made multiple moves before going to the backhand to beat Pekka Rinne. Tim Thomas, who made 19 saves in regulation and overtime, stopped Sergei Kostitsyn and Martin Erat in the shootout, leaving it open for Bergeron to win it in the third round. Lucic knotted it at 3-3 late in the third. After drawing a penalty to start the power play, Lucic came on the right side of the rush and grabbed the rebound of Rich Peverley’s miss, burying it past Rinne for his 20th goal. Mike Fisher had given Nashville its first lead 2:25 earlier, circling behind the net to grab a puck squirting through the crease and tap it into the open net for a 3-2 lead. The Predators have dropped four of their last five games. Horton setback hamstrings B’s Bruins coach Claude Julien said after practice Friday that Nathan Horton has taken a step back on the road to recovery from a concussion after skating last Sunday. “He’s been pulled back,” Julien said after practice at the Garden. “He’s got some symptoms, so we’ve pulled him back. That’s why I said (earlier this week) that it’s hard for me to come out every day and say whether it’s a step forward or a step backward.

Kids Sports Wrapup: Basketball, Gymnastics, Baseball Tryouts

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:02:11 EST

BASKETBALL Middle School Nashua Catholic Jr. High girls win Tri-County title The middle school basketball season wrapped up last weekend with the Tri-County Middle School League Championships at a packed Nashua Community College gymnasium. Both the boys and girls squads from Nashua Catholic Regional Junior High School reached the championship game. The girls came out on top. Girls: Nashua Catholic 37, Pennichuck 29 The Nashua Catholic girls squad capped an undefeated 15-0 Tri-County season by defeating cross-town opponents Pennichuck Middle School 37-29 in the Class I tournament finals. Point guard Marie Laplante lead the NC scoring with 11 points, followed by Danielle Mackey (7), Mollly Dee, Adaeze Okorie, Brea Veilleux, and Megan Donovan (4 apiece), and Emma Wiliams (3).

Past meets present as Milford celebrates historic 1972 boys basketball championship

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:27 EST

They seemed to arrive suddenly, almost out of nowhere. And before anyone knew it, they were gone again, only this time we were wiping their dust from our eyes. Early in a long-ago December, few gave these tall, lanky guys who never stopped running much of a chance to come out of the impending schoolboy basketball season with more than a .500 record and maybe a couple of moral victories. They didn’t listen. Because they knew – “while we may not go all the way, we’re going to make some noise between now and March.” Four decades later, more than half the players on a little-known team that would write one of the most fascinating stories in state schoolboy hoop history returned home to Milford to celebrate the 40th reunion of their 1972 championship season, a fete accomplished in just their second year playing with the “big boys” of Class L. They’re the Milford AREA High School Spartans, a “Hoosiers” scene come to life in the center of the Souhegan Valley.

Slow, steady better than most people realize

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:02:31 EST

Remember to always start slow. That was mentioned at the end of last week’s column about interval training, but it really should have been right where it is this week. If you’re just starting to exercise, interval training is not what you want to start out with. Slow and simple is the way to go, at the beginning, but not a lot of people start that way and that’s another reason why so many people fail at their goal of losing weight. “Hard and fast every day is not sustainable,” said Shelby Young, one of the personal trainers at Hampshire Hills. For someone who has never exercised, who has been sedentary most of his life, who you might refer to as the classic couch potato, Young would give the following workout instructions to begin. “Start with some body weight strength training, some pushups and situps,” he said. “Then get on the (cardio) machines and go long and slow for the first few weeks and then increase.” Long and slow exercise can be good for everyone now and then. Most people, when they exercise, stay at the same medium pace and never speed up or slow down.

BG boys win D-I swimming title

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:13 EST

Conventional wisdom is that the penguin is the best-swimming bird, but a certain Catholic school in Nashua has made a strong case for it actually being the cardinal. The Bishop Guertin Cardinals boys’ swim team ran away with its fourth straight Division I championship at UNH’s Swazey Pool on Saturday, while the girls had the area’s best finish with an impressive third place showing. The Cardinals boys, whose 287 points far outdistanced second place Bedford (209) and Nashua North (171), wasted no time getting into the winner’s circle. The 200 yard medley team of Brandon Conceicao, Matt Puksta, Samuel Root, and Joseph Moleski, all of whom would be heard from several times during the meet, took home first place in the opening boys event, and it continued from there. Moleski won the 50 yard freestyle, David Pfeifer crushed everyone in the diving event, scoring over 165 points higher than the next competitor, Puksta and a different cast of characters won the 200 yard freestyle relay, then Puksta won 100 yard breaststroke. Those were just the wins; a host of Cardinals filled out the top six in events, meaning they advance to Sunday’s Meet of Champions along with the top six finishers in Division II. Other Cardinals who advanced are Brett Seeley-Hacker, Erik Rockstrom, Joseph Soraghan, Andrew Yourell, Brian Regan, and Kurt Iske. Nashua North got strong performances from Oliver French, who won the 500 yard freestyle and qualified in several events, Nathan Garner (winner of the 200 yard intermediate and 100 butterfly), Alexander Flinn in the 100 yard butterfly and backstroke, and Ryan Clukey (relays and 100 backstroke). Meanwhile, the girls were no slouches, improving 73.5 points from last year’s showing and finishing third behind Dover (208) and Bedford (201).

Patriots’ Super Bowl XLVI strategy had a catch

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:03:03 EST

Since Kansas City Chiefs coach Hank Stram famously agreed to be miked XLII years ago, no Super Bowl experience truly has been complete until we hear the NFL Films audio to learn what really went on. Super Bowl XLVI was no exception. Only three days after the game, behind-the-scenes insights began to emerge on the NFL Network’s “Sound FX” show, as well as on NFL.com. Among the gems: New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick telling his defense before the New York Giants’ final drive: “Make them go to Manningham. Make them go to Pascoe, all right? But let’s make sure we get Cruz and Nicks.” Oops. The Giants opened with a 38-yard pass from Eli Manning to Mario Manningham, right in front of Belichick. Later, Patriots defenders were heard in the huddle saying that for strategic reasons, they had to let the Giants score, while on the sideline, quarterback Tom Brady doubted that would work, saying, “They’re not going to score.” They did, when Ahmad Bradshaw awkwardly and reluctantly fell on his backside into the end zone, and all turned out well for the Giants in the end. Bear market for Nets Team Marketing Report is out with its annual survey of NBA ticket costs, which shows – no surprise – the two most expensive teams are the Knicks and Lakers, who average $117.47 and $99.25 for non-premium seats. The Nets’ average is $37.06, below the league figure of $48.48. But wait: Many fans are more interested in the going rate on the secondary market, where prices rise and fall based on demand. Take Wednesday: The Linsanity-driven Knicks host the lowly Kings, and the cheapest ticket was $45 as of Saturday afternoon (up 50 percent from Friday) on FanSnap.com, which monitors several dozen outlets. That same night, the Nets host the Grizzlies.

Sabers boys, girls finish 2nd at D-II swim championships

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:23 EST

The Souhegan Sabers boys and girls swim teams both played the bridesmaid at the Division II championships at UNH’s Swazey Pool on Saturday. The Saber boys scored 172 points and fell just 16 points short of champion Oyster River, while the girls placed second with 172 points, behind St. Thomas Aquinas (196). Souhegan had all of the area’s wins, with Eric Howard taking home the 50 and 100 yard freestyles, and the Sabers’ 200 and 400 yard freestyle relay teams also emerging victorious.

Ski strategies for ‘Presidents Week’

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:17 EST

Presidents’ Week is, traditionally the peak week of any ski season, especially here in the northeast where school systems traditionally schedule a vacation week around the holiday. Every area is covered with snow – be it natural or man-made. This year, when natural snow has been in short supply over much of the regions, snowguns have been blasting to deepen bases and buff up surfaces in anticipation of the coming holiday. School kids are looking forward to time off from classes and time on the slopes.

South stuns Alvirne

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:20 EST

NASHUA – It’s been a year of unpredictable outcomes in Division I boys basketball this season, but what happened at Nashua High School South on Friday night deserves a spot at the top of the list. A South team that had dropped seven of its previous eight games hosted an 8-3 Alvirne team many figured would end the season in the top four. The final: South 65, Alvirne 34. Sure South’s 5-7 record entering the game was a little misleading. The team’s last five losses had come by a combined 11 points, including two-point losses to Pinkerton Academy and Manchester Central and a one-point loss to Merrimack. But who could have predicted a total blowout, especially after Alvirne took a 16-10 after the first quarter. “It was just one of those situations where we had a good night and they had an off night,’’ said South coach Nate Mazerolle, whose team improved to 6-7. “Defense is something we’ve gotten away from lately, but we focused on it the last couple of days at practice.’’ Things began to go South for the Broncos when the Panthers opened the second quarter with a 13-0 run to take a 23-16 lead. Alvirne fought back to within four at halftime, but the third quarter was an unmitigated disaster for the Broncos. They committed nine turnovers, bringing their total after three quarters to 20, and were just 1-for-9 from the floor, with a number of air balls.

Raptors push C’s losing streak to 2

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:27 EST

TORONTO – DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 86-74 wire-to-wire win over the visiting Boston Celtics on Friday. Toronto snapped a five-game losing streak to the Celtics as well as a three-game overall losing skid. Boston has dropped back-to-back outings after winning five straight. DeRozan mixed mid-range jumpers and tough takes to the basket, getting seven of his points from the foul line. He had the Canadian fans on their feet with a sky-high alley-oop finish that was part of a 14-1 start to the game for Toronto. Point guard Jose Calderon played a controlled pace for the Raptors, scoring 17 points and dishing out 14 assists. He buried a step-back 3-pointer to extend the lead to 12 with 1:38 remaining in the game. The Celtics looked gassed a night after losing at home to the rival Los Angeles Lakers in overtime.

High School Highlights

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:39 EST

BOYS BASKETBALL Merrimack 44, Manchester Memorial 28 On a night when offense was hard to come by, Tyler Gendron scored half of the Tomahawks’ points, dropping in 22. It was a block by Gendron early in the second half that ignited Merrimack (10-2) defensively, as it held Memorial (6-5) to just 10 points in the final 16 minutes. Brad Jarry added six for the ’Hawks and Jackson King, Bryan Courtemanche and Eric Gendron each had five. Campbell 66, Raymond 61 The Cougars improve to 12-3 after beating a tough Raymond squad. Jesiah Wade had 16 points in the win. Max Gouveia had 14 points and Chuck Neild added 13 points for the Cougars.

Julien turns up heat

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:48 EST

WILMINGTON – Claude Julien isn’t much for punishment practices and he didn’t call Thursday’s session one, either. But it had to get his players’ attention. The roughly hour-long practice started with a battle drill. It ended with a battle drill. And in between, there were a few more battle drills, with Julien occasionally barking at players to keep digging. By the end of it, the players left the Ristuccia Arena ice with their sweat-drenched jerseys clinging to their equipment. Such is life when you’re a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and you’ve lost half of your last dozen games, the most recent of which was the 6-0 pummeling at the hands of the out-of-the-playoff-picture Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. “We certainly need those kinds of practices once in a while to right the ship a little bit,” Julien said.

Only 2 Boston prospects make ESPN’s top 100 list

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:00:57 EST

Everyone loves a good list, especially when it comes to baseball prospects. Thursday, ESPN.com’s Keith Law published his fifth annual list of the top 100 players in the minor leagues. It’s subjective, of course, but Law, a former Toronto Blue Jays executive, explains his rankings, which include only two Red Sox players: infielder Xander Bogaerts (No. 62) and catcher Blake Swihart (No.

Big men present big problems for Celtics

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:01:03 EST

BOSTON – As the game wore on, it began to feel like watching the same episode of SportsCenter again and again. Each time the ball hit the rim, you simply knew either Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum was coming away with the rebound, and more than likely was about to turn it into points. It was the issue that cost the Celtics the NBA title two years ago. It was the biggest reason they fell short to the Miami Heat in the playoffs last season, and it became clear once again Thursday night it would again be a tremendous problem down the stretch this season. The Celtics, who lost 88-87 in overtime, simply do not have the bodies to contend in the frontcourt. Boston’s struggling big men were once again toasted by the Lakers’ bigs Thursday. The C’s were out-rebounded 55-45, a stat that does not begin to illustrate the dominance. Whether it was Gasol outworking the Celts’ front court for a putback, such as his tap-in with 9.8 to go in regulation, or Bynum outjumping three C’s for a rebound and adding a hoop, it was trouble all night. “People don’t realize how big these two are,” said Lakers forward Troy Murphy. “They touch the rim without jumping.

US stuns Switzerland as Federer, Wawrinka both lose

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:00:16 EST

High School Highlights

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:22 EST

GIRLS BASKETBALL Nashua North 54, Dover 47 Trailing by 14 points at start of fourth quarter, the Titans outscored the Green Wave 31-9 in the final frame to pull off the come-from-behind road win. Brittni Morton and Katelyn Roeser led the Titans with 14 points each. Both players also connected on three 3-pointers apiece. Taylor Choate chipped in with nine points, while Emily Boots chipped in with 16 rebounds and four points in the win. BOYS BASKETBALL Nashua North 69, Dover 55 Ryan Gauthier scored a game-high 19 points to lead the Titans (9-3) to a big second half as they knocked off the Green Wave in Division I action. North outscored Dover 42-26 after halftime, and got 13 points from Mike O’Connor and 12 points from Javon Williams. Jake Mellin was also in double figures, scoring 10. SWIMMING NHIAA Championships throughout weekend The 2012 NHIAA Swimming and Diving Championships will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the University of New Hampshire. Diving kicks off the weekend as the only event Friday, beginning at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, Division I competitors take to the pool at 8:30 a.m., followed by Division II at 4:30 p.m. The divisional championships will be followed on Sunday with the Meet of Champions at noon. Admission for Friday is $5 for students and seniors and $7 for adults.

Lakers, Gasol deny C’s in OT

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:28 EST

BOSTON – Pau Gasol blocked a Ray Allen putback attempt as the buzzer sounded giving the Los Angeles Lakers an 88-87 overtime victory over the Boston Celtics at the Garden on Thursday night. Andrew Bynum’s tip-in with 1:29 remaining gave the Lakers the lead, setting the stage for Gasol’s defensive heroics at the other end. The win broke the Lakers’ two-game losing streak and was just their fourth road victory in 13 contests. The loss ended the Celtics’ five-game winning streak. Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles with 27 points while Gasol added 25. Allen paced Boston with 22 points and Paul Pierce added 18. The game was tied 82-82 going into overtime. Baskets by Bryant and Steve Blake gave the Lakers a four-point lead.

Wakefield close to decision

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:32 EST

By the weekend, Tim Wakefield likely will decide whether he intends to pitch this season. “We’re discussing the options – and he has some options – and over the next few days, we’re going to try to figure it out,” agent Barry Meister said by phone Thursday. “These next few days is just a period of introspection, where he’s trying to decide what to do, whether to play, who to play for.” Wakefield has stated his preference for pitching one more season for the Red Sox, but the team hasn’t reciprocated with as much enthusiasm. The 45-year-old right-hander has 200 career wins, 186 with the Red Sox. The club record of 192 wins is shared by Cy Young and Roger Clemens. A few months ago, Meister said Wakefield may benefit from pitching in the National League if an opportunity with the Red Sox doesn’t present itself.

Facebook posting dogs Thomas

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:38 EST

WILMINGTON – In the wake of Tim Thomas’ Facebook posting Wednesday in support of the Catholic church’s battle against the Obama administration over contraceptives, the goalie faced a new round of reporters Thursday who wanted him to expound on his thoughts. Not surprisingly, the goalie, who was able to deny his own team’s repeated requests to attend the White House function with the rest of his teammates a couple of weeks ago, dug his heels in and kept to the same robotic mantra that he used when asked about it after Wednesday night’s game in Buffalo. “It’s my personal life that has absolutely nothing to do with the Bruins or hockey and I’m going to use my right to remain silent,” said Thomas. After giving several variations of that theme when he was repeatedly asked about it, he was reminded that Facebook is a public forum. “You have the right to ask the questions but I have the right to not answer them,” said Thomas, who doesn’t believe that because he’s a public figure he must explain himself further. “I don’t think that when you become an athlete that you sign away your right to be an individual and have your own views and post them on Facebook if you’d like.” After the unproductive line of questioning continued, Thomas became irritated. “We can do this every day, but from now on, the first question I’m asked about it, I’m done interviewing for that day,” Thomas said. When asked if he regretted the posting, Thomas said, “I’m out. Peace.” And with that, he walked away from reporters. Later, coach Claude Julien, whose team is 5-6-1 in their last 12 games, reiterated Thomas’ political views are not a distraction in the room. “I don’t think I’ve heard anyone, starting from our owner to management to coaches and players, I don’t think I’ve heard anyone support his opinions. But I’ve heard everybody say we support him as a player and we do,” said Julien. “We’ve got good team chemistry in that dressing room and, I’ve said it before, we don’t mix politics with our hockey team and that continues to happen. It’s probably something people would like to think because of how poorly we’ve played lately, but I assure you there’s no issues in the dressing room and there never will be.

Head of the class: Three Campbell boys basketball players are Top 10 academically

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:00:16 EST

It’s tough to stump Campbell High School senior basketball players John Houston, Chuck Neild and Kyle Mun with any question, but one left them wondering earlier in the week. Houston has already locked up an appointment to the Naval Academy. He’s ranked second in his class. Neild is shooting for West Point, with Harvard and MIT as possible fallback plans. Mun is the third member of the team to be ranked in the top 10 of his class. He’s been accepted at Ithaca College and is waiting to hear from Northeastern. So here’s the question.

MLB GMs put premium on smart shopping

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:02:37 EST

This winter’s free-agent class included a Prince (Fielder) who got a deal fit for a king and a reliever who came away looking like a pauper by major league salary standards. Closer Ryan Madson nearly had a four-year, $44-million agreement with Philadelphia in November, but talks broke down and the Phillies signed Boston’s Jonathan Papelbon for four years and $50 million. The demand for closers drying up, Madson settled in January for a one-year, $8.25-million contract with Cincinnati. A tough break for Madson? Sure, but a stroke of genius for the Reds, who got a key piece for a potential division contender at a cut-rate price. Free agency isn’t just about who throws the most money around, though it often seems that way for teams such as the Angels, Phillies, Red Sox, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers, who snagged Fielder with a nine-year, $214-million deal. It’s about value, getting bang for the buck and, as Papelbon-Madson shows, the Phillies paid a premium in dollars and years for an asset that doesn’t look like much of an upgrade over what the Reds got on the cheap. With that in mind, here’s a look by position at the best and worst free-agent values of the off-season: FIRST BASE Best: Carlos Pena, one year, $7.25 million, Tampa Bay. No team stretches a $60-million budget like the Rays, who contend in the American League East despite puny payrolls. In Pena, 33, they have another low-cost, high-impact player. Pena had a .357 on-base percentage and 28 home runs for the Chicago Cubs in 2011 after averaging 36 homers with a .368 OBP in four seasons at Tampa Bay. He’s also a Gold Glove-caliber defender and a strong clubhouse presence. Worst: Albert Pujols, 10 years, $240 million, Angels. This contract will look great if the slugger leads the Angels to a World Series or two in the next five years. If not, it could become a financial albatross. Pujols, 32, will make $12 million this season.

For first time, Brady takes heat from Pats fans

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:02:42 EST

Does it hurt when Teflon is ripped off your body by an angry fan base? Memo to self: Run this one past Tom Brady when training camp starts. As we wait on that one, let’s consider how hard a fall Brady has taken on the public relations/legacy front these past few days. A week ago, he was the Golden Boy quarterback who, with one more Super Bowl victory, would join Joe Montana on a virtual game show called “Name That Greatest Quarterback of All Time.” Again, that was last week. Now there’s an element out there that’s labeling him a choke artist. And there’s a mob out roving the countryside, holding tight to their leashed bloodhounds with one arm and waving torches with the other, as they chase after Gisele Bundchen, aka Mrs.

Sabres have no trouble shutting down B’s

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:02:46 EST

BUFFALO – Captain Jason Pominville tallied twice to snap a six-game goalless drought and Ryan Miller turned aside all 36 shots he faced as the Buffalo Sabres breezed to a 6-0 home victory over the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. Tyler Ennis, Patrick Kaleta, Drew Stafford and defenseman Christian Ehrhoff also tallied for Buffalo, which improved to 4-0-1 in its last five games overall and 5-0-4 in its last nine home contests. With Lindy Ruff watching from the coach’s box while nursing three broken ribs, the Sabres wasted little time taking the battle to the Bruins. After Ehrhoff’s shot from the point deflected off Gregory Campbell’s stick to open the scoring, Pominville doubled the advantage nearly 81⁄2 minutes later. Ville Leino skated down the left wing, spun and backhanded a centering feed to Pominville, who finished the play with a backhander off the right post and into the net. The fast start was more than enough for Miller, who preserved his third shutout of the season and 25th career by stopping 17 shots in the third period. Ennis then ended Tuukka Rask’s night 1:52 into the second period by slipping a backhander past the netminder. Rask stopped seven of 10 shots before being pulled for the third time in his career. Coach’s call Coach Claude Julien made the unusually generous gesture of telling reporters that Rask would get the nod Tuesday night. Julien almost always keeps the evening’s goalie decision to himself and this year he’s had the team exit the morning skate together, making it harder to figure out that night’s goalie. The reason for his largesse? “It depends on which side of the bed I get out on in the morning,” Julien said, barely stifling a smirk. “Just telling you the truth.” The lines remained the same as they were in practice Wednesday, with David Krejci centering the third line between Benoit Pouliot and Jordan Caron and Chris Kelly.between Milan Lucic and Rich Peverley. The Sabres were not only be without their top goal scorer in Thomas Vanek, but coach Lindy Ruff missed just his second game in his 14th season behind the Sabres bench after suffering broken ribs in a collision at practice on Monday.

2012 (and ’13) Red Sox: What you see is what you get

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:02:51 EST

The Red Sox didn’t suddenly get stingy. They’re just confronting the reality of a payroll that could end up near $190 million this year. And that reality has the potential to get ugly. Since the end of last season, the Angels have added C.J. Wilson and three-time National League MVP Albert Pujols.

Milford’s Babiarsz has happy landing in Florida

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:02:57 EST

When Milford’s Dwight Barbiasz was breaking both the state indoor and outdoor high jump record as a high school senior four years ago, college coaches from coast to coast started to notice and Barbiasz landed a scholarship to the University of Maryland. But it was nothing like the recruiting war that took place last fall, when Maryland announced it was dropping its track program and Barbiasz made it known he was interested in transferring. With the prospect of nearly guaranteed points in the national championship meet from a three-time All-American, just about everyone came calling. UCLA wanted him and so did USC and Texas. Florida State, who had watched Barbiasz win in the ACC, made a strong push. But Barbiasz settled on a sure thing, two-time defending national champion Florida. “It was all there,” Barbiasz said, “the team, the coaches, the chance to compete for a championship contender.” Barbiasz said the decision to leave Maryland was pretty easy once the school announced it was shutting down track in 2012-13 for budgetary reason. “I felt I had to get out because everyone was down, feeling down,” Barbiasz said. “That’s not the way I wanted to finish my college career.” Because Barbiasz red-shirted one spring season at Maryland, he will continue to compete at Florida through the spring of 2013.

High School Highlights: Hockey, Basketball, & Wrestling

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:42:00 EST

BOYS HOCKEY Nashua North 2, Manchester Central 1 Stephen Crocker was in the right place at the right time to knock home a rebound with 2 minutes, 15 seconds left in the third period to lift the Titans to victory over the Little Green at Conway Arena on Wednesday night. David Kelly’s initial shot on net was denied, but the puck shot back out onto the stick of Crocker for the game-winning tally. Trailing 1-0 late in the second period, North tied things up on an unassisted short-handed goal from Jake Latham with 1:25 left in the frame. Jake Genest stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced to record the win and improve North to 7-6-2 overall (5-5-2 Division I). Bishop Guertin 4, Exeter 2 Ben Hadley and Zack Coyle recorded two points with one goal and one assist each to lead the Cardinals to victory on the road at The Rinks in Exeter. Steve Shaw and Matt Blais chipped in with one goal each for BG, while Drew Pearson made 19 saves for the win between the pipes. Pearson was aided by the strong defensive play of Nevin Houle and Chris Arling. WRESTLING Alvirne 33, Campbell 19 The Broncos improved to 9-7 with wins from Ben Katsohis at 120, Josh Metivier at 126, Brendan Smith at 132, Mike Meli at 138, John Roark at 152, Pat Morse at 170 and Stephen Lichtenberg at 195. Campbell victories came from Jack Trembly at 106, Connor Douglas at 145 and Jess Avitable at 160. Milford 41, Goffstown 26 The Spartans Devin Dolliver was losing 9-1 in midway through the second period when he pinned his opponent at 132 pounds, propelling Milford to its 20th dual meet victory in 24 matches. Caleb Wright followed with a key 7-2 decision at 138 and the winners had pin victories from Scott Dannewitz at 160, Andrew Myers at 170 and Joe Albina at 182. Bishop Guertin 54, Con-Val 24 The Cardinals had pin victories from Cole Fokas at 120, Brandon Levesque at 132, Derek Lawton at 145, Pat Sands at 152, Donnie Adie at 170, Steve Lombardi at 182, John Fagan at 195 and Brian Fenn at 285. Hollis Brookline 24, Souhegan 6 With nine matches ending in no contest, this match was over quickly with four others lasting less than a minute. Picking up pin victories for the Cavaliers, who improved to 11-2 on the season, were Kyle Ducharme in just 30 seconds at 113, Zach McPherson in only 25 seconds at 126, Casey Quinn in 29 seconds at 160. And, in the match of the night, the Cavs Zach Migneault pinned Souhegan’s Brandon Ward in 3:01 at 285. Souhegan’s only victory came was Cameron Crook, by pin, in 50 seconds at 220. Salem 50, Nashua North 27 Cam Bennett (106 pounds) and Joey Page (160) recorded wins via the pin in the Titans’ loss to the Blue Devils. Also scoring a win with an 11-9 decision was Joe Chimelski (170). North takes the mat again Saturday at Souhegan. GIRLS BASKETBALL Hollis Brookline 47, Hanover 18 Katie Stopera scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, as the Cavaliers (14-0) cruised past the Marauders to remain undefeated in Division II. Ellie Flaum added 13 points, with two 3s, and Jillian Gillis added nine points for HB, which will travel to Con-Val on Monday. SUMMARY GIRLS BASKETBALL at Hollis HANOVER (18) Kate Gautier 2-2-6, Holly Schlosser 2-2-6, Hannah Seibel 2-0-4, Asie Makarova 0-2-2, Eileen Daley, Molly Cornell. Totals: 6-6-18. HOLLIS BROOKLINE (47) Katie Stopera 4-4-15, Ellie Flaum 5-1-13, Jillian Gillis 4-0-9, Kelsey Berry 1-1-3, Erin Ackerly 1-1-3, Amanda Balsamo 1-0-2, Rachel King 1-0-2, Katherine Kroeger, Kellie Messer.

North ‘D’ making believers

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:47:01 EST

DERRY – There are those who believe the Nashua North boys basketball team is as talented as any team in the state. Tuesday night, for long stretches at Pinkerton Academy, they looked the part in a 62-47 victory over the Astros. The Titans improved to 8-3 and played the kind of style, predicated on tough defense leading to transition baskets, that first-year coach Steve Lane envisioned when he took over the team. “They are going to make mistakes, they are going to turn it over and do some things that look unorthodox at times,’’ Lane said. “But there are a lot of kids smiling because of the style of play.

Memory of dropped pass will linger; so should Welker

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:46:01 EST

It goes into the books as the biggest drop in the history of the New England Patriots. If Wes Welker makes the catch, the Patriots probably win Super Bowl XLVI. But he did not make the catch, and, well, here we are. Giants 21, Patriots 17. And let’s be clear on this: It absolutely was a drop. Now, was it a perfect pass from quarterback Tom Brady? No, except that it’s important to remember he was trying to keep the ball away from the one person who was in the neighborhood and could thus do damage, safety Kenny Phillips. And would it have been a routine, garden-variety catch by Welker? No, except that he is known as a receiver with great hands who, on this play, happened to get both wrapped around the ball. As he himself pointed out, “It hit me right in the hands. I mean, it’s a play I never drop, I always make.

Bottom line: Woods has time to make golf history

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:01:54 EST

SAN FRANCISCO – Tiger Woods, in many ways, launches the third chapter of his career Thursday in Northern California. Woods transformed golf in Chapter 1, steaming into historic territory. He seemed destined to chase down Sam Snead’s career record for PGA Tour victories (82) and, more important, Jack Nicklaus’ standard for professional majors (18). Then, in Chapter 2, Woods stalled. His personal life imploded, his body creaked and his game plunged into startling mediocrity. If he doesn’t win this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, he will reach 29 months without an official tour victory.

High School Highlights: Basketball & Alpine Skiing

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:18 EST

BOYS BASKETBALL Bishop Guertin 85, Dover 70 Joe McCarthy hit four 3-pointers and scored a game-high 20 points to help the Cardinals to a big Division I win at home. Jeff Lunn added 15 points and was strong on the boards, while Cooper Paul and Brad Holler each added 12 points. Logan Kesty chipped in with 11 points and played solid defensively for Bishop Guertin (8-5). Manchester Central 59, Nashua South 57 The Little Green’s Troy Pelletier scored with 1.9 seconds left to break a 57-57 tie and hand the Panthers (5-7) their fourth straight loss, which have come by a combined nine points. Kevin Morrissey led South with 18 points while Anthony Muccioli added 14 for the Panthers, who will host Alvirne on Friday. Bedford 63, Milford 42 The Bulldogs ran away with the game in the middle two quarters, outscoring Milford 41-21 during that time.

Pierce catches Bird, Celts rip Bobcats

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:01:57 EST

BOSTON – Paul Pierce passed Larry Bird on the Boston Celtics’ all-time scoring list and finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a 94-84 victory over the visiting Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday. Kevin Garnett collected 22 points and seven rebounds and Rajon Rondo added 10 points and 14 assists for the Celtics, who have won five straight and nine of 10. Pierce came into the night needing 10 points to eclipse Bird and move into second place on the Boston list. Perhaps a tad nervous, the perennial All-Star struggled to seven points on 3-of-10 shooting in the first half, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc as he tried to get the last three points in one bucket. He did not have to wait long after the break, taking a pass from Rondo on the right wing and burying a 3-pointer. Pierce raised his arms and offered the crowd a fist pump in celebration. Pierce (21,797) now trails only John Havlicek (26,395) on the franchise career scoring list. The Celtics took over in the fourth quarter, beginning the frame with a 13-2 run to push the lead to 82-64. Garnett scored six points during the burst and Boston coasted to the finish. Reggie Williams scored 21 points and Derrick Brown added 20 off the bench for Charlotte, which has dropped 12 straight. More on Pierce Bird retired with 21,791 regular-season points.

Merrimack hockey coach a natural for the job

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:49:01 EST

MANCHESTER – When it comes to his hockey coaching career at Merrimack High School, first-year Tomahawks head coach Kurt Mithoefer may have his mother to thank. Everyone usually does, but this is different. Mithoefer’s mom, Kathy, actually spearheaded the move to help start the hockey program two decades ago. “It was because I played, and I didn’t have a place to play high school,” Mithoefer said. “Back then, the prep school scene wasn’t real big, and if I was going anywhere, I would have had to go out of state. My Mom wanted me to stay in-state, so she helped get the high school going.

Giant redemption with Super Bowl crown

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:39 EST

INDIANAPOLIS – As the Super Bowl crowds poured out of town Monday, the New York Giants still were savoring one of the most improbable stretch runs to a championship in NFL history. With two games left in the regular season, the Giants were a 7-7 team coming off their second loss of the season to the Washington Redskins. Coach Tom Coughlin’s job security again was being questioned and quarterback Eli Manning, who was having a brilliant season, didn’t seem destined to add more career-defining moments to his football resume. But by the time Coughlin and Manning appeared at the traditional Monday morning news conference for the Super Bowl’s winning coach and most valuable player, all the regular season strife was a fading memory. Manning and Coughlin are two-time champions with possible Hall of Fame credentials already in place, and the Giants are the first team with a 9-7 regular season record to win a Super Bowl title after their dramatic 21-17 triumph over the New England Patriots Sunday night. “We never changed our attitude about what had to be accomplished and what we had to do,” Coughlin said. “This is a great statement to our players as well as to our mental toughness.

High School Highlights

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:27:00 EST

WRESTLING Merrimack 49, Bishop Guertin 30 RJ Content and Kyle Heidbreder both record pins to lead the Tomahawks to a win Monday against the Cardinals. Content won at 182 points, while Heidreder took the 170 match, to open the dual meet for Merrimack. Also getting wins for the ’Hawks were Zack Pickard (220), Brandon Dine (126) and Elias Kim (145). Bishop Guertin got pins from Cole Fokas (120), Brandon Levesque (132), Zack Kemos (138), Pat Sands (152) and John Fagan (195). BOYS HOCKEY Alvirne 4, Pelham-Windham 2 The Broncos got two goals each from Cam Brock and Reed Vandergraff to remain undefeated (11-0) in Division III. Pat Devito and Devin Herling each had an assist while Brian Carpentier made 33 saves in net. Trevor Perron also played well for Alvirne. Malden Catholic 10, Bishop Guertin 1 Dom Dematteo scored the long goal for the Cardinals in a non-division loss.

No more debate over Eli Manning’s stature

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:26:01 EST

The day after a Super Bowl, some think, is a day to decompress. Actually, it’s a somewhat busy day for NFL and volunteer crews who are busy dismantling all the temporary media and fan-related sites and amenities that were set up. The prices go down on souvenirs, hotel front desks and airports are flooded with visitors checking out and escaping the Super Bowl city. Life there starts returning to normal. In the wake of the day after, let’s leave you with some final Super Bowl tids, bits and thoughts: Late in training camp, Giants quarterback Eli Manning had Patriots nation in an uproar, of course, when he said he was an elite quarterback on par with Tom Brady. Some laughed, with good reason.

Numbers sometimes lie - just ask Nashua area hoop teams

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:02:42 EST

About 45 minutes before Friday night’s game between their two teams in Merrimack, Nashua South boys basketball coach Nate Mazerolle and Merrimack mentor Tim Goodridge sat side by side in the bleachers, watching the junior varsity game. Somebody asked if the two were discussing how good Londonderry was. “Exactly,” Goodridge replied. “Best 1-8 team I can remember.” Mazerolle quickly concurred. Each was going off a recent experience with the Lancers. Just three nights earlier the Tomahawks, currently sitting atop Division I with a 9-1 record, escaped Londonderry with a 41-40 victory. True, Merrimack is currently playing without two starters, including Player of the Year candidate Dimitri Floras, who is out until at least March with a broken wrist.

Somehow, they need to find new deep threat

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:26:01 EST

INDIANAPOLIS – Visitors described the atmosphere in the New England Patriots locker room Sunday night as that of a funeral. Certainly understandable. Long faces, players answering questions with their heads down. Some, like receiver Wes Welker, were near tears, as you could see from his podium interview. But the difference between the loss in Super Bowl XLVI and other losses the Patriots have suffered is that their defense isn’t being placed under the microscope. The favorite post-mortem topic now? The Patriots receivers did not catch the ball when they needed to in the fourth quarter, and the Giants receivers did. “Down the sideline,” Giants QB, and now Patriots Enemy No. 1, Eli Manning said, “we have confidence our receivers can make those plays.” Tom Brady’s wife, Giselle Bundchen, was, in a strange way, right in her much-publicized postgame rant.

Giants spoil Patriots’ party again

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:06:00 EST

The drama was spectacular. For New Englanders, the result was anything but. The New York Giants and New England Patriots as currently constituted, could play 10 times and they would probably come all the way down to the wire. But for the New England Patriots, if they never see Eli Manning and the Giants again, it would be too soon. Way too soon. Sunday’s 21-17 loss in Super Bowl XLVI at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Field had to be nauseating for Patriots fans, after they saw Giants safety Kenny Phillips tip the ball and Rob Gronkowski, severely limited due to that ankle and probably needing surgery down the road, not be able to get to it in time as time, instead of standing still, ran out. But once again it was Manning, who took the ball at his own 12 yard line with 3:46 remaining and nailed a pass to midfield to Mario Manningham, staying in bounds by inches. It was a 39-yard gain to the 50 that will likely be remembered in New York and Super Bowl lore for quite a while. “He should be (the MVP) for that last drive,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said of Manning. The Giants had the ball on the 50, and at that point, Patriot fans had that sinking feeling. Oh no, not again. Manning wins another Super Bowl MVP, somehow outdueling Patriot quarterback Tom Brady, going 30 for 40 for 296 yards and a touchdown.

Garnett leads Celtics past Grizzlies

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:00:16 EST

BOSTON – Kevin Garnett tied a season high with 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Boston Celtics rode a strong inside game to a 98-80 victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon. Paul Pierce scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to help Boston extend its winning streak to four games. Reserve forward Chris Wilcox added 12 points and rookie JaJuan Johnson had 10 as the Celtics overcame 20 turnovers in beating a Western Conference opponent for the first time in five attempts this season. Johnson, seeing his most extensive action of the season, dunked to cap a 7-0 spurt at the outset of the fourth quarter as Boston built a 76-63 lead with 91⁄2 minutes to play and steadily pulled away. Rudy Gay scored 21 points, including 14 in the third quarter, to keep the Grizzlies within striking range entering the fourth. O.J. Mayo added 15 for Memphis. The first half featured dueling spurts.

Bruins roll past Capitals, 4-1

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:00:26 EST

WASHINGTON – Tyler Seguin, Brad Marchand and Rich Peverley each recorded a goal and an assist as the Boston Bruins continued what fans in the region hope will be a perfect day with a 4-1 victory over the host Washington Capitals on Sunday. Tim Thomas made 35 saves, Milan Lucic scored his 19th goal and Patrice Bergeron recorded a pair of assists for the Bruins. With the Boston Celtics having won earlier in the afternoon and the New England Patriots playing in the Super Bowl later Sunday, the Bruins did their part with a strong first period against the Capitals. Using a strong forecheck, Boston put 12 shots on goal in the period. Lucic finally broke through at the 10:45 mark, taking a feed from Peverley on a 2-on-2 break and putting it into the top of the net. The Bruins struck again with 1:22 left in the period. Bergeron won a battle behind the net and the puck squirted to Marchand, who slipped it inside the post for his 19th goal. Seguin scored off a redirect from Marchand early in the third and Peverley capped it with an empty-net tally. Already playing without Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green, the Capitals lost Brooks Laich to a leg injury in the second period and had Dmitry Orlov leave the ice in the third after taking a shot to the face. Drought ends If focus, effort and energy were measured in goals, the Bruins would have fared better in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Garden. Factoring in Thursday night’s shutout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, the B’s lack of scoring since the All-Star break was an issue before Sunday’s triumph. “We were better (Saturday) than we were the other night,” coach Claude Julien said.

Goodell gives Indy high grade as Super stage

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:46:40 EST

INDIANAPOLIS – Did this city’s efforts this week – which took years of planning – warrant another Super Bowl down the road? It’s a definite maybe, according the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. “Sure it is,” Goodell said when asked if Indianapolis would be a viable candidate to host future Super Bowls. “We’re here and they are doing a fantastic job. … We want to make sure that this week turns out to be what everybody has worked so hard for. “I believe the community here could not have done a better job of organizing this week’s events or embracing this. I think that it is great that Indianapolis is on the global stage.

High School Schedule

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:13 EST

Monday BOYS BASKETBALL Wilton-Lyndeborough at Concord Christian, 6:30 p.m. BOYS HOCKEY Malden Catholic at Bishop Guertin, 7:55 p.m., Skate 3 Salem at Nashua North, TBD, Conway Arena GIRLS BASKETBALL John Stark at Hollis Brookline, 6:30 p.m. WRESTLING Merrimack at Bishop Guertin, 6 p.m. Tuesday BOYS BASKETBALL Alvirne at Londonderry, 7 p.m. Dover at Bishop Guertin, 6:30 p.m. Hollis Brookline at John Stark, 6:30 p.m. Manchester Central atNashua South, 6:30 p.m. Merrimack at Spaulding, 7 p.m. Milford at Bedford, 6:30 p.m. Nashua North at Pinkerton, 7 p.m. Souhegan at Oyster River, 6:30 p.m. Winnisquam at Campbell, 7 p.m. GIRLS BASKETBALL Bedford at Milford, 6:30 p.m. Bishop Guertin at Dover, 6:30 p.m. Campbell at Winnisquam, 7 p.m. Londonderry at Alvirne, 7 p.m. Nashua South at Manchester Central, 6:30 p.m. Pinkerton at Nashua North, 6:30 p.m. Spaulding at Merrimack, 6:30 p.m. GIRLS HOCKEY Concord at Bishop Guertin, 7:50 p.m. at Skate 3 NORDIC SKIING Merrimack at Salmon Brook 4K Classic, 3 p.m.

BG girls track wins 10th straight title

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:00:14 EST

HANOVER – The Bishop Guertin High School girls indoor track team completed a decade of dominance on Sunday. And what better way to complete it than to, well, dominate. The Cardinals scored in all but one event, taking seven first-place finishes, to win their 10th straight indoor title. Bishop Guertin scored 107 points, with Exeter second with 50, to win the Division I meet at Dartmouth College in Hanover. Betsy Garnick won the 55-meter dash and the 55 hurdles for the Cardinals, helped the 4x200 relay to a win and finished second in the long jump, while Molly McCabe came in first in the 1,000, took third in the 1,500, ran a leg of the 4x200 and was a part of the 4x400 team, which also was first. The margin of victory – 57 points – was 19 points better than when the Cardinals beat Pinkerton in 2007, and it was the most points scored by a girls team to win an indoor title since Hollis Brookline score 113 1/3 points to win the Class I-M-S title in 2002. “It means a lot,” Bishop Guertin coach Steve Hunt said. “The girls worked hard. It’s a very, very talented group.

Souhegan boys run away with Division II track title

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:25:02 EST

HANOVER – For the second time in three years, the Souhegan High School boys indoor track team went home with a championship plaque. But this time, the Sabers did it in a completely different way. When Souhegan won in 2010, it got 40 points from sprinter Michael Peret and did enough in other events to tie Lebanon for first-place. On Sunday, the Sabers placed in all but one of the 13 events, including wins in all three relays, to record 87 points to win the Division II indoor meet at Dartmouth College in Hanover. Souhegan finished 27 points ahead of second-place Oyster River. Merrimack Valley (30 points) came in third while Goffstown was fourth and Lebanon fifth. Milford came in ninth and Bedford took 10th. The Bedford girls ran away with their first Division II title, scoring 75 points, while Milford was second with 39.

Missed pass haunting Patriots’ Welker

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:56:17 EST

INDIANAPOLIS – It was a catch Wes Welker says he makes “a thousand times” in practice. But in the Super Bowl, it just didn’t happen. Welker was open for what would have been a 24-yard gain at the New York 20 yard line, had he caught Tom Brady’s missile, with four minutes left in the game. It possibly, with the Patriots leading 17-15 and the New York Giants with just one time out remaining, could have finished things. But the ball bounced off his hands as he tumbled to the ground and the Giants got the ball back and rallied for a 21-17 Super Bowl XLVI win. “I saw it develop and saw the ball in the air,” Welker, who had seven catches for 60 yards, one behind Aaron Hernandez’ team-leading eight catches for 67 yards. “I went to make the play and didn’t (catch) the ball. (Brady) saw (him open) and threw me the ball.