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TJ's of Portsmouth Presents Justin McIsaac's Top 10 of Everything... and Anything...

By Justin McIsaac, 03/05/18, 4:00PM EST

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Just a few more Top 10's left in the season...


A legend steps down (image credit: SNHU Penmen)

Strap in kids, it's the Winter edition of the Top 10. These are the things that were rattling around in the mind of Justin McIsaac this week....

10. STAN SPIROU SAYS GOODBYE

In a state that’s filled with terrific basketball coaches, is there one that’s more iconic than Stan Spirou? As colorful as he was successful both at Central and SNHU (back when it was called New Hampshire College too), it’s a giant void that “Stanley” (as Tommy Ameen calls him) will leave behind in the Granite State. Best of luck, Coach!

9. AT THE RISK OF UPSETTING 7 D2 FAN BASES, MY FIRST ROUND PICKS THAT ARE BORING AS HELL

Home teams in CAPS

#8 TIMBERLANE over #9 Milford – I haven’t seen Reggie once this year, and I’m not going to lie, it hurts

#4 KEARSARGE over #13 Souhegan – Sabers drew the short straw, but they’ll put up a fight

#5 MERRIMACK VALLEY over #12 Windham – Congrats MV, you get Kearsarge next round

#2 LEBANON over #15 John Stark – Although they split the season series, I’ll take the Raiders at home

#7 OYSTER RIVER over #10 Kennett – OR gets to go to Lebanon for a 3rd straight year

#3 PEMBROKE over #14 Hanover – Pembroke will be a nightmare if they get to the Final 4

#6 COE-BROWN over #11 Pelham – All chalk, I told you it was boring as hell

8. BRYTON EARLY IS ALSO A DOCTOR

In the 3rd quarter of Somersworth’s QF game vs Belmont, All State guard Bryton Early went down hard and was slow getting up – after the game he revealed that his shoulder popped out, and that happens from time to time. When asked who popped it back in, he just said “Me”.

Well, he must’ve put it back correctly, since he hit a 3 point bomb about a minute after returning. Somersworth is back in the Final Four, with a rubber match vs Berlin and a Paramedic that can hit 3’s.

7. MOTHER NATURE GONNA MAKE THE NHIAA WORK OVERTIME

OH GOOD MORE SNOW. Dear god do I hate the snow. With the White Hot intensity of 1000 suns. This year a giant storm is schedule to hit Wednesday night, when about 52387 NHIAA events scheduled in one night. Let’s see how many things might get postponed…

D1 Boys Hoop Prelim

D3 Boys Hoop Semi-Finals

D1, D2, D3 Hockey Semi-Finals

That’s a lot of stuff! Venues might need to be rebooked, travel re-arranged, it’s a nightmare. I’m blaming all you people that like winter personally for this.

6. NEWMARKET NEEDED A 32 MINUTE EFFORT

After a 2.5 hour bus ride, no less, to beat Woodville in the D4 Quarterfinals. In a shoebox gym that was filled to capacity, emotions ran high at times, but Jamie Hayes and his crew are headed back to Plymouth after an exciting 4-5 matchup. The bus ride to Plymouth won’t be as far, and the ride back will seem like nothing if the Mules can advance to the title game.

5. BERLIN PUNCHES A TICKET FOR SNHU

Much to Dave Haley’s dismay, the Mountaineers have a date for a 3rd game with Somersworth, which is what I think we were all hoping for.  Evan Arsenault and company overcame an early deficit, a late Gilford surge, and also Dave Haley running around taunting them in a Gilford Golden Eagle mascot suit, to hang on and set up Round 3 vs the Hilltoppers.

4. AT THE RISK OF UPSETTING 5 D1 FAN BASES, MY FIRST ROUND PICKS

Home Teams in CAPS

#9 Spaulding over #8 WINNACUNNET – Oh like I wasn’t going to pick Spaulding. Are you new here?

#4 MEMORIAL over #13 South – Crusaders would get Portsmouth if it’s chalk to the Final 4, they’d love a rematch

#5 CENTRAL over #12 Salem – I think this one’s close, but the Manchester-centric media gets the matchup they’re craving

#7 ALVIRINE over #10 Merrimack – The Bow Tie Killer shoots the Broncos into a QF game at Exeter

#11 Dover over #6 LONDONDERRY – As a Spaulding grad it’s tough to say, but Dover is the scariest lower seed in the tourney

3. IT AIN’T ABOUT YOU, IT AIN’T ABOUT ME, IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS

Without going into details and making everything into a giant drama more than it already is, by now you know that NHSportspage didn’t interview a team after a Quarterfinal win. Now, of course, it’s not anyone’s right to interview anyone, and nobody’s saying the crew here is entitled to interview anyone we wish at any time. BUT, I will say this – the crew here isn’t interviewing kids to make ourselves rich and famous, because as my bank account and lack of celebrity will tell you, it doesn’t.

We do this because A) It’s fun as hell, and B) It gives the kids that we cover memories that won’t ever go away, when they get to look back years from now and laugh at which kid had the best post game interview, or who did something the goofiest, or Pete doing the “Undefeated” dance with their whole team.  

So when you tell your kids “You aren’t allowed to talk to NHSportspage”, that’s absolutely your right as a coach. But we’ll be fine. The only people you’ve taken something away from is the kids.   

2. GIVE ME 7 GAMES OF HOUSTON V BOSTON IN THE FINALS AND GIVE IT TO ME NOW

Just call off the rest of the season, if we can get 7 games of what we saw Saturday night, I don’t need to slog through the 2 month NBA postseason – just give me Rockets and Celtics and inject it right into my veins. That was easily the best regular season game of the year Saturday night, and I’m demanding that Adam Silver fix the playoffs like David Stern used to (allegedly) to get us that series.

1. MONADNOCK PULLS THE UPSET AND SENDS US THEIR CELEBRATION VIDEO

HUSKIES RISE UP! Any time you beat a number one seed at their house, it’s time to party. And with Monadnock – Hopkinton the only game we didn’t send a crew to in D3 on Saturday, the Huskies had to improvise without Dave or Pete or myself there. The Huskies will be the underdog against Campbell, but they’ve knocked off two higher seeds already, so don’t count them out (And yes, we’ll have someone there this time, Monadnock).

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Bruins are winning the Stanley Cup confirmed, I haven’t watched The Oscars since they snubbed Pulp Fiction, Cal & Joey & Tilton are AA Champs, Cody Ball over 1,000 at St A’s

 

Justin McIsaac is the Founder of MOSN: The McIsaac On Sports Network. He's the radio color commentator for UNH Football. He also does pxp for St Anselm's, UNE, Harvard, and anyone else that will cut him a check. Follow him on twitter: @Justin_McIsaac

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