Cam Davidson stood in front of our video camera with a net around his neck and fourteen Woodsville teammates who had just defeated Portsmouth Christian for the Division IV championship.

 The feeling was familiar to anyone who had ever earned a state title, but little else felt normal at the end of the 2020-21 season.

 Instead of a packed crowd of thousands at Plymouth State University, the Engineers had won their title in front of hundreds down the road at Plymouth high school.

 All eight basketball champions earned their crown during one of the most challenging seasons imaginable. Still, nothing felt typical about the season or the playoffs, seeded by random draw and not held on college campuses like UNH or SNHU.

 “Last season was really about getting through it and hoping 2021-22 gets us back to more of a normal feel,” said Epping head coach Nick Fiset.

 “Division IV is about the small towns coming together and playing on a college campus like Plymouth State,” said Pittsfield head coach Jay Darrah. “We all want to see us get back to that this year.”

 Division IV has one clear favorite, but quite a few teams could be there in the end.

 You usually start your Division IV Top 10 by putting either Littleton or Newmarket at the top, but nineteen seniors graduated off of those two teams in 2021, and there is a lot to be learned about each as we head towards 2022.

 Today in our first of four boys basketball previews, and second of eight previews overall, we take a look at Division IV, where 24 teams begin the season, hoping to end up where Woodsville ended up last March.

 

 Our preview today and our coverage of the North Country schools all season long is brought to you by our great friends and longtime partners at White Mountains Community College!

 

Division IV Pre-Season Rankings

1. Woodsville
2. Concord Christian
3. Portsmouth Christian
4. Epping
5. Holy Family
6. Littleton
7. Colebrook Academy
8. Newmarket
9. Groveton
10.  Sunapee

 Lurking just outside the Top 10: Farmington, Lin-Wood & Derryfield

 

 In the end, it was the defense that had won Woodsville's first state championship since 1977.

 A team known for its offense but doubted coming into the season for their ability to defend held Portsmouth Christian to 30 points in the championship game.

 Twenty-five points less than they had scored in a semifinal win over Holy Family and 21 less than PCA had in a quarterfinal win over Newmarket.

 Woodsville fought through a 22-7 first-half deficit against Concord Christian on the road and beat both Groveton (who knocked off Littleton) and PCA (Holy Family, Pittsfield & Newmarket) for the championship—earning every step of their title.

 Now comes the title defense and the label of 'team to beat' from Day 1 that comes with it. Woodsville doesn't have that title simply by being the defending champ; they are the best team in Division IV today.

 Four starters return from last year, with only Corey Bemis having graduated, and there is enough depth to be the last team standing again.

 "I don't anticipate any championship hangover," said longtime head coach Jamie Walker. "They understand they have a chance to do something very few teams have done, and that's winning back-to-back titles. I think we are one of the top teams but by no means do I see us as a clear favorite."

 All-state forward Elijah Flocke had a breakout season a year ago and has looked much improved in the pre-season. "He's matured and filled out," said Walker. "He's always been a very good athlete, but you can see that he's more effective off the dribble and around the rim. A lot of that has to do with the playoff experience from last season."

  Flocke has a very good mid-range game, is one of the Engineers best defenders, and although he is only 6'0, he is very tough to stop in the low post. "He has a way of reading the defender and finishing through contact on the low block," said Walker. "That gives the defense something they need to focus on and opens up shots for our perimeter guys."

 One of those perimeter players is fellow all-state standout Camden Burt, who led the team in scoring last season and finished second overall in Division IV at 20.5 points per game (ppg.). "Cam is our best offensive scorer, and when he gets hot, he can carry us for a quarter at a time."

 Burt, who is only two hundred points away from 1,000 for his career, will be asked to handle the ball and rebound more as a senior. "Corey Bemis was underrated for us because of his rebounding, and in big games, it was Corey who handled the ball against pressure. We are going to need Cam to do more than just score points."

 Burt has the chance to have a huge year. When he is taking it to the rim off the dribble he’s hard to stop, add that to his ability to knockdown jumpers and there might not be a better scorer in the division.

 Michael Maccini returns at point guard and might have been the most improved player on the team last season. "He improved a lot as the season went along, and we are going to ask more of him this season. He needs to improve on handling pressure, but he makes good decisions with the ball and guards the other team's best perimeter player," said Walker. "He's a very valuable player for us."

 A year ago the player who stepped up in the biggest moments was 6'0 forward Cam Davidson, who scored 14 points in the title game win over Portsmouth Christian. "He came up big for us last season," said Walker.

"We need Cam to rebound for us; that's another area where we will miss Bemis," said Walker. "We need Cam to play in the low-post. He doesn't have a lot of height, but he is a strong kid and can get good position on the block. With him in the post, Elijah playing at the mid-range and at times in the paint to go along with our guards, we should have very good floor balance."

 Walker is known as one of the best coaches in Division IV, but particularly for his offense. An offense that looked messy at times in the 2020 season was a very fluid one last season against a demanding schedule that included three games against White Mountains and Kennett. "No question playing upper-level teams helped us."

 Jack Boudreault, Connor Houston, and 6'2 forward Nick Vincent, who was big off the bench for the Engineers a year ago, will both step in and contribute right away.

 "This is a group that gets along very well off the court. We need to share the ball, work together as a unit and focus on team play. It sounds simple enough, but it is something you need to focus on when you have four players back who started in a state championship game," said Walker.

 "We're excited to get back to a more normal season, having fans in the stands and knowing games are going to be played and the season isn't going to be canceled."

 Concord Christian head coach Eric Heizer knows what coaches around the division were saying about his program as they prepared to face Woodsville in the quarterfinals last March.

 “I’m sure they were wondering if we were any good,” said Heizer with a laugh.

 Any doubts were put to rest quickly as the Kingsmen jumped out to a 22-7 lead on the eventual champions. “We played well early and with a lot of confidence, but Jamie (Walker) went zone against us, and we just did not react well to it,” said Heizer. “It was a learning experience for us.”

 Only one senior graduated from last year’s team, and all five starters return. Meaning Concord Christian can start applying the lessons they learned right away.

 6’8 all-state center Isaak Jarvis (16.1 ppg) will again be the focus of the Concord Christian offense. “He is going to draw a lot of attention, and we know the guys around him are going to get better looks because of it,” said Heizer. “His ability to get us second shots and finish those put backs is a big strength for us.”

 6’4 Jake Turner (10.4) gives the Kingsmen another double-digit scorer and post presence. “Jake is a leader for us in a lot of ways. His work ethic and attitude rubs off on the other guys,”

 Junior point guard Ethan Young improved as the season went along and will again run the offense. “Ethan is scrappy and a good defender for us,” said Heizer. “In some lineups, we will have him play off the ball, but he will be our primary ball-handler.”

 6’4 Brody Frink gives Concord Christian another versatile forward, while Austin Spurr, Owen Hartson, and Aiden Duffy will all contribute right away. “We want to move the basketball and take the open looks we are given,” said Heizer. “Our ability to knock down shots is going to open up the middle for players like Isaak and Jake.”

 “We’ll play man defense and mix in some zone. Our size is a big advantage for us, so we want to control the boards and make it very difficult for teams to score on us in the paint.”

 “Last season was a good experience for us. I don’t think Concord Christian has been in the conversation in a long time,” said Heizer. “Our hope is we can build off what we started last season.”

 It was a great run to the championship game for Derek Summers' Portsmouth Christian Eagles, who knocked off Pittsfield (in a game we covered), Newmarket, and Holy Family by a combined five points before falling to Woodsville in the title game.

"We picked a bad time to play our worst half of the season," said Summers. "It was a four-point game in the third quarter, and on three consecutive possessions, we forced a miss but gave up put backs. The lead went from four to ten that quickly, and we just never recovered from it."

 Six seniors graduated from that runner-up team, including five forwards. PCA may lack size in 2022, but they won't lack scoring as three of their top four scorers, Caleb Runey, Jason Stockbower & Seth Huggard, return. "We had a great summer, and you could see us start to form an identity as a team," said Summers. "We went undefeated in a league with some upper-division schools, and every game seemed to go down to the wire. We hope we can carry that over into the season."

 A year ago, teams were not allowed to scrimmage, which showed in the quality of early-season games. "We had so little time in the gym last pre-season coupled with the fact the kids were wearing masks for the first time, it was all very new and uncertain," said Summers.

"Looking back, we were not in good condition because I wasn't sure how much to run them. This season feels a lot more like a normal year, and that's obviously what we are all hoping for."

 Stockbower is set up for a big season; he handles the ball well, can knock down shots, and was considered their best player a year ago by some opposing coaches.

 Runey is another proven scorer and will be asked to rebound more this season, while Huggard came on strong for Summers at the end of last season. "They are very close off the court, but they will go at each other and compete in practice," said Summers. "They never want the other guy to get the upper hand on them."

 Depth will develop as the season goes along, with sophomore Connor Hickey, Gavin Nagy, Nate Wibowo, and Abi Simoen all expected to contribute right away.

 "There is some unfinished business from losing in the final last season, but half of this year's team didn't play in those games," said Summers. "So we are treating this for what it is; a fresh start with a new group. I don't see the division as being very top heavy, and I think night to night, you're going to see that play out. It's going to be about peaking at the right time of the season. We did that a year ago, and the hope is we build towards the post-season week to week."

 Epping head coach Nick Fiset knew last season would be about getting a young nucleus enough experience to make a final four run in 2022.

 He just had no idea what all that experience was going to include.

 “We had one game where we were told to wait in the music room while our girls’ team played,” said the Blue Devils 6th year head coach.

 “One of our players sat down and played the piano while we waited. So I’d say that was a new experience as a head coach.”

 Epping finished the season 7-6 and advanced to the second round of the open tournament before a 40-24 loss to Newmarket.

 In that game, all-state guard Owen Finkelstein, the leading scorer in Division IV last season at 21.5 ppg., was held scoreless by a Mules defense designed to shut him down.

 At that moment, Fiset knew the end of one season was about to kick start another.

“Owen and I talked about that game a lot this spring and even into the summer. Owen is such a good 3-point shooter that at times it probably came too easy to him,” said Fiset of his star player who is closing in on 1,000 career points.

“He knows he needs to move more without the ball and be a tougher player to guard as well. When he’s stationary, he becomes a very easy player to cover, but when he is moving, that not only helps him but opens up our entire offense.”

 “Owen played a prominent role off the bench for us as a freshman (on Epping’s championship team), so he understands what it takes, and he’s a very smart kid,” said Fiset. “He’s an underrated passer, and that’s what I want to see from him this season. I know he’s going to score; I want to see him evolve into a complete player.”

 Mike Picard is the engine for the Blue Devils. A point guard universally respected by both his coaches and his teammates. “He’s a three-year starter, and looking back, we knew we were throwing him to the wolves when he was a sophomore, but we frankly had no choice,” said Fiset.

 Picard can handle the ball and defend at a high level. Most importantly, he takes care of the ball, and with an elite scorer on the wing and size in the paint, the senior guard has the ingredients to create a very good offense.

 “We have five seniors who all played as sophomores. Mix in some underclassman that we feel really good about, and I’m not shy in saying we have the potential to get back to the final four,” said Fiset.

 Kevin O’Connell is one of those seniors and will again give the Blue Devils steady play at the guard spot.

 He will be joined in the rotation by Jacob Loving, Logan Snyder, and Jacob Twombly. “Our strength is our depth and the ability to play different styles,” said Fiset. “ We have a lot of confidence in the players we have, and because of that, we can go with a bigger lineup that can be tough in the paint or go small with a lineup that can pressure you full court.”

 Two players to watch are 6’8 freshman Jake Purington and 6’3 Stamatis Maschas. Both will play right away, and Fiset feels like both will contribute. “Jake is very skilled. He’s a basketball-only athlete, and he loves the game.”

 “ Stamatis rebounds well, and if we can get put backs or kick-outs to open shooters off the offensive glass, that makes us a dangerous team to play.”

 All of which gives Epping its best team since the Hunter Bullock & Peyton Rivers led championship team of 2018.

 “I like this group a lot,” said Fiset. “We have a ways to go, and there are a lot of unknowns in this division, but I like the group we have coming to practice every day.”

 The unknowns in 2020-21 were far too many to list here..this preview is long enough as it is...but the top curiosity in Division IV was a small catholic high school in Manchester that burst on the scene last season and advanced to the final four.

 "I can imagine there were a lot of coaches who were wondering what kind of team we had," joked Holy Family head coach Keith Lacasse. "We weren't sure ourselves, but the kids came together, and we had a very good season."

 Led by the Yonkeu brothers Karl (20.2 ppg.) and Yann (15.2), the Griffins advanced all the way to the semifinals before losing in the final minute to Portsmouth Christian.

 Four starters off of that team have graduated, but Lacasse likes the potential of the group he has coming back...and that one returning starter, well, he's pretty good.

 "Karl really can do so many things that it is hard to sum him up as a player," said Lacasse. "He handled the ball for us last season but we are going to try and take him off the ball more this year. We feel like we have players ready to step into the point guard role."

 Yonkeu, at 6'4, can handle the ball, protect the rim and be the best rebounder in the division. He can facilitate, and for Holy Family to make another run, their pre-season player of the year is going to have to make sure everyone is involved. "He is an excellent passer and an unselfish player. For us to improve, we are going to need to come together around him."

 Jack Vicinanzo and Sean Sullivan scored 28 points on the season combined a year ago. Still, both should step into the starting lineup from Day 1. "We are going to have a lot of competition for playing time, and as a coach, that's exactly what you want," said Lacasse. "Kids know they have an opportunity to contribute right away."

 Junior forward Gabe Lacasse should step in and contribute right away after averaging double digits a game for John Stark as a freshman, along with sophomore Yves Mugiraneza.

 A group of underclassmen will be fighting for minutes. Those players include Patrick Gillis, Jordan Milus, and Joe Depuydt.

 "One of the benefits of last season's success was more athletes/soccer players, who decided to come out for the team this season," said Lacasse. "So I think it will take some time to come together, but there is potential."

 "As the saying goes, 'Past performance does not guarantee future results,' said Lacasse. "We are excited to see what we can become as a team this season with an almost entirely new group."

 It will be a new look Littleton Crusaders team in 2022, with nine seniors and four starters off of last season's quarterfinal team having graduated.

 "We didn't have a lot of experience coming back as it was, but when you add in the fact that we only played seven games last season, it means we have very little game experience on our roster," said head coach Trevor Howard, who begins his 25th season leading the program.

 Howard, who runs the Maplewood Country Club in Bethlehem, didn't get to spend a lot of time in the gym with his team this summer, and there wasn't available gym time in the pre-season. In other words, Howard is taking the long approach when it comes to an almost entirely new team.

"It is going to take time for us to come together. My hope is we get better as the season goes along and are capable of playing with the contenders come March."

 For Littleton, this will be a season where jobs are earned and roles defined as the weeks go along. Only Mike Hampson (5.4 ppg.) returns to the starting lineup. "We are going to mix in pressure defense, but right now, we are not a good enough defensive team to strictly go, man. We're going to be very young, and it is going to take time to come together."

 Sophomore Dreamond Akines will take over the point guard spot from graduated all-state guard Parker Paradice. Akines has speed and the ability to be a good on-the-ball defender. "He has a lot of potential. There will be a learning curve, but he is coming along here in the pre-season."

 Senior Grady Millen steps into a leadership role and will contribute right away at the guard spot. He will be joined by sophomore forward Kayden Hoskins ("Kayden is a good shooter," said Howard. "He will play right away, so we need to get up to speed defensively."), 6'2 forward Jeff Santo, Landon Lord, and sophomore Grady Hadlock.

"Grady has a lot of potential, it's just about getting him experience and the confidence that comes with that."

 Carmichael Lopez and Cam Cook, who Howard lauded for his worth ethic in practice, will both have a chance to earn roles right away.

 The Crusaders lack of size means Howard will likely try to shrink the court with full-court pressure. "We got killed on the boards all summer so that's an immediate focus."

 All of which puts Littleton in the 'wait & see' category as we head towards 2022.

 "We have a lot to learn," said Howard. "Where is our leadership coming from? Can we protect the paint and rebound? Will we become a good defensive team? That all has to be determined, and it's going to take us some time early in the season to find out what kind of team we can be."

 Colebrook Hall of Fame head coach Buddy Trask returns to the sidelines after a one-year absence, just one victory away from his 600th career win (and we will be there on opening night to see if he gets it).

 The Mohawks return three starters from a 7-7 team last season.

 For a team with rotation players back, Colebrook still has a lot of questions that need to be answered, including who will replace the 17 ppg. scoring of Carson Rancourt, and will they get more consistent play in the backcourt from point guard Kaiden Dowse (11.3 ppg.), who proved he can score but struggled with turnovers and shot selection as a sophomore.

 “We’ll go as Kaiden goes because he’s going to have the ball in his hands more than anyone else on the team,” said Trask. “His ability to take care of the basketball is going to tell you a lot about what kind of season we’re capable of having. If he becomes a better distributor of the ball, that gives us a lot more options as an offense and as a team.”

 A year ago, turnovers were the team’s Achilles heel, and Dowse wasn’t the only player careless with the ball.

 Colebrook lacks size but does have a lot of speed, and their teams always play hard for Trask. “We are not going to win games by slowing it down and controlling the boards, but we do have the potential to be a good defensive team and extend pressure full court. That’s a focus here in the pre-season.”

 After averaging eleven points a game as a sophomore, Kolten Dowse will step into the shooting guard role filled by Rancourt last season. “Kolten has come in ready to improve, and he has shot the ball pretty well. We will need him to handle the basketball more this season, and his defense also needs to come along. He’s responsive to coaching, and I think he’s going to have a good year for us.”

 6’2 Maddox Godzyk returns after starting for Ryan Call last season. He’ll give Colebrook rebounding and will be joined on the low block by Isaac Thibadeau, who returns to the team after sitting out last season.

 “Maddox is athletic and shoots a high percentage,” said Trask. “He’s going to get his opportunities this season. Isaac has good size; he needs game experience after not playing last season.”

 “If Maddox & Isaac can give us 15 points and 15 rebounds combined, they’ll be very effective for us.”

 Sophomore Keenan Hurlbert, who impressed Trask with his aggressiveness going at Littleton all-state center Josh Finkle in a playoff loss last season, should provide a spark off the bench. “He makes things happen when he’s out there, and his ability to defend full-court is in line with what we are trying to develop as a team defensively.”

 Sam Villa will battle for a spot in the starting lineup and will be joined in the rotation by Jackson Weir, Balin LaPerle, Ashton Herres, and 6’3 freshman Dartanayn Caulier.

 “I like the potential of this group,” said Trask. “We have some athletes, and unlike last year we have had some time in the pre-season to start to come together. How we do, this season will come down to our ability to win the turnover battle and rebound the basketball.”

 It will be a new look Newmarket Mules team in 2021-22 after the retirement of head coach Jamie Hayes and the graduation of ten seniors.

 That team was as hard hit by shutdowns as any in the division last year. Hayes’ team only played seven games all season and at one point went seventeen days between games.

 A fact that has not gone unnoticed by their new head coach. “Ten players graduated off of that team, and that doesn’t leave a lot of playing time for the underclassman. On top of that, the team was only able to play seven games during the regular season. So you get an understanding of the lack of experience on the roster today,” said first-year head coach Brian Cronin, son of former Spaulding head coach Tim Cronin.

 “We have three players on the roster who have seen any varsity playing time in the last two years,” said Cronin. “So we are treating this for what it is, a completely new team and an opportunity to learn as we go.”

 Colby Bost was a pre-season all-state pick a year ago but never was able to get going during a season with a lot of stops & re-starts. “I’m looking for him to be a leader, as he was during the football season when he was the quarterback,” said Cronin. “I have a lot of confidence in him and this group as a whole. We have a lot of very good athletes on this team, and they’re all going to play.”

 Bost gives Newmarket a potential go-to guy in Cronin’s new-look offense. The keys to that offense will be handed to Jameson Senesombath. “He’s a gym rat. I love the attitude he brings with him every day,” said Cronin. “He is very skilled; he just needs confidence.”

 Confidence is the theme for a team that lacks experience and replaces ten seniors from last year’s pre-season #1.

“My goal as their head coach is to give them the confidence to go out and play, knowing they need experience and that experience is going to come. This is a good group, and they have come in ready to work; that’s very encouraging and exciting for me as their head coach.”

 Sophomore Parker Sweitzer will step into an immediate impact role for the Mules along with 6’4 sophomore Baris Fortier. “He has a lot of potential, and we are looking for players who will rebound.”

 Senior Ryan Chase should contribute right away and provide leadership for a young nucleus, while Cooper Mills and pair of freshmen Jaron LaBranch & Melkato Swanson will get their chance to play right away.

 “I can’t wait to get going, and the kids are excited about their opportunity,” said Cronin.

 “ Where we end up at the end of the year will depend on how hard we are willing to work and our development as a team, but I like what I see and enjoy coming to the gym and working with these kids every day.”

  The Groveton Eagles graduated leading scorers Julian Kenison & Matt St. Cyr off of last year's final four team along with center Brandon Laundry. Meaning there are a lot of new faces in much bigger roles in 2022.

 Hall of Fame head coach Mark Collins knows he needs to replace scoring, find a point guard and make sure his team can compete on the boards, he's just not exactly sure where those assets are coming from yet.

"(Sophomore) Kaden Cloutier is going to handle the ball for us, but we're going to need more than just one player to handle pressure," said Collins. "We have a few players who have had their moments; now it is about being consistent and doing it game to game."

 Forward Chris Corliss returns to the starting lineup with Aiden Whiting, who was the team's third-leading scorer a year ago at 6.8 ppg and showed his potential against Littleton in a quarterfinal round upset when he scored a season-high 18 points.

 "We are going to need Spencer to score. He steps into a much bigger role with Julian & Matt having graduated."

 Corliss looks poised to step into a leadership role and should be the team's best rebounder. "Chris has improved his shot, and he will be a vocal leader for us," said Collins. "He works hard and has the respect of his teammates."

 Ben Wheelock had a good summer and now needs to carry that over into the season ("He's capable of scoring for us, and he is a kid who is in the gym all the time playing," said Collins) and will play alongside Luke Shannon and Shayne Holmes.

 "We'd like to become a team that can pressure the ball, but we're not there yet," said Collins. "We don't have a lot of size, so we're going to have to rebound as a team and defend at a high level if we are going to compete."

 The Farmington Tigers seemingly couldn't catch a break during a 1-11 season in 2021.

 Center Jordan Berko went out with an injury and was soon followed to the sidelines by guard Brian Weeks, who averaged 5 ppg. in four games before a season-ending injury. "It felt like every time we gained a little momentum, something knocked us back," said head coach Adam Thurston.

 The good news is in abundance for the Tigers as we head towards 2022. Only one player (starter Izea Long) graduated from last year's team, and both Berko & Weeks are healthy & ready to go. "We had a really good summer, our best in a long time," said Thurston. "We had twelve to fifteen players coming consistently, and that has carried over to the season. This group has a lot of potential."

 The 6'2 Weeks looks poised for a breakout year and has the full confidence of his head coach. "Brian is a very good player and I think he's going to have a big year. He's put the work in and was often the best player on the floor in our games against Division IV teams this summer."

  6'5 returning starter Luke Cardinal gives Farmington a presence down low to play alongside Berko.

 The 6'6 Berko is still raw but is improving by the week, giving the Tigers size and rebounding in the middle. "I see him making an immediate impact for us, and with him and Luke down low, this is the biggest team I've coached in my time here."

 Matt Savoy is another of the Tigers' four returning starters and will be joined in the rotation by sophomore Sean Murphy. "Matt was one of our most improved players a year ago," said Thurston. "He does so many different positive things for us out on the floor. Sean is a good shooter and someone who can stretch the defense and open up the middle for Jordan & Luke."

 Guards Brody Tufts, Brian Boisvert, and Jeff Deprizio, another good shooter on the wing, should all contribute right away. Guard Aidan Place will get a chance to compete for minutes as well.

 Thurston has done an excellent job managing distractions within the program over the years, and the feeling is this could be the year all that hard work and perseverance finally pay off.

 Potential is not new for Farmington, who has been a trendy pick in the pre-season in the past, but the Tigers have not won a playoff game since they returned to Division IV in the 2016-17 season.

 Thurston, though feels like he has a team that can make noise in March.

 "We've got a good team and a lot of options we can work with because of our size. This is the best team I've coached since we came back to Division IV, and I'm excited for us to get started this season."

 Last season, coming off a 2020 season in which they nearly pulled a first-round shocker over Portsmouth Christian, the Lin-Wood Lumberjacks were ready to take the next step.

 Lin Wood though struggled out of the gate, including a 14-point loss to a Profile team that would not win another game all season, and ended the season with a lopsided loss to Woodsville in the playoffs.

 "It was a challenging year last season, and we didn't always handle it as well as we could have," said head coach Matt Manning. "The kids and our entire team have a fresh start, and they want to get back to a more normal season than a year ago."

 The good news begins with the fact that the team's two leading scorers return as well as two other starters. "This is our third year together, so hopefully, we can use that knowledge and comfort level with the system to add more layers to what we are trying to do."

 6'2 forward Cam Clermont (15.0) can score from the outside or at the rim and is joined up front by 6'2 wide-body Jake Avery (14.5). "Cam was consistent for us last year, and he can score in several different ways," said Manning. "You know what you are getting from him on a nightly basis."

 "Jake might be our most talented player, he can really do it all for us, and he is a tough match-up for a lot of the teams we face," said Manning. "His focus needs to be on moving on after a setback or a bad play. He can let things get to him, and it tends to affect his play. We want to cut back on that because he is too valuable to us."

 John Perry gives Manning a dependable glue guy in the lineup who can guard the other team's best scorer. "John is a grinder; he just works at it and does a lot of the little things that help his teammates out."

 Cam Manning returns at forward and gives Lin Wood a forward who can rebound and handle the ball against pressure. "We don't have a true point guard, so we are going to rely on a few different players to handle the ball against pressure. Cam is a very smart player, and he can be a facilitator for us."

 6'3 Muizz Awan returns to the starting lineup and will be joined in the rotation by freshman Liam Manning.

 "We've been doing a lot of teaching, and the focus has been there," said Manning. "Our goal is first to earn a Top 8 seed and a home playoff game. From there, we want to be in the quarterfinals with a shot to get to the final four. For us, that's a goal we feel like we can achieve if we put the work in."

 Do you want to talk about a youth movement?

  Derryfield’s leading scorer last season Thomas Ferdinando was an 8th grader last year. “We were as young as any team in the division last season,” said head coach Ed Meade.

 He is telling you the truth.

 The Cougars, who finished 1-9 in 2021, are still going to be young this season, but they’ll be improved, and an exciting backcourt will have them back in the conversation in 2022. “I’m excited about how the pieces fit; it’s just going to be about maturing and gaining experience.”

 Ferdinando returns after averaging 13 points per game a year ago and will be joined in the backcourt by senior point guard Janai Cruz & promising shooting guard Jack Krasnof, who may be ready for a breakout year.

“I think Jack has the potential to have a great season for us,” said Meade. “He stepped up a year ago, and I expect he and Thomas to take that next step as a player this season.”

 Junior guard John McDevitt is coming off a strong summer and will contribute right away to Meade’s up-tempo system. “We want to push the basketball, but it will depend on the match-up; we want to be smart about when we press and when we want to play in the half-court.”

 6’5 Tristan Allard is raw but has shown potential, as has 6’3 Nick Ferrari. “I’m happy with our guard play; it’s rebounding and protecting the paint that needs to be a focus for us early in the season.”

 Meade had twenty players playing in the pre-season and a promising sophomore class that will develop at the JV level.

 With Ferdinando & Krasnof looking like a pair of all-state performers for years to come, the future is bright for Derryfield. The question is, what kind of impact can they make in 2022?

 “I want to see us continue to evolve as players and make strides as a team,” Meade. “If we can improve by the week and be a tough out come March, we are right on track.”

 White Mountains Community College golf champion Carl Anderson is not only happy to be back in the gym with his Hinsdale Pacers, but he’s also happy just to be playing a Division IV schedule again.

 A regional schedule meant eight games against Keene, Conant, Mascenic, and Monadnock, giving a young team little choice but to earn moral victories.

 Anderson believes his team will benefit from playing up last season and hopes a lack of size doesn’t stop them from earning a trip to the 2022 post-season.

 “There were no easy nights last season, but I loved the resolve of our players,” said Anderson. “In games against bigger schools, you either get tougher in a hurry or you back down. I felt like we competed in every game to the best of our abilities.”

 Four starters from last season return for Hinsdale as Brayden Eastman, Aidan Davis, and Alex Shaink make up the core of a still-young team.

“We need to be balanced as far as scoring, but we know Brayden will be able to score for us consistently,” said Anderson. “He plays with a high basketball IQ, and the experience from last year is going to help him develop as a player.”

 Shaink gives the team energy and ball-handling. “He’s 5’4 but plays like he’s 6’4,” jokes Anderson. “He’s a fun player to watch and does a lot of good things for us out on the floor.”

 Davis was forced to play against bigger centers all season long but still finished with 25 blocks in a shortened season. “He did some good things for us, and he has shown it in flashes. We want to see him play with a lot of confidence this year.”

 Noah Pangelinan is a junior guard who might be the team’s best defender. “Noah can shoot it; he just needs to continue work at it and shoot it with confidence.”

 “Positive is the word we keep using in practice,” said Anderson. “Be positive when you come into the gym every day, be positive about what we are working towards and towards your teammates.”

 Tanner Hammond will step in and contribute right away for a young team that would like to make the tournament in March. “This is a group that has been playing together for a long time, and they like to compete and they are excited to get going.”

 The re-build continues for Lance Legere’s alma mater as Dave Morissette begins his third season as the Gorham head coach.

 “It’s a long process, but the kids have been working hard, and I’m seeing progress. I am pleased with where we are headed; we just have a lot of work ahead of us to get to where we can compete with every team in the division.”

 Joining Morissette on his staff is former Berlin all-state point guard Evan Arsenault, who has made an immediate impact on the program. “Evan has been great; he’s had a big influence on the kids already,” said Morissette. “His ability to come into practice, play at a high level against the kids, and then teach them, that’s been huge for us.”

 Sophomore Kody Lemieux is no doubt a big focus of Arsenault’s teaching. The sophomore point guard was handed the keys to the offense a year ago and will continue to run the offense until he graduates in two years. “He continues to get better, and what I like about Kody is that he loves to compete. He has good floor vision and is a pass-first point guard for us.”

 Fellow sophomore Brendan Saladino will join him in the backcourt (“ Brendan is someone who can shoot it on the wing) while upperclassman Chase Carder, 6’3 Liam Carnes, and all-state soccer player Nolan York, who gives the Huskies athleticism in the post, will all contribute right away.

 Morissette will ease freshman Isaac Langlis as well as promising sophomore Jeromy Favreau into the lineup.

 “We are seeing elements, signs that we are improving our basketball IQ. One of the benefits of a young team is there are opportunities to be earned, and we are going to see who takes advantage of the opportunity.”

 Jay Darrah’s Pittsfield Panthers have been one of the best programs in Division IV over the last decade but have been hit hard in recent years by players moving away.

 Nine players who would have been a part of the program will not be with the Panthers in 2021-22. Even for a coach as good as Darrah, that is a lot to overcome. “It’s unfortunate, and it’s tough to deal with, but you just try to focus on working hard and getting better,” said Darrah. “We are going to do a lot of learning early in the season.”

 Three of Pittsfield’s top four scorers from a team that lost a 54-53 heartbreaker to Portsmouth Christian in last year’s tournament (in a game we covered) have graduated, including all-state guard Jah Gordon. “We are going to be very inexperienced, and my concern early on is how we handle pressure on the ball,” said Darrah. “I’m confident we will get there, but we have a lot of work to do in practice.”

 Senior shooting guard Jordan Roode, who scored a season-high 25 points in the loss to PCA, returns and will be the focal point of the offense. He will be joined in the lineup by point guard Riley Reed and 6’4 center Abe Marcotte.

 “We are hoping Jordan has a good season for us, and I believe he can,” said Darrah. “It’s going to be an adjustment for him because teams will now be focusing on him, but he has shown the ability to be a go-to scorer for us.”

 “We are hoping Riley steps into the point guard role so we can play Jordan off the ball and on the wing,” said Darrah. “Abe is a good athlete and a great kid. We would love to see him develop into a double-digit per-game rebounder, he is capable of it.”

 Forward Jared Beliveau and guard Parker Clark will step in and contribute right away for the Panthers, who will face Concord Christian, Epping, Holy Family & Newmarket before Christmas.

 “We are going to struggle this year with numbers, and our lack of experience paired with a very tough schedule early on means we are going to have to come together quickly,” said Darrah.

  In last season's preview, Mount Royal head coach Matt McMenaman talked about how his perennial playoff team was missing the signature win that would announce the arrival of his program amongst the best in the division.

 Well, the Knights earned that win when they knocked off Sunapee 52-38 in the second round of last year's open tournament.

 McMenamin's team would fall to Holy Family in the next round, but the team's place among the best in Division IV has been solidified as the Knights look to replace their three leading scorers from last season.

"The kids stepped up, and at the end of the season, we were playing our best basketball. With the graduation losses, it looked like a rebuilding year for us, but I really like the potential of this year's team," said McMenamin,

 All-state guard Louis Larosiliere (14.5 ppg.), Jordan McDonnell (13.1), and Brendan Moorehouse (10.4) have graduated, meaning, at least at the beginning of the season, it will be scoring by committee for a young team. "We have good size, but we lack experience," said McMenamin. "We are going to learn as we go, but the vibe in the gym has been very good, and the kids want to carry forward the success we had last season."

 Jesse McDonnell will step into a much more significant role alongside a pair of talented sophomores; 6'4 Peter Hogan and 6'5 Isaac Bowers. "Both are very athletic and eager to have their opportunity."

 JP Treece will serve as the team's vocal leader ("his attitude has been great," said McMenamin), while Garrett Bugbee will produce right away. "He has developed his game over the off-season, and now he has an opportunity to be a key contributor for us."

 "No question we lost a lot; you don't just easily replace the production of three players who scored double figures a game for you, but we like the group we have and want to concentrate on getting better week by week."

  After falling behind to the 49ers in the first quarter of the NFC championship game Dallas head coach Barry Switzer told his team, 'If you're going to get down big, get down big early.'

 The same holds for the analogy that is you're going to suffer through a 1-8 season, do it with underclassmen.

 Mitchell Roy's first year as the head coach of the Profile Patriots included a lot of bumps in the road, but it was a team whose three leading scorers were all freshman.

"We have a very young group, and last year they were thrown to the wolves early," said Roy of his freshman Josh Robie (12.1 ppg.), Alex Leslie (10.0), and Karsen Robie (7.3). "We now want to take that experience and continue to build. We feel like we have a group with a lot of potential."

 Josh Robie handled most of the point guard duties a year ago, but Roy expects him to play off the ball more in 2022 to take advantage of his ability to score on the wing. "He's an incredibly hard worker, and he puts in the time to get better every day," said Roy, who served as a graduate assistant coach at Endicott College before being named head coach a year ago.

"We want to see him become a better finisher this year and more aggressive going to the basket. We want to take advantage of the fact that he is an excellent free-throw shooter."

 Alex Leslie will again be a key contributor at the forward spot and should improve his scoring numbers from a year ago. "He's capable of having a very good season for us and gives us a lot of versatility in the frontcourt."

 Karsen Robie and resident glue-guy, and fellow sophomore Riley Plante should each start right away for a team with the long term in mind as the 2021-22 season begins. "It's a great group to work with. They want to get better each day, and that has forced me to raise my game because I don't want to let them down," said Roy.

 "The goal is to become more competitive with the top teams in the North County, to keep building on the structure we created within the program a year ago, and to build to where this is a team that can someday compete for a title in Division IV."

 The Franklin Tornadoes have three key players returning, and with just thirteen players in the entire program, their head coach David Bedard let them know get ready to play a lot.

 Get ready to play a whole lot….

 "I pulled each of them aside and told them we need to avoid silly fouls because we need them out on the floor," said Bedard.

 Franklin moved down from Division III two years for the exact reason their three best players will be ready for the cross country team by mid-January. "We just don't have the numbers right now," said Bedard. "We didn't have cuts, and we won't be having a JV team."

 "We have a solid four that will play a lot, and then the rest of the rotation is an open competition."

 6'2 forward Zack Douville returns after an all-state season a year in which he averaged 14.8 points per game. "Zack has been terrific, and I think he's going to have a big season for us," said Bedard. "He has the skills to play all five positions on the floor."

 Brothers Zeke and Ethan McCoy will be counted on as Zeke returns as the point guard, and Ethan has impressed his head coach with his conditioning in the pre-season.

 "He went from being the kid who finished last in sprints to being the one who wins them," said Bedard. "Zeke is going to be counted on to take care of the ball and run our offense. He's capable of having a very good season for us."

 Damien Eldridge gives Bedard a perimeter scorer, while freshman Alen Velentanlic is among a group of players who will get their chance to play right away.

 "We want to stay in games and finish strong," said Bedard. "Last season was our first in Division IV, but it never felt that way with the regional schedules. We're looking forward to competing this year."

 

 

 Pre-Season First Team All-State

 Karl Yonkeu of Holy Family

 Elijah Flocke of Woodsville

 Owen Finkelstein of Epping

 Camden Burt of Woodsville

 Isaak Jarvis of Concord Christian

 

 Second Team All-State

 Colby Bost of Newmarket

 Jason Stockbower of Portsmouth Christian

 Mike Picard of Epping

 Cam Clermont of Lin Wood

 Gabe Lacasse of Holy Family

 

 Other players to watch: Jake Turner of Concord Christian, Thomas Ferdinando & Jack Krasnof of Derryfield, Aiden Whiting of Groveton, Kaiden Dowse of Colebrook, Jake Avery of Lin-Wood, Mike Hampson of Littleton, Zack Douville of Franklin, Jameson Senesombath of Newmarket, Brian Weeks of Farmington, Jordan Roode of Pittsfield, Caleb Runey & Seth Huggard of PCA, Josh Robie of Profile, Nick Pollari of Sunapee, Michael Maccini & Cam Davidson of Woodsville.

 

Coming tomorrow: Division III