The 2021 season ended how we predicted it to way back in early December with Sage Smith and Colebrook going toe to toe with Angelina Nardolillo and the Hinsdale Pacers at Plymouth High School. In the end, it was Hinsdale who were crowned champions for their first title since 2017. 

 It was preseason number one versus preseason number two, something we had come accustomed to the past few years. 

 This year, there are a handful of teams that could be battling it out for the Division IV crown. The senior class that graduated last year were the faces of a majority of these programs for the last 3-4 seasons. 

 There is a lot to be uncovered this season. There is a chance for a lot of new teams to crack into the top ten. There is a chance for a lot of teams to reestablish themselves as true contenders. There is a chance we are in for a lot of head-scratchers this season. 

 In my eyes, Division IV is as wide open as it has ever been. 

 

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. Concord Christian 

2. Woodsville 

3. Derryfield 

4. Newmarket 

5. Pittsburg-Canaan

6. Colebrook 

7. Hinsdale 

8. Littleton

9. Groveton 

10. Sunapee

Outside of the Top 10: Lisbon, Gorham, Farmington, PCA, Epping, Profile, Mount Royal, Franklin, Moultonborough

 

 The surprise in all of Division IV last season was Concord Christian. With the firepower they return, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Concord Christian as one of the top teams this division has to offer. 

 Head coach Rebecca Carlile was pleased with the season and the progress they made last season, but also has a realistic outlook on what her young roster can accomplish. “We are super excited about what’s coming,” said Carlile. “With that being said, we need to temper our enthusiasm, we haven’t done a whole lot just yet.” 

 The Kingsmen gave Woodsville all they could handle in the playoffs and were minutes away from pulling off one of the bigger upsets in recent memory in Division IV. A majority of returning players are underclassmen who have bought into the system early on. 

 Senior point guard Jordan Rioux will lead the offense and the locker room. “She is the glue for our team,” said Carlile. “She is a good sturdy player whose impact doesn’t necessarily translate into points. Jordan is a solid point guard for us.” 

 Any success in Division IV starts with a reliable point guard and ball handler. Rioux is the key to anything Concord Christian hopes to accomplish. 

 Another bright spot for this team is freshman Lilli Carlile, who shined as an 8th grader scoring the basketball. That experience will certainly come in handy this season as she looks to take another step in her development this season. 

 Sophomore Megan Muir was a double-digit per-game scorer for Concord Christian a season ago, and can certainly be relied upon to produce similar numbers this season. 

 “We are a very disciplined team considering how young we are,” said Carlile. Their youth has stepped up to the challenge, and now with that youth being one year older and experienced, good things can be expected out of this group. 

 Speed will be the kicker for this team. “We don’t necessarily have any true bigs,” said Carlile. “We are going to use our speed to our advantage. If teams slow us down, we feel confident in the offensive threats we have in the half-court. We hope to succeed equally.” 

 While the goal is to win now, there is still development to be done for Concord Christian. “There is certainly a lot of potential,” said Carlile. “You don’t ever know with youth. These next couple of years will be building years.” 

 Last year was no fluke, Concord Christian is here to stay for the next few seasons. “I think we can be in the mix,” said Carlile. “I feel like my girls will be competitive. Our hope is that Concord Christian Academy is there for years to come.”  

 Tori Clough steps in as head coach for the Woodsville Engineers, a program she has been a part of since she graduated in 2016. 

 “It’s a lot different being a head coach,” said Clough. “I’m looking forward to taking over a strong program.” 

 The Engineers have been a Final Four team the past few seasons, and certainly are capable of making another championship run this winter. 

 The advantage Woodsville has is the experience they bring back. While they lose all-state guards and forwards Emily Prest, Graci Kaiser, Olivia Sarkis, and Morgan Wagstaff, the Engineers have four seniors returning who saw meaningful minutes a season ago. 

 Mackenzie Kingsbury headlines the group as a primary scoring option. One of the more lethal outside shooters in the division, Kingsbury will be the go-to player for this Woodsville offense. “She will be a key offensive player for us every night,” said Clough. 

 Leah Krull will take over the ball-handling duties after learning under Emily Prest the last three seasons. We saw how valuable Prest was as a floor general, and Clough thinks Krull is capable of being just that. 

 Emily Farr will look to be a presence down low as she takes over the starting forward spot after being mentored by Olivia Sarkis for the last few seasons. 

 Maddie Roy will be the defensive stopper for Woodsville. A lot of Division IV offenses are centered around 1-2 players, and Roy will be the primary defender on top scoring options on a nightly basis. 

 While players have moved on, the roles that have led Woodsville to success remain the same, just with new faces. “They all have big shoes to fill,” said Clough. “I expect the seniors to help get the younger kids through some things and lead the way for us.” 

 Expect a little bit of everything from the Engineers. “There isn’t too much to change, if it’s not broke don’t fix it,” said Clough. “We are going to continue to play hard defense, attack from the inside and out, and keep the ball moving.” 

 The Engineers have a good chance to return to the semifinals based on experience alone. It may take time to adjust to a somewhat new group, but Woodsville will be a top North Country threat just like in years past. 

 “The hope is to stay healthy, get better every day, and contend when it matters,” said Clough. If everything comes together for Woodsville, the pieces are there for a run at a title.

 Courtney Cheetham is back under the helm for the Derryfield Cougars in her second season and is ready to continue developing an up-and-coming program in Division IV. 

 For many players on this roster, basketball didn’t truly stop last March. “Our kids played a lot of basketball this offseason,” said Cheetham. When Cheetham came to Derryfield, she wanted to “develop a basketball culture for years to come.” It seems that culture is starting to show in year two. 

 Like last year, the Cougars are on the younger side once again, only this time they won’t have a player like Emmy Plage to lean upon. The first team all-stater has since graduated along with starting forward Julia Martin and Shawna Lesmeries, who didn’t play with a torn ACL last year but was an impact player during her time with the program. 

 “We’re young, but I think everyone is,” said Cheetham. “I would take our young talent against anyone else’s.” 

 The lone senior for Derryfield will be Emma Losey, who missed last season with a torn ACL. Having an upperclassmen voice in the locker room and on the court will be crucial for the Cougars who will have several young players on the floor at all times this year. 

 Speaking of young players, freshman Elyse Ngenda will be a name to watch for in Division IV. “She is a rockstar,” said Cheetham. Ngenda is one of the top freshmen in New England and will look to fill the scoring void that Emmy Plage leaves behind. “In my opinion, she is a player who could be the Division IV Player of the Year.” For just a freshman, Ngenda could take the division by storm this year with that boost of confidence from her coach. 

 Sophomores Lilly Losey and Kenzie Miller were impact players as freshmen, and with a year of experience under their belts, will be much more polished in their second year at the varsity level. Jackie Conners was out with a concussion most of last season, but Cheetham notes how she will step right into the regular rotation this season. 

 Losey showed good range as a scorer last season and Kenzie Miller stepped in as a fifth starter on multiple occasions.  

 Junior Ava Plage had her moments last season and was ready when called upon offensively. She could be a player who makes a leap and becomes a more consistent scorer. 

 “I think our depth is going to show this year,” said Cheetham. Adding onto that depth will be Ashley Hardner and Christine Nadeau, who didn’t play last season. “They are super athletic and will help on both ends,” said Cheetham. 

 Chole Bremberg and Katie McCormick are role players who may not pop out in the scorebook, but their impact is certainly felt. “I like to coach teams where kids play hard and reach their potential in their role, play unselfishly,” said Cheetham. “ I think we have the squad to do just that.” 

 In terms of their overall standing amongst Division IV foes, Cheetham thinks her team will be competitive. “I think we have 10-13 kids on the roster who can contribute,” said Cheetham. “I think the team we have now is as good if not better than the group we had last year.” 

 The Cougars were in contention to make a run at the Final Four before falling to the hands of Hinsdale. While there are key losses to this roster, a good core returns with fresh faces who could be impact players right away. “With any young team there will be ups and downs,” said Cheetham. “We’re going to focus on overall development and try to be playing our best basketball come playoff time. I think we can be a contender, I really do.”  

 A Final Four team a season ago, the Newmarket Mules hope to maintain that level of success, and ultimately take it a step further this year. 

 Head coach Meghan Averill key rotation players in all-state forward Brianna Filion and Abby Henry, but feels she has a returning group that is poised for a good season. “We have size and experience this year, so I am hoping that allows us to do well,” said Averill. “I am looking at this as a different team than last year because we had a few key players out with injuries and some kids getting used to varsity basketball. With the year of experience under their belt and players returning from injury, we should not see too big of a drop-off.” 

 Senior Casie Mosher missed all of last season with a stress fracture after being an impactful rotation player in her sophomore year. “I expect that she will be a matchup problem at times because of her size and her ability to do a little bit of everything,” said Averill. 

 Jess Berry missed most of her junior season due to injury as well and will help provide a defensive spark for the Mules. “She has the ability to play lockdown defense on a lot of the top players in this division,” said Averill. “Her level of play is going to set the tone for our team.” 

 A senior who did get some time last year was Riley Andriski, who will be called upon to be active on both sides of the ball. “Her size and athleticism should help us on the offensive end and the defensive side,” said Averill. 

 Speaking of size, junior Lena Nicholson once again will be a mismatch for opposing defenses. Nicholson has been a good spark in spurts for Newmarket, providing rebounding and scoring in her time on the floor. “I expect Lena to be more consistent on the offensive end and be able to give us some key points,” said Averill. If Nicholson can work on her touch, she should have some good opportunities on the low post. 

 Junior Ella Gallion will have the ball in her hands a lot as she takes over the point guard duties. “I think she is going to come out of her shell a little bit,” said Averill. “She can be more of a scoring point guard for us this year.” 

 The Mules had been knocking on the door of the semifinals the past few years. Now that they’ve made it, the goal is certainly to take a step further. “One thing I would like to see us take from last season is seeing that we are a middle to top tier team and seeing the girls believe,” said Averill. “We have an experienced group so they should not be going into any game not feeling confident they can win, and if we don’t win, then we know we competed and made it a tough win for the other team.” 

 Confidence will be the key to success for this group. They have been the underdog in years past, but with the experience they have returning, they should have the mindset of trying to be the team others are chasing.  

 “I would like the girls to improve their confidence in their abilities and compete at the highest level this season,” said Averill. “We need to play hard all season so we can see what adjustments we need to make for tournament time.” 

 The Pittsburg-Canaan Yellowjackets are most certainly the most excited team to get back onto the floor this season after the unfortunate hand they were dealt last season. 

 Head coach Matt Jordan said his group worked a lot this summer to make up for lost time with last season being so short and impromptu. “We had a really extensive summer program,” said Jordan. “We played about 17 games with a lot coming against upper division teams. That was good for our group.”  

 We saw in the 2019-20 season that Pittsburg-Canaan was starting to put things together. A 12-6 record reflected a lot of progress, which brought a lot of expectations into last season that unfortunately weren’t ever answered with how little they got to see the court. 

 Coming into this season with nearly their entire rotation back, the Yellowjackets are ready for the leap. “If we stay healthy, we should be in every game,” said Jordan. “It  will come down to fundamentals and execution.” 

 This will be one of the more experienced roasters in all of Division IV. “I’ve never coached a team where we were reliant on just one player,” said Jordan. “We will need to use our experience to our advantage.” 

 Sophie Grondin has been a do-it-all player for all of her three seasons at the varsity level. “She can play center and she can play point guard,” said Jordan. “She is our swiss army knife.” 

 Grondin’s versatility certainly opens things up for the rest of the team, especially for someone like junior Hannah Cote. “Hannah has great instincts,” said Jordan. “She has a good mid-range game and is a lefty, which is certainly an advantage.” 

 Both are reliable free throw shooters and should live at the line with their aggressive mindsets when attacking the basket. 

 Newcomer Katie Loranger may be a bit of a project player but could provide some valuable minutes in spurts. “She hasn’t played organized basketball in a few years but gives us the height we have been lacking,” said Jordan. 

 Pittsburg-Canaan is ready to be among the elite in Division IV. “My goal is to finish as a top-four seed,” said Jordan. "Aside from Katie, our seven upperclassmen have been playing together since elementary school. It’s time for us to get over the hump. It’s  time for us to make some noise in the playoffs.”  

 Colebrook will look quite different without the likes of Sage Smith and Sam Howe holding down the fort, but head coach Duane Call likes the core group of players he returns for his second year calling the shots. 

 Behind the heroic playoff run of Smith and Howe, Colebrook fell just short to Hinsdale in the championship game at Plymouth High School. Two straight title appearances and three key contributors returning give Call confidence his group can be competitive. “Obviously it will be tough to replace about 45 points and 20 rebounds a game,” said Call. “I think we’re going to be better than people think.” 

 Juniors Ariana Lord, Sierra Riff, and Emma McKeage will need to take a big leap to keep the Mohawks in contention. “They have all been major role players throughout their careers,” said Call. “It’s time for them to transition into being key players.” 

 Lord, a six-foot forward, will be asked to take on more of a scoring load. “She is the biggest key,” said Call. “She is going to need to score in double figures every night and grab around ten rebounds a game.” 

 Lord was more of a complimentary spot-up shooter with Smith and Howe on the team, but this year she will need to play more in the low post rather than hang around the perimeter. 

 A goal Call set out for Sierra Riff last year was to transition into being a point guard. She will get the keys to the offense this year and will need to continue to be disruptive defensively. “Sierra has definitely made good strides in taking over that position,” said Call. 

 While she won’t be relied upon to score in double figures, she will need to run the offense and do her best to stay out of foul trouble that has been an issue in past seasons. “We don’t have the Sage Smith who can break down the defense and create for others,” said Call. “We will have to learn to play in our base offense a bit more.” 

 McKeage has been a steady option for this group the past two years and will need to step up in more of a leadership role this season. “How all three juniors take over the leadership role will be telling for us,” said Call. 

 Shyanna Fuller and Sara Fernald will step into starting roles after being the 6th and 7th players off the bench a season ago. “They both work very hard,” said Call. “They’re solid defensively and rebound well, they know their roles.” 

 Colebrook has gone only 6-7 deep the past few seasons, and with Fuller and Fernald becoming starters, that leaves the Mohawks with not much experience in the rest of the rotation. “It is going to be much more of a group effort for us this year," said Call. 

 Colebrook worked on developing individual shooting ability in the offseason, and that was apparent in their summer sessions. “We started to learn to play without Sage and Sam and it went better than expected,” said Call. “The confidence to take the shot is there now and we are hoping that translates over to the regular season.” 

 The identity of this team will be on the defensive end of the floor. “They all work hard,” said Call. “They have been playing pressure defense their whole lives.”  

 Especially on their home floor, Colebrook is a tough-minded group that generates a lot of their offense from their defensive effort. If that holds true, Colebrook should be able to compete with a majority of teams. 

 “The key early on will be finding out who our 6th, 7th, and 8th players will be,” said Call. Carving out a bench will be necessary for a playoff run, but the core starting five will be relied upon heavily regardless. “I feel like we have 4-5 players on any given night who can score in double figures.” 

 Colebrook should find themselves in contention, but the three returning juniors will have to set the tone from day one. “How those three turn into major contributing players will be key,” said Call. “Our players had a good summer. It’s obvious that they’re excited with how they’ve done over the years and they want to keep the program strong and make another run at the Final Four.” 

 The reigning champion Hinsdale Pacers will be on the younger side this year, but the same can be said for most of the division. 

 Angelina Nardolillo and Delaney Wilcox were the faces of this program for the past 3-4 years. Audrey Martin and Olivia Pangelinan were two of the best complimentary starters the division had to offer. All four have since graduated, leaving head coach Terry Bonnette with almost an entirely new roster. 

 “We’re adding players but not adding much experience,” said Bonnette. “We’re going to work a few girls in and see what happens.” 

 Leading the way for the Pacers this year will be senior Megan Roberts, who in the words of her head coach was a “big piece to the puzzle last year.” Roberts is one of the best shooters the division has to offer, but sometimes became an afterthought for opposing defenses with Nardolillo and Wilcox attracting so much attention. She certainly made defenses pay last season, and now they will be focusing on her more than ever. 

 “She is going from complementary player to ‘the’ player for us this year,” said Bonnette. “That will be different for her.” 

 While Angelina has moved on to collegiate basketball, there is still a Nardolillo in the program, that being Addy Nardolillo. 

 The sophomore has two years of varsity experience under her belt already and that will certainly be relied upon for the Pacers. “She really came along last year,” said Bonnette. “She will need to play a big role for us this year.” 

 Nardolillo has shown good shooting touch in her first two years and will need to be active on the glass for Hinsdale. “She is going to be a focal point on both ends of the floor,” said Bonnette. 

 Brooke Pagach and Aleah Owen will both step into larger roles this season. Owen provides size as a forward and Pagach will pick up some of the ball-handling duties for the Pacers. “It’s hard to replace players like Angelina and Delaney,” said Bonette. “We don’t have a true center and we are still figuring out the best avenue for a point guard, maybe by committee.” 

 The key to success for Hinsdale will be on the defensive end of the floor. “If we don’t play defense and don’t hold teams down we will struggle,” said Bonette. “We need to play tenacious defense until we establish an offensive presence.”  

 The defending champions will have a different look, but their mentality will certainly stay the same. “We have a lot of kids stepping into new roles,” said Bonette. “The key is going to be handling pressure. We will have to go through Megan and Addy. I’m hoping those two can get us over the hump and back into the playoffs, anything can happen from there.” 

 Consistency has been the name of the game for the Littleton Crusaders. Head coach Dale Prior has always found a way to get the most out of any team he has had the last few seasons. 

 “The greatest thing about coaching is you have a different team every year,” said Prior. “You never have the same group of 10-12 girls. We try to find out how to play with each group we have every year.” 

 The same will hold true for this season, as Littleton only has four players returning with varsity experience. “There are going to be growing pains early on,” said Prior. 

 Lauren McKee is the returning leading scorer for the Crusaders. Last season McKee came in as a highly touted player after her breakout sophomore season and the whole division certainly took notice. “Last year was a growing year for Lauren,” said Prior. “Teams started to key in on her last year and I expect them to key in on her even more this season.” 

 With point guard Olivia Corrigan lost to graduation, McKee will take over the ball-handling duties for the Crusaders. “She is such a coachable kid,” said Prior. “She does anything that we ask of her without question.” 

 McKee worked hard this summer to score from a variety of different levels. “She has the ability to hit the three but also did well this summer at attacking the rim rather than settling for jump shots,” said Prior. “I would safely expect her to be a double-digit scorer early on in the season.” 

 The Crusaders also return three other seniors in Kaylee Manzella, Maddy Carbonneau, and Jamielee Lamarre. All three along with McKee will be called upon to help lead a young roster. “It will be important early on for those four to take the lead and take as much pressure off the younger kids as possible.” 

 Manzella returns as the other main scoring threat for Littleton. She and Maddy Carbonneau are described as “versatile” players by their head coach and will see time at both the guard and forward spot. 

 Lamarre has worked hard to improve her range as a forward. “She has put in the time to improve her mid-range jumpshot,” said Prior. “Jamielee has much more confidence from 15-foot range as a forward.” 

 Littleton benefited from being able to have a full summer to play and practice together. “It is good to have the little experience that we do have coming back and being able to play this summer certainly helped,” said Prior. “The seniors were able to build good chemistry with the younger kids.” 

 One young player to watch for is freshman Addison Hadlock. The Hadlock name has been a constant for many years, as her sister Laney Hadlock was one of the key members of Littleton’s undefeated championship run in 2019. 

 “When Laney was a freshman she was a starter, but she had 4 juniors and seniors around her to take pressure off her,” said Prior. “I see Addison or another freshman or junior in that same role.”  

 Scoring the basketball may be tough to come by for the Crusaders on some nights. “If Lauren and Kaylee don’t have big nights, then the younger players will have to score,” said Prior. “We are going to have to play an ugly brand of basketball and keep teams in the 30's. It may be painful sometimes, but it is more realistic than ever unless we progress rapidly and find ways to score.” 

 A grind it out kind of team is very on-brand with the North Country (and I love that). 

 The Crusaders' identity will have to be on the defensive end of the floor. “What will be key for us is we have to defend every night for 32 minutes,” said Prior. “We can’t get into 50-60 point scoring games.” 

 It will take some time for Littleton to find their footing, but once that happens anything is possible with a division that may be as wide open as it has been in some time. “The experience we gain and the learning these kids absorb in the first couple of months will prepare us,” said Prior. “If we can play defense, grow our offense as we go, we have an opportunity to be a Final Four team.” 

 The Groveton Eagles always find a way to be in the mix-up in the North Country. A defensive philosophy implemented by head coach Tim Haskins gives the Eagles a shot on any given night. 

 Groveton graduates two all-state players in Nodia Davenport and Emmalee Deblois, which will leave the Eagles searching for a fifth starter in the preseason. “Early in the season it is going to be the same philosophy as last year,” said Haskins. “We’re going to be a little developmental and a work in progress early on.” 

 Seniors Mackenzie Pape and Emily Schafermeyer return to lead a core of younger players. Pape has seen quite a lot of floor time at the guard spot and will have the ball in her hands a lot more in her last go-around. 

 “We are looking for Mackenzie to play good defense like she has and handle the ball for us,” said Haskins. Pape is right around 5’2”, which puts a lot of responsibility on her to be active on the defensive end of the floor and cause havoc. 

 The Eagles generate a lot of offense from their defensive pressure, and Pape will need to help lead that charge. 

 Emily Schafermeyer came off the bench for Groveton last season and showed flashes of offensive potential with a few scoring outbursts. “She is developing into a decent outside threat for us,” said Haskins. 

 Schafermeyer will be called upon to fill the void in the paint that Deblois leaves behind. “We’re going to need her to get points both inside and out for us,” said Haskins. 

 The key returnee for the Eagles is junior Marissa Kenison. She was a player to watch last season and will now be much more of “the” go-to player this season as Haskins put it. “She had some games where she looked like she would break out and had others where she didn’t score too much,” said Haskins. “This season she is our best bet to be a consistent double-digit scorer.” 

 Kenison has the ability to be the first option for this group, it will be about developing the confidence early on to do it on a nightly basis. “We need her to get that mentality and embrace that role for us this season,” said Haskins. 

 Over the past few seasons, junior Madison Ash has been the perfect role player for this team. “Ash is one of those players that out of the blue will come up with a 15 point game from hustling and scraping,” said Haskins. “She picks up a lot of ‘garbage points’ as we like to call them, just by getting out on the fast break or working on the glass and getting a putback.” 

 Ash has shown the ability to perform on both ends and be a glue piece for the Eagles' starting lineup. The fifth starter will be one of the younger players who can pick up things early on. “We have a lot of quick players who we hope can find rotation minutes early on,” said Haskins.  

 Division IV, especially the North Country, will look a lot different this season. “I think the playing field, especially up north, will be a bit more level this year,” said Haskins. “I think it’s going to be a pretty interesting year.” 

 Groveton always finds a way to be in the mix come playoff time, and it doesn’t look like this year will be any different for the Eagles. 

 The Sunapee Lakers are back in the Top 10 once again this year, and head coach Stephanie Larpenter thinks her group can be successful in a division that holds plenty of mysteries this season. 

 “Every single girl is hard working and excited about the game of basketball,” said Larpenter. “We have super high hopes for this season.” 

 All-state forward Abby Pollari has graduated and the keys to the offense will be handed over to Elizabeth Tschudin. “She’s our point guard and our captain,” said Larpenter. The junior has developed her game over the past two seasons and brings a crafty scoring ability to the Lakers' offensive attack. 

 Sunapee will have a young roster, but that youth brings in a lot of height for Larpenter to pick and choose with. “Pretty much all of our newcomers are post players,” said Larpenter. “We will have a variety of guard and post play to work with this year,” said Larpenter. 

 A returning player who also has size is Molly Reed, who will be the team's starting center. Reed, along with a variety of newcomers, will need to take advantage of their size and use it willingly throughout the year. 

 “Even with our size we are still going to run the ball like we always have,” said Larpenter. “Now we will have more options on our set plays with our size inside and out.” 

 Sunapee is young but certainly capable of making a run with the best of them in this division. The Lakers will be back in playoff contention and potentially flirting with a deep run.  

 The Lisbon Panthers will have a new look on the sideline as former White Mountains head coach Brent Covell takes over the program. “Coming from Division III to Division IV is eye-opening for sure,” said Covell. “I’m looking forward to getting the season going.” 

 Everything Covell is preaching and teaching early on is new, so it will take time for his 11-player roster to adjust. “It’s a whole new program for the girls,” said Covell. “We want to change the culture, and that starts with practice and changing your attitude.” 

 Leading the way for the Panthers is senior all-state forward Sara Brown, who has been a consistent piece of the core for Lisbon the past three seasons. “Sara is someone who can put points on the board for us,” said Covell. 

 Alongside Brown will be junior Katie Clark, who is someone entrusted with the ball-handling duties for Covell’s squad. Clark is also described as a tenacious defender by her head coach, as she will be relied upon to bring it on that end of the floor on a nightly basis.  

 Seniors Kiley Hill and Kendal Clark provide leadership and will be tone setters for the younger players on the roster. 

 Joining the Panthers this season is Linnea Trudel, a raw 6’0” forward who has just a few years of basketball experience under her belt. “I think under the right guidance she could be really useful for us,” said Covell. 

 The Panthers have been an underdog in years past, even spoiling a few playoff runs for some teams, but Covell wants to see his group start winning on a more consistent basis. 

 “I hope to get these girls to compete in every game,” said Covell. “I’d like to say we could win 10 games. With the schedule we have, we certainly have the potential to do so.”

 Things are starting to turn around for my alma mater. The Gorham Huskies are ready to be a competitive bunch, and head coach Joe Cassidy is excited about what he has seen early on from his team. “Things are looking promising,” said Cassidy. 

 After a two-win season last year, the Huskies are looking to start fresh. Sophomores Madison Girouard and Sarah Godin will be focal points for everything Gorham is looking to do this year. Both have been with the program since they were in eighth grade, and it looks like things are starting to click at the varsity level for them. 

 Girouard has shown the ability to play on the wing and on the inside and keeps defenders honest with her shooting ability from deep. “Her versatility allows us to get players going in other positions,” said Cassidy. “Maddie will handle the ball for us, something we have had an issue doing in years past. She gives us a good option every night.” 

 Godin showed her presence amongst opposing team's bigs in her freshman season, and the same can be expected of her this season. “She is going to be an offensive threat down low,” said Cassidy. “Her ability to attack and be aggressive opens up a lot for us.”  

 Seniors Halery Desilets, Sage Gallant, and Zoe Grondin have been impact varsity players for the last three seasons. “They need to step up this year in terms of being leaders,” said Cassidy. Setting the tone will be their duty every night as the most experienced players on the roster. 

 “A lot of the problems we faced with our offense was no one wanting to attack. We settled for jump shots far too much,” said Cassidy. “Zoe and Hal have been looking to attack, we like seeing that aggression on offense. It’s helped us do more of what we have been trying to get them to do.” 

  Defense has been the key for this team in years past, but with the offense coming around, Cassidy feels his team has a real chance to be competitive on a nightly basis. “I would like to say we can be competitive in the North Country and down south,” said Cassidy. “Getting a .500 record is a goal and an expectation for us.”  

 Things will look a bit different for Dawn Weeks and the Farmington Tigers as only six full-time varsity players return along with a plethora of youth to shape out the roster. “We’re young, beyond young,” said Weeks. “It is very exciting though.” 

 A new roster means a new game plan, something Weeks hasn’t had to change since taking over the program. “I don’t have a general on the floor that will bring calm and composure,” said Weeks. This was a norm for the program over the last handful of seasons with players like Katie Martineau and Chole Weeks running the show offensively. 

 “We will truly have to work as a team this year,” said Weeks. “Each of them has something to offer. Not one can make a difference on their own, they have to do it together 100 percent.” 

 Seniors Megan Patterson and Paris Boisvert will help bring leadership both on and off the floor for the Tigers. 

 Juniors Sydney Cocarus, Makayla LaPanne, and Ariana Teague went through growing pains as sophomores. Weeks is hoping that all three will benefit from that year of experience and look more like finished products this season. 

 “Syd is long and lanky as a forward,” said Weeks. “Makayla is going to take on a  brunt of the ball-handling and can be a truly great defensive player when she is being smart. Ari may be tiny in regards to height, but she is big in mind and big on the floor. She’ll probably play the four for me this year.” 

 Bringing back any experience will help Farmington be ready to compete sooner rather than later. 

 Freshman Madison Ricker will be a full-time varsity player from day one. “She is going to turn some heads,” said Weeks. “She is very athletic and has a great basketball IQ. She has that competitive drive. She is very advanced as a freshman.” 

 Rounding out the freshman class will be swingers Ryleigh Hogan, Jaeyln Prosper, and Bella Herbert. All three will have opportunities to see varsity minutes while developing their skills and getting consistent minutes at the JV level. 

 “I don’t know what this year looks like,” said Weeks. “It’s so early with new kids. I’m confident in them and they have great attitudes. I’m excited to get going with them.”

 Portsmouth Christian hopes to find balance on their roster, and first-year head coach Katie Robertson feels she has a team who can play as one unit from start to finish. 

 Robertson is new to the area after coaching in Maine the past few years. “For our team ball movement and communication will be the keys to success,” said Robertson. A lot of the time last season with no fans, you could hear a pin drop. Robertson is making sure early on that everyone is on the same page and constantly communicating. “Things will break down easily if we stop talking.” 

 Junior Maddie West is one of the more experienced players on the roster, and that certainly is being utilized early on. “Maddie plays basketball year-round,” said Robertson. “We need her to lead on the offensive end. She’s expressed a desire to fill in and do whatever is needed for us.” 

 Amanda Leland’s work ethic has been noticeable early on and seniors Sofia Walsh and Kaitlyn Shawney have been leaders in the preseason for the Eagles. “I’ve been blessed to have a lot of leadership,” said Robertson. “We have established a culture and the seniors and juniors have gotten on board with that quickly.” 

 The seniors want to go out the right way, and they have done everything early on to make this a successful season. Everyone has bought into the team style of play Robertson has been preaching since day one. “As long as we lead in the locker room and on the court, things will go well,” said Robertson. “If we work together, it should be a good season.” 

 Gabe Mosca steps in to take over the Epping girls basketball program after Andrew Marden accepted the position to be the Winnacunnet girls basketball head coach. 

 Marden made good progress in his two years at Epping, and with a new young group coming up this season, Mosca is excited to take the program a step further in the right direction. 

 “I am very optimistic with the group we have coming in this year and for years to come,” said Mosca. “We want to continue to be dedicated to our own improvement.” 

 Mosca is no stranger to Epping, as he is the current head softball coach and has coached under the likes of Tim Hopley, Sean Young, and Nick Fiset on the boy's basketball side of things. “I am not an excellent coach, but I know what excellence looks like,” said Mosca. 

 With 11 girls making up the roster, it is the sophomore class that will be the ones to key in on for this group. 

 Twin sisters Mae and Laney McAniff showed flashes of potential in their freshman campaigns, and we should expect a lot of the same from the two this year, with a lot more responsibility added to their plates. “They can walk the walk a little bit,” said Mosca. “They will get some key minutes for us every night.” 

 Autumn Loving and Annabelle Shumway will get more of a look this season on both ends of the floor and freshman Emily Carlton will be another potential piece to the puzzle for the Blue Devils.  “Once she picks up the terminology, she can be a dominant force,” said Mosca. 

 It will be a growing year for Epping, but there isn’t a better year to develop than one like we will see in Division IV this season, with a lot of teams looking for a new identity. “Starting a program with just 11 girls certainly changes some things,” said Mosca. “Because we have no seniors, not that we are trying not to win, but I’d like to look at this season as one step in the process.” 

 Epping wants to get out and run this season with the youth that they have, but they also want to focus on developing a culture. “We want to build a team that is fun to play with as individuals and as a team,” said Mosca. “As long as we are heading in the right direction, that is all we can ask for this year.” 

  The Profile Patriots will be a young team once again, but things are on the upward trend for this program. Head coach Brad Weekes is excited about the group he has returning. “I think we will be an interesting team to watch,” said Weekes. 

 Sophomores Mya Brown, Maddie Koehler, and freshman Kyah Knight all will take on more responsibility this season as once again they will have no seniors on the roster. “Those are three girls I can lean on, especially to lead our team,” said Weekes. 

  Brown has shown flashes of athleticism and certainly has the ability to be impactful every night. “The key for Mya will be staying out of foul trouble,” said Weekes. The Patriots will need Brown on the floor as much as possible. 

 As for Koehler and Knight, both will be called upon to be consistent. “They both can rebound the ball well and shoot it for us,” said Weekes. 

 Morgan Presby and Alyiah Laleme can be impact players if they stay the course this season. “They are two players that if they push the button, they can fill up some spots for us and do well,” said Weekes. 

 Two other potential rotation players are Avery Burger and Lily Pospesil. “They can spark our team if they aren’t afraid and do what they have been taught,” said Weekes. 

 For Profile, it is all about taking the next step in their development. “As younger girls develop and gain confidence, they will bring out some nice things for us on a nightly basis,” said Weekes. “I think we can be right in the middle of the pack this year.”   

 Mount Royal has a mix of freshman and sophomores leading the way for their 2021-2022 campaign. Head coach Derek Tremblay is excited for his young players to get a taste of varsity action. 

 “We’re really going to let them learn this year,” said Tremblay. The team will roster 8 girls and all will be relied upon to make an impact every night. “We’re going to have a pretty simple rotation,” said Tremblay. “We’ve told every single one of the girls that they will have to be a leader in their own way.” 

 Amaya Acevedo, Lauren Brewer, and Claire, and Katherine McMenaman were impactful rotation players last year and use the experience they garnered from last season to help handle pressure and execute on both ends. 

 “For a small school, we are starting to get basketball into the younger levels,” said Tremblay. “Our institutional goal is to make a real program and I think we are starting to do that. The future looks bright.” 

 Franklin is ready for year two in Division IV, this tim3 with a different head coach. Mark Dionne steps in to take over yet another young Golden Tornadoes squad. 

 “It’s going to be interesting,” said Dionne. “Especially with a new class in Division IV.” Dionne is familiar with a good majority of this team as he coached them at the middle school level. 

 Racquel McCoy and Hanna Croteau are two seniors Franklin will look to lean on this season. “Those two are more than capable of leading the team for us,” said Dionne. 

 Sisters Lexi and Brooke-Lynn Bedard will also step into bigger roles this season. “With a young team, we will need both of them to help out and lead as well,” said Dionne. 

 With 6 freshmen on the roster, there will be lots of room to grow and improve throughout the year. “I’d like to bring us into being a tough team to play,” said Dionne. “When someone leaves, we want a team to feel like we are that team that works hard and makes you work for your points.” 

 Franklin will look to make more of a name for themselves in their second year in the division. “The goal here is to keep the girls involved,” said Dionne. “We want to keep the excitement up in the program.”  

 Hall of Fame coach Matt Swedberg is embracing the change that comes with a young roster at Moultonborough Academy. 

 "It's going to be a challenge, but it will be a fun challenge," said Swedberg. "We are going to still do a lot of the same things we've done in the past, especially defensively." 

 Helping provide that knowledge out on the floor will be seniors Gracey Boucher, Kristin Gundersen, and junior Kat Gleeson. "They've done a really good job of leading the younger kids," said Swedberg.  

 Boucher is an undersized forward who has proven to be a solid inside-out threat for the Panthers. Gundersen is described by Swedberg as a "hard-nosed" player who won't bow down to any challenge. "She is a real competitor," said Swedberg. 

 Gleeson returns as the lead guard for Moultonborough and will need to take care of the basketball. "To be successful we need to keep our turnovers down," said Swedberg. 

 Sophomore Sadey Sherkanowski is coming out for the team after not playing much basketball the past few years. "She runs the floor well," said Swedberg. "I'm hoping she can make an impact for us." 

 Moultonborough will lean on their man-to-man defense to bring them success, but Swedberg knows offensively things will have to improve for the Panthers. 

 "We've stressed shooting a lot early on," said Swedberg. "We're looking to find ways to find the best shot around the rim. High percentage shots are key." 

 Moltouborugh will be a work in progress, but if things click, good things can happen for this group. "It's going to be basic basketball for us," said Swedberg. "We play a good northern schedule. A steady diet of that will make them improve quickly." 

 

 

Pre-Season First Team All-State

Lauren McKee of Littleton

Jordan Rioux of Concord Christian

Elyse Ngenda of Derryfield

Ariana Lord of Colebrook

Megan Roberts of Hinsdale

 

Pre-Season Second Team All-State

Sophie Grondin of Pittsburg-Canaan 

Marissa Kenison of Groveton 

Elizabeth Tschudin of Sunapee

Mackenzie Kingsbury of Woodsville

Sara Brown of Lisbon

 

Players to watch: Lilli Carlille of Concord Christian, Sierra Riff and Emma McKeage of Colebrook, Hannah Cote of Pittsburg-Cannan, Emma Losey and Ava Plage of Derryfield, Emily Schafermeyer of Groveton, Kaylee Manzella of Littleton, Casie Mosher and Jess Berry of Newmarket, Addy Nardolillo of Hinsdale, Madison Ricker of Farmington, Leah Krull, Emily Farr, and Maddie Roy of Woodsville, Mya Brown of Profile, Maddie West of PCA, Madison Girouard and Sarah Godin of Gorham

 

Coming Monday: Division III