After a week's absence, the Thursday Thoughts returns to break down all of the action across all four divisions.

 We will rank and break down the Top 10 teams in all four divisions each week.

 Next week we will have our annual mid-season snapshot article where both Dave Haley and I will be making our Final Four picks along with all-state, player, and coach of the year at the mid-way point as well as our sleeper team in each division of girls and boys basketball.

  We also should have a big announcement regarding our annual Senior vs. Underclassman double-header in March.

 We are extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Monadnock head coach Rob Colbert. 

 Our condolences, thoughts, and prayers are with Rob's family and the entire Monadnock and Swanzey community affected by this tragic news.

 Today's column is brought to you by our friends and partners at York County Community College!

 

Division I

Division I Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Kevin Gibbs of Bedford, Greg Cotreau of Manchester Memorial, Ricky Oliver of Salem, Scott Blake of Spaulding, Frank Girginis of Alvirne, Kaylene Rogers of Exeter, Steve Largy of Goffstown, Lani Buskey of Pinkerton, and Jimmy Flynn of Dover

1. Bedford: This team is on a roll. The fun begins with a rivalry game against Goffstown on Friday and the start of a big week ahead with a trip to Portsmouth next Tuesday night.  The Lana McCarthy-Maddie MacCannell is always a must-watch.

2. Londonderry: Gemma Murray is not an ordinary freshman, and her 21-point performance last Friday in a 64-31 win over Salem proved just that. The Pinkerton Astros come to town on Friday in what could be a high-scoring affair.

3. Pinkerton: The Astros showed real improvement in their 74-53 win over Portsmouth back on the 9th (sorry we are still catching up on notes from Florida). Syd Gerossie is someone who shows up for these types of games, and she showed up in a big way, scoring a season-best 28 points in the win. The dirt dog Alex White was the missing piece to last season's defense, helping hold the Clippers to just 53 points, their second-lowest total of the year so far. That same level of defense will need to show up early when they take on the Lancers this Friday.

4. Portsmouth: There is no need to panic if you are the Clippers. Some nights shots just don't fall, and while the Astros disrupted them at times, there were some open looks that couldn't find a home. The greatest weapon this team has is having five scorers on the floor at all times, something next Tuesday's opponent Bedford also has at their disposal. Portsmouth stunned the Bulldogs in this matchup last year during the regular season, but Bedford got the best of them in the semis. Both teams will have some revenge on their minds.

5. Goffstown: Scoring outside of Maggie Sasso was called upon in our first column two weeks ago, and Meredith Winterburn answered that call last Friday with a team-high 11 points in a gritty 41-33 win over Nashua North. More of that production will be needed as the Grizzlies fast their biggest test with rival Bedford on Friday night.

6. Salem: The Blue Devils couldn't keep up with the Lancers on Friday night but followed it up by scoring a season-high 73 points against Nashua South. When Salem can control tempo they can hurt you, we will see if that will be the case against a sound defensive team in Windahm on Friday night.

7. Dover: It was good to see the Green Wave give a contender like Londonderry a battle on Wednesday, only losing that contest 61-51. The chemistry this group created last year is showing in year two under head coach Jimmy Flynn.

8. Windham: The Jaguars have a chance to grab a marquee win when they travel to Salem on Friday. These are two teams that play at a similar pace, but the athletes that Windham has on the defensive end could be the difference maker. Meghan Husson has answered the call in big-time moments and should have an opportunity at a few more on Friday.

9. Keene: It is a week of practice for the Blackbirds after their 84-40 loss to Pinkerton last Friday. The Astros have a bit more offensive firepower, but Keene certainly is a group capable of making noise outside of that top-four group. A back-to-back of Nashua North and Goffstown will be telling of where this young group really is.

10. Bishop Guertin: The Cardinal's schedule will start to ease up a bit, but 2-5 is certainly unfamiliar territory for this program. With a team as young and new as this one is to one another, it isn't surprising, but with the talent they have it would not be surprising to see some form of second-half surge for BG.

 

Division II

Division II Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Dan O'Rourke of Hanover, Brian Gray of Sanborn, Larry Meader of Kennett, Bryan Wall of Oyster River, Bob McNutt of Merrimack Valley, and Rebecca Carlile of Concord Christian

1. Concord Christian: It is a bit early to say something like this, but this might be CCA's division to lose. An overtime win over Division I Bishop Guertin and a commanding 53-25 win over Hanover solidified this group as not just the best team in the division, but one of the best in the state.

2. Pembroke: Outside of the Kingsmen, Pembroke has one of the most high-octane offenses in the division. Coming off three straight 70-plus point performances, the Spartans are looking like a team on a mission. Getting a 20-point performance out of Hailey Steinmetz, the sixth man for this group, in a 72-20 win over Hollis-Brookline shows how much firepower this team has.

3. Laconia: Winners of five in a row, the Sachems have found a real rhythm after an early season loss to Concord Christian. A quarterfinal rematch with Hanover, a game we plan to be at, could be yet another playoff preview. Macy Swormstedt, the newest member of the Laconia 1,000-point club, will need to dictate pace and control whatever scheme Dan O'Rourke tries to throw her way in what should be one of the better contests of the Division II season.

4. Oyster River: Friday night will be the Bobcat's first test against one of the premiere defenses in the division at Bow. Viv O'Quinn, the 14th leading scorer in the state at 17.7 ppg, has been terrific controlling the offense. This is a group that is hard to double and rotate against with their lethal shooting from the outside. Pelham (watch out for the Pythons) was able to hand the Bobcats their first loss of the season and held the Bobcats to 50 points, their second lowest mark of the season. It will be interesting to see if they can reach their 62.3 ppg average on Friday night.

5. Bow: The Falcons have responded with three wins since their loss to Pembroke back on January 2nd. A hard-fought road 49-41 road win over Hanover and a 50-41 win over Milford shows the grit this group possesses. Bryana Szepan posted 18 and 23-point performances in those two wins, and is proving to be a consistent option on the offensive end alongside Juliette Tarsa and Ella Trefethen. If this kind of production can continue, they may have the recipe to hand Oyster River their first loss.

6. Hanover: It has been tough sledding as of late for the Bears, dropping three straight contests before a 46-29 win over John Stark on Monday. Offensive droughts have plagued this team at times and made comeback efforts fall just short in the end. This group has the experience to turn things around, and a week to prep for Laconia gives them a prime opportunity to respond.

7. Derryfield: The Cougars five game win streak came to a sudden end after a Caroline Drum three at the buzzer gave Souhegan a 29-28 overtime victory. Despite the loss, this group has had an impressive start to the year. Their play on the defensive end has been the greatest improvement we have seen this year to last.

8. John Stark: The Generals have been a bit up and down this year, but have a big stretch ahead with Hollis-Brookline, Merrimack Valley, Pelham, and Bow to see where they stand in Division II.

9. Merrimack Valley: The Pride as always are competitive and are showing more flare on the offensive end this season. They currently sit at 44 ppg, a mark that should be one to aim for when playing the upper-echelon teams along with their sound defense. Lebanon at home this Friday and a road game at John Stark are a chance to solidify themselves in the standings. 

10. Pelham: It seems like a different player is stepping up each night for the Pythons. Sophia Guinazzo (12.1 ppg) has stepped into a primary scoring role while Sophia Joncas (10.3 ppg) is a nightly double-double. Handing Oyster River their first loss of the season is another step in the right direction. This team has hung around in all seven contests they have played and could be a sneaky group down the line.

 

Division III

Division III Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Kevin Giannino of St. Thomas Aquinas, Ed Tenney of Kearsarge, Scott Currier of Kearsarge, Don Picard of Berlin, and Mike Mahoney of Hopkinton

1. Winnisquam: Lauren MacDonald is inching towards the 1,000-point mark as the 8-0 Bears have been nothing short of spectacular to start. The second half of the schedule should prove to be a tough one with many contenders and playoff-level teams ahead, but this team has passed every test so far with flying colors.

2. Hopkinton: Keegan St. Cyr is out for the year, but the Hawks continue to push through adversity as they sit at 8-1. They take on Stevens this Friday in what should be a grudge match. Mike Mahoney might throw everything and the kitchen sink Kiley Bundy's way, especially Shaylee Murdough who may see a lot of Bundy on Friday.

3. St. Thomas Aquinas: The Saints have been dominant for the last two weeks, winning their last three contests by a margin of 36 points. This a group that has lurked around the Top 8 the last few seasons and that experience has helped put together an 8-1 season so far with a top-three seed in site come playoff time.

4. Kearsarge: The Cougars have played a playoff-like schedule through eight games and things won't get much easier with Gilford coming to town next Tuesday. The balanced scoring this team gets makes their starting five one of the best in the division. 

5. Gilford: The Golden Eagles notched their best win of the season 44-33 over Stevens last Frida, and followed that up by handing Hopkinton their first loss of the season on Wednesday, 34-28. Ryan Guyer, Olivia Keenan, and Millie Caldon lead the charge on both ends, and the Gilford is looking at a potential top-five seed. The gauntlet continues with Conant on Friday and a battle-tested Kearsarge team next Tuesday.

6. Stevens: Kiley Bundy scored 16 in the Cardinals loss to Gilford while the rest of the team scored 17. As the season winds down the defensive schemes opponents will throw at Bundy are going to get tougher. This group can defend with the best of them, so finding offense in transition might be a difference maker.

7. Conant: The Orioles called me out in their post-game interview after a 39-26 win over Campbell, and rightfully so, as they have rattled off five straight wins. They will try and make it six as they travel to Gilford to take on a team that plays a similar brand of basketball as them.

8. Prospect Mountain: The two lone losses for the Timberwolves have come at the hands of Winnisquam, a team they were only able to muster 31 and 29 points against. They have cruised in nearly all six of their wins, but need to find consistency offensively when they play top-ranked opponents. Sophia Capsalis, Aijah Thoroughgood, and Ella Smith are more than capable of providing just that.

9. Monadnock: Both of the Husky's games were canceled this week. Monadnock is set to resume play against Brattleboro Union next Tuesday.

10. White Mountains: Despite a heartbreaking loss at the buzzer in double overtime to Littleton, the Spartans find themselves at 5-6 with a marquee win over Gilford back on January 5th on the resume. They have taken some hard losses, but have continued to show the ability to compete with the best in the division, even with players in and out of the lineup. Prospect Mountain comes to town on Friday and they will need a strong showing to slow that offense down.

 

 

Division IV 

Division IV Standings and Scoring Leaders

Gold Level Coaches/Programs: Derek Tremblay of Mount Royal, Joseph Williams of Holy Family, Meghan Averill of Newmarket, Tim Haskins of Groveton, Dale Prior of Littleton, and Duane Call of Colebrook

1. Littleton: Ella Horsch played hero on Tuesday night, helping the Crusaders secure extra points with a game-winning three-pointer to take down White Mountains 53-50. The Crusaders look like a team on a mission, evident with their win on the road over Groveton and the 68 points they scored in a hostile environment against Farmington. Profile will prove to be a tough game on Friday, but this group seems motivated to keep things rolling.

2. Groveton: The Eagles have been the comeback kids as of late, after facing two halftime deficits against White Mountains and Newmarket and coming away with victories. This team has a bounce-back mentality that has carried them to a 9-1 start.

3. Woodsville: Woodsville picked up two four-point victories in a back-to-back home sweep of Colebrook and Hinsdale. They have won five in a row and are more mature team to start this season. Defensively this group can grind you out while being able to fall back on an inside-out punch of Paige Royer and Makayla Walker.

4. Profile: The Patriots fell to a pesky PCA team 43-40 on the road last Friday and now will try and slay the giant that is Littleton. This team has taken the leap, but Littleton will be the biggest test they face all season. Can they take care of the basketball? That may be what decides a win or loss in this one.

5. Farmington: The Tigers went 1-1 in their toughest stretch of the schedule, taking down Newmarket 37-33 and falling at the hands of Littleton 68-45 last Friday. A 20-7 deficit after the first quarter was too tough to overcome. Securing a home game is the goal for this group, and they have a chance to possibly get two if they play their cards right down the stretch.

6. Newmarket: The Mules have dropped two straight, but they will get two home games next week after playing their fourth straight on the road at Sunapee this Friday. In their two losses, they held both Farmington and Groveton to under 40 points, something that plays to their advantage, but were unable to find enough offense themselves. Leading scorer Kiara Rugora did miss the trip to Groveton, so getting her back in the lineup will be key for this upcoming stretch.

7. Colebrook: If you were to tell me the Mohawks would have two top-six scorers (Haley Rossitto and Niome Nadeau) and one not too far behind at 16th in the division (Lexi Santamaria), I would not expect them to be sitting at 6-4. The issue for this team is digging themselves too big a hole to come out of, evident in their 20 and 25-point 4th quarters in their losses to Pittsburg-Canaan and Woodsville. Putting together 32 minutes of sound basketball should be the goal for this team as they had to the second half, something they can certainly accomplish with the level of talent they have.

8. Holy Family: Holy Family keeps finding ways to win and is the true surprise of Division IV. The second half of their schedule features six playoff teams, so if the Griffins want a home playoff game they will have to take another step up.

9. Franklin: The Golden Tornadoes are winners of three straight and looking like the threat they were at the end of last season. Kourtney Kaplan is one of the best scorers in the division and continues to improve her game in year two.

10. Pittsburg-Canaan: The Yellow Jackets sit at 5-5, but their win on the road at Colebrook shows what this team is capable of. Saidy Placey is playing at an all-state level and will need to continue that play with trips to Mascenic and Woodsville lined up for next week.