The Mascenic girls’ basketball team started the season out strong with a opening win over visiting Raymond in New Ipswich Friday night.
“It was a good way to start the season,” said head coach Troy Shaw after the 42-20 Viking win. “Effort was probably number one in my book. What we preach to them is just every play, every minute, every quarter, playing at that same effort level, no letdown, just keeping the effort level high the whole game. That way you don’t leave doors open for mistakes to be made or teams to come back on you. The effort level was high the whole game.”
Sophomore Hannah Zina found success cutting to the basket from the wing, working in the post and from beyond the arc, and the forward led all scorers with 13 points. The Vikings needed the extra spark Friday, as they were missing two regular players, including starting point guard sophomore Skye Lambert, who was replaced in the opener by junior Lexis Vautour.
“To not have her on this opening night made me a little bit nervous,” Shaw said. “But Lexis obviously stepped up and ran the point.”
Mascenic was able to slow Raymond’s biggest threat, sophomore Gracie York, holding her to eight points.
“Olivia [Shaw] did a good job putting a hand up, not fouling on the shot,” Shaw said. “We were able to contest their shots. They had a hard time hitting their shots tonight, and at least we had enough contesting on the shots to know we created chaos and created a tougher time for them to shoot the ball.”
Contributing to the Vikings’ post presence was newcomer Avery Cyr, who just moved to the district from Maine and provides a little edge down low for Mascenic.
“She’s a tough player, which is good because she likes to body, likes to bang, likes to rebound – all that good stuff,” Shaw said.
Cyr had eight points in the game; sophomore Kenzie Cormier had 10.
The Vikings (1-0) are looking forward to a more traditional regular season this winter as compared to last year’s COVID-induced regional schedule, which doubled the blowout losses handed them by their closest neighbor, powerhouse and back-to-back defending champ Conant. The girls will have a look at the Orioles Tuesday night as the orange-and-black 2021 championship banner unfurls at the Pratt; the two tip off at 6:30 p.m. The Viking core, which has been playing together at the varsity level for three years now, has the potential to take a next step this season, with the upperclassmen Leah St. John, Shaw, and Vautour, and the seasoned underclassmen.
“The effort level, the culture of the team, the team morale is a big thing for me,” Shaw said. “Trying to keep everything in a positive note, and letting them know that they’re out there to hold each other accountable. That’s one thing I preached before the game and in practice too, is they have to hold each other accountable, because we can’t just rely on me. They’re too old – they’re old enough. Now they can rely on each other to hold themselves accountable.”
Conant 67, Somersworth 17
Conant started their title defense with a dominant 50-point blowout win at Somersworth Friday night.
Emma Tenters led all scorers with 17 points; Brynn Rautiola had 15; Kendall Chamberlain scored 12 on four three-pointers; Teagan Kirby scored eight points, and Miley Aho had seven.
Conant (1-0) is on a 37-game win streak dating back to their 2019 semifinal loss to Fall Mountain.
The Orioles open their home schedule Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against Mascenic.
Hanover 66, ConVal 27
The Marauders were too much for visiting ConVal in the Cougars’ season opener Friday, with point guard Stella Galanes dropping a game-high 15 and Stonehill-bound center Melissa Whitmore adding 14.
Morgan Bemont led ConVal with nine points; Maddy Faber had six and Makenna Proctor five.
ConVal (0-1) hosts John Stark Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
ConVal 60, Hanover 24
Short two starters due to a COVID outbreak that began at the Cougars’ tryouts two weeks ago, ConVal still pulled out a convincing win over visiting Hanover Friday night.
Joe Gutwein led all scorers with 22 points; Owen Michaels added 19 and Austin Knight and Owen McGuire had seven apiece.
Knight played great defense all night, first-year head coach Jay Starr said after the game.
ConVal (1-0) is at Plymouth Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Conant 56, Somersworth 42
Garrett Somero dominated the paint in Friday’s opener at Rindge Memorial School, double-doubling with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead Conant to a win in the first game of the season. Malique Motuzas added nine points.
The Orioles (1-0) are at Mascenic Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Mascenic 56, Raymond 40
Mascenic got a road win over the Rams to start the winter out Friday night. Jack Cocozella scored a team-high 14 points; Dylan Barthel added 12 and Joe Cocozella had 10.
The Vikings (1-0) host Conant Tuesday night.
WLC 48, Pittsfield 43
Wilton-Lyndeborough got 20 points from Troy Brennan and 15 from Sean Brennan to open the year with a win at Pittsfield on Friday.
Zack Taylor added eight for the Warriors.
WLC (1-0) is at Derryfield Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.