Eight Class L championships in a row should do that, right?

The Cardinals won an eighth consecutive Class L indoor track title on Sunday at Dartmouth College, recording 78 points to finish ahead of Manchester Central (66) and Londonderry (55). Merrimack (52) was fourth and Exeter (41) took fifth. Nashua North (23) tied for sixth and Alvirne (six) came in 11th.

BG’s run is the longest such streak in New Hampshire girls indoor track. In state history, only the Nashua High boys indoor track team has a longer streak of consecutive championships, having won 13 in a row from 1959 to 1971, when there was only one classification.

One other indoor program can match the Cardinals’ stretch – the Londonderry boys won eight straight Class L indoor titles from 1995 to 2002. Hanover’s girls outdoor track program also won eight straight Class I titles from 1986 to 1993, while the Nashua boys (1964 to 1971) and the Londonderry boys (1995 to 2002) also won eight straight Class L outdoor titles.

The Cardinals were led by Cecilia Barowski, who finished first in the 55-meter dash (7.4) and the 600 (1:37.46), and was also third in the 300 (42.06). Barowski also teamed with Mary Holleran, Leslie Mei and Sarah Burke to win the 4×400 relay in 4:05.39, setting a Class L record.

The 4×800 team of Leah Ferrara, Meghan Turner, Kaitlin Allen and Burke also finished first (9:48.27). Burke also finished fifth in the 1,000 (3:13.76) and Allen came in sixth (3:13.15) in the same event.

Beth McKenna finished second in 55 hurdles (8.56) and took fourth in high jump (5-2), while Melissa LaCoste took third in high jump (5-2). Courtney Veilleux was also third in 3,000 (10:51.28).

Hannah Moriarty came in fifth in 3,000 (10:58.87) and Holleran finished fifth in long jump (16-4).

Lauren Calvino led Merrimack, winning the 3,000 (10:27.54) and setting a Class L record, to go with a second-place finish in the 1,500 (5:01.3). Kailey Blain finished second in the 55 (7.45), fourth in 300 (42.38) and was third in long jump (16-5 3/4), while Emily Pollard came in second in the 1,000 (3:08.14).

Pollard, Kailey Blain, Taylor Blain and Lauren Pertty were second in the 4×400 (4:05.79).

Nashua North got a first-place finish in the shot put (38-7) from Ivy Muchuma, who was also fourth in the long jump (16-5 3/4). Jen Gagnon also came in sixth in the shot put (33-7 1/4).

Sandra Van Den Heuvel took fourth in the 1,500 (5:04.44) and Louise Van Den Heuvel finished fifth in the 600 (1:44.02)

Alvirne’s 4×200 relay team of Stacie Nuttall, Kristine Rowe, Amanda Roberts and Kendall Brigham finished third in 1:50.53.

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The Cardinals did enough in the relays to hold off a late Tomahawks’ charge, pulling out an 80-78 win for the school’s first boys indoor track title. Nashua North finished third with 50 points, while Pinkerton (46) came in fourth and Dover (31) was fifth. Nashua South, the defending-champ, came in 10th with 12 points, while Alvirne (two) was 15th.

The battle between the top two teams came down to the final events of the day. The Cardinals got 12 points from Jeff LaCoste and Francis Hernandez in the 1,500-meter run to turn a four-point lead over the Tomahawks into a 16-point lead with two relays left.

Merrimack won the 4×400, while Bishop Guertin failed to place, pulling the Tomahawks within six points. Merrimack finished first in the 4×200, but the Cardinals came in third and the six points was enough to edge the Tomahawks.

Bishop Guertin was led by its distance runners, as Hernandez won the 1,000-meter run (2:31.35), setting a Class L record, and also finished fourth in the 1,500 (4:14.63). Joey Jourdain finished first in the 3,000 (8:47.95) and LaCoste took second in the 1,500 (4:06.73) and third in the 1,000 (2:34.47).

The relay team of Chris Cogliano, Matt Chapman, Brian Donaghy and Brandon Latham also took first in the 4×800, finishing in 8:09.23.

Adam Hall took third in the 55 (6.61) and third in the long jump (20-9 1/4) while Ryan Fitzpatrick was third in the 300 (36.5). Those two teamed with Trent Barillas and Andrew Perrella to finish third in the 4×200 (1:35.41).

Andrew Perez also came in third in the 600 (1:25.93) and Peter Fucci took fifth in high jump (5-6).

Merrimack got a first-place finish from Steve Harshman in the 600 (1:22.2), and he joined Ryan Reagan, Chris Busby, Nicholas Johnson to take third in the 4×800 (8:26.76).

The 4×400 relay team of Reagan, Jonathan Jimenez, Tom Duda and Chaz Myers finished first in 3:31.93, just a second off the Class L record and almost four seconds ahead of second-place Dover. Myers and Jimenez also joined Steve Alario and Brody Williams to win the 4×200 (1:34.51).

Devin Martin won the long jump (21-2) and was third high jump (6-0) while Duda was second in the high jump (6-0) and Chase Distasio finished sixth in the high jump (5-4) and was fifth in the long jump (18-11 3/4).

Alario finished second in the 55 hurdles (8.13) while Williams was sixth in the 55 hurdles (8.37) and John Conlin took third in the 3,000 (8:57.12).

The Titans got two first-place finishes to come in third overall. Kevin Rosenberg took first in the shot put (55-9 1/4), his winning throw nearly eight feet further than second place. Eric Muite also came in first in the 55 hurdles (7.98) while the 4×200 relay team of Andre Williams, Jahmar Gathright, Myles Parker and Luis Tarantino came in second in 1:35.36.

Matt McCarty took second in the 600 (1:22.65) while Parker finished fourth in the 300 (36.65) and Williams came in fifth (36.77). Gathright also was fourth in the long jump (19-3 1/2).

Parker, Williams, McCarty and Mark McHugh came in fourth (3:37.6) in the 4×400 relay.

Ian Parsons led South with a third-place finish in the shot put (45-0) and Aaron Martin came in fifth in the 600 (1:27.13). Martin also teamed with D.J. Fernacz, Brandon O’Donnell and Steve Latina to finish fourth (8:29.24) in the 4×800.

Alvirne got its points from Derek Janko, who finished fifth in the shot put (43-8 1/2).

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The Cardinals strength is their distance runners, with Francis Hernandez, Joey Jourdain and Jeff LaCoste all seeded in the 600-meter run, 1,000, 1,500 and 3,000. BG should also get some help in the sprints from Adam Hall and Ryan Fitzpartrick, along with three high-seeded relay teams.

Merrimack has a number of high seeds in both jumping events, along with the 55-meter dash and the 55 hurdles. North’s strengths are in the shot put and the sprints.

Defending-champion Nashua South has one of the top shot putters in Ian Parsons, while Alvirne has a highly seeded shot putter of its own in Derek Janko.

The following have qualified for Sunday’s meet:

Bishop Guertin

• Francis Hernandez, 1,000-meter run (1st), 1,500 (1st), 600 (2nd) and 3,000 (2nd).
• Joey Jourdain, 3,000 (1st), 1,500 (4th), 1,000 (7th) and 600 (T14th).
• Jeff LaCoste, 1,500 (3rd), 3,000 (3rd), 1,000 (4th) and 600 (8th).
• Adam Hall, long jump (2nd), 55 (T5th) and 300 (11th).
• Ryan Fitzpatrick, 300 (4th) and 55 (T9th).
• Andrew Perez, 600 (6th) and 300 (6th).
• Peter Fucci, high jump (4th).
• Brett Kana, shot put (15th).
• Brandon Latham, 1,000 (17th).
• BG also has teams in the 4×400 (6th), 4×160 (3rd) and 4×800 (3rd).

Merrimack

• Tim Duda, high jump (3rd) and 55 hurdles (T8th).
• Devin Martin, long jump (3rd), 55 (T9th) and 300 (T12th).
• Steve Harshman, 600 (1st), 1,000 (5th) and 3,000 (10th).
• John Conlin, 1,500 (7th), 1,000 (12th) and 3,000 (12th).
• Steve Alario, 55 hurdles (6th) and shot put (13th).
• Brody Williams, 55 hurdles (7th).
• Jonathan Jimenez, 55 hurdles (13th) and 300 (T14th).
• Julian Dano, 55 (T9th).
• Chaz Myers, 55 (T18th).
• Merrimack also has teams in the 4×400 (1st), 4×160 (4th) and 4×800 (5th).

Nashua North

• Kevin Rosenberg, shot put (1st).
• Eric Muite, 55 hurdles (1st).
• Andre Williams, 300 (2nd) and 55 (4th).
• Myles Parker, 300 (5th) and 55 (T18th).
• Matt McCarty, 600 (3rd) and 1,000 (8th).
• Luis Tarantino, 55 (T9th).
• Tim Coy, shot put (11th).
• North also has teams in the 4×400 (5th), 4×160 (1st) and 4×800 (11th).

Nashua South

• Ian Parsons, shot put (3rd).
• Aaron Martin, 600 (9th).
• D.J. Fernacz, 600 (10th).
• Colin Quinn, shot put (12th).
• South also has teams in the 4×400 (8th), 4×160 (11th) and 4×800 (6th).

Alvirne

• Derek Janko, shot put (5th).
• Luke Mertins, 55 (T18th).
• Alvirne also has teams in the 4×400 (12th), 4×160 (13th) and 4×800 (13th).

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The Cardinals enter Sunday’s championship meet at Dartmouth College with at least one athlete ranked in the top six of every event but two. That includes three relay teams that are ranked no worse than fourth.

Leading the way is junior Cecilia Barowski, the top seed in the 55-meter dash, the 300 and the 600 and the No. 2 seed in the 1,000. Beth McKenna, Melissa LaCoste, Courtney Veilleux and Kaitlin Allen are also all seeded in the top six of at least one event.

Merrimack and Nashua North could pose the biggest threat to the Cardinals among local teams.

The Tomahawks are led by Kailey Blain, who is seeded in the top five of the long jump, 55 and 300; Lauren Calvino, who is ranked second in both the 1,500 and 3,000; and Emily Pollard, who is seeded fourth in the 1,000 and 600.

Ivy Muchuma is seeded No. 1 in the shot put and second in the long jump for the Titans, while teammate Jen Gagnon is ranked fourth in the shot put.

Alvirne and Nashua South also have a handful of athletes qualified to compete in the championship meet.

The following have qualified for Sunday’s meet:

Bishop Guertin

• Cecilia Barowski, 55-meter dash (1st), 300 (1st), 600 (1st) and 1,000 (2nd).
• Courtney Veilleux, 3,000 (4th), 1,500 (7th), 600 (11th) and 1,000 (16th).
• Kaitlin Allen, 1,500 (6th), 3,000 (6th), 1,000 (T8th) and 600 (14th).
• Beth McKenna, 55 hurdles (T2nd) and high jump (T5th).
• Sarah Burke, 1,000 (7th), 1,500 (11th) and 600 (T12th).
• Melissa LaCoste, high jump (4th).
• Leslie Mei, 300 (7th).
• Hannah Moriarty, 1,500 (10th) and 3,000 (15th).
• Mary Holleran, long jump (11th).
• Leah Ferrara, 1,500 (13th) and 3,000 (15th).
• BG also has teams in the 4×400 (2nd), 4×160 (3rd) and 4×800 (4th).

Nashua North

• Ivy Muchuma, shot put (1st), long jump (2nd) and 55 hurdles (T7th).
• Sandra Van Den Heuvel, 1,500 (5th), 1,000 (6th) and 3,000 (9th).
• Jen Gagnon, shot put (4th).
• Louise Van Den Heuvel, 1,000 (T8th) and 600 (10th).
• Tatiana Escalante, 55 (T7th).
• North also has teams in the 4×400 (12th), 4×160 (10th) and 4×800 (8th).

Merrimack

• Lauren Calvino, 3,000 (2nd), 1,500 (2nd) and 1,000 (5th).
• Emily Pollard, 1,000 (4th), 600 (4th) and 300 (T10th).
• Kailey Blain, 55 (4th), 300 (4th) and long jump (5th).
• Hannah Lynch, long jump (8th).
• Jacqueline DeGrandpre, 3,000 (12th).
• Lauren Perry, 600 (18th).
• Merrimack also has teams in the 4×400 (4th), 4×160 (T6th) and 4×800 (6th).

Alvirne

• Michelle Filadoro, 55 hurdles (T10th).
• Amanda Roberts, long jump (15th).
• Emily LaPlant, 1,000 (17th).
• Kendall Brigham, 300 (T18th).
• Alvirne also has teams in the 4×400 (14th), 4×160 (4th) and 4×800 (10th).

Nashua South

• Caitlin Rush, 600 (T16th).
• South also has teams in the 4×400 (13th) and 4×160 (16th).

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“They are an improving team,” Migneault said of Alvirne. “It’s the kind of team we want to beat right now. It puts us in a good spot.”

That spot is 7-2 in Class L, which is now just one game out of first place after Merrimack’s loss to Salem. Winnacunnet of Hampton, like the Tomahawks, is also 8-1.

Although Bishop Guertin wasn’t able to force its fast-paced style of play until late in the game, the Cardinals did cut down on the number of 3-point attempts from last Friday’s loss to Merrimack. In that game, BG put up 23 shots from behind the arc – making just six.

“We don’t usually shoot that many 3s,” Migneault said. “I think that got a little out of control early last game and I wanted to make sure it didn’t happen this game. We pounded it inside, which is where it needs to be. Scott St. Lawrence did a great job getting the ball inside.”

St. Lawrence did a little of everything Tuesday, scoring 10 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking four shots. And his teammates cut down on the 3s, shooting 3-of-10 from behind the arc.

Up next for the Cardinals is a home game Friday against Keene (2-6), followed by a game at Nashua South (2-7) on Feb. 9.

Technorati Tags: Bishop Guertin, boys basketball, Cardinals, Class L, Three seconds

The Broncos controlled the pace, moved methodically and kept the score low. By doing that, Alvirne forced Bishop Guertin out of the running and pressing game it likes to play.

But for the final nine minutes of the game, the Cardinals were the ones dictating the pace.

Led by Sean McClung, who scored 13 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter, Bishop Guertin outlasted Alvirne, 60-52, in a Class L game Tuesday night.

Scott St. Lawrence added 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks and Kyle Coumas chipped in with nine points, as the Cardinals (7-2) were able to stop a two-game slide.

Alvirne (5-4) got 12 points from Joe O’Hearn and 11 points each from Caleb Donnelly and Ryan Sweeney. While Sweeney scored nine of his points in the fourth quarter, Donnelly led all scorers in the first half with eight. The junior was one of the few players for either team who was having any success from the field, as the Broncos and Cardinals combined to shoot 29 percent in the first half.

After starting 0-for-6 in the first quarter, McClung finished shooting 7-of-11 from the field, including two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and made eight of his 11 free throws.

“He’s a basketball player,” Alvirne coach Kevin Bonney said of McClung. “He’s a kid with confidence in his ability. He was the difference for them with Connor (Green) being out.”

The Cardinals played their fourth consecutive game without Green. During that span, Bishop Guertin has gone 2-2, with a one-point loss to Salem and a three-point loss to Merrimack.

“It’s not like we tailed off,” Bishop Guertin coach Jim Migneault said. “What we’re doing right now, we’re starting to form that nucleus.”

The nucleus of both teams slogged through three quarters of basketball. The Cardinals led, 24-23, at halftime after a first half that featured nine lead changes and seven ties. The largest lead of the first half was just four points, and that came when Bishop Guertin opened the game by scoring the first two baskets.

The Cardinals were able to hold the Broncos off for most of the third quarter, staying up by no more than three points until Donnelly and Sweeney had back-to-back baskets to give Alvirne a 32-31 lead with 1:31 to go before the fourth quarter.

Bishop Guertin scored the final six points of the third to take the largest lead of the game, 37-32, going into the fourth.

“I liked where we sat,” Bonney said. “That was our type of game. They didn’t get into their running, pressing traps. We played with poise.”

The Broncos opened the fourth by going inside to Sweeney, who scored Alvirne’s first nine points of the quarter. Dave Skinner added two free throws to give the Broncos a 43-42 lead with 5:28 to play.

But on Bishop Guertin’s next possession, McClung hit his second 3 of the quarter to put the Cardinals up for good. The junior scored 13 of his team’s first 15 points of the fourth as Bishop Guertin outscored Alvirne, 18-9, over the final five minutes of the game.

“Sweeney played a great game, he killed us in that one little stretch,” Migneault said. “We fronted the big guy inside and (Sean) Moyen got in foul trouble, which helped. I think the pace of the game took the big guys out of the game.”

Bonney agreed that not having his other post player in the game late caused problems for Alvirne’s offense. After picking up his fourth foul with 4:04 left in the third quarter – and sitting for a long stretch afterward – Moyen was whistled for the fifth one with 6:19 still to play in the game.

“I think what hurt us was Moyen fouling out,” Bonney said. “We’ve got to have him in there.”

Still, Bonney was pleased to see his team bounce back from an overtime loss to Spaulding last Friday.

“We needed this effort,” he said. “On any night, we can compete with people. It’s just a question of committing to it for 32 minutes.”

Alvirne heads to Merrimack on Friday, while Bishop Guertin will host Keene.

Technorati Tags: Alvirne, Bishop Guertin, boys basketball, Broncos, Cardinals, Class L

The senior hit the first one to cut Merrimack’s lead to one, but the second bounced off the rim and into a pile in the lane. The jump ball went to the Tomahawks, and Matthew Hardwick made two free throws at the other end to finish off Merrimack’s 58-55 victory over Bishop Guertin in Class L action at the Colligadome on Friday night.

McClung finished with 25 points, including three 3-pointers, for the Cardinals (6-2) to lead all scorers but it was Dimitri Floras, who scored 20 for Merrimack, and Eric Watson, who added 11 markers, who saw their team remain undefeated (8-0).

“This was a great high school experience for young men,” Merrimack coach Tim Goodridge said. “From the onset, this had the billing to be an incredible game, and quite honestly, it turned out to be an incredible game.”

For a game between two of the top teams in Class L, there was just as much news off the court as there was going on it.

The schools posted attendance instructions on their respective Web sites on Wednesday, letting fans know the doors would open at 5 p.m. and a limit of 750 people would be allowed into the gym.

Merrimack students started showing up a little before 3 p.m., and by 4:30, there was a line of about 75 students outside the gym. When the junior varsity game started, the bleachers were already full.

“We came in on the bus at quarter of five tonight and there’s hundreds of people out there,” Goodridge said. “I thought I was on American Idol the way they were screaming. Kids painted their faces. They were just phenomenal.”

But that wasn’t the only story. The Cardinals were not only without Connor Green, who is expected to miss at least two more weeks with an ankle injury, but also coach Jim Migneault. Bishop Guertin athletic director Tony Johnson had no comment on the coach’s absence.

On the court, things went wrong for the Cardinals from the start. Bishop Guertin missed its first nine shots and fell behind 12-2 halfway through the first quarter.

Although the Cardinals cut the lead to seven before the end of the period, the Tomahawks controlled the start of the second as well. Merrimack used a 12-1 run in the first half of the quarter to go up 30-12.

Bishop Guertin cut the lead to 11 before halftime, but was down 14 after a 3-pointer by Watson with 5:47 to play in the third quarter.

And that’s when the Cardinals made their run.

Both teams had scoreless possessions before McClung nailed a 3-pointer to cut the lead back to 11. A Floras basket at the other end made it 42-29 with 4:39 in the quarter, but that would be all the Tomahawks would get until only 9.6 seconds were left.

Bishop Guertin went on a 12-0 run to turn the 13-point deficit into a 42-41 Merrimack lead.

“There was one huddle, we were kind of chirping at each other and Scott St. Lawrence, our captain who I’m really proud of, said look, we’ve got to come together and stop chirping,” said Bishop Guertin coach Marty Edwards, who was filling in for Migneault. “That’s what they did and that’s when the momentum changed.”

A three-point play by Tyler Gendron put Merrimack back up by four as the quarter came to an end. The Tomahawks scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to push the lead to eight, but the Cardinals came back again.

“We had the upper hand early on and they came back with a tremendous run,” Goodridge said. “Honestly, it takes something from our kids to withstand something like that. That shows you that we have pretty good character. We did get rattled a little bit and there were some issues, but overall, we kept plugging and plugging.”

Merrimack almost didn’t plug enough. Despite the Tomahawks making 7-of-12 free throws down the stretch, the Cardinals had a chance to win thanks to 3-pointers by St. Lawrence and McClung, who made it a 55-54 game with 21.5 left.

Bishop Guertin sent Watson to the line with 17.3 seconds left. The Merrimack senior made the first, but missed the second and McClung came down with the rebound and brought the ball down the floor.

McClung drew a foul from Watson as he drove to the basket, and after a Merrimack timeout with 7.9 seconds left, he stood at the free throw line, needing to make both to tie the game at 56.

The first shot went down, but the second didn’t, one of 17 missed free throws for the Cardinals.

“Sometimes yes, sometimes no,” Edwards said when asked if foul shots were usually a problem for Bishop Guertin.

The Cardinals also were just 6-of-23 from behind the 3-point line, including 2-of-13 in the first half.

“We’re usually a little more disciplined on that,” Edwards said. “I want to see more passes first, see them rotate it and get the defense out of line so we have weak side offensive rebounding.”

Even with their shooting struggles, the Cardinals were still in a game that will be remembered for its level of intensity.

“Both teams exerted a tremendous amount of energy,” Goodridge said. “To have kids that play at that pace that we were playing in the first half … it was warm in there, and the intensity, to keep that going a whole 32 minutes is hard to do.”

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