> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Goffstown cruises past Nashua South to win the Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament girls basketball title (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/goffstown-cruises-past-nashua-south-to-win-the-chick-fil-a-holiday-tournament-girls-basketball-title-video/
- Published: 2018-12-30T14:00:32.000Z
- Updated: 2018-12-30T14:00:32.000Z
- Description: NASHUA - The Nashua High School South girls basketball team went into Saturday's title game of the Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament knowing that if it was going to beat Goffstown, it had to slow down Kelly Walsh. But Walsh and the Grizzlies had other ideas. The Goffstown junior scored a game-high 28 p
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament, girls basketball, Goffstown, Nashua South, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

NASHUA - The Nashua High School South girls basketball team went into Saturday's title game of the Chick-Fil-A Holiday Tournament knowing that if it was going to beat Goffstown, it had to slow down Kelly Walsh.

But Walsh and the Grizzlies had other ideas.

The Goffstown junior scored a game-high 28 points, as seven different Grizzlies scored points, and they rolled to a 64-31 win over South to win the tournament title for the first time.

Olivia Brannen added 14 points for Goffstown, including four 3-pointers, and Sofia Piriz was also in double figures with 11 points, as the Grizzlies led from start to finish.

Walsh and Brannen were named to the all-tournament team, along with South's Catherine Covert, Nashua North's Janessa Lofton and Keene's Ellie Hayward. Walsh averaged 23 points per game during the tournament in helping Goffstown continue it's strong start to the season.

"All tournament long, she’s doing it in multiple ways," Goffstown coach Steve Largy said. "She’s doing it offensively, she’s doing it defensively, she rebounds for us. She’s very committed to this program and being successful."

And Walsh was the focal point of South's defensive game plan, but the Grizzlies shot so well from outside - Goffstown hit 11 3-pointers - that the Panthers had a hard time slowing them down.

"Very tough to defend because you can’t lay off any one person," South coach Doug Booth said. "Even though Walsh their main person, they’ve got weapons everywhere. You saw at the end of the game, even their bench players are hitting 3s."

South got 14 points from Kirsten McIntire and 11 points from Covert, but after the Panthers tied the game at 5 early in the first quarter, Goffstown went on a 20-3 run to take control of the game.

The Grizzlies led 33-17 at halftime and wasted little time pushing the lead to 20 points in the third quarter. And even with the big lead, Goffstown's offense kept coming.

"Our motto and goal is to not settle," Largy said. "A lot of times last year, we’d get a lead and kind of hang back, not keep our foot on the gas pedal. (Saturday) we wanted to keep pushing the pace, keep pushing the tempo, keep moving the ball and finish the way we like to play basketball."

While the tourney win was a continuation of a hot start to the season for Goffstown - it's 4-0 in Division I action - the three-game run to the final was a big step for South.

Despite falling in the title game for the second straight year, the Panthers had started the year 0-4 in division play. Picking up two wins is a big confidence boost with the regular season set to resume on Jan. 2.

"It did feel good," Booth said. "I think we’ve got a little bit of confidence. They have to now understand that we may be behind, they can’t lose that confidence. They’ve still got to run the offense, they still have to play defense."

Goffstown will play at Winnacunnet on Jan. 2 while Nashua South hosts Keene, which it defeated Friday in the tournament semifinals.