> ## 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. # Laconia girls basketball holds off Hollis Brookline for win (video) - URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/laconia-girls-basketball-holds-off-hollis-brookline-for-win-video/ - Published: 2022-01-19T17:45:02.000Z - Updated: 2022-01-19T17:45:02.000Z - Description: HOLLIS - The Laconia High School girls basketball team went into Tuesday's game against Hollis Brookline looking to change momentum swings. Not just during the course of the game, but the Sachems were in need of a big win after dropping a pair of games against other teams at the top of the Division - Author: Joe Marchilena - Tags: Division II, girls basketball, Hollis Brookline, Laconia, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44 HOLLIS - The Laconia High School girls basketball team went into Tuesday's game against Hollis Brookline looking to change momentum swings. Not just during the course of the game, but the Sachems were in need of a big win after dropping a pair of games against other teams at the top of the Division II standings. Laconia succeed in both cases, swinging momentum back its way throughout the game, including in the final moments, and righting the ship in a 71-68 win over the Cavaliers. "We’ve had a couple of tough games recently against (Merrimack Valley) and Pembroke," Laconia coach Jeff Greeley said. "Those were two hard-fought games and we ended up on the other side. "The big thing was that we wanted to grab momentum back. For the last couple of games, we’ve struggled to stop momentum swings and (Tuesday) when we saw that shift back and forth, we were able to hold each other accountable, get the stop or the score, and push momentum back our way." Sierra Halligan and Macy Swormstedt helped the Sachems (10-3) take that momentum, as they each scored 19 points to lead Laconia. Swormstedt had 13 of her points in the first half, providing the team with scoring while others got going, and then distributing the ball more in the second half, while Halligan was 8 of 10 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter to help the Sachems stay in front. Mekhia Burton was also in double figures with 11 points, including what proved to be the game-winning basket with 21 seconds left, moments after HB (8-4) had taken a 68-67 lead. "We didn’t wait and we pushed back down," Greeley said. "Macy came off the edge and found Mekhia for a nice layup. We’ve been talking about the next play. Don’t dwell on the last possession, play the next possession. I was really proud how we transitioned down and found that bucket." Laconia forced a turnover on HB's ensuing possession, with Halligan getting a steal and a foul sent her to the free throw line with 9.9 seconds remaining for a pair of clinching free throws. The Cavs tried to get the ball to Elisabeth Stapelfeld after Halligan's foul shots, but couldn't, and a 3-point attempt by Maggie Crooks was off the mark in the final seconds. "I figured everyone knew what the next call was, but I wanted to get Stapelfeld the ball," HB coach Bob Murphy said. "Even if everybody knows she’s going to get the ball, she can take it to the basket or get to the foul line. Once we went down by three, that was more difficult, but she’s the go-to girl." Stapelfeld finished with a game-high 27 points, including 19 in the second half, and Crooks added 16 points, with three 3s, while Cheyenne Colbert had nine before fouling out. HB got out to an early lead as Laconia struggled to get its offense into rhythm. The Cavs led 12-8 with 2:22 left in the opening quarter, with Swormstedt accounting for seven of the Sachems' points. But Laconia turned things around, ending the quarter on an 11-3 run to take a 19-15 lead into the second. The Cavs answered with a run of their own, outscoring the Sachems 14-6 to take a 29-25 lead with 1:32 remaining in the half. Baskets by Maddy Mousseau and Swormstedt would send the game into the break tied at 29 and Laconia was able to take an early four-point lead in the second half. HB had an answer, getting back-to-back 3s from Stapelfeld and Crooks to tie the game at 39. Mousseau put Laconia in front with a basket, but Stapelfeld answered at the other end and was fouled, getting a chance for a three-point play. The HB senior missed the free throw, but Colbert got the rebound and got the ball back to Stapelfeld for a jumper that made it 43-41 Cavs. Another second-chance basket by Colbert completed a 12-4 run by the Cavs, but the Sachems came right back, closing the quarter on a 13-3 run to lead 54-48 going into the fourth. "It took us a little bit to get going, but as we got into the second (quarter) and the second half, we did a better job sharing the ball and finding the extra pass," Greeley said. "And of course free throw shooting down the stretch helped us out." Of Laconia's 17 fourth-quarter points, 11 of them came at the free throw line, as the Sachems were 11 of 14 as a team in the final eight minutes. Despite that, Laconia couldn't put HB away, as the Cavs kept making it a one-possession game every time it looked like the Sachems might pull away. A basket by Colbert with 1:26 remaining got HB within one, 67-66, and after a defensive stop, a basket by Crooks put the Cavs' up one. Laconia quickly got back down the court and scored moments later to retake a lead it wouldn't give up this time.