Playoff Roundup: Merrimack on to D2 hockey final

The Merrimack High School boys hockey team is headed to the Division II final for the first time in program history.

Marcus Doucette scored the game-winner with nine minutes left in the game and the No. 1 Tomahawks rallied to beat No. 4 Bow 3-2 Wednesday in the semifinals.

Merrimack will now face No. 2 Dover, which defeated No. 3 Oyster River in the other semifinal, in the championship game on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester.

The Hawks (18-1-1) fell behind 2-0 early in the second period, but goals by Erik Glendye and Rutger Tapper tied the game before the second intermission.

Division I hockey

Bishop Guertin had a 1-0 lead going into the third period, but two goals by top-seeded Trinity ended the Cardinals season, 2-1, in the semifinals.

Austin Ricci scored the lone goal for No. 5 Bishop Guertin just before the end of the second period, but Trinity got two goals in the first three minutes to erase the deficit and advance.

The Pioneers will now face No. 3 Hanover, which defeated No. 7 Londonderry 6-3 in the other semifinal, in the championship game at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Verizon.

Division III hockey

Alvirne fell behind early and couldn't catch up against Kennett, falling 6-3 to the defending champs in the semifinals. The No. 2 Broncos trailed 4-0 in the first period, but a goal by Cam Brock before the end of the period and one by Lee Vandergraaf early in the second cut the lead to two.

But Kennett scored the next two and held off Alvirne the rest of the way. Seth Aubin also scored a late goal for the Broncos.

Kennett will take on No. 1 Somersworth in the final at 12:15 p.m. at the Verizon. Somersworth finally advanced to a championship game, beating No. 5 Pelham-Windham 10-3, in the other semifinal.

Division I girls basketball

No. 2 Londonderry ended the season for No. 6 Alvirne Wednesday, beating the Broncos 53-47 in the semifinals. Alvirne led by seven, 37-30, with under seven minutes to play. But the Lancers outscored Alvirne 23-14 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.

The Broncos got 14 points from Maya Desfosses and another 12 from Taylor Carbone.

Londonderry advance to the final and will take on No. 1 Winnacunnet, which won its 69th straight game Wednesday night. The Warriors knocked off No. 4 Manchester Memorial 44-34 in the other semifinal.

The Lancers and Warriors will play at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Southern New Hampshire University.

Division II boys basketball

Top-seeded Milford advanced with a blowout win over No. 16 Laconia, 80-38, and the Spartans will face No. 9 Bedford in the quarterfinals. The Bulldogs won their seventh straight by beating No. 8 Coe-Brown 60-53. Trevor Fahmy scored 19 points and Joe Maher added 18 for Bedford.

No. 12 Oyster River upset No. 5 Goffstown, 79-63, in the opening round, and the Bobcats will take on No. 4 Pelham in the quarterfinals. Pelham defeated No. 13 Kingswood 74-58.

No. 10 Souhegan made its free throws down the stretch to take care of No. 7 Lebanon 59-49 and advance. The Sabers will now travel to No. 2 Pembroke for the quarterfinals. The Spartans defeated No. 15 Kearsarge 50-45.

Third-seeded Portsmouth moved on with a 73-51 win over No. 14 John Stark and the Clippers will take on No. 6 Hanover, which defeated No. 11 Merrimack Valley 71-49.