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high school basketball

Lorden takes the reins for Patriots hoops

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TOWNSEND — Superintendent Brad Morgan is excited to announce the homecoming of alum Dave Lorden, who has returned to North Middlesex High School as the new varsity basketball coach.

Lorden began in his new role earlier this month.

Lorden has coached junior varsity basketball and varsity volleyball at North Middlesex, since 2018.

As a North Middlesex alum, Lorden played under the guidance of long-time teacher and former high school coach Eric Dellasanta.

“I believe in creating an environment that goes beyond the game itself,” Lorden said. “It’s about instilling values, fostering personal growth, and creating a family-like culture where players feel supported and encouraged to reach their full potential.”

“We are beyond excited to welcome back Dave, who brings a wealth of experience, passion, and a deep understanding of our district’s values,” said Superintendent Morgan. “The fact that he is an alum adds an extra layer of pride for us, showcasing the enduring legacy of success that our students can aspire to achieve. Dave’s return embodies our commitment to fostering a family-like culture within North Middlesex.”

In addition to Lorden, North Middlesex is excited to welcome new additions to the basketball coaching staff, including junior varsity coach Israel Gonzalez and freshman coach Kyle McDermott.

“Their expertise and commitment to the holistic development of our players align perfectly with our vision for the basketball program,” Superintendent Morgan added.

Blue Devils award Athletic Scholarships

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The 2023 Blue Devil Athletic Scholarship winners have been announced by Richard Tucker, public address announcer for Leominster High School.

Checks of $500 each were presented Thursday at the Annual LHS Awards Night. This year, four awards were presented. The winners of the female athlete scholarship awards were Gabriella Santucci and Diamani Canuto and the male athlete scholarships went to Ryan Garner and Michael Halstead.

Santucci will attend the University of Oregon in the Fall for Business/Finance. She played four years of both field hockey and lacrosse and was a member of the student council, prom committee and National Honor Society. She also did volunteer work for United Way, St. Anna Parish and youth lacrosse and field hockey, among other ventures.

Canuto will attend Sacred Heart University to study Sports Medicine and Kinesiology. She was a four-year varsity athlete in track and field and was a G.I.V.E volunteer and assisted in collecting and storing cans at the United Methodist Church, among other volunteer efforts.

Michael Halstead, left, and Ryan Garner were recipients of Blue Devil Athletic Scholarships. (Courtesy Leominster Blue Devils Football)
Michael Halstead, left, and Ryan Garner were recipients of Blue Devil Athletic Scholarships. (Courtesy Leominster Blue Devils Football)

On the boys’ side, Garner will attend Husson University this fall and major in Environmental Science. He played baseball while attending Leominster High and volunteered much of his time for Leominster Challenger baseball and Little League clean ups.

Halstead was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, soccer and lacrosse for the Blue Devils and will be attending Syracuse University this fall to study Civil/Environmental Engineering. He volunteered his time at Best Buddies and Sholan Farms while being on National Honor Society and the Blue Devil Nation Cultural Committee.

The Blue Devil Athletic Scholarship is awarded every spring and is made possible by generous sponsors every year. This year’s sponsors include Dandini Disposal Services and Dandini Landscaping, Sherri Tammelin Rogers of Coldwell Banker as well as Margal Medical/Dr. Timothy Gallagher, who have sponsored the scholarship from its inception. Other sponsors this year include: Dragonfly Driving School, Leominster Service Center, Manny’s Appliances, Dunkin’ at 456 Main St. in Leominster, Viola’s Fitchburg Tire & Service, Northstar Construction, Play It Again Sports, Applebee’s Restaurant, The Break Bike Shop, Summa Madness Ice Cream Novelty Truck, Better Care Home Health and MCB Construction. Thanks to these and previous sponsors, the scholarship has been able to award over $20,000 in the past eight years.

If you would like to sponsor these scholarships please contact Richard Tucker at 508 667-3219 at tucka56@aol.com or via website (leominsterfootball.com). Details are on the website under LABC Tab/PA Sponsorship.

Red Raiders surge past Patriots

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FITCHBURG — In a game at rival Leominster on Jan. 13, Fitchburg High boys basketball coach James McCall lamented his team’s inability to close out games, an issue that had plagued the Red Raiders all season. That night, the guests led throughout and did so comfortably before falling apart in the fourth quarter and losing by 11.

For at least one night, the fourth quarter struggles disappeared.

The Red Raiders played perhaps their best basketball of the night in the final stanza Monday, surging past a pesky North Middlesex Regional side to win 56-49 at the Doug Grutchfield Field House.

The win was the third straight for Fitchburg, which improves to 5-4 on the season with a game at Shrewsbury slated for Tuesday evening. The Patriots fall to 2-9.

Ahead 40-38 entering the fourth, the Red Raiders opened on an 12-2 run to take control in the first 4:35. A pair of baskets by Omar Rodriguez (21 points) bookended a pair of drives by Elijah Jeffreys (14 points, 12 rebounds) before Victor Kutka (10 points) closed the spurt with a pair of hoops for a 52-40 lead.

Fitchburg's Elijah Jeffreys goes up for a layup during Monday's win over North Middlesex Regional. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Gary Fournier)
Fitchburg’s Elijah Jeffreys goes up for a layup during Monday’s win over North Middlesex Regional. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Gary Fournier)

The Patriots answered with a basket by Jackson Hendley and four straight points from Brian Morse (21 points, including six 3-pointers) to cut the lead to 52-47 with 2:26 to go, but turnovers killed North Middlesex late as the guests handed the ball over eight times in the final eight minutes.

A drive by Kutka pushed the lead back up to seven and Rodriguez made three of four from the charity stripe in the final minute to seal the victory.

Behind the hot shooting of Morse, the Patriots made things interesting early on. The junior buried a pair of 3-pointers toward the end of the opening quarter to tie the game at 11 before a drive by Fitchburg’s Joshua Medina gave the hosts a 13-11 edge after one.

Morse hit another pair from long distance in the second quarter, the latter of which propelled the Patriots in front, 22-20.

But every time the Patriots gained some momentum, the Red Raiders ratcheted up the defensive intensity. After Rodriguez scored on an offensive rebound, Jeffreys came up with a steal and layup to put the hosts back in front.

Down 27-26 late in the first half, Zion Ayala converted a pair of free throws and Rodriguez notched a steal and drive to send Fitchburg to halftime ahead 30-27.

The Patriots battled back in the third, pulling even at 35 courtesy of a pair of free throws by Joshua Gallagher with 2:44 left in the quarter. After an old-fashioned three-point play by Joshua Rodriguez gave Fitchburg a three-point lead, Morse responded from well beyond the arc to tie things at 38 with 56 seconds left in the third.

But again, Omar Rodriguez had the answer for Fitchburg, scoring off a jumper to send the Red Raiders to the final eight minutes with a two-point edge.

Monty Tech Bulldogs cruise to win over Sizer White Tigers

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AYER — The Monty Tech boys basketball team jumped out in front early on Tuesday afternoon and never looked back.

The Bulldogs brought home third place, winning the consolation game of the General Holman Memorial Tournament with an 89-17 thumping of the White Tigers of the Sizer School inside Ayer-Shirley Regional’s Paul K. McGuane Memorial Gym.

Monty Tech improves to 2-3 on the season following the win while Sizer falls to 0-5.

“I’ve said it from the beginning, we have 14 ballers on this team. This is a great group, they’re a fun group,” said Monty Tech head coach Chris Foley. “Everybody saw minutes and everybody played well. We had some starters that only played eight minutes. Sizer is young and they are going to get better as the season progresses. This wasn’t really a get right game for us because we weren’t doing anything wrong. We’re playing well.”

The Bulldogs dropped a 62-56 decision to Lunenburg in the semifinals of the Holman Tournament, while Sizer fell 93-15 to host Ayer-Shirley to set up Tuesday’s matchups.

“Our boys played hard. They still have to learn some of the fundamentals of the game. We are still struggling with knowing our responsibilities and jobs on the court and that will come with time,” said Sizer head coach Derek Patno. “We are young with a lot of underclassmen on the roster. We must get these kids to keep playing hard and to buy in to what we are trying to teach. We’ll get there.”

Monty Tech finished the game with three players in double figures as every Bulldog found their way into the scorebook. Monty Tech was led offensively by Michael Cannon and Aiden Walter, both pouring in a game-high 12 points.

Teammate Joe Cruz added 10 points while John Lee, Lucas Blais and Ben Gosselin each contributed eight points for the Purple and Gold.

Sizer’s Isaiah Adamu paced the White Tigers with five points followed by Kaiden Schultz and Nate Mekonen, who each scored three points.

The Purple and Gold used a strong first quarter to jump out to the lead. Monty Tech scored the game’s first 15 points before the White Tigers got on the scoreboard three minutes in. The Bulldogs used full court pressure to stifle Sizer early on and enjoyed a 30-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs expanded their lead.

Monty Tech was stellar on both ends of the floor, limiting Sizer to just two field goals — a pair of 3-pointers — in the frame. Offensively, the Bulldogs continued to run the floor and produce several buckets in transition. Monty Tech enjoyed a 41-6 upper hand midway through the second stanza.

Sizer’s Nate Mekonen showed off his long range in the final seconds of the second quarter when he knocked down a long distance 3-pointer just inside half court at the buzzer to send Sizer into the locker room on a high note despite trailing 50-9.

In the third quarter, the White Tiger’s fortunes didn’t improve as Monty Tech outscored the opposition 21-2 and led 71-11 entering the final eight minutes of action.

Both teams are off from action until after the new calendar year. The Bulldogs have a chance to climb back to the .500 mark when it visits Worcester Tech on Jan. 6. As for the White Tigers, they will once again try for their first victory on Jan. 3 when they host Bethany Christian Academy of Mendon.

“Now we have a week off before we play again against Worcester Tech and we jump into the league portion of our schedule,” said Foley. “We play some athletic teams, more athletic than us. We have go run our stuff, both offensively and defensively and share the basketball.”

Area hoops legends to be recognized

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Founded in 2001, the New England Basketball Hall Of Fame has long championed the region’s talent and legends on the hardwood through ceremonies and dinners.

Come Jan. 13, the organization will shine a spotlight directly on northern Worcester County, paying tribute to “North County’s major contribution to the New England basketball culture,” according to a release from the Hall of Fame.

While Fitchburg High visits rival Leominster High that night for a boys basketball clash, the New England Basketball Hall of Fame will recognize 19 individuals crucial to the advancement of the sport in the local scene. Those being honored — many of whom are already enshrined at their respective high school Halls of Fame — will receive a gold medal prior to tipoff.

Former Fitchburg High star Zach McCall will be honored by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame on Jan. 13. (Courtesy Fitchburg High Athletic Hall of Fame)
Former Fitchburg High star Zach McCall will be honored by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame on Jan. 13. (Courtesy Fitchburg High Athletic Hall of Fame)

The following individuals will be recognized: contributors Tom Mammone and the late Al Remington; outstanding coaches Kate Dellechiaie, Beth McNamara, John Cordio, Mark Daigneault, Dick Lamothe and the late Ted Damko; outstanding players Marty Caron, Zach McCall, Dick Armstrong, John Hulecki and Kathleen Johnson Sardo; legends Bob Johnson, the late Doug Grutchfield and the late Joe Spagnola; and Michael McEvily, Leominster Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella and David Palazzi for outstanding community contributions.

The New England Basketball Hall of Fame has also announced plans to recognize six communities in the region for “marked contribution to the New England basketball culture.” Among them will be North County, with the 1926 Fitchburg High national championship team stepping into the spotlight at a dinner slated for Spring 2024, according to a release from the Hall of Fame.

“Jan. 13 will be an outstanding night for area fans to remember the contributors, coaches, and players who have given most of their lives to the game of basketball,” John Cordio said. “They will also enjoy a night of rivalry basketball between Leominster and Fitchburg High. It is also good to know that other North County basketball legends will be recognized at the major NEBHOF dinner/reunion in spring 2024.”

Blue Knights fend off Lancers to reach Final Four

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LUNENBURG — Survive and advance.

The Lunenburg High girls basketball team watched a big lead with under four minutes left in Friday night’s Div. 4 quarterfinal against Malden Catholic get whittled down to next to nothing with a barrage of shots from behind the 3-point line.

But when the final buzzer sounded, the comeback bid by the sixth-seeded Lancers came up just short, as the third-seeded Blue Knights advanced to the state’s Final Four with a 54-47 victory in front

Lunenburg (21-3) moves onto the semifinals, where it will face the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 10 Millbury and No. 15 Mashpee, with a date, time and location to be determined.

Up 50-33 with 3:44 left, the Blue Knights saw their guests close on a 14-4 run, cutting into the lead quickly as  Kylia Reynoso got the burst started with back-to-back 3-pointers. An old-fashioned three-point play by Kayla Jackson (six points) before a deep 3 by Jillian Perry (five points) cut the advantage to 50-44 with 1:25 left.

“They’re a good team. We knew (Reynoso) was a shooter and tried everything we could, ran everyone we could at her,” Lunenburg head coach Frank Greene said. “She was making shots. We were playing great defense, but it was better offense.”

And though a hoop and free throw from Luna Murray cut the lead to 52-47 with 59.1 left, the rally proved to be too little, too late.

Reynoso had a game-high 19 points for the Lancers, who end the season 21-3.

“I knew they were a tough, tough team. I was happy with our defense and knew our shooting would take a little time,” said Greene, whose team is the highest remaining seed in the Div. 4 tournament. “The second half has been our half all year.”

Tight throughout the opening half, the Blue Knights opened up a 14-point edge after three, closing the quarter on an 11-0 run sparked by five straight points from junior Elizabeth Boone on a 3 and short jumper.

“There were some good passes when the ball got kicked out and I was open,” said Boone, who had 10 points in the win. “I think we were able to settle down.”

By the time Bella Patricca (team-high 14 points) hit one of two free throws with 23.6 seconds left in the third, the cushion had ballooned to 41-27.

Boone’s 3 with 4:06 left gave Lunenburg its largest lead of the game at 50-33 before the guests began to storm back.

Neither team played well to start. The first quarter saw a a dozen turnovers between the programs and just six made field goals as the hosts got out to a 10-6 advantage.

The Blue Knights and Lancers went to halftime knotted at 19.

Miranda Boulay and Autumn Tibbetts each had eight points in the victory.