Category Archives: Newburyport

May 9, 2011 · 8:32 pm

Brett Fontaine’s Complete Game Two-Hitter Leads Newburyport Past Rockport 3-0

Newburyport first baseman Ryan O’Connor touches first to record the last out in Newburyport’s 3-0 win over Rockport.

Brett Fontaine – complete game 2-hitter

(Newburyport) It didn’t take any late-game heroics for NHS coach Bill Pettingell to get Win #601. What it took was a 2-hit shutout from Brett Fontaine and sound fundamentals.

Newburyport (8-3) defeated Rockport, 3-0, on a drizzly Monday afternoon in Cape Ann League action.

Brett Fontaine went the route for Newburyport and retired the final eight Vikings in order.

The sound fundamentals appeared in the 5th and 6th. The 5th inning piece kicked in after Rockport (4-5) had it’s first two batters on. A strikeout and a force out put runners on first and third. Rockport then sent the runner from first hoping to get the runner home from third during the attempt. The Clipper infield reacted properly and Mike Tupper ended up getting caught between third and home for the final out.

In the sixth, Colby Morris led off with a rope past third. The Clippers, with Ryan O’Connor at bat, executed a perfect hit-and-run play. Ryan’s grounder toward the right-side hole could have been a double play except that Colby had taken off for second and the second baseman headed toward 2B to cover as the ball went into right field.

Colby Morris scores Newburyport’s second run in the game in the sixth inning.

Defensive replacement Mike Petrino rushed in on the grounder seeing that the runner from first was going to try for third. Unfortunately for Rockport, the ball got past Mike and this allowed Colby to came all the way around and score Newburyport’s second run. Ryan reached 2B on the play and was driven home by Matt Mottola’s single off the fence in left.

So, in one inning the Clippers prevented a run and in the next they manufactured two runs in both cases with excellent execution of baseball fundamentals.

Viking starter Tucker Meredith gave up six hits and had no walks. He also had one of the two Rockport hits. In the 4th inning, he flied deep to David Cusack in center.

Newburyport scored a run in the first inning with a single (David Cusack), double (Colby Morris), and an RBI fielder’s choice by Ryan O’Connor.

Colby Morris – paced Newburyport with two hits

Colby Morris paced the Clippers with two hits.

Jim Conway reached the fence in center for a double.

Matt Mottola put a ball up the screen in left but was thrown out trying to get two bases out of it. He did drive in a run with that hit, though.

Sam Scatterday was gunned down trying to steal second in the third inning.

Keady Segel made a nice catch on a popup in front of the Clipper dugout in third. The last time I saw him he was in goal for the Viking soccer team versus Lynnfield in tourney soccer at Manchester-Essex. The pink shirt was gone but the sun glasses weren’t……..even on an overcast day.

There is a lot of luck involved in seeing games. The weather can’t be trusted. Will it rain or won’t it?

Your luck also has to extend in finding out that there even is a game. Today the Newburyport Daily News had last week’s schedule listed, the Gloucester Times didn’t list the game at all, the Rockport schedule on High School Net had the game at 3:45, and on the same site the Newburyport schedule had it at 4:45! How lucky do you feel??

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures. Mistakes are made unintentionally.)

Tucker Meredith – sophomore pitched six innings and had one of Rockport’s two hits

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Filed under Newburyport, Rockport

April 27, 2011 · 8:29 pm

Newburyport Takes Triton 2-1 in Softball

Cori Simons slides in under Cassie Davis while Molly Rowe backs up the play.

(Newburyport) I hoped to take in/write about the Newburyport/Triton softball game this afternoon but was misguided by the online edition of the Newburyport Daily News to Byfield rather than Cashman Park.

Beth Castantini catches the final out for Newburyport

I did end up seeing almost all of the game and watched Newburyport (4-2) prevail, 2-1, in a Cape Ann League contest on Wednesday afternoon that was undecided until Beth Castantini, playing first, latched onto a last-out popup in the top of the 7th.

Beth at first base was a bit of a novelty by her account. “I haven’t played there since, like, seventh grade,” I overheard her say during between-innings practice after she had taken over first. She did fine there. She handled a low throw from Maddie Stanton (3B) and later took in the final out.

Before that final out, the Vikings (2-5) had runners on second and third and were in excellent position to tie or even go ahead, but it didn’t happen.

Molly Rowe (six strikeouts) was the complete-game winner for the Clippers. Marion Dullea (eight strikeouts) went the distance for Triton.

Rachel Webster heads for third after a long triple to center. Her pinch runner (Molly Sullivan) would later score what turned out to be the winning run with Eleni Kacher getting the RBI.

A long triple by Rachel Webster set up Newburyport’s winning run in the 4th.

Cori Simons scored Triton’s only run in the 6th.

(I take my own pictures and collect my own stats……as best I can.)

Taylor Summit takes the throw as Cori Simons slides into 2B

Everyone wanted to play!

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Filed under Newburyport, Triton

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Brooke Jamison, Cassie Davis, Cori Simons, Emily Jutras, Molly Rowe, Newburyport High School, Rachel Webster, Taylor Summit, Triton Regional

April 26, 2011 · 9:36 pm

Blaise Whitman Leads Triton Past Newburyport 8-2

: Winning pitcher Blaise Whitman scores a run in the decisive sixth inning.

(Newburyport) The visiting Triton Vikings did their part to slow the Clipper march to Coach Bill Pettingell’s 600th win by defeating Newburyport, 8-2, at chilly NHS on Tuesday in Cape Ann League play.

The NHS coach holds at 598 wins thanks in a large part to the pitching and hitting of 2010 CAL All-Leaguer Blaise Whitman.

Blaise pitched a complete game five-hitter with seven strikeouts. He also hustled to cover first in the last inning to record the last out.

At the bat, Blaise was part of a seven-hit attack, going two-for-four, scoring a couple of runs, and driving in a run in the 4-run sixth.

That 4-run sixth pushed this game into the comfort zone for Triton as their lead increased to 7-1.

The Vikings (3-2) put up three runs in the first on Newburyport (5-2) as a walk by starter Brett Fontaine and a string of errors turned into three runs. Mike Fish drove in two of the runs with a double to left center.

The Clippers got a run back in the second as Sam Barlow’s single drove in Colby Morris. However, NHS ran themselves out of possibly a bigger inning when CF Mike Fish gunned down Sam, for the final out, at second trying to stretch that single.

Triton left the bases loaded in the third as Brett caught Tim Cashman looking to end it.

Newburyport stranded two in the fourth as Blaise got a fly-out to left by Colby Morris for the final out.

The Vikings took a tenuous 3-1 lead into the sixth inning and came out of that inning with breathing room.

In that sixth with two outs, Triton put together two singles (Rich Fecteau & Blaise Whitman) and two doubles (Cam D’Agostino & Mike Fish) to collect four cushion-providing runs.

Coach Pettingell and the home plate umpire did not always see eye-to-eye on balls and strikes.

Now down 7-1, the Clippers got a couple of base runners before Blaise retired the very dangerous Ryan O’Connor on a ground out to end the threat in the bottom of the sixth.

Triton capitalized on reliever Drew Carter’s wildness (two walks and two wild pitches) in the seventh to get their 8th run scored by Ace Knowles.

A couple of walks by tiring Blaise Whitman led to an RBI single by Colton Fontaine in the last of the seventh.Weather conditions continue to be tough to take.

No rain but the faithful experienced a persistent breeze with temps in the low 50s. Winter clothing would have made perfect sense.

The Clippers were probably convinced that it wasn’t their day in the bottom of the 6th. David Cusack hit a very high popup in front of the Newburyport dugout. Tim Cashman raced in from third and had the ball bounce off his glove into the hands of the Viking’s hustling catcher Cote Wolcik.

Blaise Whitman and Mike Fish had two hits apiece.

Drew Carter led the Clippers with two hits.

The wind may have kept a deep fly to center in the first in the park hit by leadoff batter David Cusack. Also in the first, Ace Knowles’ popup, that fell between fielders for an error, appeared to be wind influenced.

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures and try very hard to be accurate.)

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Filed under Newburyport, Triton

Tagged as Ace Knowles, Bill Pettingell, Blaise Whitman, Brett Fontaine, Cam D'Agostino, David Cusack, Drew Carter, Mike Fish, Newburyport, Rich Fecteau, Tim Cashman, Triton

April 25, 2011 · 10:36 pm

Undefeated Amesbury Softball Hangs on in Newburyport 10-9

: Ali French corrals the final out for Amesbury. She also drove in the winning runs in the top of the 7th with a double.

(Newburyport) Until that final fly-out landed safely in centerfielder Ali French’s glove this game was anyone’s game. But Ali’s catch signaled a 10-9 Amesbury win in nonleague softball action at Cashman Park in Newburyport on Monday afternoon.

This was a long way from being a pitchers’ duel as hits flew around the field like sea gulls chasing a fishing boat on the nearby Merrimac River. The Clippers (3-2) had ten hits while undefeated Amesbury (6-0) totaled seventeen.

This was also a game in which, despite the nineteen runs, the clutch hits were in short supply as Newburyport stranded twelve while the Indians left eleven.

The biggest example of the missing clutch hit was in the hectic bottom of the seventh. Amesbury looked ready to self-destruct as error (Carolina Merrill throw), bunt single (Taylor Summit), and error (Cassie Schultz) put Newburyport within one run (10-9).

With runners on first and second and no one out and ten hits already, you liked the Clippers’ chances of pulling this one out. But Amesbury recorded three straight outs and escaped.

The key play was the first out. Eleni Kacher hit a line drive to center that CF Ali French raced in on and snagged on the bounce. The runner on first ended up forced at second. So instead of bases loaded with no outs the Indians had an out. Eleni eventually got to second on a wild pitch with the potential winning run. However, Carolina struck out Madison Stanton looking and Ali took in Lea Tomasz’ outfield fly to preserve the win.

This game was tied 4-4 after three and 7-7 after five.

Madison Stanton scores for Newburyport

Newburyport picked up a go-ahead run in the bottom of the 6th as a Kendra Dow single drove in Madison Stanton. The Clippers, however, ran into an out on that run-scoring hit as Lea Tomasz also tried to score (from second) but Amanda Schell’s relay home was on time for the final out of the sixth inning.

Four batters into the top of the seventh, the Indians had no outs and the run back (Carolina Merrill rbi) to tie the game. Ali French followed shortly with the biggest hit of the game – 2-run double over Kendra Dow’s head in left.

The Indians would go on in the 7th to load the bases with one out but Beth Castantini retired the next two batters to; end the threat, keep her team’s deficit at two runs, and set up the exciting ending described above.

Taylor Summit, Cassie Davis, Kendra Dow, and Lea Tomasz each had two hits for Newburyport.

Laura Kaminski – three hits/scored two runs

Cassie Schultz – three hits/rbi/run scored

Laura Kaminski and Cassie Schultz each had three hits for the visitors. Ashley Valme, Janine Fatal, Amanda Schell, and Anna Kate Webber had two apiece.

The weather continues to be uncooperative. This one was low 50s and overcast with rain a continual threat. Throw in no seating, and no scoreboard, and you know that the crowd was made up of close friends and relatives.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures. Errors will surely happen unintentionally in this arrangement.)

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Filed under Amesbury, Newburyport

Tagged as 2011 Amesbury softball, 2011 Newburyport softball, Ali French, Carolina Merrill, Cassie Schultz, Laura Kaminski, Lea Tomasz, Madison Stanton

April 14, 2011 · 9:15 pm

Ryan O’Connor K’s Thirteen and Drives in the Winning Run for Clippers 4-3 over North Reading

David Cusack heads for home with the winning run as Keith Linnane awaits the throw.

Ryan O’Connor – 13 strikeouts plus game-winning hit

(Newburyport) He didn’t do everything….but he came awfully close. Who? Ryan O’Connor.

Newburyport (3-1) defeated North Reading, 4-3, as Ryan struck out thirteen Hornets and drove in the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.

A walk by Dave Cusack and a sacrifice bunt by Jim Conway put Ryan into position to end it for the Clippers. His grounder against reliever Ryley Warnock, in the hole between first and second, did the trick. With first base open you had to wonder why the Hornets opted to pitch to the other team’s cleanup hitter who already had two hits. But they did……and paid the price.

North Reading (1-1) took a 3-1 lead in the top of the 5th on a 2-run blast over the fence in left center by Nick Moscaritolo.

The Clippers tallied single runs in the 5th and 6th on misplays by the Hornets to draw even.

In the 5th, a two-base throwing error by NR shortstop Chris Cincotta put David Cusack in scoring position and from there he was driven across by Brett Fontaine’s single to left.

In the 6th, Colby Morris doubled down the third base line with one out and got to third on a fielder’s choice. NR sophomore starter Ryan McAuliffe then tossed a 2-strike wild pitch that allowed Colby to tie the score at 3-3.

The defensive play of the game was a diving catch by Hornet right fielder Chris Kavanaugh to rob Brett Fontaine in the 7th inning.

Eric Popp was 3-for-3 for North Reading, including a double off the right centerfield fence. He also scored a run.

The Hornet’s top returning hitter (Ben Harrow) had a rough afternoon striking out three times to end innings and stranding five runners.

The Clippers squandered a glorious chance with two outs in the 4th after they loaded the bases with a collection of hits and walks. Connor Wile then hit a laser toward short that might have driven in two runs but instead caught base runner Drew Carter in the leg to end the threat.

Ryan O’Connor struck out the side in the first inning and had at least one strikeout in every other inning. The lefty also struck out four of the last six batters he faced.

Frank Carey and Bill Pettingell

Experience was in abundance with NR coach Frank Carey (44th season) and Newburyport coach Bill Pettingell (40th season) directing the two teams.

( I collect my own statistics, take my own pictures, and draw my own conclusions. Mistakes happen….but are unintentional.)

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Filed under Newburyport, North Reading

Tagged as Bill Pettingell, Brett Fontaine, David Cusack, Eric Popp, Frank Carey, Mick Moscaritolo, Newburyport High School, Ryan McAuliffe, Ryan O'Connor, Ryley Warnock

March 12, 2011 · 11:23 pm

Watertown Easily Defeats Newburyport Boys 55-31 to Take D3 North Title

Danny Kelly (14 points)

: Marco Coppola (21 points)

(Lowell) I suspect it’s rare to see a mismatch of this proportion so far along in the tournament but that’s what it looked like as the Watertown boys decisively defeated Newburyport, 55-31, to take the Division 3 North title on Saturday night at the Tsongas Center.

The state‘s leading scorer (Marco Coppola) paced the Raiders with twenty-one points and teammate Danny Kelly added fourteen.

Chris Jayne finished his Clipper career with a team-high eleven points, all in the second half.

When I checked my stats after this game I was stunned by three of the results from this game:
(1) Watertown had only five turnovers,
(2) Newburyport had twenty-six turnovers,
(3) Watertown shot 3-for-20 from long range and the state’s leading scorer missed all seven of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Chris Jayne rushes to cover Marco Coppola in front of the Newburyport bench.

Obviously, Watertown (18-5) took great care of the basketball. All five starters handled the ball like guards. They were very good at penetrating as far as they could go and then dishing to an open teammate. The Raiders had great looks all game long.

On the other hand, Newburyport made uncharacteristically bad ball-management decisions over and over. Some of the turnovers led to breakaway layups while others robbed them of shot attempts. Watertown had twenty-eight more shot attempts than the Clippers!

Newburyport (15-8) lost by twenty-four points in a game in which their opponent missed seventeen 3’s. The final score could have been significantly more lopsided.

The teams were tied, 6-6, three minutes into this game before the Raiders ran eleven straight stretching into the second period. Watertown hit two of their three’s (Tyler Romanelli and Danny Kelly), got an old-fashioned three (Marco Coppola), and a layup by Connor Stockdale on an assist by Marco. This run gave the Raiders a 17-6 lead.

Marco Coppola shoots a free throw.

Later in the second period and into the second half, Watertown put a 17-2 stretch together over 7 ½ minutes to put this one away, 36-14, with four minutes left in the 3rd period. Marco Coppola contributed ten points and other seven were scored by Danny Kelly.

The rest of the game needed to be played and was. Both teams cleared their benches.

Watertown moves on to the D3 state semi-finals on Tuesday night at the TD Garden against Cardinal Spellman. I can assure you that if the Raiders get turnover numbers like they had against Newburyport and start to connect on 3-point shots, they could win two more games and be state champs again. The Raiders were state champs in 2007 and 2009.

Connor Stockdale and Marco Coppola hoist the D3 North trophy.

Watertown has a 98-23 record over the last five seasons and have made the state tournament fifteen straight years. Let’s just say that they’ve been good and they still are.

Newburyport loses eight seniors off of their 12-man roster and will have to rebuild around the team’s lone returning starter and leading scorer (Brett Fontaine – 13.1 points per game).

(I gather my own stats and take my own pictures. I also make my own assumptions. Mistakes in doing this are unintentional.)

Coach Tom L’Italien waits with his team for the runner-up trophy.

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Filed under Newburyport, Watertown

Tagged as Brett Fontaine, Chris Jayne, Connor Stockdale, Danny Kelly, Drew Carter, Marco Coppola, Newburyport High School, Watertown High School

March 8, 2011 · 11:08 pm

Newburyport Boys Defeat Pentucket 53-39 to Reach Division 3 North Finals

Brett Fontaine (21 points) sinks a free throw in the midst of an eighteen point run by Newburyport.

Newburyport players celebrate after defeating Pentucket at Triton to reach the D3 North finals.

(Byfield) Who knows what goes on in a timeout? In a quiet gym you might catch a word or two but certainly not in an MIAA Division 3 North semi-final game held at Triton with an overflow crowd and two student cheering sections trying to outdo each other.

Newburyport called the timeout I’m referencing here after Pentucket had scored six straight points and taken a 17-13 lead with 5:04 left in the second quarter.

I don’t know what Clipper coach Tom L’Italien said, and maybe it wasn’t profound, but his team came out and totally dominated Pentucket for the rest of the half. The domination (eighteen unanswered points) was so significant that it put the Sachems in a hole they could never get out of thereafter.

Newburyport (15-7) went on to win, 53-39, but this game was decided in the last five minutes of the second quarter as the Clippers went from down four (17-13) to up by fourteen (31-17) at the half.

The victory sends Newburyport to Division 3 North finals against Watertown on Saturday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.

The secret to success for Newburyport against Pentucket was turning up layups all night long. Whether it was on a fast break or on dribble penetration the Clippers traveled the inside, high-percentage road getting seventeen layups in the twenty-two baskets they accumulated.

In the game-winning, eighteen point run, Newburyport had six layups, and an in-the-lane floater and a three by Matt Leavitt.

What was Pentucket (13-10) doing while this was going on? Missing nine shots, including five 3’s and committing two turnovers.

Brett Fontaine – 21 points and a willingness to drive to the basket

Junior Brett Fontaine was huge for Newburyport with 21 points and a willingness to take the ball to the basket in traffic. He took a whack in the third quarter and missed three minutes but was back in the final quarter to score the Clippers first four points on drives to the hoop.

Chris Jayne chased Corey McNamara around for the entire game. That meant fighting through the numerous screens the Sachems set for their long-range shooter. Corey managed to get off seventeen shots but only made two of them. He was a very surprising 1-for-14 from long range.

Without Corey’s normal 17+ points, the Sachems needed points from elsewhere and on this night no one filled that void. Will Angelini and John Modlish led Pentucket’s scorers with just eight points apiece.

Drew Carter (10 points) and Chris Jayne (9 points) were the other leading scorers for Newburyport.

The Clippers led throughout the first quarter before two free throws by John Modlish, a jumper by Will Angelini, and a layup by Mike Doud in the second quarter gave Pentucket the lead (17-13) and necessitated the Clipper timeout which was followed by the eighteen point Newburyport run.

Cory McNamara comes off a Will Angelini screen on Chris Jayne looking for a pass.

Pentucket trailed 39-27 after three quarters. In the 4th, a John Modlish layup and a Serge Smaila three put the Sachems within nine (41-32) with 6:40 to go but layups by Brett Fontaine and Eric Meyer restored the Clipper’s double-digit advantage and they held it the rest of the way.

Both schools had good student turnouts and Triton is set up nicely to accommodate student sections with space in between them. I’m not sure why chanting obscenities is tolerated by schools. I wonder if that sort of thing will be “fixed” by the time Saturday’s Tsongas Center game is held.

During halftime the adults gave the student sections lessons in how to cheer.

Pentucket team huddle and student section

Newburyport team huddle and student section

This will be Newburyport’s first divisional final game since 2000. If Pentucket had won it would have been the first time they had ever been to the division finals.

The Clippers will have to deal with Marco Coppola and his 26.4 points per game average on Saturday when they face Watertown. I saw Marco’s freshman sister Gabby play against Pentucket.

(I accumulate my own stats and take my own pictures. I also draw my own conclusions. The errors along the way are unintentional.)

(Note the error in adding up Brett Fontaine’s points. It should be 21 not 22.)

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Filed under Newburyport, Pentucket

Tagged as Brett Fontaine, Chris Jayne, Corey McNamara, Drew Carter, Eric Meyer, John Modlish, Matt Leavitt, Mike Doud, Newburyport boys basketball, Pentucket boys basketball, Will Angelini

March 3, 2011 · 11:15 pm

Rich Warren’s 37 Points Not Enough in Lynn Tech Loss 74-71 to Newburyport in D3 North Semis

Eric Meyer (19 points) hit 9-of-10 free throws in the final quarter.

Rich Warren (37 points) hit two 3’s in the last minute.

(Lynn) Newburyport took a seven point lead with 1:12 left and made enough pressure free throws after that to offset a couple of Rich Warren 3’s and defeated Lynn Tech, 74-71, in Lynn on Thursday night to advance to the Division 3 North semi-finals.

Until Michael Duarte’s last-second heave from the backcourt fell short and the buzzer went off, there was no certainty of the winning team.

Lynn Tech’s Rich Warren (37 points) was awesome the entire game and the Clippers can be thankful that he wasn’t taking that last shot or we might have seen overtime.

Because of the Clipper free throws, that last-second shot was the only chance in the last five minutes of the game where Lynn Tech had the ball and a chance to tie with a made three.

On the road in front of a very loud Lynn Tech crowd, Newburyport made 13-of-16 free throws in the tense final quarter. Trailing by as many as seven, the Tigers were quick to foul after every missed shot and since Eric Meyer seemed to rebound every miss, he took most of the free throws. I don’t know how good a free throw shooter Eric was during the season but in the final quarter of a do-or-die game he was an amazing 9-for-10!

The celebrating begins on the Newburyport sideline as the game ends.

Eric’s last free throw gave Newburyport a 72-66 lead with twenty-three seconds left. Rich Warren cut that lead in half with his 6th 3-pointer. Chris Jayne made one of two free throws to keep the Clippers ahead, 73-69, with 16.6 seconds left. Michael Duarte took a long three that was well short but freshman Ronnie Williams alertly caught the air ball and laid it in with 4.5 seconds left and Lynn Tech trailed by only two, 73-71. Chris Jayne was fouled again and made the second of two free throws to put the Clippers up by three (74-71) with 3.8 seconds to go. Michael Duarte’s toss from the backcourt was well short causing normal breathing to return to a good collection of Newburyport fans.

There were thirteen lead changes in this game.

Trey Gallo (#1) takes the ball to the basket against Drew Carter.

Lynn Tech (13-6/#4 seed) made their “go-it-alone” approach work on offense. There were numerous coast-to-coast drives ending in layups. In some cases the Clippers were back on defense but quick-moving Tigers like Trey Gallo (13 points) and Michael Duarte (12 points) could still weave their way to the rim.

On the other hand, the Clippers (14-7) were willing to make passes to get open shots and did it ever pay off. Newburyport shot a sizzling 56% for the game (25-for-44) including an unreal 67% (12-for-18) in the second half. Add 14-for-18 from the foul line (also in the second half) and you can see how good the Clipper shooting was in this tourney win.

A last-second three by Matt Leavitt (13 points) gave Newburyport an 18-15 lead after one quarter. Luis Tavares (4 points) converted an offensive rebound with two seconds left in the second quarter to give the Tigers a 34-33 halftime edge. Rich Warren’s last-second three tied the score at 52-52 at the end of three quarters. So when you add on the way the last quarter ended you can see that the exciting moments just kept coming.

Eric Meyer (19 points), Brett Fontaine (15 points), and Matt Leavitt and Chris Jayne with 13 points each, topped the Clipper scorers.

Brett Fontaine (#24) lines up a three after getting a pass from Matt Mottola (#22).

One of the big final-quarter plays for Newburyport was Matt Mottala finding Brett Fontaine for a three that gave the Clippers a 61-55 lead with five minutes left.

#5 seed Newburyport now awaits the winner of the Pentucket at Hamilton-Wenham game tomorrow night. During the regular season the Clippers split with Pentucket and lost by five to Hamilton-Wenham. There were players from HW in the audience tonight.

Tiger coach Marvin Avery has coached Lynn Tech for twelve seasons. His teams have reached the post-season every year and have been to the Division 3 North finals six times. It might not be so easy next season as the players he calls, “The Little Three,” (Trey Gallo, Michael Duarte, and Rich Warren) are all graduating.

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Filed under Lynn Tech, Newburyport

Tagged as Brett Fontaine, Chris Jayne, Coach Marvin Avery, Coach Tom L'Italien, Drew Carter, Eric Meyer, Lynn Tech boys basketball, Matt Leavitt, Matt Mottala, Michael Duarte, Rich Warren, Trey Gallo

March 2, 2011 · 10:48 pm

Twenty-Seven Point Second Quarter Helps Newburyport Girls Rout Snowden 69-26 in D3 North First Round

Beth Castantini (15 points) prepares for a shot from in close.

The Clippers dominated the paint on both ends.

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers blew away Snowden in the second quarter and cruised to an easy, 69-26, victory in the first round of Division 3 North. The Newburyport girls are now on an eight-game winning streak.

The Clippers next opponent will be Ipswich on Friday night (7PM) at Ipswich. Newburyport has already faced, and defeated, the Tigers twice this season………..but neither game was at Ipswich which is where this one will be played. I can assure you that that game will be a whole lot tighter than the Clipper/Cougar one was that I’m attempting to describe in this space.

For 7 ½ minutes it looked as if the visiting Cougars might be able to make a game of it. Though very small (tallest player is 5-9), the team from the Boston City League made shots and only trailed, 16-13.

After that, the “making shots” part of it vanished. Meanwhile, the Clippers continued to shoot ‘til they scored on most possessions.

Sam Leahy (14 points) gets a clean look.

Over the next 13 ½ minutes of playing time, the Clippers outscored the Cougars, 41-4! That’s not a typo. Newburyport shredded the Cougars’ zone defense by giving up high percentage shots to get teammates even higher percentage shots.

The Clippers shot 50% in the decisive second quarter (12-for-24) and didn’t have a single turnover during a twenty-seven point explosion. There was textbook offense and defense.

I had to wonder how serious Snowden (5-8) was about the game. They didn’t have a single fan that I ever heard. Plus, their coaching staff didn’t call a timeout until the team was down, 39-15, with 2:15 left in the second quarter. By that time, Newburyport was on a 23-2 run. By then, not only had the cows left the barn, they had moved to another state!

The Clippers (14-7) led, 45-17, at the half.

The Clipper starters were very relaxed as they awaited the beginning of the second half with a 45-17 lead.

Beth Castantini (15 points), Sam Leahy (14 points), and Molly Rowe (12 points) were in their usual spots as the Clippers top point getters despite short minutes in the second half. The three of them looked for each other on offense and dug in on defense. They will certainly be facing tougher competition ahead.

Haley Johnson (8 points) seldom shoots but her rebounding, defending, and passing were important in this game and are a big reason why the team is having such a good season.

Jovanna Sandifer (6 points) scored the most for Snowden. She was a very fancy dribbler but at 5-4 got into trouble when she got close to the basket and nearer to Newburyport’s taller defenders.

(I collect my own stats, take my own pictures, and draw my own conclusions. Mistakes are unintentional.)

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Filed under Newburyport, Snowden

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Haley Johnson, Jovanna Sandifer, Molly Rowe, Newburyport High School girls basketball, Sam Leahy, Snowden

February 4, 2011 · 11:39 pm

Newburyport Girls Defeat Ipswich Again 52-39

Hannah O’Flynn (#34) is defended by Haley Johnson (#11).

Molly Rowe (18 points) led all scorers and made 8-of-9 free throws.

(Newburyport) The Clippers got scoring from Molly Rowe (18) and Beth Castantini (15) and solid defense from Haley Johnson (on Hannah O’Flynn) and defeated Ipswich, 52-39, on Friday night.

The Clippers (7-7) earlier had beaten Ipswich (9-3) at Triton’s tournament in December. The Tigers had won six straight since then.

This was a game that Newburyport led from start (first seven points) to finish.

The Tigers made their run late in the 3rd quarter by making three straight long ones (two by Nyra Constant and one by Hannah O’Flynn) to close to, 30-28, with 1:50 left.

The rest of the quarter Ipswich didn’t score a point while Newburyport ran seven straight points. The killer basket was a last second three from sophomore Lea Tomasz which gave the Clippers a, 37-28, advantage at the end of the quarter. The Tigers were reduced to firing long range and fouling the rest of the game but on this night that strategy didn‘t work.

Turnovers were plentiful (43) as both teams played tight defense and denied passing lanes.

Despite the tight defense, Newburyport’s better organized offensive schemes turned up more high percentage shots. Eight of the Clipper’s sixteen baskets were from in close. On the other hand, Ipswich had only four layups out of their fifteen baskets.

Hannah O’Flynn recorded sixteen points for Ipswich but seven of them came in the final quarter after the outcome was decided. Credit Haley Johnson. She, with an occasional helping hand from a teammate or two, kept Hannah on the perimeter most of the time.

A Clipper strength this season has been their foul shooting. In this game they were 17-for-22 despite missing their last three attempts. Beth Castantini was five-for-six while Molly Rowe was eight-for-nine. Those numbers certainly explain why both players frequently take the ball to the basket hoping at least to draw foul shots.

Nyra Constant (#15) launches a long one over Molly Rowe.

Nyra Constant connected on three long ones for Ipswich.

Julia Davis hurt her wrist during a collision.

Plenty of action during inbound plays.

When Ipswich took the ball out under the basket they were shooting at, there was enough pushing and shoving by both teams to give almost every player a foul. The Tigers wanted to get Hannah the ball in close and Newburyport refused to allow it.