SALEM — With the game, and a trip to the Division 1 state semifinals on the line, Salem’s Aidan McDonald had a hunch.

Golf is a cruel, cruel game.

Windham High freshman Ava Sanchez had considered it, but she was far from convinced that she should run cross country in addition to playing field hockey, which has always been her No. 1 passion.

Freshman Sophia Ponzini was not expecting to start for the defending Division 1 state champion Windham field hockey team. Not at all.

Pinkerton’s girls cross country team always seems to have a freshman standout.

Ella Koelb will probably be the first to admit that she owes a debt of gratitude to older sister Jocelyn.

Sanborn may have an unusually strong team — perhaps the strongest small school squad in decades — but it will still need to be in peak form to overtake Pinkerton as the king of area boys cross country.

There’s a lot that Windham softball coach Dave Hedge likes about having rising senior Jasmine Moskowitz in his program.

Many students enter college with dreams of becoming a doctor. Then they take, say, organic chemistry and make a beeline to the registrar’s office to change majors.

BRADY DAY, Shortstop/pitcher

Growing up as a basketball star in New Hampshire, Mark Dunham learned what it meant to face Central Catholic on the court.

Pinkerton’s proud tradition in girls cross country took a major hit last year.

DERRY — In the Big 10, Geo Baker is known as an all-conference guard and a two-time academic all-conference student.

Finally, track fans would get a chance to witness Pinkerton Academy junior Ryan Dane at his best.

Even when Abby Bedient was in middle school, Windham High softball coach Dave Hedge could tell that the now-senior had enormous potential.

Some may view a New England title as the pinnacle. But most of the area girls New England track champions seemed to go on to bigger and better things.

Name, Position: ALYSSA DIMAURO, Shortstop

Few wrestlers had a more up-and-down collegiate career than former Pinkerton standout Phil Moricone.

Windham senior Jacob Kuczynski may be able to enhance a friendly rivalry with his brother, Matthew, on a new scale next year.

Ryan Day had no specific goals for the 2020 baseball season at Tufts.

Breaking a state record is enough to make any high school swimmer’s entire career.

Dufresne honored

DERRY, N.H. — Lauren Riviere knows, at first glance, that she hardly fits the image of a dominant defenseman, or a hockey player at all.

In the record books, the Londonderry girls basketball team will go down as Division 1 runners-up for the 2019-20 season.

KAYO COMMITS

For the Londonderry girls basketball team, the worst part of the entire situation is the unknown.

CUSHING HERO

Joey DaSilva scored a team-high 15 points to keep No. 12 Windham trailing by just three at halftime and still very much alive in its upset bid attempt. But No. 5 Keene got up by double digits in the third quarter, and slowed the pace down to bleed out the clock in its eventualy 52-38 first r…

DERRY, N.H. — Free throws win games, as the Londonderry girls basketball team found out last week.

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Windham matched Bedford shot for shot in the first period, and controlled play for nearly the entire third. But the middle period doomed the Jaguars.

It didn’t end the way Sterling McLaughlin wanted to, but he still put together a fabulous season on the mat.

Schramm leads rally

McEACHERN TO NORWICH

This past weekend, the New England Association of Christian Schools (NEACS) hosted their New Hampshire State Basketball Tournament.

There’s still one more meet left, but Pinkerton’s Sterling McLaughlin has already had a season to remember.

UNH MIDDLE DISTANCE

Fantastic Furlong

The timing of New Englands is less than perfect for New Hampshire track athletes.

Like any teenager, Windham senior Jack Armstrong is probably not a big fan of stringent rules and regulations.

LONDONDERRY — The Pinkerton wrestling team had plenty of highlights at Saturday’s Division 1 state meet.

Derry’s Gregg Guillemette recently won karate’s NASKA Grand Championship World Title at the age of 52.

Jags in OT!

There was a consensus sentiment swirling around the Londonderry girls basketball locker room as halftime came to a close last Friday against Dover.

All Pinkerton’s Sophia Viger has known — and all she will ever know — is winning state titles.

Alexis Martino, have yourself a day.