By DAN BARILE
Eagle Times Correspondent
Boys Basketball
Kearsarge 52, Mascoma Valley 33
BOW, N.H. — Kearsarge jumped out to a 22-9 lead after an 18-point outburst from sophomore sharpshooter Eli Whipple during the first quarter.
The Cougars never looked back, maintaining a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
Eli Whipple scored a game-high 24 points, Noah Whipple was next with 10 and Austin Needham added eight. Tanner Moulton led Mascoma (18-2) with 14 points.
Kearsarge (19-2) will face top-seeded Belmont (19-1) in the NHIAA Division 3 State Championship game on Saturday at Keene State College.
Bellows Falls 67, Green Mountain 62 (3OT)
CHESTER, Vt. — It took three overtimes to determine a winner in Chester during the opening round of the Division 3 playoffs.
Freshman Morgan Haskell connected on a shot from beyond the arc late in the final overtime to propel the Terriers into the quarterfinals.
Bellows Falls (11-10) has a tough matchup ahead against top-seed White River Valley (20-0) on Saturday. Green Mountain finished the season with a 13-8 record.
Winooski 65, Springfield 49
WINOOSKI, Vt. — Springfield entered the final quarter with a 41-40 advantage, but Winooski dominated the final eight minutes to advance to the quarterfinals.
Bradley Gallant poured in 24 points and Nick Wiese added 14 for the Cosmos.
Springfield finished the season with a 9-11 record. The Cosmos are slated to return a promising core next season with only three players leaving due to graduation.
Girls Basketball
Bellows Falls 41, Leland & Gray 35
TOWNSHEND, Vt. — Bellows Falls won for the second time in as many nights in a surprisingly close contest against Leland & Gray.
The Terriers defeated Leland & Gray 65-19 earlier this season yet found themselves ahead by only two points entering the fourth quarter.
Laura Kamel was the top scorer for Bellows Falls (14-4) with 10 points and Abby Nystrom followed with eight.
