Becotte nets New Hampshire honor
Pelham High girls basketball star Jasmine Becotte has netted a major award.
The junior guard was named the Division 2 Player of the Year by the New Hampshire Basketball Coaches Organization. Becotte, who went over the 1,000-point mark for her varsity career during the regular season, guided the Pythons to a terrific 18-3 campaign.
Pelham’s run ended in the semifinals to Kennett. Becotte was named a first team selection.
Her Pelham teammate, junior Sophia Joncas, was named a honorable mention selection.
Boys basketball
GOOD SPORT >> Tewksbury High’s Michael Sullivan is the winner of the George Sheehan Sportsmanship Award by IAABO 95. He will be honored March 25 during a banquet at Lenzi’s in Dracut.
Making the honor even sweeter, James Sullivan, his grandfather, won the award in 1966.
Track
LHS TEAM SHINES >> Lowell’s girls 4×200 relay team of Ronnie Jones, Quinn Petzold, Bridget Geary and Britney Ogiegor finished 28th in the New Balance Nationals Championship with a time of 1:44.28 — second best in school history.
MVC wrestling
The Merrimack Valley Conference’s Division 2 Coach of the Year is Tewksbury’s Steve Kasprzak. There were four Wrestlers of the Year.
Two of them hail from the area — 285-pound Chelmsford sophomore Thomas Brown and 126-pound Tewksbury senior Jack Callahan.
Named to the first team allconference team were: 106 — Lowell freshman Emmett Logan; 113 — Lowell senior Jaxson Phachansiri; 138 — Chelmsford senior Bob Hennessey; 138 — Tewksbury senior Jack Donovan; 152 — Lowell senior Quin Foyle; 170 — Chelmsford senior Jack Walsh; 195 — Chelmsford senior Aiden Sherman; and 195 — Tewksbury junior Paxton Green.
Named to the second team all-conference squad were: 106 — Tewksbury freshman Nick Desisto; 113 — Billerica eighthgrader Tristan Lee; 120 — Lowell junior Christopher Dubey; 132 — Chelmsford junior Malakai Everett; 145 — Tewksbury junior Hunter Johnson; 152 — Chelmsford senior Manny Marshall; 152
— Tewksbury senior Ryan Fleming; 160 — Billerica junior Jizaiah Cardelelario; 170 — Billerica senior Dominic Bastianelli; 170 — Tewksbury senior Sean Hirtle; 182 — Chelmsford junior Jose Bethel; 220 — Chelmsford junior Ian Mwangi; and 220 — Tewksbury sophomore Manny Mengata.
MVC track
BOYS >> The Merrimack Valley Conference Division 2 Coach of the Year is Chelmsford’s Danny Richter.
Nine local athletes were named to the first team all-conference team.
From Billerica, Jacob Peck (4×200), Ryan Leslie (mile, two mile), Sebastien St. Pierre (55, 4×200, long jump), Shawn Mulkerin (4×200) and Tyler Fortune (4×200). From Lowell, Jarlen Arrango (two mile, 4×800), Evan Imasogie (55) and Nidlaire Olivier (55 high hurdles). From Tewksbury, Alex Arbogast (55, 300).
A total of 16 area athletes were named to the second-team allconference squad.
From Dracut, Shawn Panfil (4×200), Adlai Souch (4×200), Anthony D’agostino (4×200), Nicholas Grier (4×200) and Sam Botsis (4×200). From Lowell, Alex Wahpo (600, 4×800), Jack Courtney (mile, 4×800), Raymond Edjejovwo (4×800), Schneider Pierre (4×800) and Victor Duong (4×800).
From Tewksbury, Kodie Legrand (shot put), Kyle Adams (shot put), Nathan Leboy (4×800), Nick Alvardo (1,000, 4×800), Steven Oppedisano (two mile, 4×800) and William Eskenas (two mile, 4×800).
GIRLS >> The Merrimack Valley Conference’s Division 2 Coach of the Year is Billerica’s Cullen Hagan. Lowell was the Sportsmanship Award winner.
A total of 11 area athletes were named to the first team all-conference team.
From Billerica, Nyrah Joseph (55 high hurdles, high jump, 4×400), Anna Mcelhinney (mile, two mile, 4×800, 4×400), Isabella Pereira (4×400), Brianna Phelan (1,000, 4×800, 4×400), Deirdre Bailat (two mile, 4×400, 4×800) and Emily Burdick (600, 4×400, 4×800).
From Lowell, Bridget Geary (4×200), Britney Ogiegor (4×200), Quinn Petzold (300, 4×200, long jump) and Ronnie Jones (shot put, 4×200, 55). From Tewksbury, Jayani Santos (55, 300, 4×200).
A total of 14 area athletes were selected to the second team allconference squad.
From Billerica, Grace Carter (4×800), Julia Nott (4×200), Keira Moore (shot put), Kyle Mcgowan (4×800), Lily Bower (long jump, 4×200), Lily Freeman (4×200) and Olivia Coyne (4×200). From Chelmsford, Kate Leonard (1,000) and Nhyira Nkansah (shot put). From Dracut, Sabrina Vitale (two mile).
From Lowell, Annie Gilman (mile, two mile). From Tewksbury, Cassidy Paige (4×200), Emma Jensen (4×200) and Kimsan Nguyen (4×200).
College hockey
UML DUO HONORED >> The Hockey East Association announced its 2022-23 men’s All-star teams as voted by the league’s 11 head coaches as part of the celebration of the 38th Hockey East Tournament.
Two Umass Lowell standouts were recognized. Making the Allstar Third Team were goaltender Gustavs Davis Grigals (Riga, Latvia) and defenseman Jon Mcdonald (Livonia, Mich.).
“His ultra-competitive nature, and his drive to succeed are impressive. He won several awards, including Goalie of the Month, and is very deserving to be named a Hockey East All-star,” UML head coach Bazin said of Grigals.
“He has been one of our two captains leading by example every game. Apart from finishing second as the league’s best defensive defenseman, he is now a Hockey East All-star. He is a solid person and has a bright future ahead of him,” Bazin said of Mcdonald.
Both are graduate students and instrumental in helping the River Hawks be one of the stingiest defensive teams in the nation.
The River Hawks will play in the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East playoffs Saturday (4 p.m.) at the University of Connecticut. The game will be played in Storrs. Hockey East will announce finalists for the Player, Rookie and Coach of the Year
awards on Monday.
College baseball
MERION STATION, Pa. — Umass Lowell fell 4-3 to Saint Joseph’s in game one of a weekend series.
Graduate student Gerry Siracusa (Kinnelon, N.J.) tallied two hits to lead the River Hawks (2-10) and added one run. Junior Fritz Genther (Kingston, N.Y.) and sophomore Conor Kelly (Hopkinton) each recorded an RBI. Sophomore Jacob Humphrey (Standish, Maine) also tallied a hit on his first home run of the year.
Sophomore LJ Keevan (Holden) went 5.2 innings with seven strikeouts and three earned runs, falling to 0-4 this season. Freshman Michael Simes (Rutland) went 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and picking up one strikeout.