RallyNorth.net: High School Sports – Merrimack Valley and Southern NH

It seems like every time Tyler Nelson hops off a plane onto a basketball court, he racks up another scholarship offer.

The latest for the Central Catholic junior guard is George Washington University.
GW joins Dartmouth, Bryant and Jacksonville on the offer list for Nelson, who saw one offer go away when Greg Herenda left UMass Lowell.
For now, Bradford’s Nelson remains focused on finishing off a power spring with his BABC team in the Nike-sponsored Elite Youth Basketball League.
So far this spring, Nelson has played events in California, Texas and Virginia, with a Memorial Day weekend stop in Minnesota followed by the Finals in South Carolina from July 10-14.
“I’m pretty happy about the way things have gone,” said Nelson. “I’m playing well right now, shooting the ball well, playing a lot of minutes. I think I can play even better.”
Even the icey-cool was a bit surprised at the offer from George Washington, which competes in the Atlantic-10. The A-10 is one of the NCAA’s strongest conferences, having placed five teams in this year’s mens tournament.
“To play at that level, I definitely have to get better and stronger,” said Nelson. “But the first time playing in EYBL, I didn’t know what I’d be getting myself into. I’m playing against the top guys in the country, playing at such a high level and I’m holding my own.”

BASEBALL BONANZA

There is plenty of diamond intrigue as the penultimate weekend of the high school baseball season comes upon us.

First, the MVC Large Race couldn’t be tighter with Central Catholic and Chelmsford each having three leagues losses.

Central can lock down a piece of the crown with wins at Andover today (3:45) and then at the Warriors (Tuesday). Chelmsford beat Methuen last night and closes today at home against Lowell.

Billerica has the inside position against Lawrence in the MVC small. If the Lancers can take care of Dracut Saturday night at home, it will mean Lawrence needs either Haverhill to beat Billerica today or Tewksbury to take out the Indians in the opening round of Spinners Cup action Monday.

As for the Hillies, they remain one of the spring’s pleasant surprises at 9-7.

Don’t pencil Haverhill in as a sure “state tourney” team yet, though. Not with this schedule.

Haverhill sends junior Matt Burns to the hill today to conquer the Indians today. Haverhill will come back with sophomore Josh Goldstein, who dazzled Lawrence last week, against Tewksbury on Saturday. Sunday, it’s a trip to Whittier Tech with a 1 p.m. showdown with Whittier Tech.

Talk about a quality matchup, that one will be 4-1 Sean Wrenn on the mound for Haverhill vs. Andrew Wells (6-0) and the Commonwealth Large champions Wildcats.

Haverhill’s one other chance to qualify should disaster strike three straight times would be a rested Nick Comei going Thursday at Masconomet.

According to sources at Salem High, girls basketball coach Annie Alosa is stepping down. More on this coming up in The Eagle-Tribune.

Bryant University has offered Tyler Nelson.
The BABC standout out of Central Catholic has had a huge AAU spring.

We’re into the spring season.
And let’s just put it this way, it’s a tough baseball scene to embrace and cherish.
Checking out the MVC, Billerica stands head and shoulders above the rest right now, although the Indians are a mere shadow of MVC beasts of the past.
As one fan said to me yesterday, “They don’t approach Lowell of last year or Lawrence of 2010, not even close.”
I said it before, and I feel it in my heart. I wouldn’t be surprised if the MVC large champ wins 13 or 14 overall, which is a tad scary.
If the Super 8 were in play this spring, the Valley would not be represented, which is kind of scary.
Everyone in the large is bouncing around 3-1 or 3-2. and certainly we’re looking at a 3-4 team race into the final week with Chelsmford, Andover, Central, Methuen all in the mix.
Is it all lacrosse? Is it all volleyball?
Not for anything, but here’s a rant I went on last week about the level of baseball around.

Barely two weeks into the season, and I am depressed to the core about the state of high school baseball in the region.
How can this be? How did it happen? And all so fast.
Do we really have this little to look forward to this spring.
Honestly, I did and probably do have some high aspirations for Central Catholic. But back-to-back losses to Dracut and Bishop Fenwick will wear the gleam right off that freshly waxed finish. By the way, this is going to sound like I’m pounding on CC here, but you are 6-4, not 6-3. The loss to St. John’s Prep counts. You may not count it, but everyone else on the planet does.
We cover 21 baseball programs in our region. Come June 1, I foresee three teams right now showing a pulse – Division 3 defending state champ North Reading, Division 4 defending champ Georgetown, and Londonderry in the NHIAA Division 1 playoffs.
Contrast that for one second to this past March when the Central boys, North Andover, Andover, Whittier Tech, North Reading all were considered serious threats in hoops.
I can hear former colleague Tim Bresnahan screaming all the way from Southie with that one nasty word, lacrosse.
I don’t believe it. Why? It’s just two different breeds of kid.
Let’s use North Reading High as exhibit A. Last spring, North Reading came up one game short in lax and went all the way in baseball. That’s two legit programs existing together.
And don’t even forget that North Reading’s 1A or 1B starter, Mike Driscoll, was last seen a couple Mondays ago wearing a St. John’s Prep uniform and stifling Central Catholic for five scoreless innings.
If the Hornets can spread the wealth, other schools should too.
Look around the Merrimack Valley. Indoor hitting schools and AAU groups keep popping up like the dandelions on my lawn. They’re everywhere.
Fields are busy as soon as they are potentially playable.
Yet, look around. We’re staring at a whole lot of mediocrity.
Individually, sure there are stars around. But the great teams, the mini-dynasties we once saw at Andover or Central or Salem are a thing of the past.
So far, I’ve seen Central, Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen and North Andover.
Lowell’s 2012 North champion squad was certainly a throwback to the days when an MVC team – usually Andover or Central – perennially factored in the North sectional race.
The Red Raiders were 2-4 heading to the weekend, so that run might be one and done.

My baseball rant is done. Got to get to see Andover soon. And then we will know for sure.

Some folks had blogged in about Christmas tourney news.
I haven’t heard much. I know folks met. I’m not sure how much it’s going to matter, until they get all the ADs on board with the idea that upgrades and changes in the tourney have to happen.

No word out of North Andover yet, either. Yet. But I guess that decision has to be close to imminent.

Anyone got anything out there.

Love to chat with you guys about the local sports scene.

Never let it be said that I don’t take requests.
We had a reader reach out wondering about why we didn’t run the 3-point shooting leaders for the season from the region, per usual.
The answer was I honestly didn’t think there was a demand.
So, therefore, I totaled them up, and here you folks go. Sorry for the delay.

Season 3-point totals
78 – Andrew Wells, Whittier Tech
72 – Tyler Nelson, Central
61 – Keith Brown, Pelham
58 – Derek Collins, North Andover
58 – L.J. Figueroa, Notre Dame
54 – Matt Jameson, Haverhill
54 – Chris Dunn, Andover
49 – Oscar Reynoso, Greater Lawrence
47 – Kevin Fabian, Lawrence
44 – Cooper Hammel, Methuen
42 – Jayde Dawson, Brooks
37 – Jackson Morton, Sanborn
34 – Cam Welch, Pinkerton
31 – Saul Phiri, Haverhill
31 – Andrew Ruffen, Salem
31 – Tucker Lippold, Windham
30 – Jack Konevich, Andover
30 – Mark Sicard, Methuen
30 – Jake Chory, Pentucket
29 – David Berroa, Brooks
27 – Calvin Wiles, Pentucket
26 – Ryan Grant, Whittier Tech
25 – Tommy Hogan, North Reading
25 – Taylor Simpson, Londonderry
24 – Pat Mahoney, Timberlane
23 – Brian Morales, Lawrence
23 – Isaiah Nelsen, North Andover
22 – Jake Vaiknoras, Pelham
22 – Andrew Chory, Pentucket
21 — Joey Torgersen, Georgetown

Hi 3-point games
10 – L.J. Figueroa, Notre Dame vs. Bradford Christian
8 – Matt Jameson, Haverhill vs. Tewksbury
8 – Andrew Wells, Whittier vs. Lynn Tech
8 – Figueroa, ND (twice) vs. Northeast, Innovation Charter
7 – Tyler Nelson, Central vs. Billerica
7 – Derek Collins, North Andover (twice) vs. Wakefield, Billerica
7 – Wells, Whittier vs. Gr. Lawrence
7 – Figueroa, ND vs. Fellowship
6 – Kevin Fabian, Lawrence vs. Chelmsford
6 – Cooper Hammel, Methuen vs. Everett
6 – Keith Brown, Pelham vs. John Stark
6 – Jackson Morton, Sanborn vs. Raymond
6 – Nelson, Central vs. Tewksbury
6 – Jameson, Haverhill (twice) vs. Dracut, Billerica
6 – Wells, Whittier vs. Melrose
6 – Figueroa, NS (twice) vs. North Shore, Innovation Charter