Woodsville's Brendan Walker.
Woodsville's Brendan Walker.

Lisbon, n.h. — Jamie Walker considers himself fortunate. For many of the 19 years he’s been in charge of the Woodsville High boys basketball program, he’s started a season with at least a couple of holdovers from the previous one, giving a solid foundation on which to build.

This season, with a lot of new faces, has been different. Even victories provide teaching moments.

Woodsville nearly saw a 35-20 lead disappear in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night, but the Engineers held on for a 43-34 win at neighboring Lisbon. The Engineers, winners of four of their last five games, did well to gain their advantage, but turnovers nearly undid the whole thing.

“We need to take care of the ball with the lead, especially when there’s two or three minutes left, we know they’re going to foul us to stop the clock and we continue to turn it over,” Walker said. “To make a long story short, we have to take care of the basketball better at the end of games.”

Woodsville — which earned a 72-63 win over Lisbon (7-6) back on Dec. 10 — did defend well through three quarters. The Engineers also had success from distance, with Billy Green canning two 3-pointers en route to a game-high 16 points and Brendan Walker burying three to account for his nine points.

Woodsville hosts Profile on Friday.

Girls Basketball

Lisbon 46, Woodsville 41

Lisbon, n.h. — A dreadful shooting night from the floor doomed the Engineers (10-2), who saw a four-game winning streak end after nearly erasing a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers (8-6), who dropped a 48-41 game at Woodsville on Dec. 10, bolted to a 17-4 lead after one quarter and held a 36-18 advantage after three. The Engineers fought back to within three points, missing a shot to tie the game with 20 second left before Lisbon pulled away from the free-throw line.

Lisbon’s defense kept Woodsville’s top two scorers under wraps, holding Olivia Sarkis to just two field goals and Emily Prest without a bucket.

Grace Kaiser had 15 points and Kiara Burke added 13 to lead the Panthers.

Sarkis did go 10-for-16 at the line to finish with a game-high 14 points. Mackenzie Kingsbury added 11 points, most on a trio of 3-pointers. Woodsville returns home to host Profile on Friday.

Lake Region 46, Oxbow 22

Bradford, Vt. — Tia Martinez and Melanie Menard shared scoring honors with 11 points apiece as the Rangers rolled over the Olympians (5-7), who dropped their fourth in a row.

Freshman Emma Parkin and senior Mariah Shumway both scored four points to lead Oxbow.

The O’s host Williamstown on Thursday night.

Alpine Skiing

Gebhardt Wins Pinder Race

Peru, Vt. — Woodstock’s Kelly Gebhardt topped the field to win the girls’ half of the Pinder Memorial Slalom at Bromley Mountain.

Gebhardt posted a two-run time of 1 minute, 23.13 seconds to win by nearly six seconds over Burr & Burton’s Annabelle Gray. The host Bulldogs nipped the Wasps for the team win, although Woodstock put Taylor Blodorn (sixth), Maggie Parker (seventh) and Chloe Noble (10th) in the top 10.

Rutland edged Burr & Burton in the boys’ race, with Woodstock third. Peter Borden nearly grabbed the win for the Wasps, finishing third (1:17.75) behind BBA’s Blake Greene (1:17.46) and Rutland’s Brady Kenosh (1:17.71). Aaron Wilson (sixth) was Woodstock’s only other top-10 finisher.

Boys team scores: Rutland 28, Burr & Burton 34, Woodstock 40, MSJ 55, Mill River 133.

Girls team scores: Burr & Burton 20, Woodstock 23, Rutland 36.