David Lehmann
David Lehmann

Hanover — Hanover High’s Connecticut River Shootout boys basketball tournament kicked off on Tuesday night with the hosts besting Woodsville, 62-52, and Littleton beating Mascoma, 53-46.

The five-team event, in which each school plays two games, continues today when Stevens faces Littleton at 5:30 p.m. and Mascoma clashes with the Marauders at 7.

Tuesday’s nightcap saw Woodsville leading Hanover, 47-44, with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining. However, the hosts went on a 12-2 scoring run to close the contest. The Marauders’ Caleb Putnam, who finished with 14 points, scored nine during that final stretch.

“We were a little bigger and stronger and wore them out in the end,” said Hanover coach Tim Winslow, whose team improved to 2-1. “They did a nice job getting rebounds, but the last four minutes were really hard for them. We had every kid play for us, and I think we were fresh at the end.”

Charlie Adams had 17 points for Hanover, which also received nine points from Alex Mosenthal and eight points from Charlie Goodrich.

Woodsville’s Connor Maccini had 14 points, Corey Bemis had 10 and Cooper Davidson finished with eight. The Engineers (4-1) have today off before facing either Stevens or Littleton at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Tuesday’s first tournament game left Mascoma coach Jim Barry with mixed emotions.

“Our shooting is still atrocious, but our defense is getting better and the turnovers were down slightly,” said Barry, whose team trailed, 21-18, at halftime of its fourth consecutive loss. “We’re improving, but we still have a ways to go. The guys are into it and puling for each other.”

Dakota Decocq led the Royals (1-5) with 16 points, and Tyler Warner had seven.

Exeter 58, Lebanon 32

Manchester — The Raiders made just three of nine free-throw attempts but drained five 3-point efforts at the Queen City Invitational at Manchester Memorial High. Chris Nulty had seven points and Zach Preston had six for Lebanon (3-1), which faces Salem today at 3 p.m. in continued tournament action.

Girls Basketball

Lebanon 54, ConVal 27

Manchester — Sophomore forward Carrie Laramie scored 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added five steals in her starting debut at the Manchester Central tournament, her move into the lineup made possible by the absence of several regulars.

Becky Wright had 20 points for the Raiders (5-1), who next play today at 4 p.m. against either Coe-Brown or Conant.

“We kind of closed the door during the third quarter,” said Lebanon coach Tim Kehoe, whose squad scored all of that stanza’s 18 points. “We’re missing (starters) Anna Wolke, Izzy Peress and Megan Gradijan, so this week is about the rest of the kids getting quality playing time.”

Littleton 62, Mascoma 43

Langdon, n.h. — Bella Kondi scored 22 points, pulled down nine rebounds and had two steals and Sidney Thompson had seven points as the Royals, playing at Fall Mountain’s MG Sports Holiday Tournament, dropped to 1-5.

Mascoma, which faces Stevens in tournament play today at 2:30 p.m., made five of 11 free throws. In other Tuesday action, the Cardinals fell, 40-32, to Monadnock, Newport lost to Hinsdale, 45-26, and Fall Mountain handed Sunapee its third consecutive loss, 55-20.

“Bella carried us today, but we just didn’t play well,” said Mascoma first-year coach Walt Hammond, who was missing one player because of a concussion and another who had her wisdom teeth out. “That would have changed the complexion of the game at least a little bit.

“Littleton has some awfully big girls. We need to change our school lunch menu, because we don’t seem to grow them that way.”

Boys Hockey

Hanover 6, Bow 2

Manchester — The Marauders (4-0) cruised in their first game at the Manchester Christmas Tournament at JFK Coliseum, enjoying a 43-16 edge in shots and contributions from several former junior varsity players.

Harris LaRock, that squad’s starting goaltender last winter, made 12 saves. Onetime JV skater Sam Seelig, a junior, scored his first varsity goal, and JV alums Peter Warhold, Cameron Woods and Rowan Wilson each had assists.

“Just about everyone on our team spent at least a little time at that level,” said Hanover coach Dick Dodds, who’s hoping a school board vote early next month will approve long-term funding for the lower-tier program. “It’s really turned into a great feeder for us the last four or five years, more so than it ever was before.”

David Lehmann scored twice on the power play and Charlie Plottner, Hans Williams and Braxton McNulty also tallied.

Owen Stadheim and Elias Zinman each had two assists, and Matty Gardner and Joey Goff had single assists.

“When we move the puck and pass well, we’re so much tougher to play against,” said Dodds, whose team plays Goffstown today at 2 and Concord on Thursday at 6.

“Today, there were times we didn’t do it, and Bow had us pinned in our end for minutes at a time. Then we got guys moving without the puck. They could receive passes with speed in open ice, and we got going again.”